IC Story Thread: Chapter 1, Gamorr - the Diplomats

Once the squad is fully in the gap, fruits and vegetables begin to fly - an insult that was mentioned in your briefing report - intermittently from somewhere in the deeper ranks of both sides of the crowd, which is divided by the processional walkway to the main landing pad exit.

Initially the projectiles can only reach Clone Troopers who make up the wings of the wedge formation. You hear the buzz of exasperated sighs and muffled grunts over the open comms channel from some of the Troopers, as they just take the non-lethal projectiles in stride without breaking formation.

But soon, as Master Barouk at the point of the wedge nears the Gamorrean State contingent, even the Jedi are within range - as well as the Gamorrean State personnel...

A few meters from the foremost Gamorrean, a soft looking cabbage-like vegetable comes down on the Master, but just before it hits her and again without breaking stride - her lightsaber flashes off of it's hangar, splitting the plant matter and causing it to fall to the ground on either side of her harmlessly. Her lightsaber quenched and back on its hangar before the stuff even hits the ground.

Soon, everyone is under the hail of the volley of food stuffs!

The Gamorrean officials are caught off guard, and instinctively start ducking and raising their arms above their heads to avoid the impacts, as they look over their shoulders.

Some Gamorrean soldiers manning the barriers start slamming the hafts of their vibro-axes into the chests of the front line of the crowd... despite none of the projectiles really coming from them.

Lyanna grimaces as the fruit and vegetables begins flying towards the jedi and clones. She understands that some of the gamoreans aren't happy with them being here, she just wishes they could show it in a less irritating way. She draws her lightsaber, it's blue blade extending out from the hilt as she begins to try and slice through any projectiles that comes her way. All the while she tries to maintain her place in the formation.

As lightsabers flash and whirr and buzz - ominously but precisely and effectively - and another of you uses the Force to guide the vegetable-matter harmlessly but noticeably aside, the clamor of the crowd dwindles some as many Gamorreans fall silent, processing the open display of power and ability that the vast majority of them had only heard about and possibly only understood as overblown story or even myth.

Even their diplomatic delegation can't help but stare with some level of wonderment.

Between that and the threats of the Gamorrean soldiers guarding the barriers, the hail of insults subsides, and the drums pick up again in their ceremonial bluster.

The most garishly-dressed Gamorrean, who is also standing at the center of their delegation has an arm full of... some sort of wreaths or necklaces... which she moves to place about the neck of each Jedi, beginning with General Barouk. You find the wreaths are constructed of long strands of some sort of coarse animal-hair, and it is interwoven with waxy leaves of some plant. The lead Gamorrean then returns to the Master and hands her a ceremonial dagger, symbolizing the offering of safety, and the Master lifts it high, acknowledging the offering to all, but then returns it - symbolizing her trust.

Your briefing has described this process as a traditional welcome from one tribe to another, to enter their territory.

The drums cease abruptly, and there is a further ceremonial exchange of greetings and names and verbal accordance. An old model protocol droid steps close to the exchange, so that it may be caught on vocorder and broadcast for all gathered to hear.

Miica knows:

1. Their culture does operate on a sort of system of honor, so these rituals are not just ceremonial or symbolic, but ones honor is only as "good" or valuable as their prowess in combat or strength i.e. if you're strong you can violate your honor to the detriment of weaker people or parties, but not stronger.

2. "Honor Duels" are a common thing, where a dishonored or weaker party can try to claim higher status/honor, through impromptu battle. The victorious party can do basically whatever they want to the loser. Scarring and maiming is common, as is summary execution IF a known stronger party defeats a weaker (but if a weaker defeats a stronger, it is frowned upon to execute the formerly-stronger - UNTIL/unless there is another duel).

3. Most of their law revolves around corporal punishment, but is scalable based upon your strength/prowess/honor. i.e. legal punishments are more severe the stronger you are.

4. There are ways to earn honor short of combat, some of the "highlights" of which are ritualistic scarring/branding, hunting/providing, and bearing parasites.

After the exchange of words, there is a rise in the closest thing you've heard to a joyous noise from the Gamorrean crowd - a kind of yipping squeal. There is also a rise in a derogatory sound - like the exasperated and rude blowing of "raspberries" - but it is lesser in volume than the yipping and squealing.

The Gamorrean delegation turns around to lead a processional march out of the landing pad area, but you can all see that there is a disturbance in the crowd to the left side of the path...

Master Barouk has mounted an open-top palanquin with the lead delegate, which is born to the front of the procession. And she's largely caught up in pleasantries and being a spectacle for the crowd. And she doesn't seem to see it, but you all do:

Whatever the disturbance is, it has caused a surge forward in the crowd, and this surge pushes a couple of Gamorrean observers at the front of it all through the barrier. They stagger and fall face first in the process.

They were not trying to breach the boundary, but were just forced through a joint in the low metal fencing, by the weight pressing behind them!

Regardless, two Gamorrean guards apparently only really see that they have come through the barrier, and they grunt and squeal aggressively, and raise their vibro-axes above their heads, as they close on the victims!

It would be a clear injustice, if the victim Gamorreans were punished... at least by Republic standards... you have less than a moment to think, but could still intervene...