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A New Player in the Force (SW/Lite Gamer)

Reader mode
USSExplorer said:
I could sense his pride through the Force – though he was doing his usual job of keeping his internal emotions under tight control – though my eyes were drawn to the small crate he was carrying under his arm. It wasn't that large, perhaps thirty centimetres cubed, and clearly wasn't hard to carry, yet when I'd asked about the crate when we'd been led into this room, both he and Fay had claimed it was a surprise that they'd reveal during the celebration.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

USSExplorer said:
Dooku added and I turned enough to see that a rare smile had crept onto his face as he lifted the crate he'd brought onto the table
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

So, I can think of only one proper response to this tease and no reveal:



Sorry, but it just wouldn't leave my head.
 
USSExplorer said:
Welcome one and all to book 2 of A New Player in the Force, aka:

The Gathering Storm​
​
A/N:
As always you can find myself (and the backroom team who help with this) on Discord at:
For this series: Heart of the Force
For my ASOIAF story: Game of Kingdoms (Still under construction, so not much there yet)
In general:
Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
Emerald Library

If you wish to support my writing, gain access to 1st drafts of chapters, and at the highest level, early access to the chapter, consider supporting me on Patreon:
USSExplorer
(Note, the benefits there link to the Heart of the Force Discord server)

Current date: 4 years until the Invasion of Naboo

Mandalorian Words/Phrases: (mainly just curses in Mando'a)

Adiik – Child under 13
Alor – Chief/leader
Cin Vhetin – White Fields (Duke Adonai's personal cruiser)
Dini'la – Insane
Evaar'verd – Young warrior
Gett'se – Balls
Haili cetare – Tuck in!/Enjoy!/Fill you boots!
Hut'uun – Coward
Ik'aade – Babies
Kaden – Angry
Mand'alor – Traditional leader of the Mando'ade
Me'shab – What the fuck.
Mirdala – Clever/intelligent
Olarom – Welcome
Osik'palon – Shit-hole
Naast be Me'suum – The Destroyer of Worlds aka Revan.
Ner'sheb – Shove it up your arse.
Shab – Fuck
Shab-gar – Fuck you.
Riduur – Spouse/Partner
Te Taylir Mand'alor – Canderous Ordo
Verd – Warrior
Verd'goten – The traditional rite of passage of Mandalorian culture.
Vor'e – Thanks (informal)
Vor entye – Thank you (formal)

The Warrior Reborn 1
… …

A fog that seemed to infect my entire body slowly lifted and I let out a groan.

"Easy there, verd," Said a voice that I knew I had heard before but couldn't instantly recognize (which was odd, seeing as Eidetic Memory should've told me immediately who was speaking). "You've only just recovered from a rather incredible adventure."

I blinked for a few seconds as more of my faculties returned to me and my head started to clear.

"Don't push yourself too hard," the voice, who I was now able to recognize as Duke Adonai's personal physician, admonished lightly. I felt a gentle pressure against my left shoulder as I attempted to rise.

[Relax, Cameron. You are in a safe place and those who attacked you have been dealt with.]

Fay's voice echoed in my mind, and I sensed both her and Dooku nearby. Slowly, I cracked open my eyes, only to scrunch them up at the influx of light. I knew it wasn't that bright, but it felt a touch disorientating to look around.

[Master? W-where am I?] I asked as I tried again to open my eyes. This time the light wasn't as befuddling, so I blinked rapidly to help my sight adjust.

"You are in the private medical centre of Duke Adonai in Sundari." Fay replied quietly. Her voice sounded off as if she was talking to me through water or a door, but that was likely from the same thing that'd caused my eyes to struggle with the low level of light in the room.

As my eyes adjusted, I was able to make out Fay and Dooku, who were both standing at the bottom of my bed, while Doctor Harvik was hovering over me near my left shoulder.

"Ah." I managed to say. My throat felt hoarse, though not dry. I licked my lips, tasting something sour on them.

"That's the bacta you're tasting. We've had you in a tank for just over a week now." Harvik explained as I felt the bed vibrate and begin to shift. "While your injuries were extensive, thanks to Master Fay we were able to keep you stable until we could return to Mandalore and place you in a tank. The bacta did its job, though we left you in a few extra days in the hopes the scars would heal. However, that wasn't the case." The doctor continued as the bed lifted my upper body until I was in a seated position.

I frowned, though it felt weird to do so as if my skin wasn't comfortable with itself. Likely that was because I'd spent the last week in a tank of bacta, but since it was my first time in the substance, I couldn't be sure) "Scars?"

"Yes. From where the dragon struck you during your hunt. Your back took the worst of that, and while the scarring had diminished, they're still easy to see. The same is true of the blaster bolt that struck your shoulder. And you're lucky that shot was for accuracy over power. A full-powered blaster bolt would've sheered your shoulder clean off." Harvik explained and I gulped at hearing how close I'd come to following in the tradition of the Skywalkers and losing an extremity so early in my career.

