Standing beside his master he watched the Mando'ade as they hurried about their tasks around him and felt a sense of belonging that must have echoed down the master/padawan bond. His master sent warm acknowledgment in return, pleased to see he felt relaxed around his birth people, rather than chastising him for being distracted like some masters would have been. Like Dooku looked to be. Once again Jango silently thanked the Force, the Manda, and the Ka'ra for the gift of his master.
Halfway through the discussion of what they were going to do, having successfully warned the Mand'alor and expecting his swift return, Master Di politely stopped Arla with a smile in the middle of an explanation. "I believe that my Padawan would be better suited to working with your people to relay information, rather than going with Master Dooku and I to the Governor's mansion." There was a stunned silence as everyone looked to him, as if trying to gauge his reaction to the sudden change in plans. Jango nudged his master along their bond, confusion warring with agitation in his mind.
'It is not that I find you incapable, Padawan mine. But I believe you will do well as the liaison to your people, since you are already fluent in the language. I also believe they will listen to you, where they would not listen to a Jedi Master. Even without having met you, you already have a good reputation as a result of being related to one of their leaders. There is a chance to do good here, to re-build bridges that were burned long ago.' Understanding his Master's intentions Jango sent along acknowledgment in the force and turned back to his sister. He could sense a simmering of apprehension and determination, a small frown tugging at her lips. She wants to ask him so many questions but they do not have time now.
"If the Commanders agree then I would be more than happy to work with them. But it's not my decision." Crossing his arms he nods toward Arla, tossing the ball into her court. The Mando'ade look to their Commander, some curiously and others incredulously. It was a little hard to tell sometimes with the beskar'gam they were wearing. Mandalorian iron had that annoying habit of blocking or muddling the force, depending on how much beskar was in the armor. Making it hard to read the older helmeted warriors. Thankfully his own bracers didn't seem to have the same effect on him and he had to wonder if something was done during the forging process that he'd missed. Something that made their armor resistant to the force.
"You can stick with us. In the heat of battle there won't be time to translate orders and some of my people aren't fluent in Basic yet. Having a jetii around who can speak Mando'a will be useful." She paused for a moment and squinted at him, as if trying to judge something with her eyes alone. "Can your force shit stand in for a jet-pack or are we going to need to grab you one of the extras, Jan'ika?" There was a moment where everyone seemed to hold their breath as Arla used the Mandalorian diminutive in place of his name; as if they expected the jedi to react with offense. Jango didn't mind it. It had been long time since anyone had called him 'Little Jan.'
"I've never trained with a jetpack, Ara'vod, and I don't think the force will allow me to scale a castle quickly enough to keep up with you. Someone is going to have to lend me a hand." He said without missing a beat. He could feel Arla's surprise-joy-melancholy the moment she recognized her old nickname, from back when Jango couldn't pronounce Ori'vod or Arla properly.
"Ob'ika, think you can handle it? You're closer in size than I am." The redhead nearby stiffened slightly, blue eyes turning to give Jango a once over. Truthfully they weren't that far apart in height, although Jango was certainly more broad in the shoulders than the more slender teen. There was a slight hesitance but the redhead slowly nodded.
"I can do it, but only because you asked me." He let out an amused snort at the almost polite and serene tone the other teen had used. Jango could feel the turbulent stormcloud of his emotions in the force and knew he was anything but calm. That earned him a glare but Arla just gave her adopted younger brother a quelling look and the teen looked away with a small huff. Briefly Jango wondered if sharing a sister meant that he and the redhead were siblings now but quickly dropped the idea a moment later as irrelevant. Maybe if he had time for questions later he could ask Arla about it but it wasn't important for the mission.
"Padawan?" Turning to the two masters he realized the exchange had been in Mando'a and felt a small twinge of embarrassment for not translating immediately.
"The Commander was asking if I could use a jetpack, I told her I could not. Mereel offered to give me a lift." Master Dooku gave him a stern look, sensing that he had not translated everything as directly as he could have but accepting that was all he was going to get for an explanation. Master Di, sensing his own emotions, sent along a hint of mischief and amusement. Jango had to work hard not to grin.
"Please tell me he has something other than a single jetii'kad." One of the Mando'ade complained, a little too loudly. Arla turned to glare at whoever it was but Jango just laughed.
"First of all, I have two jetii'kade, not one. Second, I'm never unarmed when I have the Force. And third-" Slipping off his outer robe he folded it over one arm and motioned to the twin blasters tucked snugly into thigh holsters. "Does that answer your question?"Someone in the back let out a whistle of appreciation. Master Di turned away, a hand over his mouth to hide a chuckle behind a fake cough.
"A jetii with common sense! Figures they'd be one of ours." There was a bout of snickering as Arla rolled her eyes. Jango was glad he wasn't in her position. Trying to order this lot around must have been like herding tooka kits. Much like jedi initiates he imagined.
