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Post by Shaman Anaxilea on Mar 3, 2013 8:14:12 GMT -8
Mondder was the capital city of Etti IV.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 8:40:28 GMT -8
The MandalMine Collective Citadel sits a short distance beyond the outskirts of the city of Mondder. Based partially on the layout of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, the Citadel was a heavily fortified mass of defensive & offensive emplacements. Around the base of the massive structure itself is a massive paved courtyard extending outward nearly a kilometre. Around that was an impressive wall, along which was studded several prefabricated garrisons. This was not somewhere one would wish to attack. That was also the entire purpose of the structure, as contained within it were the extensive vaults, command centers, & databanks that formed the core of the MandalMine Collective. Nearly every order issued came from this building. Traffic into & out of the Citadel was heavily restricted, with workers living & having all of their needs met onsite, often for terms of months or years.
Deep within the Citadel, a large armoured figure punched the wall, leaving a rather impressive web of cracks given the material used. The Admiral had just learned of the destruction of a mining station on the world of Mandalore that had happened only a few hours ago. Some one was going to have a very bad day once the admiral discovered the identity of the attacker.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2013 7:39:25 GMT -8
The investigators sequestered deep within the MandalMine Collective Citadel had poured through countless hours of surveillance holograms. Eventually, it was discovered that the explosion had been caused by a droid overloading in the reactor access room. Careful backtracking revealed that the droid was delivered under the pretense of testing a new model. The appearance of the perpetrator had been captured on hologram by the security grid located on the land pad. The admiral had taken a special interest in the investigation, so he was sent the image as soon as it was discovered. Once he saw it, he got very quiet & a few minutes later sent out a few quick messages. Her reappearance would complicate things greatly.
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 10:51:31 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 10:51:31 GMT -8
Settling to the ground just outside the no fly zone around the MMC Citadel, a small stealth shuttle disgorges a landspeeder that quickly makes its way to the massive exterior wall of the Citadel. Quickly passing through the security there, the landspeeder makes its way toward the massive building complex that makes up the heart of the citadel. There the two fireteams are met in the hanger by another four, a coffin like crate is carefully shifted from the landspeeder to a hover-cart, where it is transported deep into the massive fortress.
There the coffin is opened to reveal the unconscious form of a woman in form fitting robes. A set of droids enters the room & carefully scans the woman, removing anything that wasn't actually physically a part of her. Taking the removed objects with them, the droids leave behind a simple grey robe. Once the room was completely empty, a grey tinged fog was pumped into the room, counteracting the cocktail the woman had been injected with only two hours before.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 11:04:53 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 11:04:53 GMT -8
Jade blinked awake, cold, in a room full of fog. Really, traveling by coffin was something she'd have to recommend for politicians and such. She sat up, ruefully aware of the fact she was unclad, and ran through a quick routine of stretches to restore feeling and limberness to her extremities. A quick look around the room she was in was enough to reveal that it was completely devoid of interesting features, two doors being the sole exceptions. She attempted a brief survey of her surroundings via the Force, a muted type of presence somewhere close by being the only thing that triggered even momentary interested. She sighed, then walked over to the robe and picked it up. She shook it open with a snap! and considered it. So much less pleasing than her own clothes, still it was cold in here. Besides, she preferred not to deal with situations in her currently informal state of attire, so she slipped it on, rolling up the sleeves that hung down past her hands and tying it closed around herself. Obviously it had been designed for someone bigger than herself. This was normally the case with bulk-issued 'one size fits all' uniforms, she reflected. And then, for lack of anything better to do, she set herself to pacing up and down the width of the room in precise militarily-correct footsteps while waiting.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 11:18:06 GMT -8
Suddenly, the door slid open with a slight hiss. The room beyond appeared to be carved out of natural stone. The room was shaped roughly like a hemisphere, with a large, flat dais taking up much of the floor space in the room. At the far end of the room were a trio of statues carved into niches in the wall. The first was of a pale woman lacking eyes & holding a seven sided staff. The second was an older man with what looked to be a cup or bowl full of sand held in one hand. The last was a feminine figure swathed in robes & holding a skull dangling from a rope.
Set on the dais was a pair of kneeling benches, The nearer of the two was unoccupied. However, a figure hidden within a robe & cowl was resting on the other. Sitting between the two benches was the woman's katana & her two sabres, as well as a small tray bearing a pair of simple stone cups, a kettle filled with something steaming & a small bowl filled with dark chunks of some unknown material.
The figure in the room motioned toward the remaining bench, indicating that the woman should take that position.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 11:37:38 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 11:37:38 GMT -8
Jade took in the statues, filing away the seven-sided staff bit to ponder later, and then looked closely at the figure occupying one of the two benches. Her eyes narrowed as she considered. Then, since she had the Force at her disposal she decided to use it.
