Something After Death (ME, PM for Invite)

[Yasha Cadera]

Immediately after the Events of You Hurt Me, Love, My Love, My, Oh My.

The sound of the monitors plagued the Infernal as she travelled numb down the hall. There was nothing to be done, the doctors did their job and called Kaden’s death with the heavy sigh of the clinical physician, who survived many a war of attrition.

The Infernal stumbled over a lip in the corridor floor, steadying her hand on the wall. Where was she? How long had it been?

Did she watch it happen, the death of her riduur?

The Wolf-helm retracted from her face. Yasha was standing in front of the Mess Hall, where the Palace guards, Mandalorians and any who wanted a drink, a meal, a story or brawl came. All were welcome at Mand’alor’s table.

The tihaar was free flowing, the meals were frugal but nutritious, and freshly cooked from ingredients procured across Manda’yaim and the Empire. Music was a constant, brawls were ubiquitous and good humour reigned.

Yasha remembered returning from Dathomir with Kaden… they’d gone for a meal at the Hall. Kaden grabbed her, when another man tried to move in on his territory, dashing the man down, then picking Yasha up in his arms and carrying her off.

She’d been drinking… her first alcohol… her head spun. Kaden walked her to the throne room, and set her on Ra’s throne, to give her the view of what life would be like when she wore the Mantle, and he stood, a step behind and to the side, of his Mand’alor.

[member="Ambrose Mantis"] caught them kissing, [member="Kaden Mantis"] looming over her, his hands on either side of her thin hips.

Their first kiss.

A few days later, Yasha’s Life Day party brought Ancius Zambrano in the tow of his father, it brought the whispered Riduurok, which bound Yasha and Kaden in Mandalorian matrimony the day before, in an emotional rush incited by the Ash of Mandalore. It brought the conception of Adara.

The music stopped, as Ambrose caught Yasha’s arm. It was only then Yasha realized she’d stumbled into the Hall itself and stood legs akimbo between the long table and the door.

At the end of the hall, Yasha’s chair sat at the head of the table, a relic from Ra. Her blurring vision caught sight of [member="Alkor Centaris"] & [member="Keira Verd"], the Verd Siblings. [member="Cassiopeia Australis"] was there, with Lily-Grace… Was that [member="Skorvek"]? It seemed her companions and family were in the Hall, probably all eating at the Mand’alor’s Table… a table filled with [member="Lilik Mantis"], and other Yalilyr, but where was [member="Shia Kryze"]? Probably off-world with her girlfriend…

“Shia was with us… seven years of it… I killed him. He didn't want to live without me and it killed him.”

“… Yash’ika!” Ambrose shook Yasha’s arm, as Yasha’s dazed face glanced over at her adopted Uncle and childhood protector.

“Kaden’s dead. His heart stopped… wh-where’s Adara? Is Tamar here? I should feed her… Ambrose?” Yasha blinked and looked blank-eyed at her protector as he grunted and pulled her into her chair, sitting her down gingerly. The music in the hall faded, as Mando’ade whispered into silence at the sight of Mand’alor the Infernal staring blankly at the table… that table…

… she’d walked on her hands, kicked someone in the face and started a brawl… Kaden joined in with a laugh.

“Tihaar… she’s in shock. Call Australis and Beth… make sure Beth knows where Tamar is… I've got the bead on it, he must have died a few minutes ago... yes, they just called it. Kriff, how fast did she get here?” Ambrose held her chin in his hand, “Yash’ika? Mand’alor… drink this. What do you want us to do?”

"Do?" Yasha looked to the gathered Mando'ade, their half-eaten meals and steins of ale. "Drink... Eat, drink on! Music... music... play on..."

[member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Beth Australis-Mantis"]

 

[Shia Kryze]

Shia was in fact off-world with [member="Mishel Noren"], or had been, several weeks ago. But close friends of a valkyrie don't get to die without prior warning, as a general rule.

Shia sat bolt upright in bed, the sheets tangling around her limbs as she gasped for air, then turned to urgently shake the Jedi next to her awake.

"Mishel! Mishel! We've got to go to Mandalore now. Kaden's going to die."

Right this very moment, Shia was making some very pointed statements to Sundari ATC on what 'priority clearance' meant, regardless of the 'rustbucket' (and if they called this ship a rustbucket again, she swore she'd open fire) she was travelling on.