"With additional bacta patches, or perhaps channelling of the Force, the scarring will completely fade." Harvik continued, her brow creasing slightly as she spoke of the Force. "As a doctor, that is what I'd suggest, but as Mando'ade, I'd think about keeping them. A memento of your hunt, and how close you came to death, would be a good reminder that even with your Force, you're not untouchable."

"Ah." I replied eloquently. I shifted my gaze to my right shoulder (since seeing my back would require getting out of the bed and heading to a mirror) and saw that I was wearing those annoying medical gowns that seemed to exist in every universe. Cautiously, I clenched my right hand and lifted the arm. I moved slowly, and while there was no pain from the arm, I felt a jolt of discomfort from my back. I ignored it and continued lifting my arm, but the feeling must've flashed across both my face and the Force as Harvik leaned closer (a scanner had seemingly appeared from the ether into her hand) while Fay took a step closer. Dooku stayed still, but the barest movement of his brow let me know he too was concerned.

"Cameron?" Fay asked as she placed a hand on my lower leg while Harvik ran the scanner over my arm and side.

"Hmm, this is odd. There seems to be some residual damage that the bacta didn't fully heal." Harvik stated before playing with the scanner for a moment. "And it didn't show up on my previous scans. Most peculiar."

"So long as the issue is minor, I do not think Cameron will need another bacta patch. The Force will guide us to a solution that doesn't divert your attention or resources from patients in more dire condition." Dooku stated in a tone that to most might sound dismissive, but I knew was just him stating a fact with little care for social niceties.

"Yes, very well." Harvik replied slowly. Her discomfort (or was it distrust?) around discussing the Force was easy to sense. She slid the scanner back into a pocket near her waist and smiled. "I'll leave you in the capable hands of your masters, and I'm sure after they've finished speaking with you, you'll have new visitors. I'll check back in on you in a few hours, but if you feel unwell before then, just press the button here and either myself or a nurse will pop in to check on you." She finished, indicating a blue button on the wall to my left (though well within my reach).

"Vor'e." I replied in Mando'a, which made her smile grow.

"Olarom, Evaar'verd." She responded before turning to Fay and Dooku. "Master Jedi."

"Doctor." Fay answered with a nod of thanks for Harvik's work. Dooku didn't reply, but that was hardly a surprise to me. The man was stoic to the point of almost appearing sociopathic at times.

The room was silent until the doors hissed closed behind Harvik, leaving me alone with my masters.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Dooku asked the second the doors clinked closed.

"Um, a bright red light." I replied slowly as I quickly replayed what had happened on Tatooine in my head. It didn't take me long to realise that the red light had been from me channelling the Dark Side into (what I thought would be) a last, final attack against the Trandoshan that had almost killed me.

"To be clear, we are not angry or upset about your actions." Fay began as she stepped to where Harvik had been standing. "You felt you were dying and lashed out, as any being without a deep bond to the Force would do. However, we would like you to lead us through your thoughts and feelings in those final moments. Whatever you did… The Force reacted violently to you. If not for the presence of Duke Adonai, I likely would've passed out, while Master Dooku easily sensed what had happened to you thousands of light-years away."

My head whipped from one master to the other. While I was concerned that Fay had almost blacked out from my rage-induced attack on the Trandoshan, thanks to my teachings on the nature of the Force and the bonds formed within, I could accept that had happened. But to hear that Dooku had sensed my anger and fury several sectors away...

"Indeed, though thankfully the unexpected spasm from the Force did not compromise my actions at the time." Dooku began, which had me wondering what exactly he'd been doing to think the Force-feedback he'd felt could've potentially compromised him. "Nor was I the only one who sensed what had happened to you. Padawan Keto and Master Drallig reached out to me. It seems your… friend sensed your brush with death almost as easily as I did, yet she was even further from Tatooine than I."

"And Master Yaddle reached out to me, once we had recovered your… body." Fay continued. "Several members of the High Council sensed a moment of uncontrolled rage in the Force and Master Yoda was… concerned that it centred around you. I eased their concerns, but I suspect that when we return to the Temple, the Council will wish to speak with you."

"About a great many things." Dooku tacked on.

"Indeed." Fay agreed with a small smile, which I mirrored, at her mimicking Dooku's common comment. "Additionally, the young lady Vizsla claims she sensed something was wrong as well, though I do not believe she understood what it meant."

"Uh…"

I gulped hard as I processed what my masters had just revealed. I didn't deny that, in that moment where I thought I was going to die, I'd given into the Dark Side and lashed out. And while I didn't regret blasting that over-grown lizard, the fact my moment of weakness had been sensed by many across the galaxy was... mind-numbingly terrifying.

