So this is my newest fan fiction, generated by my love of the excellent game Star Wars KOTOR. I warmly recommend it to everyone out there who wants to experience an epic story filled with memorable characters first-hand. My story will not actually take place during the time covered in the game, but will take place before it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
You might also notice some references *cough*rip-offs*cough* from Star Wars films.
~~~
Night was falling outside an unknown mansion in a great city. The owner of the house, obviously an important person, called his security guards to him to report. There were about eight of them, all armed with weapons ranging from Blaster pistols to Blaster carbines. They all wore dark crimson outfits with the logo of the security firm on the right side of their shirts. The owner stood on a chair as a security guard with a braid of hair hanging from the back of his head emerged from a door and reported that the back-door was clear.
"Very well. Resume patrolling the house." the owner said with a relieved voice. He seemed to be afraid of something. The guard gave a nod and was away. The owner then turned to the leader of the guards, which was standing besides him. "Any more news of the terrorist?"
"They just found the body of a senator in the lower quarters of the city." the leader of the guards said with a cold voice. He didn't seem to care much for the deaths of others.
"Dreadful. I trust you will handle this situation well. That's why I hired you in the first place." the owner, who seemed to be a senator himself, said with some relief.
"That's our job sir...and we're the best in the branch." the guard leader said with obvious confidence in his men.
"I hope so...not for the sake of the money I spent to buy your services, mind you, but for the lives of your men. So far, the vigilante has left no survivors when dealing with the bodyguards of other senators." the senator said with an amount of fear returning in his voice.
"They were not enjoying our services weren't they?" the leader of the guards said, starting to appear annoyed by the senator's questions.
"Yes...of course." The senator said, realizing that he was stressing the leader of his bodyguards.
As soon as the senator stopped talking, bursts of blaster fire could be heard outside the house. All the bodyguards around the senator, 3 of them, drew their weapons. Their leader soon raised a com-link to his mouth and barked out a few orders to his men. He also asked the guards outside what the situation was.
"That's for you to find out." a sinister voice mysteriously replied.
As soon as the com-link from which the voice responded was shut down, the lights of the chamber were shut-down. All of the guards were alerted by this. Soon afterwards however, they all switched on their portable flashlights which were mounted on their blasters.
"The vigilante, he's here! He cut the power!" one of the guards yelled with a panic-stricken voice.
"Stay cool. There's one of him and three of us, we'll blast him to pieces." another guard said.
"Yeah, but outside there were five of us and one of him...and they're all dead!" the panicked guard said once again.
"Shut up! He'll hear us! You two get the senator out of here! I'll stay and handle the vigilante." the leader of the guards said as he split up his men. A possibly dangerous move.
The panicked guard and the one which tried to confort him based on their numbers took the senator out of the chamber through the door which led to the back-door. It was a secret passage meant especially for times like this. The senator was still frightened, despite he had 2 guards with him. Some of the murdered senators were killed in broad daylight, yet none had managed to see the assassin...and live to tell the tale.
Blaster fire could soon be heard from the chamber from which they had left. A few blasts were heard before everything went quiet. The security guards accompanying the senator urged him to continue on by himself while they stood and held the assassin in place. Without much choice, the senator accepted. He ran on, almost reaching the back door. As he ran, he could hear screams and blaster shots behind him yet it was too dark to see anything besides the flash of blasters in the distance of the passage. The senator soon reached the door, yet it was locked. As the senator stood for a few seconds, trying to think of an alternative, he could feel a hand on his shoulder.
As he quickly turned around, he was relieved to see that it was the security guard with the braid of hair which had reported on the situation of the back-door. Given his position, he would surely be one to have the keys. The senator smiled as the thought of surviving the vigilante dawned on him.
"Are you alright sir?" the guard asked with a relatively calm voice.
"Yes...gladly. I thought you were the vigilante when you touched me on the shoulder." the senator said, chuckling. "I thought I was dead for a moment!"
"I managed to catch the killer by surprise when I came back from outside. I wasn't with the others when I heard the blasts. I think I managed to drive him off...for now." the security guard said.
"Wonderful. Could you open this door?" the senator asked with a relieved voice.
"Of course sir. That's why I locked it in the first place, so the killer couldn't enter through this entrance." the guard said as he went over to the door and started tinkering with it.
"Good thinking. You'll make a nice profit from this affair, now that all your colleagues are dead. You'll get all their money." the senator said with a smile. He was trully grateful.
"Hm...regarding profit, did you truly rig that pod-race on Malastare sir? That's the word on the streets, and a lot of betters are angry that they lost their money." the guard said, idly bringing unrelated matters into discussion.
"Well...I do own a racing team...and the betting corporations were offering me a lot of credits if my team lost the race...so I did." the senator answered.
"Hm...easier to receive money than to properly earn it right, huh?" the guard said as he was working on the door.
"I was down with debt and that was the only way out. Besides...the opposing team had helped me before with another rigged match so I returned the favour." the senator said, showing that he felt he did the right thing.
"Do you feel sorry about it?" the guard asked as he turned around from the door, facing the senator.
"No. Now why do we keep on with this nonsense? Your job is to defend me, not ask me random questions." the senator said, finding it hard not to use the word 'stupid' instead of 'random'.
"Too bad, that was your chance to change your ways." the guard said with slight disgust.
"What do you..." the senator was cut short by a lightsaber piercing his chest.
As the senator fell down, slightly gasping for air, the guard, which turned out to be the killer, looked at him with disgust. Just as the killer was preparing to leave, a lightsaber lit up behind him. It was a Jedi which had come to stop him. As the killer turned and lit up his lightsaber as well, the two of them had a short chat.
"Your killings stop now murderer!" the Jedi said as he raised his lightsaber.
"Then I suppose you're content with the corrupt senators dragging our Republic down with them as they fall to lower depths. Well, it's not like you have much of a choice do you? You do what your masters tell you to do, in the end." the killer said with a somewhat sarcastic voice.
"I do not think you are in the position do consider yourself a member of the Republic when you murder its leaders in cold blood." the Jedi said with a calm voice.
"Hm...that's the beauty of democracy isn't it? You get the leaders you deserve. If you support these corrupt vermin, fight for them!" the killer screamed as he attacked the Jedi with his own lightsaber.
As the two combatants suddenly drew together to attack each other, it all ended in a blur. It was all just a dream. One of many such troubling and detailed dreams that Jedi padawan, Korben Jeross, was having in the last days. These dreams were considered troubling because Jedi had deep consideration for dreams and visions. Through the future could be predicted, the methods to reach the predicted outcome however were hard to predict.
As Korben woke up from his bed, he went to his master to talk about the dreams. It was another new day in the capital of the Galactic Republic, Coruscant. The corridors of the Jedi Temple were as lively as ever, as Padawans and Younglings scurried around to do their daily tasks. Both humans and aliens alike filled the hall, yet they were all attuned to the Force. Korben pretty much kept to himself since he never really grew a liking for the other Padawans. He found them interested in learning and meditation and nothing else. They were also hard to talk with since they often did not respond, their mind drifting to other things. The only person Korben was really attached to, and used to talk to daily, was his master, Jedi Knight Maik Daasrad.
As he entered his master's chambers, he could see that he was meditating quietly. He tried to walk quietly and not disturb his master's meditation as he approached him from behind. Korben also wanted to give his master a little surprise.
"It's no use trying to surprise me Korben, I know you're there." master Daasrad said.
"Sorry master, I forgot about Jedi mind-reading." Korben said, apologizing.
"You have been very absent minded as of late Korben, forgetting many things which are deemed important by the Jedi Order. Mind-reading among them. What is troubling you?" master Daasrad asked with a slight 'know-it-all' tone that Korben loathed.
"I have been having these visions master...very disturbing visions. I do not know how else to call them." Korben said with a concerned voice.
"Hm...why don't you describe one of these visions?" master Daasrad said, curious about the content of the visions.
"Well, I'll tell you about the latest one. It's in a house, a well guarded house which I think is owned by a Senator. The Senator starts talking about a supposed assassin which has been killing senators lately. After he finishes talking about the assassin, blaster fire can be heard from the outside. The senator is whisked off by two of his guards as the killer pursues him. The two guards are eventually killed and the senator is left alone, cornered. As he prepares to be killed, one of his guards appears and conforts him. The guard, after a short discussion, then draws a lightsaber and murders the senator with disgust." Korben said.
"I suppose this lightsaber has a red blade, does it not?" master Daasrad asked.
"Yes, it does. After he kills the senator, a Jedi appears and draws his own lightsaber, a blue-bladed one. He calls the killer to battle, telling him that his killing streak is over. The killer denies that and says that he is doing these things for a right purpose. They then start fighting. After that, the vision ends." Korben said with a troubled voice.
"Can the faces of any of these combatants be seen?" master Daasrad asked.
"No master, their faces are all clouded and their voices sound strange. Do you have any idea what it could mean?" Korben asked seeking the help of his master.
"Just that. An assassin starts killing senators and a Jedi pursues him and fights him. This is an obvious vision of the future, yet these visions are treacherous, even to the most talented Jedi. They are the conclusion of a number of actions, yet these actions are unpredictable. Great troubles loom ahead for those with such visions." master Daasrad said with wisdom emanating from his words.
"Do you think I could be the Jedi fighting the assassin master?" Korben asked with a rather enthusiastic voice. He always thought of ways he could improve his own renown.
"Do not be so hasty to seek power for yourself padawan, for it could have unforseeable ends. Whether or not you will be this Jedi, remains to be seen." master Daasrad said, mysteriously.
"I understand master." Korben said with a rather dissapointed voice. He was dissapointed by the fact that the Jedi often supressed any amounts of personal ambition in a padawan.
"Now, padawan. Go to the Archives and study the war of Exar Kun. It will teach you a few things about why such ambition to gain personal power is...frowned upon in the Jedi Order. I don't like using the word 'supressed'." master Daasrad said with a slight smile. He had read Korben's mind and had seen the frustration he had regarding the Order's views on personal ambition.
"Yes master." Korben said as he left his master's chamber. He also reminded himself not to think too much about personal things around his master.
As soon as Korben left, Daasrad opened a small hologram receiver which showed the hologram of Jedi Master Vandar Tokare, one of the leading Masters of the Order.