"Look, this... isn't the greatest time to meet the only family I've got in the world." She said to Mishel as she unstrapped, even though the vessel was still landing on the palace pad, next to that ship of Merril's she still hadn't given him back. "If you want to stay on the ship or explore Sundari, I'll understand. But Kaden... kark, he was like a... what do you call them in Basic? A nephew to me. Back when I spent seven years in the Underworld. Um. If anyone gives you chit, tell them you're with Aliit'alor Kryze, and please, please don't freak out and use the Force. I'm going to get into enough trouble blessing his body when no one is looking."

[member="Kaine Australis"] | [member="Yasha Mantis"] | [member="Mishel Noren"]
​

 

[Mishel Kryze]

​

​

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PmeoxLsyhE[/media]​

​

The Princess Leia pushed quietly through the expanse. The depths of the void pulled at the energies of the stars, the stars burned so brightly and glowed with such beauty. Perhaps this was why the said the best of a species burned out so quickly, like the most beautiful of space and sky. The guiding lights in the darkness, and within the small freighter laid the slumbering crew. Where the quiet hum of the engines served as a spacer's lullaby. There in a cabin meant to house multiple people turned into a makeshift bedroom for two. A hastily put together mattress that laid atop the crates brought in from spaceports past. Cluttered with books, armor, and clothes the dim lights shined on the two slumbering bodies, one slept peacefully while the other slept not so peacefully.

A jolt of movement stirred Mishel, but it wasn't until the urgency in Shia's voice that broke through her dreams and pulled the Tygaran awake. All Mishel managed to hear as her eyes struggled to come to light were the words Mandalore and Die. Heavy words for a Force user, and all she could say at the moment through a groggy voice, "okay. Okay." She managed herself upright in the bed. Hazel green eyes fell to the end of the bed, where the Rattataki had stood assembling herself into gear. Mishel forced her eyes open and her hands moved to rub the sleep away.

Feet on the cold durasteel floor of the ship, Mishel stood and moved to grab a shirt. It was hard to tell if it was her shirt or Shia's and to be honest, she didn't care. In the split second it took Mishel to pull it over her head it was obvious. The shirt belonged to Shia, a soft sigh escaped her lips as she grabbed a pair of shorts and pulled them on. Quietly the Tygaran padded out of the room. Arms crossed over her chest as she yawned, "C7." A hard blink as she called again, "Cee." The Sentinel called out to the protocol that had come with the ship.

"Yes, Master?"

"Can you, can you punch us in for Mandalore?"

"Yes, I - but Master it's..."

A hand to pause the droid, "I know, just, something's happened and we need to get there, as soon as possible, please."

"Of course Master, I'll have us there in no time." He turned and waddled away, the way droids of his make often do. Mishel stood a moment and watched him the tip and tap forward for the cockpit. Coren wasn't around, he needed to do things on D'Qar, and Mara was tending to business that was unfit for a padawan to see. And so Mishel turned around and headed back for her cabin.

Galaxy. Mishel didn't correct her, rather she moved to sit on the edge of their bed. One leg crossed atop of it, while the other hung over the side. Arms still folded until she realized that the blankets were right there. Where just moments before they had been asleep. It was here that Shia gave Mishel the Do's and the Don'ts and part of her wanted to react. Wanted to throw herself into the defensive, but that would get her nowhere. Chose your battles, and listen with your mind and not your emotions. Paraphrased words from either Mara or Coren, most likely Mara. Mishel moved one hand to run through her thin hair shuffling threads of brown, back while the other pulled at the blankets and wrapped them around her shoulders.

Shia had gone on to explain that Kaden was like family. The word family was not lost on Mishel, the tank raised woman perhaps knew its meaning more than she cared to. It was what the Ren were supposed to be, but she had long since understood it had been a farce. A facade put on for the sake of the child ripped away from her mother, tongue in cheek when Shia mentioned for her not to freak out. That was what burned beneath Mishel's skin it was what caused her to remember the phrase, listen with your mind and not your emotions. How quick she had been to react with her emotions, easier it is yes, but the path of a Jedi and the path of maturity meant that it would be best to understand first. Harder yes, but better in this way. "Okay," she acknowledged softly with the blankets pulled around her small frame. "We're on our way."

The hue of hyperspace wrapped itself around the Princess Leia.