Putting to one side the fact that Sidious had likely sensed my usage of the Dark Side (along with Plagueis if he was alive at this time), the fact that those close to me could sense my actions through the Force really drove home how all-encompassing the Force truly was. I mean, I knew that people could sense each other through it when close, but to be able to feel - and partially experience - what happened to me at great distances. That was insane.

Part of me was concerned as if they could do that, it spoke to the power I had at my disposal. The power to affect others from hundreds of light-years away. Another part of me was worried that so many people sensing my actions would increase the interest in me – from both Orders – and might cause me problems with my goals for the near and medium-term future. Yet the biggest part of me was still trying to come to terms with me wielding such power.

I'd gone from just one cog in the war machine of my country, if a highly skilled one, to a being capable of (potentially) shaping the course of a galaxy. Now, I'd accepted that I could use the Force, and was beginning to grasp a little of just what it could do, but every time something like this – something unexpectedly powerful – happened with the Force, well, I grew nervous at having such power at my fingertips.

And then there was the fear that, if they could sense me almost dying, what would happen when someone I shared a bond with died? Would I be overwhelmed by it to the point my own life would be in danger? Part of me wanted to pull back or go into hiding to avoid that possibility, but the greater part of me knew I had to push on. I had to learn to accept these powers, and all that they could do, if I was to continue with my goals.

My moment of introspection over, I shifted my focus to retelling what happened after killing the greater krayt dragon (though I did wonder briefly what'd happened to my kill). "Well, once I was, uh, attacked by those… whoever they were..."

"Duke Adonai was able to… convince the few survivors to talk. They claimed to have been hired by Decca the Hutt." Dooku answered my unasked question. Though he spoke calmly, I felt the barest hint of cold anger from him through the Force and saw the area around his eyes tighten. "If you recall, he was the one we inconvenienced by freeing the Lokella and removing his access to the phrik mine."

"Ahhhh," I muttered, letting my breath out in a long sigh.

That did make sense, though how they'd known to target me on Tatooine was confusing. I doubted that anyone would've recognised me in Bestine then passed that on to Decca, which made it likely that someone on Mandalore (I'd be willing to put a bet on who) had leaked my location to the Hutt.

"Well, after I recovered enough from the blaster shot to regain my bearings, I began to fight back. One of the bracers had been damaged by the dragon. The other one malfunctioned and refused to come off. I still fought back as best I could. I remember taking out two of the combatants, but then the red light...I don't know what happened..." I trailed off.

Fay looked over at Dooku, and after the faintest of tilts of his head, she returned her attention to me. "After your… moment of weakness, the mercenaries were stunned long enough for the duke's first strike team to reach you. Other teams secured the attacker's ship and second group. After I recovered from the backlash of your outburst in the Force, I helped Doctor Harvik stabilize you and bring you aboard the Cin Vhetin. We left the planet soon after, though I learnt on our return voyage to Mandalore that Duke Adonai secured the mercenaries' ship, and along with hiring a large freighter that was hired to haul your kill, had the vessel brought back here for examination."

She paused and a small smile crept onto her lips. "I must say that the shock the crew expressed at you taking down a greater krayt dragon was only equalled by their respect for doing so, and their fury at someone attacking a child at their moment of weakness during the hunt."

I felt a smirk creep onto my face at her words. Hearing the reactions of the Mandalorians to my hunt – and what had come after – was amusing and would likely, as the story was passed around, help to improve my reputation with the general populace. Well, save those devoted to the New Mandalorian cause (though in my mind, I didn't consider those people to be Mandalorian.)

"Master Fay speaks truthfully, on all counts." Dooku added. "And if I had not seen the dragon with my own eyes, our Padawan or not, even I would have had a difficult time believing you killed such a beast without access to the Force. Impressive." Even if his face stayed stoic (bar the slight upturn at the corner of his lips) I could sense his pride and admiration through the Force.

The only downside I could see to how the locals would react to my kill (and thus me joining the ranks of the Mando'ade) was the sense of wonder that many would now develop for me. Yes, having a large number of Mandalorians respecting me would likely be helpful in the future (the Battle for Naboo being the first time I hoped to use that respect), but there was a risk it would go too far and turn into devotion.

"Thank you." I replied even as I considered the effect my kill would have on the locals. Though my thoughts soon turned to more immediate issues. Like what krayt dragon steak would taste like. Or how many pearls there would be inside. If the one Revan had taken down, which had been a more common krayt dragon sub-species, held several then a greater krayt dragon would have to hold… a dozen? More?

"The mercenaries?" Fay asked, drawing my thoughts away from my kill – even as my mind had wandered onto wondering what my sigil would look like – and back to their attack. The taking down to the first two, while brutal, wasn't something I felt my masters would have a major issue with. No, their concern was centred around how exactly I'd taken down the Trandoshan. There was no Force Power that I knew that generated a red light, and no new power notification had appeared. Or at least none had shown when I'd woken, but maybe there was a time limit before a notification disappeared.

