To say the New Mandalorians held little in the way of style about them was putting it lightly. Over the last hundreds of years they've been in power, they've done much to modernize Mandalore from it's simple farms and meager villages—or rather, they've gone out of their way to build sheltered cities for themselves, enclosed and shaded away from those they feel are less desirable for the Mandalore they've envisioned. Sundari was the pinnacle example of New Mandalorian architecture, a domed city of metal. Though unlike what could be found on Coruscant, they'd added elements of nature that held a less is more style about it. For Kalis, more was always more, but what could be done truly when one considers what lies beyond these domed cities. The real Mandalore, vast deserts, a scarred world stripped of much of it's beauty by what would later be known as the Mandalorian Excision, when the Republic, in fear of their growing industrial strength, launched a preemptive assault on Mandalore and laid waste to the planet.

"I'm pleased that you've made it Governor Kalis."

Kalis, looking out through the floor to ceiling window at the Mandalorian night, turned to face Duchess Satine, flanked by her Royal Guards and an entourage that included among others the bald Minister of Justice Led, the Minister of Interior Armatan, and Prime Minister Almec—loyal supporters of Satine.

"It'd be in poor form for me to reject your invitation Duchess," Kalis replied.

Satine proceeded to introduce those else present with her. After her ministers, there was another man and his wife whom stepped forward to meet the governor of Concordia.

"This," Satine began, "is Jerm Yomaget, the Chairman of MandalMotors."

A man of middle age and with early signs of baldness, Yomaget pushed his glasses forward onto his face as he extended his other hand to shake with Kalis. "A pleasure to meet you at last Governor," Jerm said. "Good of you to join us tonight."

"Speaking of which," Almec said. "We should all be going inside, the show of sure to start any minute."

Kalis extends his hand out to the Duchess. "Shall we?"

With that, Kalis leads the Duchess and the others into the box seats for the play. From their position in the balcony, they can see out onto the whole of the playhouse. Looking out onto those in attendance, Kalis saw the same as he had throughout much of the capital. You'd think they'd all been created at Kamino, he thought. Kalis had never been to a play prior to this night. They had never held much interest to him, much less when he suspected what they were about. Here now, he lamented at his accurate assumption. The play, if it could even be called that, portrayed Satine as a heroic figure who led the New Mandalorians to peace with small aide from the Jedi to rid them of the warmongering Mandalorians. Disgusted by the propaganda show, Kalis excused himself and went out onto the balcony for air. Before long, he senses another come out to join him.

"Tell me," Kalis said, "how do you deal with these New Mandalorians?"

"Some day soon with a good blaster shot to the head," Jerm Yomaget answered as he came to stand beside Kalis. "I didn't expect our first in person meeting in over two years to be here of all places."

"At The Grand?"

"No, in Sundari."

"You act like I came here to meet with you," Kalis said. "You heard me earlier, I'm here at the Duchess' invitation. But since you're here, let's talk. Four months ago you sent me the status of my fleet, report."

"We've finished another 300 Kom'rk-class starfighters, half of which have been made single passenger as you instructed," Yomaget began. "Another series of Keldabe-class cruisers are coming off the line soon, and the Aka'jor-class shuttles are being outfitted with weapons systems before completion. The Crusader-class corvettes and Kandosii Type II dreadnaughts have been waiting on the line complete for some time now—there's enough money from your budget to start another dreadnaught if you—"

"What we have will do," Kalis said. "Allocate those funds to further Crusader corvettes and expect additional payments for the upcoming cycle."

"Of course Governor," Yomaget answered. "Is there anything more you'd like to know?"

"I trust you've continued to maintain the secrecy of this endeavor," Kalis said. "How?"

Yomaget grinned. "Ah, you are not aware, that's right," he said. "These domed cities of the New Mandalorians, created to shield them from the eyes of those they deem less worthy, our true Mandalorian brethren. We've created one of our own, keeping the New Mandalorians from getting in under the claim of a restricted work facility. Of course some of the work is handled by our subsidiary Mandal Hypernautics on Concord Dawn, well away from wandering eyes. Though how you've managed to acquire the amount of credits needed for a fleet of this size is mind jarring."

"The Intergalactic Banking Clan has been quite generous," Kalis replied. Whether they've known it or not. Under normal circumstances, he would never have been able to attain anything from the IBC. It had been his master who'd reached out under false identities meeting with various holdings and allowing Kalis to use his power of force suggestion to bring the lesser Muun holdings to their cause, siphoning every credit from them and forcing any knowledge of the encounters from their minds. Then there were the countless men of wealth throughout the galaxy that they'd had kidnapped and brought to them. The Mandalorian fleet he'd created had be bought with the credits of the unwise and the unknowing. "I seem to recall your people being quite enthusiastic about this venture."