I was sure I knew this person, yet, he seemed to be focused elsewhere. Over the past two decades I'd had various dealings with the Mando'ade. However, it would take some time yet for me to specifically pin this one down without further data. I frowned. I greatly dislike being at a loss.
With the innate grace that seemed to accompany her at all times, regardless of clothing, the petite Jedi seated herself with an almost feline deliberateness in a similar posture to the other occupant of the room, noting the steaming kettle with approval. She arched a brow, head tilted slightly to one side, considering for a moment. The hospitality rituals of her own people were not so dissimilar from other cultures as to be rare, but given the circumstances of her arrival here, this was not what she was expecting. She gazed directly back at the robed figure next to her, green eyes unblinking, but she did not break the silence.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 11:47:21 GMT -8
Taking the kettle, the figure filled both cups, revealing the liquid inside to be a creamy white liquid. Returning the kettle to its place, the figure selected four of the brown chunks, dropping two in each cup. Taking first one, then the other in a two hand grip, the figure softly swirled the contents, turning the liquid a rich brown colour. The figure then offered both cups to the woman, obviously presenting her with the choice of with cup she wanted.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 12:04:45 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 12:04:45 GMT -8
Jade watched in silence as he made two cups of a steaming hot beverage that she did not recognize. When he offered her her choice, she hesitated for less than a second, hardly enough to notice, before choosing the one on his right simply because it was closer to her than the other. If he'd wanted to kill her, he could have accomplished that much more easily before now. She sniffed at the liquid, then took a sip, careful not to burn herself. A smile twitched at the corners of her lips as it warmed her internally. However, she did not break the silence, instead leaving that up to him.
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Deleted
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 12:15:16 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 12:15:16 GMT -8
Taking a sip from his own stone cup, the figure waited a few more moments before speaking. The voice had a muffled drone to it that made it extremely difficult to place, without making the speech unintelligible.
-Figure Ael Jade. Jedi Master of Corellia. It is not usually the practice of the Jedi council to sanction terrorist acts on neutral parties. I must question then, what chain of actions lead us here today.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 12:29:50 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 12:29:50 GMT -8
The middle of her forehead wrinkled as she considered this. His voice was---odd. It seemed fake. She took a long drink of her steaming cup of, ah, hot chocolate was what humans called it. She liked it, but not for everyday consumption. It was too rich.
And there it was. The questions. I had been asking myself this ever since Matango had revealed what he wanted me to do. But, in war there truly are no neutral parties. And a beskar mining platform hardly qualified as a neutral target. Still, I have always preferred to look my enemy in the face, to win because I earned it. I know how to kill, but doing so remotely has always been against the grain. I chose my words carefully before replying, "In that case you probably are also aware that I have never been orthodox. The Jedi Council may not even be aware of the part that I played in this." I took one last drink before setting down the cup on the tray between us and straightened imperceptibly as I met his accusation. "The MMP was a primary source of beskar ore to be used by the military. The galaxy is in the middle of a Mandalorian jihad against Force users. Therefore your term of 'terrorism' is in this instance misapplied, likewise also 'neutral.'"
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 12:39:17 GMT -8
The figure nods as if this was an answer that was expected. Or maybe it was how the answer was delivered. He takes another sip before returning his own cup to the tray.
-Figure We are much more alike than you once claimed. Maybe more-so now than in the past. Interesting how we meet again like this.
At this, the figure pulled a single long stemmed flower from within a sleeve & laid in on the tray. It's black petals standing out starkly against the grey of the stone.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 12:52:16 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 12:52:16 GMT -8
More alike than I had once claimed? I looked at him more closely, and then---
Jade froze as he placed the black rose in front of her. She'd only seen its like once before, at a gala event hosted by the old Phoenix Imperium, Z'har Dizen Or'dinii had given her a black rose when he asked her to dance. All the other events of their acquaintance flashed through her mind with enough emotional impact to catch her offguard and make her feel dizzy for a few minutes. Finally, she reached out and took the rose, gently touching the velvety petals before slipping her hand down its stem and purposely catching her finger on one of the thorns. The flash of pain, accompanied by a welling drop of blood did wonders to settle her again. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper, "Z'har..."
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 13:01:18 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 13:01:18 GMT -8
The figure reached up & pulled back the cowl, revealing a face apparently unchanged despite the nearly half a century since their last meeting. A small breath-mask like device was pulled free of his lower face & placed to one side. Unlike the past where his hair had been allowed to hang free, it was now pinned up in a elaborate knot curving up the back of his head, ending at a fond like spray at the top of his head. It was still the glossy black it had been the last she had seen him. His eyes were still the dark wells in his face that they had always been.
-Z'har Hello Jade. It has been a very long time indeed. If this was to catch my attention, I think a letter would have sufficed.