"Right. Well one bracer was destroyed and the other was… being stubborn. I tried to disable it, but it shocked me when I entered the deactivation code." My brow creased in annoyance at remembering that. "My right arm was all but useless, and with a disrupted connection to the Force, I knew I had to move fast if I wanted to survive. I began to move, but the Force seemed to hint that they were adapting to that. Probably due to a tracker of some sort."

"A bounty hunter tracker was found with one of the bodies." Fay supplied. "Master Dooku has already contacted the guilds to ensure that there isn't a bounty out on you, which there isn't, and they have no idea where the tracker came from."

"Ah, ok." Learning that there were ways to track someone across planets, and likely sectors, based on (I assumed) their DNA was scary. Still, knowing that there wasn't a bounty on my head was reassuring. I'd rather not have to worry about people like Cad Bane and Jango Fett coming after me. Well, at least until I was ready for them.

"Anyway, with the Force hinting at danger, I caught sight of something thrown at me. Thanks to my time here, I realised it was a grenade and sent it back to them." I felt my lips twitch at the shock they'd have had as the grenade returned to them then exploded. "As it blew, I used the limited connection I had to the Force to help me move."

"Though, the pain slightly impeded my movement. My arm and back were… Anyway, I knew I had to move, so I kept going and managed to take out two of the combatants before another grenade exploded close by. Given to the ringing in my ears afterwards, I'd say that one was a sonic grenade, and I was still close enough that the shockwave launched me backwards."

"Likely from the Trandoshan you killed." Dooku commented. "I suspect you will be relieved to hear that he, and the two others of his species, are no longer an issue. The first died when you… lashed out. The second was gunned down by a Mandalorian attack squad while the last, well, let us just say Duke Adonai is a formidable warrior."

Now I was wondering what Adonai had done to earn Dooku's praise. Hopefully, I could get someone to tell me about it, or maybe the Cin Vhetin had been low enough that their sensors caught the event.

"After I landed, and before I could regain my bearings, the Trandoshan came over, yanked me upwards then tossed me over a nearby dune. Before I could recover, he drove his knife into my gut and began to taunt me." My hand instinctively went to my stomach, and while I couldn't feel the scar, there was a small bacta patch over the area. "He talked about a scorekeeper, then tried to take my necklace." At this, my hand shot from my stomach to my neck.

Feeling the comforting shape of the gemstone-and-teeth pendant between my fingers – and sensing the reassuring wave in the Force that came with knowing it was there – helped settle my mind as I worked through my memories of my near death.

I took a deep breath before continuing. There was no point in hiding that I'd used the Dark Side to kill the alien – not when it'd been felt by others half-a-galaxy away – yet I wasn't looking forward to how I suspected Fay and Dooku would react to my actions.

"I… I was angry. I, I was going to die, and that… walking lizard was gloating about it and going to take the one thing that I have that links me to both of you." I could feel my anger and rage at the Trandoshan begin to build, begin to seek to be embraced and unleashed once more. Yet the comforting presence of the pendant in my hand helped still those desires and helped me keep my centre; or close enough to it that I remained in control.

"So, I… lashed out. With what little energy I had, I called on the Force and lashed out. I… I wanted him dead."

As I finished, I closed my eyes and concentrated on settling my inner turmoil as best I could. The anger, the fury that I felt when I'd killed the Trandoshan was easy to draw upon (likely because it felt as though it had only happened mere minutes ago to me) but I knew that letting that rage grow and fester would be dangerous.

I didn't agree with the Jedi approach of denying all emotions for fear of what the more negative ones could unleash. Yet, after having experienced the power that came from just giving in and taking the quicker – and possibly more powerful – path, I saw that there were some words of wisdom in their warnings about the Dark Side of the Force.

"Cameron." I opened my eyes and turned my attention to Fay as she spoke. "While we are… grateful that you are still with us, and haven't become one with the Force, we are concerned about what you did."

"You willingly drew on the Dark Side." Dooku continued. His voice was firm but not as emotionless as usual. There was a gentle undertone of reassurance and patience (though that only became clear because of what I sensed from him through the Force.) "Yes, you used it in self-defence, but to do that, even if it was, as you claim an emotional reaction, is still… worrying."

Fay took over. "We know you are aware that many in our Order are concerned about your heritage, least of all elements of the High Council. Those concerns have likely grown since your outburst was sensed by senior members of the Order, and there may even be some who would prefer to lock you away as a potential threat than understand why you… lashed out. Therefore, once you have recovered and the celebration of your successful hunt is over, we will journey to another, quieter sector where both Dooku and myself will discuss with you fully the dangers inherent in embracing the Dark Side."