"What wish is it you have, Maik?" the small Jedi Master said in the voice specific of his species.
"Have we received any more reports regarding the movements of the Mandalorians?" Daasrad asked with a rather concerned voice.
His concern would grow true in the coming months.
~~~
That's it for the first part of "Mandalorian Wars"! I hope you enjoyed it. Comments are appreciated!
Full Version: The Mandalorian Wars
Cut me some slack, will ya? I've got plenty of exams of my own. (Not that I seem to be bothered by that. 
)
Anyway, back to your story. Let me first tell you that I'm not exactly a Star Wars fan. I like it, but not that much. Anyway, you seem to be off to a good start from what I can see. Mystery, check. Sense of details, check. Interesting dialogue, check.
Only nitpick I have is this. The guys who threw their lives away in the dream. They're mercenaries, right? If so, wouldn't they be at least a bit more willing to abandon their master and escape with the cash they already had? Five against one, and they all died. More than enough reason to bail while you can. And mercenaries prefer to stay alive so they can spend their cash. At least, that's what I think. But hey, it's a dream, right? Who cares if they act a bit weird there. It's all due to the power of the force.
)Anyway, back to your story. Let me first tell you that I'm not exactly a Star Wars fan. I like it, but not that much. Anyway, you seem to be off to a good start from what I can see. Mystery, check. Sense of details, check. Interesting dialogue, check.
Only nitpick I have is this. The guys who threw their lives away in the dream. They're mercenaries, right? If so, wouldn't they be at least a bit more willing to abandon their master and escape with the cash they already had? Five against one, and they all died. More than enough reason to bail while you can. And mercenaries prefer to stay alive so they can spend their cash. At least, that's what I think. But hey, it's a dream, right? Who cares if they act a bit weird there. It's all due to the power of the force.
Hmmm, this is certainly an engaging start to this new fan fic. As jack noted, all the elements of a good story are present and well presented. Hopefully now of the Star Wars jargon will throw me off. So far, it's been easy to follow though.
I look forward to see the young padawan's progress.
I look forward to see the young padawan's progress.
Well, the mercenaries guarding the house of the senator hadn't received their money yet. That's why the senator was congratulating the one guard left alive on receiving all the money he should have shared with his colleagues. Anyway, it was a dream. I was thinking recently of adding screenshots of space battles to help the reader better imagine the battles. 2-3 links at the end of some updates. What do you think? Anyway, I hope you like this update.
~~~
As Korben left the chambers of his master, he met a lot of Jedi he knew in the corridors of the Jedi Temple. As he gave formal salutes to all the Jedi he met, be they Padawan, Knight or even Master, he met one young Jedi which had just been knighted. This Jedi, along with another, was one of the few Jedi with which Korben actually liked to talk to. His name was Revan. The other Jedi with which Korben liked to talk to about various things was Revan's friend Malak. Revan and Malak were extremely close, having known each other from early childhood. As time passed, they stuck together and learned to look out for each other.
While Revan had just been knighted, Malak was still a Padawan. This sometimes frustrated Malak since he was somewhat jealous that his old-time friend had been knighted before him. He held no grudges, yet being jealous was something the Jedi were highly cautious of. Jealousy, along with a few more feelings like love, hate or anger were ways leading towards the dark side. All Jedi Masters were eager to warn their students to be wary when dealing with these feelings, even though some Padawans took the warning lightly.
"Greetings Revan." Korben said with a smile as he shook hands with Revan. Revan did the same.
"Greetings Korben. How are things going?" Revan asked with a smile as well. He was one of the more charismatic Jedi.
"Well, you know how things are at first. Things are going slow, mostly studying about things in the Jedi Archives and moral lessons regarding the Jedi Code. I can't wait to start lightsaber training." Korben said, showing slight frustration with the way his master treated him. Revan chuckled, and then coughed.
"These things must not be taken lightly...Padawan." Revan said with a solemn face. Korben's face went white. He started thinking if his friend had become like the masters, dedicated to the Code. After a few moments of silence, Revan started talking again. "Heh, I got you there Korben. Did you really think I would start lecturing people to show them how big of a Jedi I am? Nah, I'll never change."
"You really scared me there. I started thinking the Masters brainwashed you as well to talk about the Code all the time. It's good to know you're still the same person I know." Korben said with a relieved voice. They then both laughed.
"Did you think I'd change over night Korben? Regarding the training, yes it is kind of slow at first. But you'll get past the easy things like studying quickly. And when your Master is going to tell you to stand on one hand and lift something using the Force with the other you're going to start wishing you were back studying. Don't worry friend, all things pass in time." Revan said showing wisdom in his words the like of which Korben had never seen. He smiled, impressed with his friend's transition to the position of Jedi Knight.
"I'm glad you're a Knight now. You'll make the Masters very proud, I'm sure of that." Korben said.
"Don't worry Korben. When we will be older, me, you and Malak, all three of us will be Masters on the Jedi Council. And then, we will lead the Jedi into a new age, an age of peace and prosperity." Revan said, looking off somewhere to the distance as he finished his sentence.
"Until then, the galaxy can prepare since I'm not sure it's ready for three Jedi Masters like us." Korben said with a grin.
"Don't worry my friend. Until then, I'm sure there will be loads more Jedi like us, with an open mind to everything. Now, enough of our delusions of grandeur. I have some business with Master Vandar. I'll put in a good word for you and Malak, who knows, you might be the next ones knighted." Revan said as went on.
"Good luck with that. May the Force be with you Revan!" Korben said as he went off as well.
Korben always enjoyed talking to Revan about a great many things. Revan always seemed to be open to any discussion, even in subjects which most Jedi hesitated to talk about like the subject of the Sith and the possibilities of war with the Mandalorians. Those however were all distant thoughts in Korben's mind, things which he did not think about too much. He always kept his mind focused on the task at hand, being "mindful of the Living Force" as his Master said it.
Meanwhile, on the moon of Onderon called Dxun, the forces of Mandalore the Ultimate were massing. Despite the fact that the Mandalorians had suffered defeat years ago, during the war of Exar Kun when they were defeated by the forces of the Republic and the Jedi, their forces were still strong and their warriors still demanded revenge. The Mandalorian leader, Mandalore the Ultimate, was going to use his people's lust for vengeance as a weapon against the Republic and the Jedi. Mandalorian culture was built around honour, and the greatest honour a Mandalorian could gain was by fighting in a battle. Thus it was the wish of all Mandalorians to fight the Jedi and the Republic in a battle that would be remebered over the ages. Mandalore the Ultimate was hard at work trying to fulfill that wish.
The Mandalorians had built several training camps and had even established a stronghold on Dxun. Many Mandalorians came to call the moon home. The training camps were hard at work churning out Mandalorian warriors. The true Mandalorians had all but died out during the war with Exar Kun, and the Mandalorian clans were severely weakened. Thus, to even the odds, Mandalore the Ultimate began recruiting aliens into his forces. The Mandalorians soon evolved from a single race to an entire culture of warriors. Countless species of aliens joined their ranks, from Rodians to Twi'leks, swelling the Mandalorian forces. Mandalore the Ultimate had also called a meeting of the Mandalorian clans, to gather for war. A messenger came to him in this purpose.
"I come bearing news from the clans, Mandalore." the messenger said. His face was covered by a traditional Mandalorian helmet with a T-shaped visor.
"Will they go to war?" Mandalore the Ultimate asked, intent on seeing if the Clans were ready for war.
"Most of them will, Mandalore, but there are some which have banded against you, saying you defy Mandalorian traditions by bringing these...outsiders into our clans." the messenger said while looking at one of the aliens who guarded Mandalore.
"Who are these clan leaders who question my bringing of outsiders into the clan structure?" Mandalore asked with an annoyed tone.
"The leaders of clans Mirdalan and Wau." the messenger said.
"If they do not agree with my views then tell them I invite them here to my stronghold on Dxun, where we can discuss the subject like the civilized men we are." Mandalore said while flailing his hands around in an odd way. He then turned and started speaking in a serious, almost menacing tone. "Tell them they can bring as many bodyguards as they want."
"Yes Mandalore. Anything else?" the messenger asked.
"Yes. Gather the clans. The Mandalorians are going to war." Mandalore said.
As soon as the messenger had left the room, Mandalore called one of the Mandalorians guarding him. The Mandalorian who came proved to be an alien, one of the Rodians freshly recruited. He came to Mandalore eager to see what their leader wanted from him.
"Yes sir?" The Rodian asked.
"What is your name, Mandalorian?" Mandalore asked. The aliens who had joined the Mandalorians all appreciated Mandalore for the simple fact that he never reffered to them as outsiders. The alien Mandalorians all felt they could trust Mandalore, and most of them saw him as their protector.
"Breedo, sir." Breedo said with a smile under his helmet.
"Well, Breedo, I have a special task for you. The leaders of a few Mandalorian clans will be visiting our stronghold soon. They don't agree with the fact that you are a legitimate member of my clan. They don't consider you Mandalorian. They are fools however to think that since you, and your comrades, are just as Mandalorian as the rest of them. Now, go forth to the jungles surrounding our base and capture the most fearsome beasts you can find. I want to give our future visitors a good dose of...local hospitality." Mandalore the Ultimate said. He reffered to the ravenous creatures that lurked near the Mandalorian base. Those monsters had slain the previous Mandalore years ago. He was putting a heavy burden on the shoulders of the young Mandalorian warrior.
"Of course sir. I'll bring only the best this moon can offer. We can afford only the best for our special guests, right?" Breedo said with obvious pleasure. All the alien Mandalorians enjoyed serving the Mandalore, and they all did it with pleasure and loyalty.
"If we don't want to plunge the clans into a civil war, we're forced to capture only the most ravenous of creatures. When the beasts are captured, I want them brought inside the base, near the meeting chamber. There, we will have a little surprise waiting for our honoured visitors." Mandalore said with a chuckle. "Now go!"
"Of course Mandalore!" Breedo said with a quick salute as he left to gather a hunting party.
It's a shame sending a fine recruit like this one out into the jungle, but it's the only way he can prove himself as a Mandalorian. There's no point in praising them if they're not worthy of the Mandalorian heritage. Mandalore thought to himself. He never really doubted his new recruits, yet he never really tested them to see if they were worthy to be Mandalorians either. This was the time to see if the new recruits were worth the effort. If Mandalore could manage to ambush the leaders of his rival clans using local wildlife, he could easily dodge suspicions of being the murderer. And if the new recruits failed, he could easily frame a human of killing the clan leaders under orders from the Republic. Whatever the outcome, Mandalore managed to destroy his rivals in the end.