It wouldn't be long for the Princess Leia to arrive where she needed to be. The pastel-colored decal glistened against the stars of Mandalore where far below the homeworld to the strong warrior culture awaited. "I'll be here," she said to Shia indicating that she would stay, C7 took the ship down to port the ship whisked by the stars and broke through the atmosphere with ease. Clouds parted as it traveled the pyronium infused hull gave a shimmer of colors as the ship curled through a designated route to port. Mishel gave Shia's hand a reassuring squeeze as they stood at the airlock. "I'm here if you need to talk," her voice still quiet, a blanket stilled pulled around her shoulders as she stood on the tips of her toes. She gave Shia a soft kiss on the lips and watched the Rattatki descend the landing ramp and disappear into the port.

She shuffled back to her cabin as the lights in the Leia's main area went on. C7's doing no doubt, Mishel threw the blankets on the mattress and threw the shirt there as well. She turned over to the pile of clean clothes in the corner and rifled through it. Finding one of hers, she pulled it over her head and threw her hair out and over it. Hands at the ends as she adjusted the shirt. Mishel sighed, she could bother the Selonian for conversation or a game pazaak but she felt the urge to do neither. Force knew how long it would be until they were able to go. And she could, she could just go, go wherever she pleased Shia would contact her later, but the Tygaran didn't feel right in doing so. So here she was, on her ship, and still, the words from Shia hit closer to home than she thought. Family.


Normally, Mishel's desk would be there in the room with her. For Shia though she had shoved it in the cargo bay, which had been turned into Mara's quarters. The technical station served as the workbench for her lightsaber crafting and for now, it sat unused with half made hilts and circuitry atop of it. Mishel pulled her hair back into a loose bun as she walked into Mara's half of the cargo bay. Fabric curtains and pillows large enough for a full grown bantha to rest on she gathered, the desk was brought to the floor for ease. It rested with pads to keep it from tearing at the rug it was black in color and had a few boxes of unused tablets resting atop of it.

There had been a while when Mishel couldn't walk, and as she sat down atop one of the body engulfing pillows she pulled a tablet from the desk with use of the Force. And for a moment she wasn't sure what she was going to say, or to whom she would write it. Family had so many meanings now, but she supposed she would write to whom it was easier to write. Dear Mom...

[member="Shia Kryze"] | [member="Yasha Mantis"] | [member="Kaine Australis"]

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Pregnancy sucked. At least, her's was absolutely awful. It was a drag on her - physically, emotionally, and with only a couple weeks left, she had half a mind to go beg the doctors to just find a way to get them out of her. The twins that grew inside her were going to drive her into her grave already. Didn't she have a lifetime of them doing that, why did the first 9 months have to destroy that already? She was in Sundari in the small apartment that was still getting set up for her and the twins. Raiz was on Mykrrk. He was too lost in his work after Kaine was imprisoned. Becoming CEO and Alor was taking its toll on the man.

In either case, Cassiopeia was staying in Sundari. She had work to do with the Council, with [member="Yasha Mantis"], and others. It was too important for Cassiopeia. Plus, working was the only thing that kept her mind at ease and distracted from the near constant sickness that the twins were doing through her. In either case, Cassiopeia found herself inside the mess hall for a celebration of sorts it seemed. Food was placed out along the table, liquor was placed all about, and several of the others were there. She had decided to wear a long pink dress that fit loosely over her, mainly out of comfort. Her large, extended belly couldn't handle her armor and in truth, Cassiopeia wasn't sure if she was strong enough to walk with it on with how she was drained. Makeup hid the circles under her eyes from lack of sleep.

The worst part of the day, though, was the awful dream she had. One of her kids dying, Raiz vanishing... It was one of her worst dreams. But not too uncommon for the woman, who tended to have such nightmares on a relatively frequent basis. It just hit more profoundly hard for some reason or another. If Cassiopeia could only see into the future...

Cassiopeia wasn't sitting yet, though, she was busy examining the food. What could she eat that would sit well with her? Hrm... Ping. Her comms went off. [member="Kaden Mantis"] had died. But what felt like only a second later, Yasha busted through the doors. Ambrose managed to catch her. Where was Adara, though? She made a quick ping to Beth and the nannies. Beth could handle Adara, probably better than any nanny could. Cassiopeia ran (as in, wobbled as much as she could,) with both hands on her belly. She finally made it, although was sure to stay at least somewhat out of [member="Kaine Australis"] armored way. "Yash'ika," she said quietly with concern filling in her eyes.