"But I didn't mean to use the Dark Side." I countered, ignoring how pathetic and childish I sounded.

While I agreed with both my masters regarding the dangers of the Dark Side – particularly now that I'd had my first true taste of the power it held – the idea of meditating and discussing the nature of the Dark Side was less than appealing. Yes, I understood the need for those discussions, but somehow I knew that this would be for more than just a few weeks and the idea of being locked in meditation for a month (or more) was… less than appealing.

Still, I knew that I needed to spend some time doing so as my initial ideas about the Dark Side had been… lacking. Actually, they'd been woefully pathetic.

Without having even brushed the Dark Side of the Force or tasted the temptation to embrace it and the sense of unlimited power it offered, I had dismissed its threat. I'd treated it as something that was only a threat to a Force-sensitive if they didn't have control over their emotions. Now, I was beginning to see that even if I did have control of my emotions, the risk of giving into that temptation again was always going to be there. And while I could likely counter that entirely by using Player's Mind, I would prefer to not do so. Player's Mind left me feeling… less than human afterwards. Having all emotion removed from my decisions, and not letting them be a part of me, felt fundamentally wrong. Though if I ever faced a situation where I felt at risk of the Dark Side overwhelming me, I would not hesitate to use Player's Mind now. The risks of not doing so were far, far greater than the drawbacks of that unique ability.

The other issue was that any power listed as Dark Side in nature – such as Force Lightning which is what I think I'd used to kill the Trandoshan, even if I had no concrete idea as to why it had been red as the few times that I'd used it the lightning had been blueish white – by the Interface. Having experienced the Dark Side now, I suspected that those powers only truly worked properly when the Dark Side (or at least darker emotions) were channelled into them. Though learning if this was true, or if the Interface was going to explain this to me, would have to wait until I was alone; and I'd managed to go through the various notifications that were waiting for me to read.

"We are aware of this; however, you did draw upon it. Given your family's history, and the dangers the Dark Side poses to any Force user, let alone one of your potential, we would be criminally negligent to not speak with you extensively about the dangers of actively trying to tap into the Dark Side of the Force." Dooku countered logically.

"Even as just your friends Cameron, we would still speak with and help you meditate on your actions, and the temptations of the Dark Side." Fay tacked on.

"And again, to be clear, while we are worried that you have now shown some inclination for the Dark Side, we are grateful that you are still living. A brush with darkness is preferable to an early, and unfortunate, death. Particularly when neither of us feel that, at the current time, your death serves a purpose to the Force."

"Yes, masters." I replied with a sigh.

"Good. Now, since several people wish to speak with you, we will delay any further discussions about your actions." Fay said as she leaned closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. "As Doctor Harvik stated, you are well on the way to a full recovery, scars notwithstanding, but I would suggest not getting too animated while speaking with your friends. Particularly when they ask about certain rumours that have spun up around your verd'goten."

"Rumours?"

"Indeed." Dooku responded, I turned my attention to him to see a slight twitch of his lips indicating his amusement. "It seems that Duke Adonai is keeping what you killed under wraps until the feast to celebrate your, elevation into their ranks. However, it is well known that when you returned from your hunt, the duke had to hire a second ship to transport something back from the hunt."

"But why is he keeping it a secret?" I asked. Not because I wanted to shout it from the rooftops that I'd killed a kriffing greater krayt dragon, well not entirely, but because when Serra killed her dragon (and the idea that we'd both killed 'dragons' resulted in me having to fight off a smirk) it hadn't been hidden.

My masters shared a look before Fay answered. "He has his reasons. Though only some of them deal with you. However, he has asked that you don't reveal your kill until the celebration. Something about wanting to see the looks on everyone's faces when they see what you took down."

An image of a room full of Mandalorians being stunned into silence as the head of the dragon was wheeled in came to mind, and a large grin spread over my face. "Yeah, I can see how much fun that's going to be."

"Indeed. We will return at dinner to speak with you once more. Until then, enjoy your… moment of fame." Dooku stated before the two turned and left the room.

With them leaving, and there likely to be a small break before anyone else came in, I turned my attention to the Interface.

The first half of the notices were to tell me that my injuries had been healed – which I already knew from what Doctor Harvik stated – and that if I wished, I could heal the scars left with Force Heal. I was in two minds about that as on one hand, removing the scars would make sense on some level as they were things that most people would have removed. On the other hand, leaving them would mean I'd have a constant reminder (at least until I removed them) of how close I'd come to dying, of failing in making any significant change on the course of history and how I'd been undervaluing this second life I'd been granted. Though any thought of on which way to go slipped from my mind as I perused the second half of the notices.