With his plans set in motion, all Mandalore could do now was wait and see how it all went out. His Mandalorians would either be cleansed of weaklings, or renewed under the efforts of alien recruits trying to prove themselves. Then, war with the Republic could commence.
~~~
That's it for this part. Hope you enjoyed it. Feedback appreciated!
~~~
As Korben left the chambers of his master, he met a lot of Jedi he knew in the corridors of the Jedi Temple. As he gave formal salutes to all the Jedi he met, be they Padawan, Knight or even Master, he met one young Jedi which had just been knighted. This Jedi, along with another, was one of the few Jedi with which Korben actually liked to talk to. His name was Revan. The other Jedi with which Korben liked to talk to about various things was Revan's friend Malak. Revan and Malak were extremely close, having known each other from early childhood. As time passed, they stuck together and learned to look out for each other.
While Revan had just been knighted, Malak was still a Padawan. This sometimes frustrated Malak since he was somewhat jealous that his old-time friend had been knighted before him. He held no grudges, yet being jealous was something the Jedi were highly cautious of. Jealousy, along with a few more feelings like love, hate or anger were ways leading towards the dark side. All Jedi Masters were eager to warn their students to be wary when dealing with these feelings, even though some Padawans took the warning lightly.
"Greetings Revan." Korben said with a smile as he shook hands with Revan. Revan did the same.
"Greetings Korben. How are things going?" Revan asked with a smile as well. He was one of the more charismatic Jedi.
"Well, you know how things are at first. Things are going slow, mostly studying about things in the Jedi Archives and moral lessons regarding the Jedi Code. I can't wait to start lightsaber training." Korben said, showing slight frustration with the way his master treated him. Revan chuckled, and then coughed.
"These things must not be taken lightly...Padawan." Revan said with a solemn face. Korben's face went white. He started thinking if his friend had become like the masters, dedicated to the Code. After a few moments of silence, Revan started talking again. "Heh, I got you there Korben. Did you really think I would start lecturing people to show them how big of a Jedi I am? Nah, I'll never change."
"You really scared me there. I started thinking the Masters brainwashed you as well to talk about the Code all the time. It's good to know you're still the same person I know." Korben said with a relieved voice. They then both laughed.
"Did you think I'd change over night Korben? Regarding the training, yes it is kind of slow at first. But you'll get past the easy things like studying quickly. And when your Master is going to tell you to stand on one hand and lift something using the Force with the other you're going to start wishing you were back studying. Don't worry friend, all things pass in time." Revan said showing wisdom in his words the like of which Korben had never seen. He smiled, impressed with his friend's transition to the position of Jedi Knight.
"I'm glad you're a Knight now. You'll make the Masters very proud, I'm sure of that." Korben said.
"Don't worry Korben. When we will be older, me, you and Malak, all three of us will be Masters on the Jedi Council. And then, we will lead the Jedi into a new age, an age of peace and prosperity." Revan said, looking off somewhere to the distance as he finished his sentence.
"Until then, the galaxy can prepare since I'm not sure it's ready for three Jedi Masters like us." Korben said with a grin.
"Don't worry my friend. Until then, I'm sure there will be loads more Jedi like us, with an open mind to everything. Now, enough of our delusions of grandeur. I have some business with Master Vandar. I'll put in a good word for you and Malak, who knows, you might be the next ones knighted." Revan said as went on.
"Good luck with that. May the Force be with you Revan!" Korben said as he went off as well.
Korben always enjoyed talking to Revan about a great many things. Revan always seemed to be open to any discussion, even in subjects which most Jedi hesitated to talk about like the subject of the Sith and the possibilities of war with the Mandalorians. Those however were all distant thoughts in Korben's mind, things which he did not think about too much. He always kept his mind focused on the task at hand, being "mindful of the Living Force" as his Master said it.
Meanwhile, on the moon of Onderon called Dxun, the forces of Mandalore the Ultimate were massing. Despite the fact that the Mandalorians had suffered defeat years ago, during the war of Exar Kun when they were defeated by the forces of the Republic and the Jedi, their forces were still strong and their warriors still demanded revenge. The Mandalorian leader, Mandalore the Ultimate, was going to use his people's lust for vengeance as a weapon against the Republic and the Jedi. Mandalorian culture was built around honour, and the greatest honour a Mandalorian could gain was by fighting in a battle. Thus it was the wish of all Mandalorians to fight the Jedi and the Republic in a battle that would be remebered over the ages. Mandalore the Ultimate was hard at work trying to fulfill that wish.
The Mandalorians had built several training camps and had even established a stronghold on Dxun. Many Mandalorians came to call the moon home. The training camps were hard at work churning out Mandalorian warriors. The true Mandalorians had all but died out during the war with Exar Kun, and the Mandalorian clans were severely weakened. Thus, to even the odds, Mandalore the Ultimate began recruiting aliens into his forces. The Mandalorians soon evolved from a single race to an entire culture of warriors. Countless species of aliens joined their ranks, from Rodians to Twi'leks, swelling the Mandalorian forces. Mandalore the Ultimate had also called a meeting of the Mandalorian clans, to gather for war. A messenger came to him in this purpose.
"I come bearing news from the clans, Mandalore." the messenger said. His face was covered by a traditional Mandalorian helmet with a T-shaped visor.
"Will they go to war?" Mandalore the Ultimate asked, intent on seeing if the Clans were ready for war.
"Most of them will, Mandalore, but there are some which have banded against you, saying you defy Mandalorian traditions by bringing these...outsiders into our clans." the messenger said while looking at one of the aliens who guarded Mandalore.
"Who are these clan leaders who question my bringing of outsiders into the clan structure?" Mandalore asked with an annoyed tone.
"The leaders of clans Mirdalan and Wau." the messenger said.
"If they do not agree with my views then tell them I invite them here to my stronghold on Dxun, where we can discuss the subject like the civilized men we are." Mandalore said while flailing his hands around in an odd way. He then turned and started speaking in a serious, almost menacing tone. "Tell them they can bring as many bodyguards as they want."
"Yes Mandalore. Anything else?" the messenger asked.
"Yes. Gather the clans. The Mandalorians are going to war." Mandalore said.
As soon as the messenger had left the room, Mandalore called one of the Mandalorians guarding him. The Mandalorian who came proved to be an alien, one of the Rodians freshly recruited. He came to Mandalore eager to see what their leader wanted from him.
"Yes sir?" The Rodian asked.
"What is your name, Mandalorian?" Mandalore asked. The aliens who had joined the Mandalorians all appreciated Mandalore for the simple fact that he never reffered to them as outsiders. The alien Mandalorians all felt they could trust Mandalore, and most of them saw him as their protector.
"Breedo, sir." Breedo said with a smile under his helmet.
"Well, Breedo, I have a special task for you. The leaders of a few Mandalorian clans will be visiting our stronghold soon. They don't agree with the fact that you are a legitimate member of my clan. They don't consider you Mandalorian. They are fools however to think that since you, and your comrades, are just as Mandalorian as the rest of them. Now, go forth to the jungles surrounding our base and capture the most fearsome beasts you can find. I want to give our future visitors a good dose of...local hospitality." Mandalore the Ultimate said. He reffered to the ravenous creatures that lurked near the Mandalorian base. Those monsters had slain the previous Mandalore years ago. He was putting a heavy burden on the shoulders of the young Mandalorian warrior.
"Of course sir. I'll bring only the best this moon can offer. We can afford only the best for our special guests, right?" Breedo said with obvious pleasure. All the alien Mandalorians enjoyed serving the Mandalore, and they all did it with pleasure and loyalty.
"If we don't want to plunge the clans into a civil war, we're forced to capture only the most ravenous of creatures. When the beasts are captured, I want them brought inside the base, near the meeting chamber. There, we will have a little surprise waiting for our honoured visitors." Mandalore said with a chuckle. "Now go!"
"Of course Mandalore!" Breedo said with a quick salute as he left to gather a hunting party.
It's a shame sending a fine recruit like this one out into the jungle, but it's the only way he can prove himself as a Mandalorian. There's no point in praising them if they're not worthy of the Mandalorian heritage. Mandalore thought to himself. He never really doubted his new recruits, yet he never really tested them to see if they were worthy to be Mandalorians either. This was the time to see if the new recruits were worth the effort. If Mandalore could manage to ambush the leaders of his rival clans using local wildlife, he could easily dodge suspicions of being the murderer. And if the new recruits failed, he could easily frame a human of killing the clan leaders under orders from the Republic. Whatever the outcome, Mandalore managed to destroy his rivals in the end.
With his plans set in motion, all Mandalore could do now was wait and see how it all went out. His Mandalorians would either be cleansed of weaklings, or renewed under the efforts of alien recruits trying to prove themselves. Then, war with the Republic could commence.
~~~
That's it for this part. Hope you enjoyed it. Feedback appreciated!
Oh, political assassinations! That sounds interesting. It will be a filling diner, that's for sure. (Note the wordplay 
)
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Hehe, I think Lord Revan will get a kick out of a certain character in this update 
Another nicely written post. These Mandalorian's have an interesting philosophy on life. I look forward to reading about them more.
Another nicely written post. These Mandalorian's have an interesting philosophy on life. I look forward to reading about them more.
Well it seems Revan hasn't responded in this thread yet. I hope he will. I didn't just make up the character Revan, he was a very important Jedi knight, as you will find out in my story.
Regarding Jack's reply, I'm glad you liked it. I personally feel that I've somewhat lost my touch when it comes to word play. I don't know, it just feels as if I know what kind of words I'd like to use, but I just can't remember them. For a time, I couldn't remember the word retinue at all. I tried and tried but I just couldn't remember it. Spelling has never been a problem, but I feel that my vocabulary has weakened. What do you think, Jack? Anyway, enough of my self contempt. Let's get on with the fic!
