Kamda

Having finished playing driver earlier that day, Raven had spent most of her time afterwards moving through the industrial sector, following odd trails and clues that would lead her on her way.

At last now, she felt like she had come to the right place. But what awaited within? A trap or allies?

Into the underground beneath a derelict factory she would go. Slowly, but surely, the atmosphere changed from that of a derelict building which hasn't seen use in decades to fires lit in torches that light the way forward. One on each side of the proposed pathway until it leads down into an underground pathway. From there the journey continues, torch lit hallways that lead into more torch lit hallways. Eventually, the walls on either side were painted with symbols from old Mandalorian histories.

Until finally a bulkhead was before her. Upon shifting the weight of the bulkhead it opening, swinging open slowly and with a loud groan of the metal. Within she could immediately spot two Mandalorians toward the back conversing, who stopped and looked as she arrived. Another three to her right. Finally, two that approached, one with blue markings upon his armor and the other orange.

"Mar'e," the one in blue sighed under his breath. "I had wondered when you might come, but I am relieved to see that you have made it."

Each of them took position up in front of Raven, the orange looking to the blue.

"Su cuy'gar," she said cautiously, but at least they didn't seem hostile. That she was expected felt strange to the paranoid way of life on the run she had lived.

Stepping forward and closer to the two, she held her closed fist over her heart for a moment in greeting. "I'm... expected?" Raven asked, still confused over the scenario and the knife that she had found.

"You are, Sister," the one marked blue said.

Before he could speak again however the one marked orange interrupted, "You would speak of her as a sister before she has sworn, you mock our Way."

"It is the way, Brother, I trust that our Sister has come for the very reason we all have. Find a better way, to find our Way. Just as you, just as I," he replied, stepping up to the one in orange.

The one in orange stepped forward and leaned in toward Raven, looking down on her as he does so, "Verd ori'shya beskar'gam," he says gruffly before turning abruptly and walking off.

"Ignore him," the one marked blue. "I am Praxton, and it is by my word that you have been invited here. I have heard your tale and know what there is to be known. Please, come, Mandalore should not be kept waiting. We shall speak on the way."

As the orange-clad one leaned in toward her, Raven Cadera stood her ground with her head held high. She might have lived a life on the run, but she was not someone to be cowed easily.

She inhaled deeply and watched Orange walk off, and nodded to Praxton. "Thank you... Praxton. Lead the way, please." Then a moment's thought. "What do you know about this Mandalore? Rumors have been... varied. And not all of them true, I imagine."

"Depends what you hear," Praxton said, walking with the bearing of a true Mandalorian. "I can confirm any of it for you, because I knew him before he claimed the title Mandalore. He was my brother by blood. Older, by far, but blood. He wishes to restore us to the truth of our heritage, to restore the Way. Our Way."

"Mishuk gotal'u meshuroke, pako kyore," he recited.

"Some say Kyr'tsad. Or a man of Clan Saxon. But someone that doesn't kneel to the stinkin' Empire." The Death Watch too had wanted to restore the Mandalorian way of life, but had taken up their arms against their own kindred... all of it was too much old history for her to know the details of, though, and she knew only her own confusion on the subject as someone who hadn't been able to learn much about it.

Raven walked beside Praxton, perhaps less at ease than him, but with that kind of readiness that someone who had spent most of their life fighting evident in her stride. Whatever awaited, she was prepared to face it now that she had come this far.

What even is the Mandalorian Way anymore... she wondered for a brief moment. "If this Way is about driving the Empire away from our homes, I'm all for it."

"I.." he paused, stood fast and turned just before the entrance to a large chamber. "I should allow Mandalore to explain why it is we follow him, that you can see the truth of his words as we have. You should know: he and I were of Clan Saxon. Yet, neither of us carry this name any longer. It has been tainted by.." he shook his head, "please, enter Sister. Allow Mandalore to explain."

A tainted name. A sentiment she could relate to strongly, just like how her mother's blood-brother had betrayed his family... Raven felt her hands starting to clench up at the thought, but stopped herself before she tensed up.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and entered, eager and curious to see what this Mandalore would be like.

With the door opened to her she entered into a chamber much alike the other, the symbol of the Mandalorian culture carved into the wall high above in large form. At least a number of seven or eight other Mandalorian's waited, in two semi-circles creating a path down the center toward a large and imposing individual.

"You have come," he stated. "Your journey to Kamda has brought you before me. Before I speak, I would know your story full, Raven of house Cadera. Why have you come to Kamda, what is it that your seek?"

Her full story...

Raven took a deep breath, as she never found it easy to give voice to the painful past. "I grew up on Concord Dawn. My... my parents were part of the Protectors. They hoped to raise my older brother and me away from the growing influence of the Empire, but... the blood-brother of my mother, Vanito Cadera, joined the Empire as their lap-dog. Their assassin. And he betrayed my family." The young woman didn't cry, but her throat tightened around her words as she spoke as she relived through the memories of a frightened child again. "He killed my parents. I saw him kill my brother after he had found a safe hiding place for me."