Adulthood Achieved!
You have been recognized as an adult by one of the major cultures of the galaxy.
All remaining adult skills have been unlocked.
…
Skills Unlocked!
Sexual Endurance
How easily you can counter stamina drain during adult activities.
Adept: 2
…
Skill Unlocked!
Sex
Your ability to arouse and please a partner during intercourse.
Adept: 15
…
Skill Unlocked!
Foreplay
Your ability to arouse and please a partner during adult activities when not engaging in intercourse or oral sex.
Adept: 38
…
Skill Unlocked!
Oral
The ability to arouse and pleasure a partner with your mouth and tongue.
Adept 26
…
​
"The fuck?!" I growled out as I read the list of new skills.

After discovering that Kissing was a skill (though I was still less than impressed with how I did) I'd expected there to be some skills like this, but to get them unlocked now…

I closed my eyes and took a few deep, calming breaths, getting my emotions under control so as to not worry Fay and Dooku enough that they'd return. Once I'd regained my control over my anger at The Powers That Be, I returned my attention to the notifications.

I didn't need, nor want, those skills unlocked now. Yet, to the Mandalorians, I was now considered an adult, so TPTB unlocking them now made (a preverted kind of) sense. Though I had no intention of seeing how those skills worked until I was older; like only once I was an adult by Republic standards. Yes, at seventeen that was a year higher than in the UK, but I didn't want to start a relationship until both myself and the other person were mentally and physically mature enough to do so. A cold shiver shot up my spine as I wondered if Serra thought that me being an adult to the Mandalorians like her would mean we could start…

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Seeing her in that way, especially as she was now… I felt an urge to take a long shower in acid then jump into a lava flow on Mustafar.

My mind turned to why TPTB would want me to have such powers. I remembered a throw away comment back when I'd been In-Between about someone/thing having a bet about me sleeping with a character from Star Wars, but why would they think I'd want to see my… abilities at such things as skills?

You're in a galaxy far, far away.
Surrounded by attractive beings of many different species.
Male, female and other.
Knowing how good you are at pleasuring others are useful skills to have.
So why wouldn't you want such skills?​

I sighed. So much for me thinking that line had been some sort of bad joke on the part of TPTB.

No. We were entirely serious.
Though are you telling us that you aren't curious about what a certain future Queen looks like under her robes?
Or where the sweet spots on a Twi'lek or Togruta are?
Are you telling us that you don't want to enjoy yourself?
Are you a eunuch?​

I…

But…

Why…

Realizing that arguing with the ones that had administrator access to my unique powers was not the best idea, I sighed again and shook my head. Yes, I would, once I was older and physically mature, want to enjoy myself. And yes, I couldn't deny that I was curious about how the Force helped one to… enhance their fun. But that was not going to be for years, and no amount of hinting or pressure was going to change my mind.

We will see.​

I barely managed to suppress a growl at TPTB's final words, and it was a good thing I did as not a second later the doors to my ward slid open.

"Well look who's up and about." Bo commented with a smile as she and Naz entered the room. Both were dressed in casual wear (which meant they still had their chest plates and gauntlets on but no other part of their armour and only had a single pistol at their hip), but the way Naz moved quickly to my bed and Bo scanned the room as her smile failed to reach her eyes told me neither was relaxed.

"I'm not dead just yet." I retorted as Naz reached the side of my bed, then gripped my right arm in her hands.

"Don't say that!" Naz snapped as her fingers dug in slightly. "We were worried you'd been killed when the Cin Vhetin came back. Everyone was so secretive about what had happened," She added as she seemed to bounce from one foot to the other.

"Yeah. And my dad looked like he wanted to murder someone." Bo added as she reached the bottom of my bed. While she wasn't as outwardly worried about me as Naz was, the way her eyes clinically travelled over my body made it clear she was concerned. "He's barely talked to me since then other to confirm you were recovering from your hunt." Seemingly assured that I was in one piece, she leaned back and crossed her arms. "So what did you kill?"

As Bo asked that, Naz's grip loosened, and her fingers began to trace their way up my forearm.

I smirked. "Sorry. I've been asked by my masters and your father to not say." Naz pouted theatrically, which made me smirk, while Bo flicked her ponytail back over her shoulder.

"Can you tell us anything? Which planet did you go to? How big was it?" Naz asked in rapid-fire. She blinked a few times and smiled alluringly in what was a clear attempt at trying to coerce me into answering. However, with the recent reveal of my new skills in my head, it resulted in me pulling back a fraction, which made her freeze.

"What type of animal was it?" Bo added, clearly thinking there was a chance I might slip up and reveal something. "How did you kill it?"

Naz's fingers began to move once more, creeping ever closer to my shoulder. A small gasp escaped her lips as her fingers touched the area where I'd been shot. That meant that the scarring there was easy to feel through the medical gown, though I'd not felt any pain from it when I'd moved my arm earlier.

"Hey!" I called as without asking, she pulled my gown down enough to expose my shoulder, and I saw the white starburst scar from where the blaster bolt had struck. While I couldn't see my back, nor had Doctor Harvik said anything, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a corresponding exit wound on my back.