Arla's comm went off and she quickly turned to check who it was. He felt her triumph and relief before she turned back to them. "The Mand'alor has returned and is on his way now." The relief in the room was almost palpable as a low buzz of excitement took its place. Jango stood a little straighter, eyes going toward the entrance. He wanted to meet the man who had adopted his sister and judge him for himself, even though he knew he had no real right to argue with the decision. He was a jedi and even though he knew he was allowed, even encouraged, to care about others he had a duty to the Order first and foremost. As long as his emotions and relationship with his sister didn't get in the way with his duty no one would call him on it.
Except perhaps Master Dooku. The older master was eying his blasters with such disdain that it made him want to bristle defensively in the force. Thankfully Master Di was there to soothe his anger and remind him that he had chosen to walk a difficult path within the Order. The feeling of encouragement and love from his master made him calm considerably. He stood steadfast under Master Dooku's scrutiny until the man tired of it and moved on to speaking with Arla about what their recording devices could do, what their range was, etc.
There was a sudden lull in the conversation as a man in beskar'gam with red pauldrons and cape entered the command center. It was clear from the way the Mando'ade reacted to the man that he was Jaster Mereel, current Mand'alor of the True Mandalorian faction. Immediately Arla rammed herself under the man's arm, giving him a quick hug. Jaster chuckled and hugged her back before pulling off his helmet and clipping it to his belt. On his way to the three jedi he ruffled the redhead's hair with an amused air as the teen scowled.
"I'm told I have you to thank for the save? That you're Arla's long lost jetii vod'ika?" The man stopped and stared right at him, intelligent eyes focused. They dipped down to his bracers and the twin pistols before catching his eye. Jango felt himself standing straighter, wanting to at least pass muster.
"Yes, Mand'alor. I am Arla's younger brother, Jango Fett. The two with me are Master Dooku, who is in charge of our mission, and my own master, Master Di." The man let out a curious hum before scrutinizing the two jedi masters with him. Master Dooku he seemed a little wary of, although it was hard to tell behind his impressive mental shields, while Master Di was looked upon with favor.
"You took someone who was clearly Mandokarla as your student?" Jango felt his face flush slightly in response to the compliment, although he was certain a lot of his peers would consider it insulting to be considered someone who embodied the Mandalorian spirit rather than the epitome of Jedi virtues.
"He has always been a hard worker and is a wonderful student. I am very proud of him and all he has accomplished." Master Di responded fondly. Jango had the sudden urge to look at his feet. Sure he was confident in his skills, and his master praised him whenever he did well, but hearing his master telling others he was proud made him feel a little bashful.
"Hm." The Mand'alor turned to look at Arla for a moment, she smiled brightly and Jango's fears eased. It was obvious that they cared for each other."I know your name as my clansman, Jango Fett of the Mereel Clan." Jango's mouth dropped open in surprise, along with pretty much all the Mando'ade save Arla- who was absolutely beaming in response to her buir's words.
He couldn't breathe suddenly. So many emotions were warring inside him at the sudden declaration. Not to mention all the emotions of the various Mando'ade who were present to hear their Mand'alor claim Jango for Clan Mereel.
"Padawan?" His master's voice brought him out of his stunned silence.
"It was… a kind of adoption vow. The Mand'alor has adopted me into his clan." The feeling of surprise/offense from Master Dooku made him want to glare at the older man but the surprise/curiosity of his master took precedence.
"What does this adoption entail? As Jango is my student, and under my guidance, I may have to ask you to rescind your claim on him." The Mand'alor snorted in amusement.
"I'm not stealing your child from you, jetii. He is free to come and go as he pleases and holds no obligations to me, so long as he hasn't sworn to the Resol'nare." Jango shifted on his feet, frowning. He had wanted to swear the Resol'nare when he was younger, until he realized it would mean putting something else above the Jedi Order and the Force. As much as he loved his birth culture and wanted to stay true to it, he refused to compromise his ideals as a Jedi.
"My oaths as a Jedi supersede all other loyalties. I am a Jedi first, before I am a Mando'ad. I have not sworn to the Resol'nare." The Mand'alor stepped forward and placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"You do your guardian proud, boy. Like I said, I'm not trying to steal you from your buir. You being a part of the clan just means that if you need us, we'll be there. I owe you my life and the lives of my people, if it hadn't been for you many would have died. Besides, I think Arla would have stabbed me if I hadn't made you at least a part of our clan." The man winked and stepped away from him again. Jango let out a laugh and nodded, feeling a newfound respect for the man. It was probably true about his sister, too. She'd always been the more vicious one between them.
He didn't even try to correct him about Master Di being his buir. Under all the criteria in Mandalorian society Master Di was legally his parent.
"Now. What are we going to do about this giant mess? What plans have you come up with?" And with that it was back to business.