"Governor Kalis, have no doubt that the Board of Directors and I believe in your cause as greatly as we did five years ago," Yomaget stated.

"I know." He smirked. Because I told you to.

"Ah, there you are Governor."

Satine stepped out onto the balcony to join them. Yomaget nodded to Kalis and excused himself. The Duchess watched as he went before turning back to Kalis curiously.

"I wasn't aware you two were acquainted," she said.

"I've known Yomaget for the better part of an hour Duchess," he replied, leaving it at that. "The show is in intermission I take it?"

"Yes," she answered. "Yomaget, he and the MandalMotors Board of Directors openly support the New Mandalorian government, but I've reasons to believe their loyalties lie elsewhere."

"Those Death Watch starfighters being one of them I presume."

"You've seen their great tower within the city," she said. "They continue to use the mythosaur, against the urging of my government."

"Respect to those who care for our old heritage could get you far in dealing with some," Kalis said. "Accepting of others who do not believe in your ideals, further still."

The Duchess moved closer to Kalis. She studied him for a moment as he leaned against the railing. "Words such as those make me question your intentions governor," she said. "I've yet to place what you truly want—so tell me."

"I want a strong united Mandalore."

"That is what I've worked to maintain."

"I believe you see Mandalore through a different lens than I, Duchess."

"Explain yourself."

"Shall I be honest with you then?"

"Please do."

"What you and your New Mandalorians have created is a xenophobic society."

"That's not true-" she started.

"It is," Kalis cut in, sweeping a hand out to the city below. "Look out onto your city and see for yourself. Everyone's the same. Mandalorian society was that of acceptance for all kind."

"The Mandalore of old was a society of war!" her voice rising in defense. "Other species accepted our ways yes, but at the threat of death. Forced conscription and enslavement, that is the society our forebears created."

"And your society promoted alienation of it's own people. Not one non-human lives in Sundari, they were all exiled to Concordia."

"All those cast out supported the old ways and the Clan Wars that tore Mandalore apart. They had no place in a world of peace that we hold dear."

"Listen to yourself. You sound a lot like the Mandalorians of old whom you so hate. Assimilate or die right?"

"I had been led to believe you were not like your uncle," Satine said, her eyes narrowed. "I see now that you are one in the same."

"No Duchess, Pre Vizsla is a terrorist who believes his rule will save Mandalore. I only want a truly united people, Mandalore for Mandalorians, all Mandalorians. As Governor of Concordia, I must speak for who's voices can not be heard in your council, small numbered as they are, they are our people."

She was not swayed in his words, as Kalis knew she wouldn't. He'd let the moment get the better of him. Satine turned to leave, but Kalis quickly dropped to a knee. "Apologies if I misspoke Duchess."

Prime Minister Almec appeared from inside. "Duchess, the show is about to resume," he said, looking from Kalis to Satine.

The Duchess acknowledged Almec before returning her gaze to look down at Kalis, "It's quite alright Governor Kalis," she said. "I only hope all our conversations don't turn into debates of the state."

He looked up at her and chanced a half smile, "Perhaps over dinner our tongues shall hold a finer taste."

"Charming," she replied, giving a pleasing smirk of her own before moving past Almec and returning inside.

Almec watched the Governor as he rose and brushed himself off. "Smooth Governor," he said. "Though would it not be wise to remain distant from the Duchess, least she pry and uncover our dealings?"

Kalis came up beside the Prime Minister, "Satine is blind to the goings on of her world, but we are not. As long as the people of Mandalore get what they need, the Duchess need not know of how."

Author's Note: As it stands, updates will be random. Though this chapter comes after weeks of gathering more information and repeated viewings of the source material and related topics on the matter. Most things covered in this story will be grounded in Star Wars lore and expand on it in a way that makes it feel as true as possible. A number of things will be referenced that come from little known histories within Star Wars Expanded Universe canon and the likes. I've recently read the Son of Dathomir, which continues the Mandalore storyline past the cartoon and it will just work so swimmingly with my plans for this piece.

On that note, I believe I'll be moving this to the Star Wars Movie section of the site as opposed to the Clone Wars show section. Partly for an increased viewing oppurtunity and on the decision that the Revenge of the Sith movie will have a part in the coming chapters—even though in story that's still about two years away at this point.