Yasha was sitting in a chair and Cassiopeia did the best she could do, reaching over and hugging her around her neck. "I'm so sorry. I know you will get through this." She put her hands on Yasha's armored shoulders. She would squeeze, but she wouldn't feel it. She tried to give her best, encouraging smile. Music. Play.

Cassiopeia, in her hormonal imbalances, glared towards the musicians and snapped, "Play the karking music, you nerf herders, before I burn your fingers off and find a better band." They stumbled for a second but quickly began to play music once more. Cassiopeia turned back to Yasha and put a hand on her buy'ce where her cheek would after she realized that Yasha had said she had killed him, "You didn't kill him, sweetness, I need you to know that. Only Manda controls life and death... And she needed him to come back to her." She glanced at Kaine, worry across her face. Mourning was one thing but having guilt that it was your fault? That was something to be very concerned about.

He gave her the tihaar that she needed. "Yeah, come on, let's go to the party. We will celebrate his life, with you, and mourn, with you."

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Beth got the ping from Ambrose, Vevut, and who she assumed was a doctor or nurse or something. The 11 almost 12-year-old girl hadn't experienced such a thing before but her newly adopted mother was going through heartbreak. Kaden died. Her riduur - a word she had recently learned from her studies of the Mandalorian language. Beth was worried - for Yasha, mostly, and for Kaden. As a worshipper of the Naboo Goddesses, she wondered where Kaden's soul had gone. Yasha and Kaine would say to the Manda. Would it be in the Netherworld? Or with the Force? She didn't know enough about him to gauge. The missionaries didn't teach her about the afterlife much. They focused on worship.

In either case, Beth found the small, weak baby called [member="Adara Raxis"]. It didn't take her long to find her - she was able to sense her Force signature. Whether that was really allowed or not, Beth wasn't sure, but she wasn't actively using it. She could just... Feel where it was. The Force was a funny thing, but she was glad she was finally getting to learn about it. Having it used it so long to survive in Mygeeto, she was surprised to learn she even had the abilities. But, in either case, Beth had found Adara. She brought her back to their rooms in the palace as she held the small girl in her arms closely but carefully. She gave the dark-eyed girl a kiss on her forehead, worried.

Her secondary worry was for Adara. Her biological father had died. That could be an issue, she thought. She had a mother in Yasha. And she had a father in Kaine. But she still wondered where her biological mother was. Was she still alive? Dead? Was she forced to just... Abandon her?

"You'll never be alone like me, Sweet Pea, I'll make sure of it. You have me, Baba, Mommy, you always remember that you have us. No matter what happens, Adara, I love you so much." She'd nestle her head on the small babies gently, carefully.

She took a breath before sending a ping to Ambrose, Kaine, Cassiopeia, Vevut, and any other authority figure. Where is mommy? Should I bring Adara? I'm really worried about her...

 

[Cynthia Solus]

Cynthia made her way soon as she had heard. She didn't know what to make of the news only that the Manda had received a worthy soul. On the other side of things Cynthia couldn't imagine how Yasha was feeling right now. It's why it was important she came to the wake. It was important that Cynthia could be there for her Mand'alor. The only Mand'alor she trusted and would fight for without regret. The woman walked into the room and looked around. Many people had arrived, all from different clans showing their loyal support. Yet in the air she could feel the sadness that filled the room.

Making her way through the large room she walked towards Yasha. There was no words at first but an embracing hug from behind. "How you holding up?" She said softly. "You need anything just ask."

 

[Shia Kryze]

The doctors and nurses moved aside like a startled flock of hawks as Shia stormed into the morgue - too karking late.

"Out." She snapped.

"Aliit'alor, Manda..."

"I. Said. Out. All of you. Leave me alone to grieve with my vod."

After a brief moment of whispers, the doctors departed, leaving the body on the cold table. Shia didn't care, she'd seen plenty of bodies before. This was just a husk, devoid of presence or meaning.

The quiet ping from the medical staff would go to [member="Kaine Australis"] and [member="Ambrose Mantis"] - 'Alor Kryze is with the body, she asked for time to grieve.'

The truth was, she wanted time to break the law. It was childsplay to disable the cameras - what Mandalorian cared about security in a morgue? Who would steal a body, here in the palace medical wing? It was alien to their culture to care.

She paused briefly, considering her options. The visions had been... inconsistent. No. She had to know. She reached out with one gloved hand to gently touch Kaden's cold forehead.

"Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la."

That was it, there was no visible sign aside from a faint ghostly flicker of silver that covered her eyes.

Oh.

"Dar'yaim." Haran was too small a word, besides, it was... wrong, gentle almost compared to the truth of hell. "Or'dinii, ner vod. Even if you return, what returns will never be what left this plane. Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum [member="Kaden Mantis"]. You have what strength I can give you."

Now the room did briefly fill with a silver light, a sharp pin-point just above the chest as Shia poured what power she could, holding on sharply to the last image she had of Kaden alive as if it were the only thing in the world, etching the details into reality. It was quite a lot of power, all things told, flowing through the fading gap in the world left by the departing soul and into Kaden.

"Tell Adi that Shi-shi sends her regards, and she's to lay off being such a karking tight arse. Oh, and don't make me come down there, the rivers are not a revolving karking door and the Manda gets very tetchy when you screw with it." She said to the air, uncertain if the message would actually go with the final act of blessing.

Then she stepped back from the body, ignoring the tears streaming down her face - they were befitting of a warrior, after all, then turned to leave the medical bay and do what she should have done first - find [member="Yasha Mantis"].

She hoped she hadn't been too hard on [member="Mishel Noren"] - asking her to come here... life, life was getting very, very confusing indeed. But at least she had someone, and someone close to hand at that.

The doctors were deeply confused by the tall, smiling woman with tears flooding down her face as she stepped out of the room and waved them back to their grisly but necessary task.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Eyes wide and opened, mouth agape, Yasha stumbled into [member="Kaine Australis"]’ offered arm, vision focussing on the mirage of memories pouring through her mind. She sat where Kaine and Ambrose put her, felt Cassi’s arms wind around her shoulders… and said nothing.

“Kaden was suffering from an infection, which seeped into his blood. The doctors treated it, but the severity of the infection weakened his heart… Yasha, you wouldn’t have known raising his blood pressure would… The doctors should have told you not to alarm him, not until the swelling went down.” Ambrose removed his hand from the side of his ear, where the doctor was filling [member="Ambrose Mantis"] in. “She did kill him. She’ll carry that weight, yet. It is hers to bear.”

So the indomitable Kaden Mantis died of a broken heart, the day he met his daughter. Yet one more tragedy tied to [member="Adara Raxis"]. Would the little girl’s life always be the harbinger of such terrors and doom? Was there a day this would recover and become better?

The music played, Australis got folk to begin drinking again, filling the Hall with tales of [member="Kaden Mantis"] and his adventures. The air itself hummed with folk speaking on the Son of Anger, how he defeated dragons, took planets and fought as a child beside his one and only love. There were reenactments of his many brawls in that very hall, the Yalilyr present having the most to say.

This would be a proper wake, with song and story and the free flow of tihaar. ‘By the bucket’ old Favi said, drowning another helm-worth of inebriant down his aching, grey throat. [member="Cynthia Solus"] entered, wrapped her arms around the back of Yasha’s neck and only then did the shocked and stricken Mand’alor blink as if waking from a shallow pool.

“O ruen.” “A ship.” Yasha’s breath caught on the two simplistic syllables spoken in her native Panathan tongue. She supped on the drink in her hand, feeling the burn of it down her hoarse throat.

“I miik da bid da Dathomir… I vom rozi uep…” “I need to get to Dathomir… I can save him…” Dazed amber eyes filtered from Cynthia Solus’ arms around her to Cassiopeia and Kaine Australis.

“Kain’ik, o ruen. Diodu er mad pi' kidillimd, I vom ba dulaybu dui Wolsavq Godi omk hemk uep… Shia… Shia vom uisn pi hemk uep… I miik o ruen.” “Kain’ik, a ship. Death is not my deterrent, I can go through the Warlock Gate and find him… Shia… Shia can help me find him… I need a ship.” Nobody was moving.

Why was nobody moving, did they not understand she could save the dead? He was not too far past the mortal road that the Infernal was lost to [member="Kaden Mantis"]’ rescue. Yasha inhaled with a stutter, her heavily accented Panathan-Epicant pouring through her lips as easily as the breath exhaled and lingered unreturned to Kaden’s still lungs.

“Gid pi o ruen! Diodu er mad pi' kidillimd!” “Get me a ship! Death is not my deterrent!” ​

The Infernal bellowed, her naked hand clenching around the cup she held.

