[D1 ME] Drink for Thought

[Rose Sorenn]

Having heard Coryn's perspective was one thing, but Rose was more than happy to find an excuse to talk to Orella again. She was curled into the corner of one of the couches, wearing her dark grey bodyglove, a dusky pink faux fur blanket tossed over her legs and pulled up almost to her chin. She was nursing a mug of what was ostensibly chai tea, but was really just flavoured hot milk, but it smelled and tasted delightful, and that was more than good enough.

[Orella Laerrin]

Orella came in, appearing a bit flustered. Her cheeks were a bit pinker than before and her hair slightly out of place. She smoothed it out, though, and she was back to prim and proper, at least on the outside.

"Good evening, Rose," Orella announced before taking a seat herself. She continued to fidget with her hands and eventually sighed. "Has my sister tried to rope you into her plan?"

[Rose Sorenn]

Rose smirked at the young woman's appearance, raising a suggestive eyebrow, wondering who she'd been visiting with before coming in. Sipping her drink, "to which plan might you refer?" the moment they'd reached Tatooine, things had been an explosion of activity as they immediately got to business.

[Orella Laerrin]

"I had a chat with my sister. She wants to run around, smashing up some shop," Orella said. Her fists clenched for a bit and she released them shortly afterward. "She can just be so stubborn and shortsighted."

[Rose Sorenn]

"Hey now," Rose leaned forward and touched Orella's arm, smiling, "looks like you held your own." Her hand fluttered away again, "I heard something about some shopkeepers offending all Mandalorians everywhere, but I didn't catch what they did."

[Orella Laerrin]

Orella put on a smile and let the metaphorical weight drop off of her shoulders. "They did," she admitted, "But that doesn't mean we should wage some war on them, like my sister wants to." She held up six fingers with a slight smile. Then, she turned to one. "The first law of the Resol'nare is to wear armor. IT's not just a fashion trend or whatever. It's so sacred that it's either laid to rest with them or passed down, never to be sold like a trinket."

[Rose Sorenn]

Rose's smile was warm and welcoming, amused and teasing, "my suit was expensive, am I going to have to replace it?" She let herself turn a little serious, "what does Kairi want to do?" the redhead fully expected the answer to be kill them.

[Orella Laerrin]

"That's not a rule in itself. There's a preference for true Beskar'gam, but the Mandalorian people are pragmatic too." Orella sighed and shook her head, maintaining her polite posture all the while. "She wants to coerce them, smash their storefronts and maybe even break a few limbs."

[Rose Sorenn]

"And you?" Rose prompted, wanting to hear Orella's opinion before offering her own thoughts.

[Orella Laerrin]

"Teach them. How were they supposed to know not to resell any goods?" Orella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm not condoning their behavior. I just don't think the proposed punishment fits the crime."

[Rose Sorenn]

Letting her smile fade, Rose nodded slowly, sipping her drink thoughtfully; she wanted Orella to know that she was taking her concerns seriously. "May I suggest a middle ground? Teach them a lesson, in both senses of the word?"

[Orella Laerrin]

"And what sort of lesson would that be?" Orella asked.

[Rose Sorenn]

Carelessly shrugging, "I'm not above breaking an arm or two, if someone has doubts about whether we can back up our words." She paused to take another sip. "Reclaim the beskar'gam, give them a stern talking to, and leave them with a painful reminder that they only get one warning."

[Orella Laerrin]

"That sounds like Kairi's approach," Orella said. She took a breath and continued with, "We Mandalorians have a precarious reputation. We're known for being raiders, mercenaries only looking for money.

"But maybe we can have a better future. Live up to the noble ideals of the Resol'nare. We could have a stable culture instead of the same one that decimated our planet."

[Rose Sorenn]

Rose shrugged, and sipped her drink, weighing up whether to mollify the young woman, or press the point. “It wouldn’t be much of a middle ground if it didn’t resemble Kairi’s idea in some aspect,” she said.

Trying her best to look earnest, “I know you have high hopes for the future of your clan, but the future isn’t here yet.” Rose’s hand reached for Orella again, lightly touching the young Mandolorian’s chin as if to lift it up, “we’ll get there.”

[Orella Laerrin]

"Right, but that was essentially Kairi's plan. It wasn't like she was planning on killing anybody."

Orella smiled and then laughed at her own expense. "Too poetic," she remarked, "That's what my mother would tell me. She's a visionary too, but has the patience to take it step by step."

[Rose Sorenn]

“Someone’s got to keep us looking forward,” Rose shrugged and settled back again, “otherwise we’re just going around in circles.”

[Orella Laerrin]

"Going in circles like a nexu chasing its tail?" Orella asked with a playful smile. She shook her head and giggled. "Thank you. But I think we had a very important point of discussion: the Resol'nare. Nobody in my family would ever stop talking about it when I was young so now it's my turn."

[Rose Sorenn]

Rose laughed along with the woman. Nodding, “I can see how much honour matters to you, I’d love to hear more about the Resol’nare from your point of view.”

[Orella Laerrin]

"The Resol'nare is what separates us from being barbarians." Orella smiled. "There's wearing armor, as I mentioned. We're all meant to speak Mando'a, which will come in time. Next is defending oneself and one's family.

"Note how it says defense. Mandalorians are surely capable of fighting. But defense is not seeking war."