Game Night (D5, EE. Drezzie's)

[Raven Cadera]

"I don't think they had an easy time of it either. We are not the easiest people to lead," she chuckled a bit at that. "Wouldn't be the same if we were, I think."

Raven watched for him to make the next play in the game. "But that is the way. Pressure makes gems, ease makes decay."

[J-Richo Toboga]

''Gems are pretty but can be crushed...seven hundred years of pacifism will not be forgotten. The New Mandalorians will rise again...perhaps they will have learned their lessons but even then they will not return to the times before the annihilation.''

He circled around the table

''Rather then gems we should espouse the virtues of metal''

[Raven Cadera]

Raven shrugged. "It's an old saying. From gemstones being formed through pressure, or something like that." She wasn't quite sure on the actual scientific details on that.

"As for the New Mandalorians... maybe? It's hard to kill ideas or ideologies. It probably won't disappear completely." Personally, Raven didn't think the New Mandalorians had been completely wrong, but she knew that was an often unpopular or divisive opinion.

[J-Richo Toboga]

''Just to say we cannot totally go back to the ways of old...we need to adapt our ways but retain our values. That is what the Al'Ori'Ramikade sought to do''

[Raven Cadera]

"That might have been its intention, and the intention of its creator. It works well for reminding us that we should act with honor, even as mercenaries," Raven had nothing against the Supercommando Codex, as to her it was not opposed to the Resol'nare and it didn't lose the focus on Mandalorians as a culture of warriors. "But ultimately, its creator and its followers lost the civil war. None of these new ideas have brought our people to the greatness we once held thousands of years ago."

[J-Richo Toboga]

''We were betrayed by the Death Watch'' he replied sternly ''All those who followed the warrior ways lost the civil war and that might include your Mandal'ore as well if he was old enough to fight it''

[Raven Cadera]

Betrayed? Well... war certainly had different accounts. Raven had grown up hearing the Death Watch fought against Jaster Mereel's True Mandalorians, but then again, her parents had not been part of the conflict so her own knowledge was maybe at fault.

"Thats a pretty long time ago, you know. Mand'alor is no youth, but he's not ancient either," she chuckled a bit at that. Not that she was good at numbers, but Raven figured he could at best have barely become an adult by Mandalorian standards by the end of the civil war.

[J-Richo Toboga]

''So then do not mock nor dismiss the Al'Ori'Ramikade nor his work. He has proven to be a man of honor who lived up to his ideals until the end while your Mandal'ore seems to only offer nostalgia of an age none of us as ever seen.''

[Raven Cadera]

Raven held up a hand. "You misunderstand. I'm not mocking by saying that the True Mandalorians lost, the war, and I have said that it works well to remind our people to act with honor."

"It's not mockery to say what history is. Personally I dont think the Codex on its own is enough, but I respect its intent."

[J-Richo Toboga]

He gave a simple nod

''Perhaps but what is missing? Up to now I do not see what your Mandal'ore brings to the table that is more then the codex''

[Raven Cadera]

For a moment, Raven felt she could for once relate to Mand'alor when he had said that it was not his job to persuade those who doubted or chase after their approvals.

"That is how you see it. " She remarked neutrally, neither deriding or praising his opinion. "He's not a man who wastes his time chasing approval of those who doubt - that is not his mission or his goal. Perhaps you will meet him some day, to see for yourself. Perhaps not." There was a thoughtfulness to her words, as she was thinking about something.

[J-Richo Toboga]

''Perhaps, perhaps not'' he repeated ''But you are here now and believe in him. You say the codex was not enough...surely can tell me what he brings to go beyond it''

[Raven Cadera]

"In my opinion, the Supercommando Codex sought to distill essences of our way of life into rigid commandments. It's greatest asset was encouraging our warriors to conduct themself with honor. It's greatest flaw expecting that Mando'ade would fall in line to obey them all. I don't think it is without merit, but I don't see it being the philosophy to unite our people and see our legacies restored. I also don't think it is beneficial to enforce hundreds of commands to those who are initiated into the culture, compared to learning the six central tenets."

Raven shook her head slightly. "I've frankly never heard Mand'alor speak of the Codex, to be honest, but I know his focus is on the old traditions of our people. The Codex might be older than us, but it's not that old. Perhaps he believes the same as me, but I've not asked. The Resol'nare, however, I know is close to his heart."

Considering how busy he was, and even busier Mand'alor was, sitting down for a philosophy-chat had never been on her list of activities to do the times she was at the Enclave.

"But who knows. When our souls join the Manda, perhaps we'll all know who was right and who was wrong."

[J-Richo Toboga]

''I am not religious'' he replied to the last comment

''You forget that our people used to follow the canons of honor for eons which are similar in complexity to the codex. The Resol'are was a base, never the whole.'''

he shook his head

''Eh...let's drop the subject and focus on the game''

[Raven Cadera]

His comment about being not being religious was probaby met with a raised eyebrow underneath the helmet, and she carefully considered what to say or do next.

"There cannot be a whole without true foundations," she said, switching from Mando'a to Basic. It felt somehow... wrong, to continue to speak the language of her people to him now. Perhaps he was lost, or perhaps truly a dar'manda.

"I cannot call you brother if you deny what brings all Mandalorians together. There is nothing more to say."

Turning away, Raven returned the cue to its place on the wall.

[J-Richo Toboga]

''Call me what you want, I will remain who I am'' he replied, still in mando'a ''I have no faith in an afterlife but it does not mean I don't have faith in those I call family''

Orthodoxy. She denied the codex but here it was...an arbitrary, undefined set of rules to exclude others.

[Raven Cadera]

"Don't speak to me in the tongue of my people, when you deny what ties us together," she responded, harshly even considering her even tone earlier.

Without looking to him, Raven walked away with unhurried steps.


/exit

[J-Richo Toboga]

The wood of his cue began to crack under his grip

''I am of your people, want it or not''