Gasping aloud, Yasha’s palms smacked to the table as she gripped its’ sides. A rush of silver light cascaded through her inner senses, disconnected and fleeting. Her chin wobbled, eyes stinging with hot salt water, which refused yet to spill from red rimmed eyes.

“O ruen da Dathomir…” “A ship to Dathomir…” Nobody yet moved.

The stillness reminded Yasha too much of the body of her beloved, which laid in the morgue. [member="Shia Kryze"]. Shia would understand her, Shia would know what to do. Death and its’ proper passage was the psychopomp’s dominion and Rekali’s keeper.

Mouth working without sound, Yasha watched two of the Yalilyr acting out a particular brawl, where Kaden took on three of the Yalilyr, while Yasha sat in that very chair, pregnant and cuddling her growing belly.

He’d been ferocious in life, distilled of vengeance in the Netherworld and returned as a new lethal creation. She’d looked on with such pride, that her riduur. Another of the Yalilyr burst into the fight, as he’d done on the very day… yet something was off…

“No, that’s not how he did it, he led with his right, and it was an elbow lock he used to throw you on the table, Tuulu. It was amazing.” A near smile brushed momentarily upon Yasha’s lips as she considered the day, descending as she looked down at her empty glass.

“Moi' I uozi pali deuool?” “May I have more tihaar, before I go?”

 

[Kaden Farr]

"Tell Adi that Shi-shi sends her regards, and she's to lay off being such a karking tight arse. Oh, and don't make me come down there, the rivers are not a revolving karking door and the Manda gets very tetchy when you screw with it."

Someone was talking. Shi-shi. Shia. Kaden knew, and despite his being dead in a realm she should not be able to break through, she did. If only they knew to get him.

He sighed. Everything about his soul shook. He felt something. Life?

Shia was trying to keep him from fading. She was coming? Was Yasha going to be with her?

[member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Shia Kryze"]

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

She rubbed [member="Yasha Mantis"]s arm softly, despite the armor blocking any feeling. She couldn't imagine the pain that Yasha was going through - she had found her riduur, and despite the breakdown of their marriage, she had still found him. And then... He died. Right like that. How could one comfort someone in a time like this? What do you say in a moment like this? Cassiopeia wished she could absorb some of the pain Yasha felt, but she knew that was her burden to bear. Karking hell, why was the universe so bloody cruel?

The largely pregnant, sick woman glared at Ambrose. She had never felt angry at the gurlanin before but at this moment, she wanted to whack the dog-man upside the head with a datapad. How dare him. "Then a doctor is to blame, Ambrose. They failed in their duty to protect an already dying man," she barked towards the man, although as quietly as possible.

Cassiopeia couldn't stand and have an arm around Yasha for long. The large belly, aching ankles, general discomfort & illness prevented such a thing. She couldn't wait to get the two monsters out of her. No more babies, ever again, she had decided. It was just too much. So, she quickly grabbed a chair and pulled it up in front of her and took both of her armor-clad hands in hers and locked her eyes with Yasha's amber eyes.

Dathomir? Why would Yasha believe the Mandalorian would be in the Nether, a soul lost to an eternity in hell? Was he not worthy of being in the Manda? In truth, Cassiopeia wasn't sure. He was so willing to slice Yasha up for a child that, in truth, may not have been alive inside Yasha's abdomen during such trauma. She lived, barely, but still.

Cassiopeia waited until Yasha finished speaking. She needed to get what she thought out of her mind before she could reply.

"Manda. Yash'ika, he's in Manda. He's in our collective conscious, happy. Free. Fierce. As a true Mandalorian should be. You don't have to worry about his soul because he's in a paradise untold." She tried to keep her words rational, but with her hormones flying in all different directions, she struggled.

"If, somehow, he is in the Netherworld, you cannot leave our Empire for him. You are our Mand'alor. You are the Protector of her People - we can't let you leave as we rebuild from the civil war. As we rebuild from Barataria. As we rebuild Mandalore back to her former ecological glory. You can't expect any of us to let you go. It's too soon, it's... It might lead the Empire into disarray if you leave so soon." She took a deep breath, letting one hand rest softly on Yasha's barely uncovered cheek. "We must grieve. But we must remember Kaden for his deeds. And as we mourn him, remember him as he is in the Manda, our oversoul."

She grabbed a bottle, an entire bottle of tihaar from the table and passed it to Yasha.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry."