Handshake

"I never shake hands."

- Doctor Thalleus Tharn

A handshake was a gesture of greeting, agreement, or reconciliation, used by beings throughout the galaxy. It was especially common among Humans, even in remote and archaic civilizations like the Witches of Dathomir. Politeness usually required a handshake to be made with bare hands, although some individuals would keep their gloves on in fear of infection. Refusal to shake hands was considered rude and undiplomatic. When Imperial Governor Wilek Nereus greeted the ambassadors from the New Republic in 4 ABY, Han Solo simply stood aside with a flat disapproving expression, while protocol required to bow or shake hands at the very least. Skillful politicians like Tarsus Valorum were known to give good handshakes, with a firm but not overpowering grip, while some individuals would crush other people 's fingers in a rude, unnecessary display of strength.

Mandalorians traditionally shook hands by clasping one another's forearm with their hand above the wrist. This hand-to-elbow grip was said to be a gesture proving one's ability to haul a comrade to safety, if need be. Altough normally harmless, this social rite could become dangerous when meeting a Kuati noble. On Kuat, poisoning one's enemies was a centuries-old tradition, and nobles would wear special injector rings that allowed them to administer poison while shaking hands. Grodin Tierce once frightened the con artist Flim by telling him of the Kuati custom after he had just shaken hands with the Kuati Nalgol.

Appearances

 * Darth Bane: Rule of Two
 * Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
 * Outbound Flight
 * The Clone Wars: No Prisoners
 * Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
 * Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
 * The Truce at Bakura
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron: The Phantom Affair‎
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron: Battleground: Tatooine‎
 * X-wing: Rogue Squadron
 * Zorba the Hutt's Revenge
 * X-wing: Wedge's Gamble
 * The Courtship of Princess Leia
 * Dark Apprentice
 * Specter of the Past
 * Tempest
 * Exile
 * Sacrifice
 * Vortex
 * Conviction
 * Ascension
 * Vortex
 * Conviction
 * Ascension