"This is from a blaster bolt!" Naz snapped, her tone jumping an octave. "What the shab happened?"

Bo's eyes narrowed as her attention was drawn to my scar, though they quickly moved to lock with my eyes. I realised there was no way I couldn't reveal what had happened in the aftermath of the hunt (though I should be able to avoid mentioning what I'd killed), so with a sigh, I explained what had happened.

"After I'd finished my hunt, I was attacked by a group of mercenaries." Naz's fingers once more dug into my skin – this time on my shoulder just above the scar – but I ignored her and kept my focus on Bo (mainly because I was getting concerned about Naz's behaviour.) "From what I've been told, a sniper's bolt struck my shoulder, which added to a few injuries I'd taken during my hunt, and no, I'm not going to reveal what I killed." I tacked on to hopefully cut off a later question about what had injured me. Bo huffed but didn't interrupt. "It didn't take me completely out of the fight though. I was able to take down three of them before my injuries overwhelmed me and I lost consciousness."

I heard Naz inhale sharply at my comment, but I stayed focused on Bo. Even without actively using the Force, I could sense her emotions were beginning to overwhelm her.

"If not for Master Fay and the duke, I'd have died on that… osik'palon of a planet." Honestly, if not for the fact I still had to go back to collect Anakin and Shmi, I'd likely have done my best to never, ever return to Tatooine. Well, I suppose I could be persuaded to return, if it was only to glass the entire kriffing planet, again.

"Why did they attack you? For your kill?" Bo leaned forward as she asked her latest question. Her face tightened and her muscles tensed as she spoke. For some reason, the attack on me had angered her, which was odd as I hadn't thought we were that close. Probably it was just because I'd been attacked during an important trial to the Mando'ade.

"From what my masters just told me, it was retribution for my actions in freeing and defending a group of slaves who took over a mining operation run by a minor Hutt." I explained as simply as I could. I'd likely have to explain who the Lokella were (provided Dooku hadn't already filled in those blanks for Duke Adonai), but I'd move heaven and earth to make sure no one heard of my title with them; or that I had a seat on their governing council.

"So you were on a world where the Hutts have significant influence?" Naz probed, linking the attack with the Hutts. Which made sense and was accurate. As such, I stayed silent and let her keep her assumptions.

"What happened to these, hut'uun?" Bo asked, returning to the merc who'd attacked me. Seemed she wasn't willing to let the matter drop. "Were they all killed for their interference?"

"Barring the ones captured by your father for interrogation, I'd assume so." I replied, which earned a short, sharp nod from the redhead. "Though I'd check with him to be sure. And learn what he did to impress Master Dooku."

Bo's brow rose at that comment, and her stance relaxed, but she said nothing about it. "So even after your hunt and being shot you still killed three of these mercenaries?" I nodded in confirmation. "Good. A warrior of your calibre shouldn't be an easy mark for that kind of scum."

"Thanks, I think." I replied as I tried to understand her behaviour. Likely, it was just the idea that the mercs had attacked me just after I'd completed my verd'goten that her so on-edge. I was still miles ahead of either in single combat (and when they tried to double team me) and was a two-time Akaan'lor of the Institute, so the fact the mercenaries had seemingly gotten the better of me must've annoyed her greatly.

"So, the beast you killed hurt you enough that the mercs were able to get a jump on you?" I turned to Naz at her question and wished I hadn't. She was close enough that I could feel her breath on my face and smell the fruity hints of her last meal. Plus, the way her eyes darted from mine to my lips then sent a cold shiver up my spine. Doubly so with the new skills that'd just been unlocked.

"Um, yeah." I all but whispered out as I began to devise ways to get her to move back.

"Hmm, so that means you're now Mando'ade." She stated, her voice barely above a whisper, before she licked her lips and used one hand to move a lock of my hair out of my face.

"Y-yeah." I gulped hard before opening my mouth to say something else. "Mmffgh."

My words were cut off as Naz chose that moment to plunge forward, closing the small distance between us, and force her lips against mine.

I froze in place as her breath slipped into my mouth (it seemed she'd eaten something sweet before coming here) as my mind processed that someone was kissing me. Again.

While it wasn't a bad kiss (Naz clearly knew what she was doing as her tongue flicked against my lips) my mind suffered a blue screen of death as I processed the kiss while my mind instantly went back to the newly unlocked skills, and the words of The Powers That Be.

Her tongue slipped past my lips, and my brain rebooted, and I moved to push her back, I swore I heard a faint growl come from Bo.

"Naz!" I snapped once I'd been able to push her back far enough that I could risk speaking within her trying to kiss me again. While I was comfortably stronger (thanks to the Interface) doing so from a seated position while she leaned down over me had made it harder than I'd expected.

"What?"

