Location: Concordia – Alliance Council Hall
Date: 24 BBY – 3 Months Before 23 BBY
The Mandalorian enclave on Concordia had transformed from a former mining outpost into a sprawling diplomatic hub and forward command post. The main chamber had been reinforced with steel and stone, now adorned with the sigils of Mandalore the Uniter, Clan Kryze, and the Eternal Galactic Alliance.
Cain walked through the arched corridor flanked by Mandalorian guards in black and red armor, their helmets marked with unified crests of the Alliance. He was followed by engineers and logistics officers—Mandalorians, Zabrak metalworkers from Iridonia, Ithorian design architects, and a handful of Kaminoan systems analysts.
Awaiting him at the far end of the chamber stood Duchess Satine Kryze, in a refined version of her traditional regalia, accompanied by Obi-Wan Kenobi, in ceremonial Jedi robes with faint Mandalorian threads stitched into the inner lining.
Cain smiled the moment he approached.
"Duchess. Master Kenobi."
Satine greeted him with a warm kiss on the cheek, and Obi-Wan nodded.
"Cain," Satine said, eyes bright, "thank you for making the journey."
"Of course," Cain said. "Alliance business always finds its way here."
Satine's lips curled into a teasing grin. "And soon, I won't be here."
Cain blinked. "What do you mean?"
Obi-Wan stepped forward, one hand behind his back. "We're getting married. Finally."
Cain stared between them. "Wait, what?"
Satine nodded. "After the ceremony—equal parts Jedi and Mandalorian tradition—I'll be taking a leave of absence. Obi-Wan and I are going to… escape."
"For a month," Obi-Wan added quickly, smiling. "Before either the galaxy implodes or someone calls us back."
Cain laughed. "You deserve that. Both of you. It's about time."
Satine's voice softened. "We've spent too many years dancing around politics and doctrine. It's time we finally lived. Just a little."
Cain nodded. "I hope your replacement is just as effective—if not better—while you're gone."
"I hope so too," Satine said with a smirk. "Though I've left plenty of pressure behind."
Soon after, Cain, Satine, and Obi-Wan entered the adjoining chamber where engineers had set up a full holo-display. Around the table stood the Alliance's best technical minds. Holograms flickered to life, displaying schematics of the new Eternal Alliance military armor, and more specifically, specialized variants for Jadaii Paladins.
Cain stepped to the front.
"Our soldiers are evolving. They're no longer just soldiers or Jedi. They're guardians. Officers. Instructors. We need armor that reflects it."
The engineers began cycling through designs. Sleek, modern plating. Flexible reinforcement at the joints. Modular loadouts and energy dampeners. Built-in HUDs for advanced tactical readouts.
One Ithorian engineer gestured toward the projection. "This is the Mark-III Paladin Combat Layer. It's inspired by Old Republic armor but redesigned for comfort and maneuverability. For dual-users of the Force and tech."
Another engineer—a Mandalorian metalsmith named Rexar Vann—tapped his gauntlet and activated another hologram.
"We've also begun forging prototypes using a Beskar-Kortosis alloy. The density makes it blaster- and saber-resistant, though not invulnerable. The question now is supply."
Cain crossed his arms. "What's the assessment?"
Vann nodded to one of the geologists. "The deposits we've recovered so far from Concordia and fringe moons will sustain an elite corps—but not mass production."
"Then we scale carefully," Cain said. "Jadaii and Paladins receive the Beskar-Kortosis variant. Officers and elite infantry get durasteel-polyweave with reinforced layers."
A Kaminoan chimed in. "We can reproduce plastoid-style battle armor to serve as baseline gear, styled after Old Republic models. Lightweight, easier to mass produce."
Cain nodded. "Do it. And continue scouting. I want satellite scans on potential high-density mineral worlds in the mid and outer rim. Prioritize neutral systems and asteroid belts."
Vann gave a curt nod. "Understood."
Katana Fleet Retrofit Update
An engineer from the shipyard team approached. "Regarding the Katana fleet retrofit…"
Cain glanced over. "Progress?"
"As expected… slow. There isn't a shipyard in the Outer Rim big enough to retrofit Dreadnaughts at scale."
Another chimed in, this one Corellian. "Kuat Drive Yards refuses to support due to Republic pressure. Corellia's being watched closely, but a few engineers are willing to defect. If we can screen and relocate them discreetly…"
Cain cut in, "Do it. Vet them thoroughly. If they check out, give them the tools and freedom they need. I'll send Jadaii to oversee integration and coordination."
He paused, then added, "Use Tython's new facilities as a mobile design lab. Prototype anything new there. The Katana Fleet isn't just a fleet—it's a symbol."
Everyone nodded.
With the meeting concluded, Cain made his way out of the chamber, signaling his aide to notify Seris. He still had to interview the incoming officers defecting from the Republic military—each one a potential asset or a liability.
But as he walked down the corridor with Satine beside him, he stopped at the large arched viewport overlooking the Concordian cliffs.
"I meant what I said," Cain told her. "You've earned peace."
Satine glanced at him. "And you haven't?"
He smiled. "Not yet. Maybe when the galaxy's finally done breaking."
She offered her hand. "Then I'll save you a seat somewhere quiet. You might need it."
Cain took her hand and nodded once.