Once again picking up the stone cup, he took a sip of the drink. Before he had only pretended to drink as the mask got in the way of such things. He did enjoy the taste of the somewhat rare & expensive drink after all.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 13:10:09 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 13:10:09 GMT -8
"A letter would not have filled my bank account," she replied in an attempt to match the sudden lighter vein the conversation had taken. She considered what he had said. Had he wished her to seek his attention? Physically he hadn't aged, changing one's hairstyle did not count. Mentally she tugged on the Force, and then examined him more closely. He was here, and yet not here at the same time. His presence was diminished, surrounded by a fog that seemed more like a porous wall. What had happened to him? If he'd wanted her attention, he could have contacted her. A wave of anger swept over her as she realized what had happened, her tone clipped, as if she didn't wish to speak, "He promised me the strike on the MMP had nothing to do with you," though the admission revealed that she had indeed not forgotten him.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 13:20:29 GMT -8
A slight laugh escapes his lips, it certainly wasn't the full roaring laugh he had used in his youth, but it was more than he had done in quite some time. Though her second statement did bring him back to the issue at hand.
-Z'har That does return us to the question of how we found ourselves here. Doesn't it? Are you going to tell me who 'he' is or will I have to torture you to get the information.
A small quirk of a smile & his tone of voice as he asked the last part was the only indication he gave that the threat of torture was most likely only a joke. The statement was also punctuated by him taking another sip of the sweet drink in his hands.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 16, 2013 13:31:37 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 16, 2013 13:31:37 GMT -8
"It wouldn't be the first time," Jade replied as she reached up to run her fingers through her hair which certainly hadn't benefited during her trip here. The 'luxury class' accommodations could definitely use some work. She twisted its messy black length around behind her head and pulled it over one shoulder since she did not currently have anything else to work with. Though the Admiral had seemed to be joking she was not about to underestimate him. She still did not have this figured out, something was off, even though he seemed to be the man she remembered. And missed, if she was forced to be completely honest. However, that was currently beside the point, dark eyes flashed as she met his gaze, "And have you get to him before I do?"
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Mondder
Oct 17, 2013 4:59:32 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2013 4:59:32 GMT -8
He smiled slightly at those statements. It would certainly be interesting to have Jade around again. A simple command was sent without bothering to give any external sign.
-Z'har In short? Yes. He attacked me, & I can not allow that to pass unchallenged. I have spent too long securing my status to have someone ruin it now.
As he finished speaking, the door hissed open & a small automated trolley floated into the room, deposited a package on the dais & then left again. From the shape & size of the package, it was fairly obviously the rest of Jade's gear.
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Ael Jade
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 1,544
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Order
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Mondder
Oct 17, 2013 10:31:23 GMT -8
Post by Ael Jade on Oct 17, 2013 10:31:23 GMT -8
She smiled warmly before speaking, "I very much doubt he has the ability to destroy your status, or even dampen it for long." The Admiral had always seemed to be a balanced, authoritative figure in Jade's opinion. Well, with only one notable exception. She had enjoyed the glimpse of a greater depth of his character and history.
As the droid deposited the rest of my belongings nearby I could not help feeling relieved. The robe I'd been issued was seriously lacking, however, it was better than nothing. Still, I'd worn it quite long enough.
She'd been raised in a military lifestyle and besides, both she and the Admiral were old enough pretending coy prudishness seemed like a waste of time and effort. Therefore, she quickly disrobed and redressed herself in her own clothes. If the Admiral desired to look, he'd naturally notice the jagged scars across her upper/mid-back that evinced a minimum amount of medical attention when they'd been roughly cut into her decades ago. Other than that, she was not really a shy being. There had never really been time for that in her past, and at eighty-odd years of age it was way too late to suddenly develop it. As she fastened her tunic-style jacket she turned back around to face the Admiral. She raked her fingers through thick black hair as she loosely coiled it up on her head and replaced her hairsticks. She left her weapons where they were and reseated herself next to him.
I wasn't sure how to ask what I wanted to know, but given the circumstances and my habits, the straightforward approach seemed to be the best option. So, I looked back up at him, he'd always been much bigger than me I reflected, and I liked it, still he was different, "What's happened to you?" I finally asked quietly.
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Mondder
Oct 17, 2013 12:26:04 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2013 12:26:04 GMT -8
A frown crossed the zabrak's face as she spoke, despite her warm tones. As she was dressing, he did in fact notice the scars. If she was shy about disrobing in front of him, he wasn't going to bother averting his eyes. His mind however was on other things.
-Z'har A good part of my status is that none-one dares to strike against my companies or myself. With an attack on one of the more important resource stations, there will be many that see this as a sign of weakness & will gain the courage to do what they normally wouldn't. I have to respond to this, & forcefully, or I will lose far more than a single station.
Her next question took him by surprise though, were the changes so obvious?
-Z'har That is a very long & complicated story. One I'm not sure I wish to share today.
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