There was a moment of silence. "Their names were Tyber, Artemis, and Robin. Of Cadera. I'm still alive, but they are dead. I remember them, so they are eternal." Repeating the Mandalorian words of remembering lost ones brought back a stability to her voice.

"I escaped Concord Dawn, not knowing who were friends or enemies. I've lived my life on the run, cautious of others calling themselves Mando'ade, not knowing if they were those who knelt to the Empire. When... when I heard there was someone calling himself Mandalore, I no longer wanted to be on the run - that's why I'm here. I want revenge on the one who killed my family. I want revenge on those who took our homes and cast shame on Mandalorians. I want the Empire purged from our homes." The sadness from before gave way to determination and hatred for the Empire. For the Saxons.

Mandalore stepped forward, looking to Raven. Through his visor she could feel the presence of his gaze that was not unlike that of a father.

"To know your family died in such a manner, you have the sympathies of Mandalore, child. Know that you have found what you seek. You now stand among true Mandalorians and not the milksops that call themselves such who live on Mandalore. Mando'ade bow to no one, and those who remain on Mandalore have forgotten this. They bow to the Saxons, who bow to the Empire. They are lost to the truth of their heritage and they do not even know it."

"I will not promise you this man that you seek. I cannot promise you will gain satisfaction against the Saxons," he lowered his arm and stepped away. Turning back to her, toward the room. "Yet! What I may promise you is that you will grow as a warrior along side us. You will be granted no advantage, no safety, no hope for calm. Yet, you will grow strong! Your enemies will fear the ground you tread and you will become true, you will become Mandalorian. Your enemies today will fall and become mere footnotes in the histories of your greatness, our greatness, the greatness of Mandalore!"

One solemn beat against every warriors chest, a stomp of the boot. A resounding sound that reverberated in the heart.

"I offer you to join with us, Raven Cadera. Join with us that you may learn our Way, the Way. Reclaim the heritage that was kept from you and become one who will need no help from another."

"Will you join us?"

A small voice in her head questioned if this is the path her parents would've chosen, or her brother, had they been the one to survive and end up on their own. She wanted revenge. She wanted a chance for the wounds to finally heal.

But this at least would give her a sense of purpose, and a place of belonging until their homes could be reclaimed from the Saxons and the Empire.

"Yes." She nodded. "I will join you, Mandalore. This is The Way."

Every warrior beat their chest in solidarity, "This is the Way," they all spoke in unisone, Mandalore included.

"Then it is as it should be. Praxton," he summoned his younger brother forward. "I give you charge here, acclimate her to our Way. Answer what questions she may have and set her on the path forward. We will make a warrior of her and she will add to our strength."

Coming up from the ring, Praxton nodded, "As you say, Mandalore," he placed his closed fist across his chest in respect.

Mandalore made for his exit from the chamber to the back and the other warriors turned to their own exits.

"Come, Raven," he began to walk back the way they came. "Allow me to introduce you to the Enclave. There is much here you may make use of."

Another nod. It was... a strange sensation. To not be completely on her own.

"Thank you..." she looked to Praxton. "... Do you all live here, at the Enclave?"

"We have sheltered in many places across the galaxy and it is recent that we have come here and claimed this place as our Enclave. Recently, as it was, many of us still shelter here for the time being. While some will stay to do what we can on this planet to grow our number there are some who venture far from the Enclave. Some few remain out even now."

"You will be allowed shelter here as well."

"You make it seem like there are so many in the group..." she spoke, some surprise in her tone as she tried to imagine how many there could be that could live here all at once. And then there were those who were wandering the galaxy. In search, perhaps.

"It will be good to have a safer place to rest." And won't have fleas or roaches either. Raven looked around as Praxton guided her. "... How did you hear about me?"

"There are some who give respect to our way, but do not wish to walk it. Those among many of the families who claim importance back on Mandalore. This respect grants us information on word quickly for each of us who has set out. Once you have set out there are yet individuals who are adept at gathering information from a wide web, we make frequent use of their services," he explained.

"They spoke of your purchase of a shuttle to Kamda, that we were already here we had time to prepare for your arrival.. and others. Though you are the first to make it to this Enclave."

Right. She felt bad now for a moment for not having sought Varina to go along with her. "Varina Ordo." Raven said in a quiet tone.

In hindsight now, it was probably better they each found their goal in their own way. While the destination was the same, the two girls had walked very different paths to get here.

"She's a tough kid, she'll find her way here too I'm certain."

"I am certain of that as well.." he says, glancing off to the side. "She.. as you have me, the one who has put your name forward and sponsors you here. She has Mandalore," he was quiet for a moment.

Stepping forward he brought her into a large communal room which held many beds, bunks for over half their number. "I do not know why, as he has sponsored so few before. Yet, I am certain he sees something in this girl. As we have heard.. she is but a child that has run from home, is she not?"