~~~
Two ships slowly approached the moon Dxun coming from Mandalorian space. They bore the specific markings of the Mandalorian clans Mirdalan and Wau. The challengers of Mandalore the Ultimate's theories had just arrived to claim their prize: no less than the leadership of all Mandalorians. The leaders of clans Wau and Mirdalan had arrived intent on assassinating Mandalore and claiming power for themselves. The only problem was that only one of them could be Mandalore, only one of them could rule. This was an issue they had not discussed while weaving their plan to conquer the rule of the Mandalorians, yet it was pretty straight-forward that it would come to a battle between the two leaders of the clans. Of the two clans, clan Wau was the dominant one, dragging clan Skirata into its plan.
The leader of clan Wau, Kal Wau was a well known warrior, skilled in the use of the vibroblade. He was famed to have held his own in battle against two Jedi Knights during the War of Exar Kun, and to have even killed one of them after forcing the other to retreat. Trully great deeds, even for a Mandalorian. The various things he had done on the battlefield brought him both respect and the leadership of clan Wau, which he had won after the former leader of clan Wau mysteriously died because of a stray blaster bolt during a hunt. Wau swore he had nothing to do with the death of the former leader of clan Wau, yet there were plenty rumours hinting towards a plot by Kal Wau to gain ultimate power. Mandalore the Ultimate however, was prepared to live up to his name.
As Kal Wau and Walon Mirdalan, the leader of clan Mirdalan, got off their ships they were closely followed by twenty of the best warriors of clans Mirdalan and Wau, all heavily armed and armoured. They were prepared for a fight, yet they did not expect an ambush prepared by the very man they were planning to overthrow. Mandalore the Ultimate greeted Wau and Mirdalan as they approached him. He did not try to appear happy at the sight of his two rivals. Neither did they.
As a slight sign of disobedience, Mirdalan and Wau did not take off their helmets as was traditional when adressing the Mandalore. Neither did his men. Mandalore led them to the conference chamber. There, the beasts of Dxun were waiting for their prey. As they proceded towards the conference chamber, Mandalore meet Breedo on the way.
"I hope the welcoming committee is ready to see our guests." Mandalore said to Breedo. He responded with a subtle nod.
"You have gone to the length of bringing a welcoming committee especially for us? What an honour." Kal Wau said with mock-respect. He was expecting a surprise from Mandalore.
"Yes. I hope you will find it appropriate. A combination of Mandalorian heritage and local...culture." Mandalore said, smiling under his mask.
"Hopefully we will find a swift end to this debate." Walon Mirdalan said, speaking his mind. He, of course, hoped that they could kill Mandalore swiftly, not that they could talk it over in a civilized fashion.
"Oh, rest assured we will. I guarantee it." Mandalore said.
"Good to see you have such a positive outlook regarding this subject." Kal Wau said, trying to maintain the small talk and the illusion of normality yet nothing was normal about their discussion. Discussions between people trying to kill each other are never quite normal.
"We're almost there." Mandalore said as they finally reached the door to the conference chamber.
As Mandalore together with two guards and the retinue of Wau and Mirdalan entered the room the walls of the chamber gleamed. It was sparsely decorated, as was the Mandalorian tradition. The only element of decoration was a suit of old Mandalorian armour hanging on a wall. The armour of the former Mandalore, complete with gashes and cuts from the beasts of Dxun. There were three doors leading out of the chamber, all open. As they all sat down, they started talking about the subject.
"I'm glad you were able to come here so we could discuss this matter. Now, what exactly do you find amiss regarding my plans?" Mandalore asked cassually. He knew these discussions wouldn't last long.
"They are openly defiant of Mandalorian tradition. No non-humans have ever been accepted in our ranks before. As simple as that." Kal Wau responded just as cassually. He knew these discussions wouldn't last long either.
"Well, your ways of thinking are in open defiance of the Six Actions. I don't know if you were aware of that." Mandalore said as he stood up from his seat.
He then procedeed to calmly walk towards one of the doors leading out of the chamber. Kal Wau subtly made a sign to his men to aim their blasters at Mandalore.
"The Six Actions clearly state: wear armor, speak Mando'a, defend yourself and your families, raise children as Mandalorians, help the clan succeed and sustain itself, and when called to arms by the Mandalore, rally to his cause. Your claims violate that last action." Mandalore said as he pressed a button on a console next to the door.
The two other doors then closed. Walon Mirdalan got visibly nervous as the doors closed.
"Thus, I find your status as Mandalorians...forfeit." Mandalore said as he quickly slipped behind the door he was standing next to, just as it was closing.
Kal Wau quickly made an angry gesture towards his men signalling them to fire towards Mandalore, yet he managed to exit the room just as they started shooting. As their blaster bolts narrowly missed their target, Wau and Mirdalan's guards prepared for anything the Mandalore might throw at them. As they stood, gas coming out from well concealed holes in the walls came out and filled the room. Soon enough, nothing could be seen. The doors then opened.
At first nothing could be heard. The Mandalorian guards started pointing their blasters towards the place where they thought the door was. They could hear nothing however because of the sound the gas coming from the holes made. The Mandalorians slowly retreated around one another. Not all of them did so however. Some stood their ground. Walon Mirdalan quietly hid beneath the table as the others prepared for battle.
As Kal Wau stood and watched the place where he though the door was, he suddenly heard two blaster bolts being fired by one of his guards. Two bolts flew aimlessly then all was silent. All the guards pointed their blasters towards the position from where the bolts came. Still, nothing could be heard, not even a scream. Some of the guards started getting nervous. Soon enough, another two bolts flew, yet this time towards Kal Wau. Furiously, he shot back. One of the guards which had not bunched in with the rest of the guards fired back, thinking he was fired upon. His blaster bolts hit one of his fellow guards. A storm of blaster fire then errupted between both sides, Wau and Mirdalan's guards slaughtering each other.
As Wau fired once more towards the steam, he could see one of the guards next to him being pulled by a great claw, away towards the steam. Wau desperately shot at it yet it all moved too fast and his guard was soon gone. Wau quietly looked towards the steam, trying to find the creature which killed his comrade. As he looked however, he failed to notice that everything had gone quiet once again. As he turned around, he was shocked to see several creatures shredding his men apart.
A shrill cry could be heard outside the chamber, as Mandalore smiled beneath his armour, pleased at the demise of his rivals. The cries of dying guards coupled with random blaster fire could was heard continously, until all Mandalorians inside the room were dead. Mandalore knew then that the ravenous creatures he had gathered in the nearby jungles had done their job. A messenger quietly came to him, himself frightened by the howls of the men inside.
"What is it?" Mandalore asked with clear pleasure in his voice.
"The clans are gathering Mandalore. They will soon be yours to command." the messenger said.
"How many?" Mandalore asked.
"A little over two million warriors and a few hundred ships." the messenger said with visible pride.
"Hm...our numbers have decreased over the years. Hopefully, the outsiders should be able to help us. Tell them that the Mandalore calls them all to Dxun, and to war." Mandalore said with a determined tone.
"It will be done Mandalore." the messenger said as he left.
After the messenger had left, Mandalore ordered the doors to be opened. His men gathered around the door, raising their weapons rather anxiously. They all knew the lethality of these beasts. Mandalore stepped in front of his men, holding a heavy repeating blaster in hand.
"Throw grenades inside the room, then maintain heavy fire with your blasters. After they've had enough, enter the room slowly and shoot anything that moves. And shoot anything that doesn't move just to be sure." Mandalore said as he started firing a devastating barrage with his heavy blaster. He carefully fired from side, intent on mowing down anything inside.
With his rivals dead, all Mandalore had to worry about now was baying the Republic into battle.
Regarding Jack's reply, I'm glad you liked it. I personally feel that I've somewhat lost my touch when it comes to word play. I don't know, it just feels as if I know what kind of words I'd like to use, but I just can't remember them. For a time, I couldn't remember the word retinue at all. I tried and tried but I just couldn't remember it. Spelling has never been a problem, but I feel that my vocabulary has weakened. What do you think, Jack? Anyway, enough of my self contempt. Let's get on with the fic!
~~~
Two ships slowly approached the moon Dxun coming from Mandalorian space. They bore the specific markings of the Mandalorian clans Mirdalan and Wau. The challengers of Mandalore the Ultimate's theories had just arrived to claim their prize: no less than the leadership of all Mandalorians. The leaders of clans Wau and Mirdalan had arrived intent on assassinating Mandalore and claiming power for themselves. The only problem was that only one of them could be Mandalore, only one of them could rule. This was an issue they had not discussed while weaving their plan to conquer the rule of the Mandalorians, yet it was pretty straight-forward that it would come to a battle between the two leaders of the clans. Of the two clans, clan Wau was the dominant one, dragging clan Skirata into its plan.
The leader of clan Wau, Kal Wau was a well known warrior, skilled in the use of the vibroblade. He was famed to have held his own in battle against two Jedi Knights during the War of Exar Kun, and to have even killed one of them after forcing the other to retreat. Trully great deeds, even for a Mandalorian. The various things he had done on the battlefield brought him both respect and the leadership of clan Wau, which he had won after the former leader of clan Wau mysteriously died because of a stray blaster bolt during a hunt. Wau swore he had nothing to do with the death of the former leader of clan Wau, yet there were plenty rumours hinting towards a plot by Kal Wau to gain ultimate power. Mandalore the Ultimate however, was prepared to live up to his name.
As Kal Wau and Walon Mirdalan, the leader of clan Mirdalan, got off their ships they were closely followed by twenty of the best warriors of clans Mirdalan and Wau, all heavily armed and armoured. They were prepared for a fight, yet they did not expect an ambush prepared by the very man they were planning to overthrow. Mandalore the Ultimate greeted Wau and Mirdalan as they approached him. He did not try to appear happy at the sight of his two rivals. Neither did they.
As a slight sign of disobedience, Mirdalan and Wau did not take off their helmets as was traditional when adressing the Mandalore. Neither did his men. Mandalore led them to the conference chamber. There, the beasts of Dxun were waiting for their prey. As they proceded towards the conference chamber, Mandalore meet Breedo on the way.
"I hope the welcoming committee is ready to see our guests." Mandalore said to Breedo. He responded with a subtle nod.
"You have gone to the length of bringing a welcoming committee especially for us? What an honour." Kal Wau said with mock-respect. He was expecting a surprise from Mandalore.
"Yes. I hope you will find it appropriate. A combination of Mandalorian heritage and local...culture." Mandalore said, smiling under his mask.
