Private Old Dog. New Tricks.

[Gerwald Lechner]

Location: Goblah City
Objective: Learn Some Etiquette
Wearing: xxx

Ra'Katha had been a nightmare for the massive lupine Warden of the Knights Obsidian. His conduct had not been what it should have been for a diplomatic detail, but anyone who had read his file could, and should, have known diplomacy was not his strong suit. The wolf had no proper bone in his body and only knew how to dress for a party because of those who had helped him understand how parties among the Confederates worked. Aside from the suit Katrine Van-Derveld had proffered for him, Naedira Darcrath had to tell Gerwald what the dress code was for certain events like formal balls and the like. When it came to proper behavior among the nobility, Gerwald knew nothing. When he had been forced to interact as more than a bodyguard for Valencia Hadley, he fell quite short of what was expected.

The summons he had been expecting came not too long after. Gerwald expected the blonde member of the Viceroyalty to reprimand him for his conduct. It would certainly be warranted. He was to meet her at the living quarters she had been provided for times when business called her to Goblah City, the same city which served as Gerwald's home for the time being. As a Warden and under the direct employ of Exarch Talon, Gerwald had found himself living quite comfortably among the rest who called Goblah their home. It was neither lavis nor poor. Gerwald rather liked how average it all seemed. He did not need fancy.

His large hand pressed the doorbell on the side panel of the door which would lead into the penthouse apartment the Viceroyal occupied. Everything about her world was so far removed from what he was used to. Gerwald trained hard. His hands were calloused and rough. His body was hardened by years of training and hunting. Gerwald did not belong among the ruling class, and he knew it. Years of Steejonian classism and thinking flooded his mind as he stood outside of the apartment. There was one thing which dominated his thoughts.

This was not his world.

A protocol droid answered the door and led Gerwald to where he was supposed to meet with the Viceroy. He was not dressed for the occasion as far as he could tell. Everything was so fancy compared to the places he had called home most of his life. This was what he had chosen however, a life of serving the Confederacy as a Warden of the Knights Obsidian. He wanted more. Gerwald knew he needed to be more. Naedira would have wanted him to be more, and if that meant learning to behave accordingly in certain situations, then the beast of a man would do just that. As much as his wolf longed to be wild and free, it was time for Gerwald to learn when to keep it tame. Today was his chance at learning how to do just that.

< Your guest has arrived > Came the sound of a robotic introduction.

Gerwald stepped into the room and nodded to the blonde.

"You requested to see me?"

Valencia Hadley

 

[Valencia Hadley]

Golbah City, Geonosis
The Offices of Councilor to Vicelord Darth Metus
​

Ra'Katha had, thankfully, gone better than she had initially expected. Between the Knights Obsidian doing their best to stem the tide of rebellion in the market place, and her own escort fumbling his way through the political minefield that was initial introductions to the ruling class of the newest addition to Confederate space... Well. It was a good thing that the king of the small resource-rich planet had found the pair charming.

However, the former Viceroy of Manda could not chance that the next political foray she was thrust into would end quite as well if her escort detail was unable to keep a civil tongue.

When the pair had arrived back on Geonosis following the talks, Councilor Hadley had politely requested that Warden Lechner provide her with an opportunity for a debrief when he was able to find the time. Much to her muted pleasure, he'd agreed and she'd promised to send the invitation when she was alerted to his next stint of downtime. With that, they'd parted ways, and several weeks had lapsed before, right along with his allocation of leave from service for a time, came with a painfully polite reminder that the Councilor requested his presence.

The afternoon was a warm one, and as the large man was ushered into the lavishly appointed offices of the Councilor by the protocol droid, the warm glow of the afternoon sun bathed what appeared to be a simple parlour built for the express purpose of less formal meetings. Several low, comfortable-looking couches sat in a neat circle around a plain white glass-topped table where refreshments had been set out. The droid continued on through the room, however, ducking through a narrow doorway and into an office that was far more practical.

The Councilor was rising from her seat behind the simple wooden desk she'd been using - the top an organized mess of paper, blueprints and several hand-held datapads that each flickered off with a wave of her hand. Eyes of the palest blue shone brightly as she flashed a smile that put her dimples into stark relief as she stepped from behind the desk and lifted a hand to offer to the much larger man.

"Warden Lechner! I'm so glad you were able to find the office alright. Please," the droid was already speeding back towards the other room to be out of their way, and the blonde motioned for them to follow. "Have a seat. Is there anything we can get for you? I requested a smattering of different things - I apologize, I wasn't sure what exactly you might like."

As the pair reached the couched, the beaming woman lowered herself easily onto one of the cushions and folded her hands neatly into her lap, one ankle tucking effortlessly behind the other as she motioned for him to sit as well. "Thank you for taking the time to come a see me, Warden. I know you must be extremely busy - but I am grateful that you've come." Leaning forward a touch and unlacing her fingers, the Manda native plucked a piece of fruit from the tray that sat between them and popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully as she regarded the man for a moment, waiting to swallow before continuing. "I wanted to talk to you about Ra'Katha, if you're open to that."

Gerwald Lechner​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

Location: Goblah City
Objective: Learn Some Etiquette
Wearing: xxx

Gerwald took the greeting for what it was and nodded his head once again. There was not much to say, and as he was motioned back toward the other room, simply followed. It was laid out for them to have their meeting with refreshments that would do little to satisfy Gerwald's palette. Most did not know what to lay out for a lupine that occasionally hunted the wildlife at night, eating his meat raw and fresh from the kill. Eyes looked at the fruit and turned to try and survey what options there were for meat. Fortunately he landed on some smoked meats cut to fit on a cracker. This was no meal. A small plate was taken to set meat on, and only meat.

