Broken Codes

Hidden Doubts

Corellia: 18 BBY
"Mythos"
Lesia Mirri

    Les returned to the ship's lounge once she heard Nakoa and Oni disperse. Galaar was sitting close by, a remorseful look in his blue eyes. Les sat across from him and switched on the small holotable. "Do you play Dejarik?" She asked.

    Galaar perked up a bit. "Some."

    "Want to play?" He nodded and she set the board. Lesia made the first move. "So were you born a Mandalorian like Nakoa or were you found like Oni?"

    "I was found, in a way," Galaar replied. He studied the board and made a move. "I met Ketei right before she decided to build her own clan. She explained the ways of the Mandalorian Creed to me. I thought it was an honorable way to live and asked her to teach me. I swore myself to the Creed and helped her establish her clan."

    "Where were you from originally?"

    "Naboo, like Oni. She doesn't know that, though."

    Les arched an eyebrow. "Why not?"

    "I chose not to tell her, but I knew her family before she was even born. I returned to Naboo during the Trade Federation's invasion to check on them, but she was the only one left."

    "Why must you hide that from her?"

    Galaar met her gaze. "Why must Nakoa hide his story? Why did Oni hide hers? Why do you hide yours?"

    "To protect myself...and them," Les replied.

    "There is your answer. I wanted Oni to form her own connections in the Clan, based on experiences, not personal history."

    "Nakoa has said that Ketei is like his mother, but Oni says she doesn't have any family ties to you." Les made another move.

    "That is on purpose. I kept my distance when she was younger, until I knew that she wouldn't be attached to me like Nakoa and Ketei. Don't get me wrong, what they have is important, but I have always been an independent person. I didn't want someone relying on me like that when I already had a lot to balance."

    "So you were partially selfish and partially smart."

    Galaar grinned. "I suppose that's one way to view it."

    Lesia sat back while he examined the game some more, preparing to make his move. "You really can't go back to the Clan?"

    He sighed and shook his head. "No, I can't. It's part of the Creed. If another living being sees our face or if we remove our helmets in their presence, we can never put them on again. We can no longer be a part of our Clan. We can't even call ourselves true Mandalorians anymore. I'm sure you don't understand."

    "Actually, I think I do." Galaar seemed faintly surprised by that. "There are many groups throughout the galaxy that follow similar codes," Les explained. The Jedi were more like Mandalorians than our ancestors thought.

    Galaar made another move and smiled again. "Looks like I win."

    Les began to reply, but was interrupted by beeping from the cockpit. Nakoa's cabin door slid open and he took his place. She followed him and slid into the copilot's seat when Oni didn't appear.

    "Oni will be upset for a while," Nakoa said as he prepared to drop them out of hyperspace.

    "She's closer to him than she lets on," Les agreed.

    Nakoa deactivated the hyperdrive and Corellia appeared before them. Les scrambled their signature as they passed beneath the Imperial blockade. "I know Oni seems gruff and detached," Nakoa said, "but that's not what she's really like."