"Hopefully we will find a swift end to this debate." Walon Mirdalan said, speaking his mind. He, of course, hoped that they could kill Mandalore swiftly, not that they could talk it over in a civilized fashion.
"Oh, rest assured we will. I guarantee it." Mandalore said.
"Good to see you have such a positive outlook regarding this subject." Kal Wau said, trying to maintain the small talk and the illusion of normality yet nothing was normal about their discussion. Discussions between people trying to kill each other are never quite normal.
"We're almost there." Mandalore said as they finally reached the door to the conference chamber.
As Mandalore together with two guards and the retinue of Wau and Mirdalan entered the room the walls of the chamber gleamed. It was sparsely decorated, as was the Mandalorian tradition. The only element of decoration was a suit of old Mandalorian armour hanging on a wall. The armour of the former Mandalore, complete with gashes and cuts from the beasts of Dxun. There were three doors leading out of the chamber, all open. As they all sat down, they started talking about the subject.
"I'm glad you were able to come here so we could discuss this matter. Now, what exactly do you find amiss regarding my plans?" Mandalore asked cassually. He knew these discussions wouldn't last long.
"They are openly defiant of Mandalorian tradition. No non-humans have ever been accepted in our ranks before. As simple as that." Kal Wau responded just as cassually. He knew these discussions wouldn't last long either.
"Well, your ways of thinking are in open defiance of the Six Actions. I don't know if you were aware of that." Mandalore said as he stood up from his seat.
He then procedeed to calmly walk towards one of the doors leading out of the chamber. Kal Wau subtly made a sign to his men to aim their blasters at Mandalore.
"The Six Actions clearly state: wear armor, speak Mando'a, defend yourself and your families, raise children as Mandalorians, help the clan succeed and sustain itself, and when called to arms by the Mandalore, rally to his cause. Your claims violate that last action." Mandalore said as he pressed a button on a console next to the door.
The two other doors then closed. Walon Mirdalan got visibly nervous as the doors closed.
"Thus, I find your status as Mandalorians...forfeit." Mandalore said as he quickly slipped behind the door he was standing next to, just as it was closing.
Kal Wau quickly made an angry gesture towards his men signalling them to fire towards Mandalore, yet he managed to exit the room just as they started shooting. As their blaster bolts narrowly missed their target, Wau and Mirdalan's guards prepared for anything the Mandalore might throw at them. As they stood, gas coming out from well concealed holes in the walls came out and filled the room. Soon enough, nothing could be seen. The doors then opened.
At first nothing could be heard. The Mandalorian guards started pointing their blasters towards the place where they thought the door was. They could hear nothing however because of the sound the gas coming from the holes made. The Mandalorians slowly retreated around one another. Not all of them did so however. Some stood their ground. Walon Mirdalan quietly hid beneath the table as the others prepared for battle.
As Kal Wau stood and watched the place where he though the door was, he suddenly heard two blaster bolts being fired by one of his guards. Two bolts flew aimlessly then all was silent. All the guards pointed their blasters towards the position from where the bolts came. Still, nothing could be heard, not even a scream. Some of the guards started getting nervous. Soon enough, another two bolts flew, yet this time towards Kal Wau. Furiously, he shot back. One of the guards which had not bunched in with the rest of the guards fired back, thinking he was fired upon. His blaster bolts hit one of his fellow guards. A storm of blaster fire then errupted between both sides, Wau and Mirdalan's guards slaughtering each other.
As Wau fired once more towards the steam, he could see one of the guards next to him being pulled by a great claw, away towards the steam. Wau desperately shot at it yet it all moved too fast and his guard was soon gone. Wau quietly looked towards the steam, trying to find the creature which killed his comrade. As he looked however, he failed to notice that everything had gone quiet once again. As he turned around, he was shocked to see several creatures shredding his men apart.
A shrill cry could be heard outside the chamber, as Mandalore smiled beneath his armour, pleased at the demise of his rivals. The cries of dying guards coupled with random blaster fire could was heard continously, until all Mandalorians inside the room were dead. Mandalore knew then that the ravenous creatures he had gathered in the nearby jungles had done their job. A messenger quietly came to him, himself frightened by the howls of the men inside.
"What is it?" Mandalore asked with clear pleasure in his voice.
"The clans are gathering Mandalore. They will soon be yours to command." the messenger said.
"How many?" Mandalore asked.
"A little over two million warriors and a few hundred ships." the messenger said with visible pride.
"Hm...our numbers have decreased over the years. Hopefully, the outsiders should be able to help us. Tell them that the Mandalore calls them all to Dxun, and to war." Mandalore said with a determined tone.
"It will be done Mandalore." the messenger said as he left.
After the messenger had left, Mandalore ordered the doors to be opened. His men gathered around the door, raising their weapons rather anxiously. They all knew the lethality of these beasts. Mandalore stepped in front of his men, holding a heavy repeating blaster in hand.
"Throw grenades inside the room, then maintain heavy fire with your blasters. After they've had enough, enter the room slowly and shoot anything that moves. And shoot anything that doesn't move just to be sure." Mandalore said as he started firing a devastating barrage with his heavy blaster. He carefully fired from side, intent on mowing down anything inside.
With his rivals dead, all Mandalore had to worry about now was baying the Republic into battle.
Bon appetit.
Hehe, nothing more satisfying than a plan that works out perfectly. Good job!
I'm glad you liked the last update. Let's get on with the show. And sorry for dissapearing like that, but it happens. Pretty often in my case it seems.
~~~
Back on Coruscant, Korben Jeross, the Jedi Padawan had advanced greatly in his training. After finishing with the academic studies required from a Jedi, he could proceed with his favourite activity, lightsaber combat. Lightsaber combat had seven main forms, from which Jedi usually created their own preferred style using combinations of moves from other forms. The seven main forms were Form I, also known as Shii-Cho, Form II, also known as Makashi, Form III, also known as Soresu, Form IV, also known as Ataru, Form V, also known as Shien, Form VI, also known as Niman and, finally, Form VII, also known as Juyo.
The seven forms were not merely swordplay moves; they represented seven different kinds of philosophy. In addition, a lightsaber was not necessary to execute the seven forms: each form could be applied in unarmed combat. Each Jedi chose the style of lightsaber combat that best suited him or her. Jedi also learned elements of each form, though few ever mastered all of them.
Korben had developed his own philosophy for lightsaber battles, considering that, in order to win, one should overwhelm and dominate his opponent completely, leaving him no chance to retaliate properly. Thus, because of his own philosophy, Korben came to regard some forms as weak, especially the defensive Form III, or Soresu. Korben came to use the seventh form of lightsaber combat, Juyo. This form was named after an aquatic creature native to the planet of Sarapin. The juyo was a predator with multiple tentacles which moved at amazing speeds. One could only tell how many tentacles a juyo had once it was dead since it moved too fast for the tentacles to be properly counted.
Despite Korben's liking for Juyo, Master Daasrad never truly approved of his Padawan's philosophies and preferences, telling him that they verged too much on the Dark Side. Korben, of course, dismissed his master's warnings since he never really appreciated the precautionary ways of his master. Despite that however, the danger was there and it was very real. Jedi who liked to overwhelm their opponents with attacks and dominate them often fell victim to their own anger and hate, allowing their combat form to master them, not the other way around. Jedi who fought like this walked a fine line between the Light side and the Dark Side. Thus, Korben could become the very thing he swore to fight and destroy, if his anger got hold of him.
Moral philosophies aside however, it was time for a practice match between Korben and his master. They had been fighting practice matches between each other for the past few weeks, Master Daasrad trying to teach Korben the subtleties of Lightsaber combat. Korben had not created his own lightsaber yet, and he was using a training lightsaber set to merely stun his opponent. His master however, was using his own lightsaber. Master Daasrad had a green-bladed lightsaber which he had constructed several years ago, during the war of Exar Kun. This lightsaber was his second; his first one had been destroyed during the war, in a duel with a fallen Jedi. Korben sometimes asked his master about the war, but Master Daasrad was reluctant to talk about it.
As they both activated their lightsabers, they approached each other. Korben looked his master in the eye as he made his first move, or better said, set of moves. Korben never really made one move then expected the enemy to counter-attack; he made a set of 2-3 moves since it gave him more time to predict how the enemy would counter-attack. Korben made a quick vertical slash which was parried by his master, followed by a diagonal slash from the left, also parried by his master, and a quick thrust to his master's stomach, which his master dodged. He made these moves quickly so that his opponent wouldn't have time to counter-attack. After this set of moves, Korben stood for a second to see if his master would counter-attack.
"Fast my young Padawan, but not fast enough. An opponent could have easily dodged your thrust then attacked you when you were in a vulnerable state." Master Daasrad said, pointing out Korben's mistakes.
"I would have quickly drawn my lightsaber to defend against his counter-attack." Korben said as he catched his breath.
"We shall see. Defend against my blows!" Master Daasrad said as he started attacking Korben.
Master Daasrad swung his lightsaber diagonally from the right, aiming for his Padawan's head. Korben however quickly parried the blow by raising his lightsaber almost diagonally in the way of the blow. Master Daasrad then swung his blade horizontally from the left, aiming for his student's arm. Korben however ducked and avoided the blow. Master Daasrad then swung his blade in a wide arc aimed at his student's feet. Korben however did not disappoint and jumped backwards doing a backflip thus avoiding the blow.
"Very well Korben, you have assumed the defensive positions well, yet I did not attack you as fast as I could. If an opponent was bent on killing you, he could have penetrated your defense." Master Daasrad said.
"Then I will move faster, master." Korben said.
"Now show me what you have learned." Master Daasrad said as he approached his student once more.
As Master Daasrad approached, Korben did the same, raising his blade and attacking. As their lightsabers connected, they had a slight contest to see who could push the others lightsaber out of the way. As Master Daasrad seemed to be winning, Korben kicked him and pushed him away.
"You'll do anything to win eh, Korben?" Master Daasrad said, surprising Korben by the fact that he wasn't annoyed by his student's "improvisation".
"I try Master. In a battle with an opponent bent on killing me that move would have saved my life." Korben said, trying to motivate his actions.
"Good point. Let me see you do that again." Master Daasrad said.