"Thank you. The meat will do."

How was he supposed to deny the hospitality of someone who was trying but had been unsure? Gerwald could not. He knew that much was rude at least. The meeting was to debrief, and Gerwald was not one to beat around the bush. He inspected the woman as she sat, much more refined than he was. Her posture made her look taller than she should be while Gerwald leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. The lupine was a mess compared to her. He would not pass for the inner circles of most nobility. This was why he had to learn what he could have done better. His service to the Exarch would depend on it one day.

His head nodded once more when the subject became about Ra'Katha. There was no reason for him to suspect this meeting was about anything else. Gerwald was aware there might be talk about his escapades from earlier days in the Confederacy, and he was aware it meant there might be talk as he was seen heading to Valencia's office suite. It did not matter. Gerwald was not that person anymore. Instead he was a broken wolf trying to put himself back together again. His thoughts and his heart belonged to someone else, someone who had passed. His grief simply would not let him move on, but it was not anyone's business anymore. He had heard the whispers which occurred after he faced the Sith which killed Naedira. It was all smattered with the same reasons Gerwald was in this meeting. He rushed in without thinking.

"We can talk about it. That is why you asked for this meeting. I have been waiting for the rebuke to come. My behavior didn't meet your approval at times I know..."

Valencia Hadley ​

 

[Valencia Hadley]

It would seem that, despite her best intentions, she'd managed to be unable to provide her guest with anything that was overly appetizing. Storing that particular bit of knowledge away for later, the Councilor shifted her weight a little, uncrossing her ankles and moving instead of lounge back against the low rise of cushions behind her. If he was planning to be a bit less formal, she could at the very least do her best to not make him uncomfortable.

"You're most welcome... I apologize if the selection isn't quite up to snuff. I confess that I've never hosted a Lupine before."

One hand idly lifted to brush fingers along a heavy-looking sapphire earing that danged from her right earlobe, the jewelry shimmering pleasantly in the bright light afforded by the sun that still poured liberally through the windows that lined the wall adjacent to the area they's settled into. The tech contained within the charming bit of sparkle would do her little good to combat the flaw that the information available on the Warden had not contained his proclivity for rarer meats - but she'd ensure that the database was updated once they'd finished.

She realized quite suddenly as the Knight began to stammer on about how he'd anticipated a rebuke from the politician, that she'd been silent for a few moments too long. The smile she offered then was far less wide, a bit kinder perhaps than some of the others he'd seen her sporting in the past. There was a touch of tired in her eyes as she released the earing she'd been rolling between her thumb and forefinger and instead waved the hand almost dismissively.

"Please, Knight Lechner - if the largest inconvenience you provide for me is a bit too much honesty in an inconvenient time, I'd hardly think any sort of punishment is in order."

With a gentle push from the arm that lay across the back of the couch, the blonde righted herself once more and reached to snatch a few more of the unique little fruits from the tray between them, popping another into her mouth before she reclined once more. As she swallowed, she gave the much larger man a soft tilt to her head, her voice taking on a questioning tone as she regarded him thoughtfully.

"I was hoping that, with your permission, of course, we might work together to better prepare you for this kind of emissary mission in the future. Having you as an ally when members of the Viceroyalty are travelling, or myself for that matter would be extremely useful. Your skillset lends itself to violent situations from what I understand and many of our Viceroyalty don't have the same tools to keep themselves safe in hostile situations as you might. However, if they're having to contend with our fresh-faced systems or possibly even our enemies, and also you?... That could prove difficult."

Popping the last of the fruit into her mouth and leaning both her arms against the back of the couch and crossing her legs, the Councilor narrowed her eyes at the accomplished warrior who sat, obviously uncomfortable, across from her. "Assuming that's what you'd like, Warden Lechner."

Gerwald Lechner​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

Gerwald nodded. Most of the aristocracy and the politicians of the Confederacy had never entertained a Lupine before, at least not in the setting which Gerwald currently found himself in. Valencia could not be faulted for her ignorance in Gerwald's diet, and perhaps he could make an attempt. The lupine desperately hated fruit however, and he was not going to budge on that. There was only one person who might be able to get him to make an attempt and that person was no longer among the physically living. It was what Gerwald told himself to reconcile the fact he never once felt their bond sever as he should have.

The blonde tried to wave his apology off, but in the next instant she explained his need to be able to control himself better in those situations for the sake of whoever he found himself assigned to. Fortunately most of his assignments would be with Exarch Talon, someone Gerwald never expected to ask him to hide his candor. However, Gerwald also saw the value in being able to hide his thoughts if it were. His head nodded regarding the explanation. She needed to know he understood what she meant.

"I can hardly think of a reason why I should say no."

It was the truth. Gerwald could not think of a reason why this was a bad idea. So he would have to learn some decorum which did not come natural. How hard could it be? Those would likely be considered famous last words if he uttered them, so Gerwald kept that thought to himself. At least his mind was closed off to anyone who would attempt to pry through the force. Naedira had been sure to teach Gerwald how to keep people out of his mind.

He smirked.

"I suppose we might as well get started then..."

Valencia Hadley