They both approached each other again and locked their lightsabers once more. As Master Daasrad seemed to have the upper hand once more, Korben prepared to use one of the hands with which he was holding his lightsaber to punch his master in the stomach. Just as Korben drew his fist, he could feel his feet rising in the air and himself being immobilized. He was then placed down on the ground several meters away from his master.
"In a battle with an opponent bent on killing me, a move like the one you were trying would have prevented me from killing my opponent. Thus, I neutralized his defense completely by using the Force." Master Daasrad said with a smile. He had gotten back on Korben for his previous improvisation.
"I understand master." Korben said with a humble tone.
"Now, back to business." Master Daasrad said, engaging Korben once more.
The two once more approached each other. Korben quickly engaged his master by thrusting his blade towards his master's stomach, then quickly turning around while swinging his blade at the same time. His master parried Korben's blow then evaded the other one Korben had prepared. Korben tried once more to break his master's defense yet his blows weren't getting through. Just as Korben swung his blade once more his master quickly evaded the blow then proceeded to counter-attack. Korben was caught unprepared by his master's move. He tried to dodge the blow yet his master still gently bruised him on the side of his hand with his lightsaber. The lightsaber left a charred mark, and also made Korben scream.
"Must you really do this master?" Korben asked, almost shouting because of pain.
"I must, if you are to learn from your mistakes. Your first mistake was that you got relaxed thinking that I would only defend myself. Your blows got less precise, slower, easier to dodge. I managed to surprise you by quickly counter-attacking after evading one of your sloppy blows. Never underestimate a user of Form III, despite that form's heavily defensive if not passive nature, for you never know when he might surprise you using a burst of speed. That is after all the main philosophy of Form III, tiring your opponent while you study his moves, looking for a weak spot." Master Daasrad said, pointing out Korben's mistakes. Master Daasrad mastered Form II, Makashi, yet he used many elements of Form III in his own style.
"Yes, but a user of Form III cannot defeat a skilled opponent who has a good mastery of the defensive moves and tactics. Form III is too passive as well, and it requires its user to move in close to his enemy. If a Form III user's defense falters for one second, then he can be easily defeated." Korben said, pointing out the flaws of Form III.
"Agreed, but do not forget that my preferred form is Makashi Korben." Master Daasrad said.
"I never do Master. I believe we have just reached the part where I disarm you and beat you into submission." Korben said in a mildly overconfident way. His master could clearly see he was joking yet he played along.
"For your sake I hope we truly have." Master Daasrad said. His reply only served to frighten Korben at the thought of another scar.
They approached each other and Korben made the first move, swinging his blade in a wide horizontal arc then following with 3 lightning-fast diagonal slashes which his master dodged or parried. Master Daasrad then swung his blade, attempting a counter-attack yet Korben was quick to parry it and follow up with a thrust of his own, aimed at his master's neck. Master Daasrad dodged the thrust by quickly spinning to the right. His unorthodox evasive maneuver left Korben wide open to a counter-attack and Master Daasrad quickly put his lightsaber to Korben's throat.
"You were saying?" Master Daasrad asked in an ironic tone of voice. Korben closed his eyes and prepared to receive a slight scar to the neck. The blow never came however.
"Why the sudden mercy?" Korben asked with a surprised voice.
"By your actions you forced me to use a few advanced moves which only Jedi Masters have knowledge of. If I were not a Master, you would have struck me down with your last thrust. Thus, I must congratulate you for understanding today's lesson." Master Daasrad said in an apreciative way.
"Thank you Master, I tried to move as fast as I could." Korben said.
"With time Korben, you might become the quickest Knight in the Order. You must however have patience and constantly be ready to learn, even when you are a full Knight." Master Daasrad said.
"Why are you so certain that I will become a Knight? I have known Jedi older than you who are still Padawans." Korben asked, unsure of his skills.
"It is good to be humble Korben, yet underestimating yourself and assuming you will fail before actually beggining is a path that leads only to self-frustration. Frustration with yourself and those around you might lead to...darker mindsets. The temptation of quickly overcoming your weaknesses can be fatal." Master Daasrad said, barely making sense to Korben.
Korben slowly nodded, trying to show that he understood yet in his mind he though another, completely different thing.
I don't understand why these riddles are so popular with mentors. It's more annoying than helpful.
"Very well then, this lesson has ended. Now...I want you to go to the Library and read about the Mandalorians. That would be a fine subject. And don't waste time with your friends, Revan and Malak! Revan has become a Knight so he won't really have time for you anyway." Mater Daasrad said.
"Yes master." Korben said in a slightly frustrated tone as he left. He was also slightly confused about the reason his master told him to study the Mandalorians yet he went all the same.
Thus ended a day's training at the Jedi Temple. These days of peace and tranquility would become precious in times to come.
~~~
Back on Coruscant, Korben Jeross, the Jedi Padawan had advanced greatly in his training. After finishing with the academic studies required from a Jedi, he could proceed with his favourite activity, lightsaber combat. Lightsaber combat had seven main forms, from which Jedi usually created their own preferred style using combinations of moves from other forms. The seven main forms were Form I, also known as Shii-Cho, Form II, also known as Makashi, Form III, also known as Soresu, Form IV, also known as Ataru, Form V, also known as Shien, Form VI, also known as Niman and, finally, Form VII, also known as Juyo.
The seven forms were not merely swordplay moves; they represented seven different kinds of philosophy. In addition, a lightsaber was not necessary to execute the seven forms: each form could be applied in unarmed combat. Each Jedi chose the style of lightsaber combat that best suited him or her. Jedi also learned elements of each form, though few ever mastered all of them.
Korben had developed his own philosophy for lightsaber battles, considering that, in order to win, one should overwhelm and dominate his opponent completely, leaving him no chance to retaliate properly. Thus, because of his own philosophy, Korben came to regard some forms as weak, especially the defensive Form III, or Soresu. Korben came to use the seventh form of lightsaber combat, Juyo. This form was named after an aquatic creature native to the planet of Sarapin. The juyo was a predator with multiple tentacles which moved at amazing speeds. One could only tell how many tentacles a juyo had once it was dead since it moved too fast for the tentacles to be properly counted.
Despite Korben's liking for Juyo, Master Daasrad never truly approved of his Padawan's philosophies and preferences, telling him that they verged too much on the Dark Side. Korben, of course, dismissed his master's warnings since he never really appreciated the precautionary ways of his master. Despite that however, the danger was there and it was very real. Jedi who liked to overwhelm their opponents with attacks and dominate them often fell victim to their own anger and hate, allowing their combat form to master them, not the other way around. Jedi who fought like this walked a fine line between the Light side and the Dark Side. Thus, Korben could become the very thing he swore to fight and destroy, if his anger got hold of him.
Moral philosophies aside however, it was time for a practice match between Korben and his master. They had been fighting practice matches between each other for the past few weeks, Master Daasrad trying to teach Korben the subtleties of Lightsaber combat. Korben had not created his own lightsaber yet, and he was using a training lightsaber set to merely stun his opponent. His master however, was using his own lightsaber. Master Daasrad had a green-bladed lightsaber which he had constructed several years ago, during the war of Exar Kun. This lightsaber was his second; his first one had been destroyed during the war, in a duel with a fallen Jedi. Korben sometimes asked his master about the war, but Master Daasrad was reluctant to talk about it.
As they both activated their lightsabers, they approached each other. Korben looked his master in the eye as he made his first move, or better said, set of moves. Korben never really made one move then expected the enemy to counter-attack; he made a set of 2-3 moves since it gave him more time to predict how the enemy would counter-attack. Korben made a quick vertical slash which was parried by his master, followed by a diagonal slash from the left, also parried by his master, and a quick thrust to his master's stomach, which his master dodged. He made these moves quickly so that his opponent wouldn't have time to counter-attack. After this set of moves, Korben stood for a second to see if his master would counter-attack.
"Fast my young Padawan, but not fast enough. An opponent could have easily dodged your thrust then attacked you when you were in a vulnerable state." Master Daasrad said, pointing out Korben's mistakes.
"I would have quickly drawn my lightsaber to defend against his counter-attack." Korben said as he catched his breath.
"We shall see. Defend against my blows!" Master Daasrad said as he started attacking Korben.
Master Daasrad swung his lightsaber diagonally from the right, aiming for his Padawan's head. Korben however quickly parried the blow by raising his lightsaber almost diagonally in the way of the blow. Master Daasrad then swung his blade horizontally from the left, aiming for his student's arm. Korben however ducked and avoided the blow. Master Daasrad then swung his blade in a wide arc aimed at his student's feet. Korben however did not disappoint and jumped backwards doing a backflip thus avoiding the blow.
"Very well Korben, you have assumed the defensive positions well, yet I did not attack you as fast as I could. If an opponent was bent on killing you, he could have penetrated your defense." Master Daasrad said.
"Then I will move faster, master." Korben said.
"Now show me what you have learned." Master Daasrad said as he approached his student once more.
As Master Daasrad approached, Korben did the same, raising his blade and attacking. As their lightsabers connected, they had a slight contest to see who could push the others lightsaber out of the way. As Master Daasrad seemed to be winning, Korben kicked him and pushed him away.
"You'll do anything to win eh, Korben?" Master Daasrad said, surprising Korben by the fact that he wasn't annoyed by his student's "improvisation".
"I try Master. In a battle with an opponent bent on killing me that move would have saved my life." Korben said, trying to motivate his actions.
"Good point. Let me see you do that again." Master Daasrad said.
They both approached each other again and locked their lightsabers once more. As Master Daasrad seemed to have the upper hand once more, Korben prepared to use one of the hands with which he was holding his lightsaber to punch his master in the stomach. Just as Korben drew his fist, he could feel his feet rising in the air and himself being immobilized. He was then placed down on the ground several meters away from his master.
"In a battle with an opponent bent on killing me, a move like the one you were trying would have prevented me from killing my opponent. Thus, I neutralized his defense completely by using the Force." Master Daasrad said with a smile. He had gotten back on Korben for his previous improvisation.
"I understand master." Korben said with a humble tone.
"Now, back to business." Master Daasrad said, engaging Korben once more.
The two once more approached each other. Korben quickly engaged his master by thrusting his blade towards his master's stomach, then quickly turning around while swinging his blade at the same time. His master parried Korben's blow then evaded the other one Korben had prepared. Korben tried once more to break his master's defense yet his blows weren't getting through. Just as Korben swung his blade once more his master quickly evaded the blow then proceeded to counter-attack. Korben was caught unprepared by his master's move. He tried to dodge the blow yet his master still gently bruised him on the side of his hand with his lightsaber. The lightsaber left a charred mark, and also made Korben scream.
"Must you really do this master?" Korben asked, almost shouting because of pain.
"I must, if you are to learn from your mistakes. Your first mistake was that you got relaxed thinking that I would only defend myself. Your blows got less precise, slower, easier to dodge. I managed to surprise you by quickly counter-attacking after evading one of your sloppy blows. Never underestimate a user of Form III, despite that form's heavily defensive if not passive nature, for you never know when he might surprise you using a burst of speed. That is after all the main philosophy of Form III, tiring your opponent while you study his moves, looking for a weak spot." Master Daasrad said, pointing out Korben's mistakes. Master Daasrad mastered Form II, Makashi, yet he used many elements of Form III in his own style.
"Yes, but a user of Form III cannot defeat a skilled opponent who has a good mastery of the defensive moves and tactics. Form III is too passive as well, and it requires its user to move in close to his enemy. If a Form III user's defense falters for one second, then he can be easily defeated." Korben said, pointing out the flaws of Form III.
"Agreed, but do not forget that my preferred form is Makashi Korben." Master Daasrad said.
"I never do Master. I believe we have just reached the part where I disarm you and beat you into submission." Korben said in a mildly overconfident way. His master could clearly see he was joking yet he played along.
"For your sake I hope we truly have." Master Daasrad said. His reply only served to frighten Korben at the thought of another scar.
They approached each other and Korben made the first move, swinging his blade in a wide horizontal arc then following with 3 lightning-fast diagonal slashes which his master dodged or parried. Master Daasrad then swung his blade, attempting a counter-attack yet Korben was quick to parry it and follow up with a thrust of his own, aimed at his master's neck. Master Daasrad dodged the thrust by quickly spinning to the right. His unorthodox evasive maneuver left Korben wide open to a counter-attack and Master Daasrad quickly put his lightsaber to Korben's throat.
"You were saying?" Master Daasrad asked in an ironic tone of voice. Korben closed his eyes and prepared to receive a slight scar to the neck. The blow never came however.
"Why the sudden mercy?" Korben asked with a surprised voice.
"By your actions you forced me to use a few advanced moves which only Jedi Masters have knowledge of. If I were not a Master, you would have struck me down with your last thrust. Thus, I must congratulate you for understanding today's lesson." Master Daasrad said in an apreciative way.
"Thank you Master, I tried to move as fast as I could." Korben said.
"With time Korben, you might become the quickest Knight in the Order. You must however have patience and constantly be ready to learn, even when you are a full Knight." Master Daasrad said.
"Why are you so certain that I will become a Knight? I have known Jedi older than you who are still Padawans." Korben asked, unsure of his skills.
"It is good to be humble Korben, yet underestimating yourself and assuming you will fail before actually beggining is a path that leads only to self-frustration. Frustration with yourself and those around you might lead to...darker mindsets. The temptation of quickly overcoming your weaknesses can be fatal." Master Daasrad said, barely making sense to Korben.
Korben slowly nodded, trying to show that he understood yet in his mind he though another, completely different thing.
I don't understand why these riddles are so popular with mentors. It's more annoying than helpful.
"Very well then, this lesson has ended. Now...I want you to go to the Library and read about the Mandalorians. That would be a fine subject. And don't waste time with your friends, Revan and Malak! Revan has become a Knight so he won't really have time for you anyway." Mater Daasrad said.
"Yes master." Korben said in a slightly frustrated tone as he left. He was also slightly confused about the reason his master told him to study the Mandalorians yet he went all the same.
Thus ended a day's training at the Jedi Temple. These days of peace and tranquility would become precious in times to come.
I enjoyed this update. Lightsaber combat and philosophy is pretty cool.
I'm fairly certain that the creature on Sarapin you are refering to is the Vaapad.
It's also known as the Juyo. The form known as Vaapad was developed by Mace Windu millenia later. Juyo was the early form on which Vaapad was somewhat based.
Yeah, okay, so you're calling the vaapad a Juyo. I understand, Grif......
It clearly specifies here: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Juyo that the Vaapad is also known as the Juyo. All discussions about the old Form VII use the name of Juyo not of Vaapad.
Here are the exact words: "The vaapad, also known as the juyo, was a creature native to the Galactic Republic energy-world of Sarapin and its moons."
I'm just telling you this to show you that I'm not making this stuff up.
Here are the exact words: "The vaapad, also known as the juyo, was a creature native to the Galactic Republic energy-world of Sarapin and its moons."
I'm just telling you this to show you that I'm not making this stuff up.
This is the next part of the fic, enjoy!
~~~
As Korben stood in the library he carefully studied all he could about the warrior-culture of the Mandalorians. The Mandalorians, he learned, were a warlike, nomadic group of clan-based people consisting of members from multiple species. Often, they served as mercenaries. Their culture revolved around that of battle and war being a source of honor and pride in their community. The leader of the Mandalorians typically took on the title of "Mandalore." Mandalorians were frequently allied with the Sith, most notably Exar Kun though they would not hesitate to cooperate with the Jedi if it suited them.
Almost three thousand years after the conquest of their own planet, Mandalore, the Mandalorians wandered the Galaxy far from their home systems hoping to begin a new crusade against worthy foes. This brought them to the Empress Teta System during the period when the Krath had gained control of the system.
The Mandalorian clans became allied with the Sith after their leader, Mandalore the Indomitable, was bested in combat by the fallen Jedi turned Sith Lord, Ulic Qel-Droma. Mandalore pledged loyalty to Qel-Droma who in turn was apprentice to Dark Lord Exar Kun and in their name the Mandalorians laid waste to countless worlds in the years that followed, gaining the enmity of the Republic, and, most crucially, the Jedi.
Since then, the Mandalorians have been ruled by a new warlord calling himself Mandalore the "Ultimate". The information in the Jedi Records wasn't extremely accurate when it came to the current political situation of the Mandalorian clans, not knowing about the assassinations of the leaders of clan Mirdalan and Wau. In their blissful ignorance, the Jedi records reffered to Mandalore the Ultimate's power as being disputed by many of the Mandalorian clans, clans who now served him fully in fear of his power.
Korben then began reading about Mandalorian culture after being bored by their history and poiltics. Korben didn't really like either. He regarded history as a useless recording of past mistakes and deeds of little consequence to the present. Politics he regarded as pointless negotiations regarding something which should be handled firmly. Korben always thought that if one should rule a planet, one should do it with a firm grip. Thus, he failed to see the use of the Senate which always bogged down matters of importance in accord with their own personal agenda.
Returning to Mandalorian culture, it consisted of a very straight-forward nomadic society, influenced by many other cultures around the galaxy. As a whole, Mandalorians were not prejudiced of any species, but tolerated all Mandalorians, as long as they followed Mandalorian principles. Many war-orphaned children (such as Jango Fett and Mira) would be adopted into Mandalorian society, and brought up as Mandalorian children.
The Mandalorians were nomadic warriors, despite the fact that they had the home world of Mandalore. The Mandalorians kept their nomadic ways so that in the event of attack, there would be no easy way to exterminate the Mandalorians. They also built no straight roads on Mandalore in order to make it much easier to ambush and pin down any invaders. This attributed to the Mandalorians' survival over thousands of years. This also meant that many Mandalorians had never visited Mandalore.
Individual Mandalorians were independent warriors, bound together by the same culture. Each piece of Mandalorian steel was created, chosen and customized by a Mandalorian to their level of skill. The armor had great cultural significance for the Mandalorians, and each set told about the Mandalorian underneath. However, there was a saying in Mando'a: Verd ori'shya beskar'gam, meaning a warrior is more than his armor.
Not all Mandalorians constantly fought on the front line. There were farmers, regular factory workers, engineers, and doctors too. However, all Mandalorians were warriors at heart, and all knew how to fight.
There were six acts one needed to follow to be a Mandalorian, known as the Six Actions (Resol'Nare). They consisted of: wearing armor, speaking Mando'a, defending themselves and families, raising children as Mandalorians, helping the clan succeed and sustain itself, and when called to arms by the Mandalore, rally to his cause.
The only leader of the Mandalorians was the Mandalore himself, and he held his rank as long as he commanded the respect of his fellow warriors. In battle, Mandalorians would be assigned to different squads and jobs, depending on their area of expertise. The Mandalorians worked together to the best of their ability in battle. Mandalorians were not promoted to better jobs, since they did not have jobs—only in battle would some kind of organization need to occur.
Despite their rather gruff appearance and style of combat, the average Mandalorian was more sociable and kind than one would expect. As long as individuals spoke their mind, accepted a meal when offered, looked them straight in the eye (or the horizontal section of their visor), took off their boots when guests, paid their debts, fussed over their children, never made a pass at a Mandalorian of the opposite sex (unless the individual planned to become part of the culture) and respected the elderly, anyone who encountered a Mandalorian was not likely to be killed.
With this lengthy lecture regarding Mandalorian culture and history over, Korben was now glad to return to his own room and sleep after a day of hard training and tiring study. He went to his room and did just that yet he couldn't afford a good night's sleep since he waked up early next morning because of the clamour in the school. Everyone was up and about, talking constantly about the big "invasion". Korben got out of his room dissorientated and saw Malak nearby. He asked him what was going on.
"Didn't you hear? The Mandalorians have begun attacking worlds on the fringe of Republic space." Malak said with an almost excited voice.
"And why are you so excited?" Korben asked, not realizing the magnitude of the situation.
"They're obviously trying to provoke the Republic into open battle and if we come to that, we Jedi are surely going to participate. Those Mandalorians deserve to be beaten into the ground for all the horrible things they've done. For all the innocents they've killed, death is a light punishment." Malak said with hate in his voice.
"They do deserve a good beating, that's right, but still, they haven't attacked a planet in Republic space have they?" Korben asked.
"No they haven't, but we can't just let them ravage innocent worlds while we stand by and watch idly! We can't let another world die just to maintain our frail peace! We should face them openly and give them a real fight!" Malak said, almost shouting. He had personal reasons to hate the Mandalorians. His homeworld had been destroyed almost completely by the Mandalorians in the War of Exar Kun.
"That's just what the Mandalorians want Malak. The Republic is weary after the War of Exar Kun and who knows where this war might lead to? It may be the bane of the Republic for all we know." Korben said, advising caution.
"Now whose words are those Korben? Yours or Master Daasrad's? Haven't you always been one to advocate action instead of pointless negotiations?" Malak said, hinting towards Korben's dislike of politics.
"Well...now that you put it like that..." Korben hesitated for a moment.
"I think that is quite enough Malak. You return to your duties and try not to influence my student in any way that could bring harm to him." Master Daasrad intervened as he saw Malak trying to turn Korben to his side.
"We were just having a discussion about recent events Master. No harm can come from that, can it?" Malak asked in a somewhat mocking way. He hated when he was interrupted and when he was given lectures to by Jedi Masters.
"It can, in more ways than one. Come Korben!" Master Daasrad said as he left. Korben soon followed.
Master Daasrad led Korben to their personal training chamber. Master Daasrad seemed nervous.
"In light of recent events, all lightsaber training sessions will be longer and all students are to have at least basic skill in all forms of lightsaber combat and advanced skill in one form of their choice. This was not my decision to make and I do not agree with it yet I will comply." Master Daasrad said in a very impersonal tone of voice.
"What will happen Master?" Korben asked, concerned.
"I honestly do not know Korben. Hopefully, the Senate can find a peaceful solution and these barbarians can be convinced to return to their barren worlds where they can kill each other all they want." Master Daasrad said, openly showing his scorn of the Mandalorians.
"Why don't you agree with the decision of the Council? In times like this, Jedi should be able to defend the Republic if need be." Korben said.
"And is there? Korben, if there is one thing I hate that is ignorance. Jedi should never become private enforcers of the Republic. The last thing we need now is a private army of highly trained Jedi. Let us commence your training." Master Daasrad said as he closed the subject.
The invasion of Outer Rim worlds commenced by the Mandalorians would continue for another 10 years until the Republic itself would come under attack. Worlds like Althir and Cathar were desecrated in the hopes of baying the Republic to battle. Before Republic worlds themselves would come under attack the Republic fleet was involved in a number of skirmishes with the Mandalorians, mirroring the conflict to come. A dark period was beggining for the Republic, a period which would continue even after the end of the Mandalorian Wars...
~~~
As Korben stood in the library he carefully studied all he could about the warrior-culture of the Mandalorians. The Mandalorians, he learned, were a warlike, nomadic group of clan-based people consisting of members from multiple species. Often, they served as mercenaries. Their culture revolved around that of battle and war being a source of honor and pride in their community. The leader of the Mandalorians typically took on the title of "Mandalore." Mandalorians were frequently allied with the Sith, most notably Exar Kun though they would not hesitate to cooperate with the Jedi if it suited them.
Almost three thousand years after the conquest of their own planet, Mandalore, the Mandalorians wandered the Galaxy far from their home systems hoping to begin a new crusade against worthy foes. This brought them to the Empress Teta System during the period when the Krath had gained control of the system.
The Mandalorian clans became allied with the Sith after their leader, Mandalore the Indomitable, was bested in combat by the fallen Jedi turned Sith Lord, Ulic Qel-Droma. Mandalore pledged loyalty to Qel-Droma who in turn was apprentice to Dark Lord Exar Kun and in their name the Mandalorians laid waste to countless worlds in the years that followed, gaining the enmity of the Republic, and, most crucially, the Jedi.
Since then, the Mandalorians have been ruled by a new warlord calling himself Mandalore the "Ultimate". The information in the Jedi Records wasn't extremely accurate when it came to the current political situation of the Mandalorian clans, not knowing about the assassinations of the leaders of clan Mirdalan and Wau. In their blissful ignorance, the Jedi records reffered to Mandalore the Ultimate's power as being disputed by many of the Mandalorian clans, clans who now served him fully in fear of his power.
Korben then began reading about Mandalorian culture after being bored by their history and poiltics. Korben didn't really like either. He regarded history as a useless recording of past mistakes and deeds of little consequence to the present. Politics he regarded as pointless negotiations regarding something which should be handled firmly. Korben always thought that if one should rule a planet, one should do it with a firm grip. Thus, he failed to see the use of the Senate which always bogged down matters of importance in accord with their own personal agenda.
Returning to Mandalorian culture, it consisted of a very straight-forward nomadic society, influenced by many other cultures around the galaxy. As a whole, Mandalorians were not prejudiced of any species, but tolerated all Mandalorians, as long as they followed Mandalorian principles. Many war-orphaned children (such as Jango Fett and Mira) would be adopted into Mandalorian society, and brought up as Mandalorian children.
The Mandalorians were nomadic warriors, despite the fact that they had the home world of Mandalore. The Mandalorians kept their nomadic ways so that in the event of attack, there would be no easy way to exterminate the Mandalorians. They also built no straight roads on Mandalore in order to make it much easier to ambush and pin down any invaders. This attributed to the Mandalorians' survival over thousands of years. This also meant that many Mandalorians had never visited Mandalore.
Individual Mandalorians were independent warriors, bound together by the same culture. Each piece of Mandalorian steel was created, chosen and customized by a Mandalorian to their level of skill. The armor had great cultural significance for the Mandalorians, and each set told about the Mandalorian underneath. However, there was a saying in Mando'a: Verd ori'shya beskar'gam, meaning a warrior is more than his armor.
Not all Mandalorians constantly fought on the front line. There were farmers, regular factory workers, engineers, and doctors too. However, all Mandalorians were warriors at heart, and all knew how to fight.
There were six acts one needed to follow to be a Mandalorian, known as the Six Actions (Resol'Nare). They consisted of: wearing armor, speaking Mando'a, defending themselves and families, raising children as Mandalorians, helping the clan succeed and sustain itself, and when called to arms by the Mandalore, rally to his cause.
The only leader of the Mandalorians was the Mandalore himself, and he held his rank as long as he commanded the respect of his fellow warriors. In battle, Mandalorians would be assigned to different squads and jobs, depending on their area of expertise. The Mandalorians worked together to the best of their ability in battle. Mandalorians were not promoted to better jobs, since they did not have jobs—only in battle would some kind of organization need to occur.
Despite their rather gruff appearance and style of combat, the average Mandalorian was more sociable and kind than one would expect. As long as individuals spoke their mind, accepted a meal when offered, looked them straight in the eye (or the horizontal section of their visor), took off their boots when guests, paid their debts, fussed over their children, never made a pass at a Mandalorian of the opposite sex (unless the individual planned to become part of the culture) and respected the elderly, anyone who encountered a Mandalorian was not likely to be killed.
With this lengthy lecture regarding Mandalorian culture and history over, Korben was now glad to return to his own room and sleep after a day of hard training and tiring study. He went to his room and did just that yet he couldn't afford a good night's sleep since he waked up early next morning because of the clamour in the school. Everyone was up and about, talking constantly about the big "invasion". Korben got out of his room dissorientated and saw Malak nearby. He asked him what was going on.
"Didn't you hear? The Mandalorians have begun attacking worlds on the fringe of Republic space." Malak said with an almost excited voice.
"And why are you so excited?" Korben asked, not realizing the magnitude of the situation.
"They're obviously trying to provoke the Republic into open battle and if we come to that, we Jedi are surely going to participate. Those Mandalorians deserve to be beaten into the ground for all the horrible things they've done. For all the innocents they've killed, death is a light punishment." Malak said with hate in his voice.
"They do deserve a good beating, that's right, but still, they haven't attacked a planet in Republic space have they?" Korben asked.
"No they haven't, but we can't just let them ravage innocent worlds while we stand by and watch idly! We can't let another world die just to maintain our frail peace! We should face them openly and give them a real fight!" Malak said, almost shouting. He had personal reasons to hate the Mandalorians. His homeworld had been destroyed almost completely by the Mandalorians in the War of Exar Kun.
"That's just what the Mandalorians want Malak. The Republic is weary after the War of Exar Kun and who knows where this war might lead to? It may be the bane of the Republic for all we know." Korben said, advising caution.
"Now whose words are those Korben? Yours or Master Daasrad's? Haven't you always been one to advocate action instead of pointless negotiations?" Malak said, hinting towards Korben's dislike of politics.
"Well...now that you put it like that..." Korben hesitated for a moment.
"I think that is quite enough Malak. You return to your duties and try not to influence my student in any way that could bring harm to him." Master Daasrad intervened as he saw Malak trying to turn Korben to his side.
"We were just having a discussion about recent events Master. No harm can come from that, can it?" Malak asked in a somewhat mocking way. He hated when he was interrupted and when he was given lectures to by Jedi Masters.
"It can, in more ways than one. Come Korben!" Master Daasrad said as he left. Korben soon followed.
Master Daasrad led Korben to their personal training chamber. Master Daasrad seemed nervous.
"In light of recent events, all lightsaber training sessions will be longer and all students are to have at least basic skill in all forms of lightsaber combat and advanced skill in one form of their choice. This was not my decision to make and I do not agree with it yet I will comply." Master Daasrad said in a very impersonal tone of voice.
"What will happen Master?" Korben asked, concerned.
"I honestly do not know Korben. Hopefully, the Senate can find a peaceful solution and these barbarians can be convinced to return to their barren worlds where they can kill each other all they want." Master Daasrad said, openly showing his scorn of the Mandalorians.
"Why don't you agree with the decision of the Council? In times like this, Jedi should be able to defend the Republic if need be." Korben said.
"And is there? Korben, if there is one thing I hate that is ignorance. Jedi should never become private enforcers of the Republic. The last thing we need now is a private army of highly trained Jedi. Let us commence your training." Master Daasrad said as he closed the subject.
The invasion of Outer Rim worlds commenced by the Mandalorians would continue for another 10 years until the Republic itself would come under attack. Worlds like Althir and Cathar were desecrated in the hopes of baying the Republic to battle. Before Republic worlds themselves would come under attack the Republic fleet was involved in a number of skirmishes with the Mandalorians, mirroring the conflict to come. A dark period was beggining for the Republic, a period which would continue even after the end of the Mandalorian Wars...
That was an interesting discussion about the Mandalorian lifestyle. I'm looking forward to this upcoming war.
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