"Why?" I responded to her question with one of my own, because I thought I'd handled her emerging feelings for me about a year ago. "Why did you do that?"

"What? You don't like it?" Naz answered back with another question as she licked her lips. She smirked and pulled back from my grip (which was only to stop her from trying to kiss me again) then flicked a bang of her blonde hair back behind her ear. "Bo likes it. And other things."

"I…" I paused as, the image of the two kissing – and other things – flashed through my mind. Both were fifteen, so I really, really didn't need those images. Stupid body going through puberty.

That acid shower was looking good right about now.

"Naz, I'm thirteen." I finally finished my sentence once my brain had gotten past the images that had flashed through it.

"You're Mando'ade." Bo replied. My head whipped around to her so fast I swore I heard the bones in my neck crack. My eyes widened at her seeming indifference to her friend (with benefits) kissing me. Yes, her lips were very thin, and her hands were clenched shut, but there was no anger in her stance or tone directed at me. "You're an adult now."

"I'm thirteen!" I snapped at Bo before turning to Naz. "Look, Naz, I…"

"What? You want Serra? I can share." Naz offered as she licked her lips and for the second time in a minute, I froze as my mind was assailed by images I didn't want or need.

Once I was out of here, I was skipping the acid shower and going straight for the molten lava.

Stupid Mandalorians and their insanely young age of consent.

Once my mind rebooted (again) I started to speak.

"I'm thirteen and a f-kriffing Jedi, Naz." I all but spat at her once my mind had rebooted (again.) "Hells, I'm not even a Knight yet. This isn't happening!" I snapped, my anger at the images my mind had created bleeding into my tone. I knew I should reign in the anger, but right now, I just wanted this matter over and done with.

Naz's expression morphed rapidly from one of adolescent desire into fury. Her lips pulled back to expose her teeth as she snarled back at me. "FINE! SHAB-GAR!"

As she spun on the spot and stormed towards the door, I realised that I might've let my anger cloud my judgment and over-reacted in my response.

"Naz…" I began but she ignored me as the doors opened and she marched out of the room, her arms and legs seeming to shake with anger. As the doors closed behind her, I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

Right now, that month plus of mediation and discussion about the dangers of the Dark Side wasn't looking so bad.

"That could've gone better." Bo muttered and my focus snapped to her.

"You think?!" I snarled only to sigh once more and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Bo replied with a lazy wave of her hand. "Naz has been so focused on you becoming Mando'ade she's forgotten that you weren't raised here. You might now be one of us, and I'm fine with that by the way, but you weren't born one of us. You don't truly understand our ways or know our values, not yet."

I took a moment to process what Bo said, and added in what I'd learnt over the last year. It would make sense that there would be things that could only be learnt by fully committing to the culture, which I wasn't willing or able to do currently. Just like Serra, I was both a Jedi and Mando'ade, and there was always the possibility that those two identities would come into conflict; though I hoped that day would never come.

"That… makes sense." I said slowly. "And because I've completed my Verd'goten, and have now proven I'm a Mandalorian, she feels I'm old enough to..." I frowned as Bo nodded. "And you're ok with that?"

Bo's eyes narrowed for a moment before relaxing. "Yes. While I don't share Naz's interest in you, you are now one of us and have proven yourself worthy to pursue. What we have… we're open about who we pursue and see, and while I am angry with you about how you both behaved, I can understand your feelings as well as hers."

Bo moved around the bed as she spoke, bringing herself closer to me. "While Serra was the first Jedi to become Mando'ade in millennia, she is not a leader. You, as much as it galls me to admit, are." She paused as she reached the position beside my bed that Naz had been at before she stormed off, though Bo made sure to keep enough distance between us that I wasn't concerned about her trying to kiss me. "To many, you could be the second coming of Tarre Vizsla or Revan. If you reject the Jedi, embrace our ways… many would unite behind you, some may even try to proclaim you Mand'alor. With all that potential, with all that power, does it surprise you that Naz, and others, would want to be close to you?"

I didn't respond instantly. Instead, I took the time to ponder Bo's words (which were more expansive than I'd expected, mainly because until now, she'd preferred to keep our interactions focused on combat.)

Everything she'd just said was logical. I wasn't a born-Mandalorian, not that it made any difference, and while Serra was the first Mandalorian Jedi in millennia, Bo was right in saying that Serra wasn't a natural-born leader. Hell, I wasn't really a natural at it either, but my learned skills drawn from my past life gave the illusion that I was. While I'd come here to build the basics of a potential fighting force for the wars I knew were coming (and yes, in those scenarios I'd pictured myself being the one to issue commands), I'd never considered becoming the leader of these people before coming here, at least not in a cultural sense.

The idea that I could possibly lead the Mandalorians had been subtly hinted at by others over the last year – well, really the last five months or so – and I'd given it some thought. There were certainly benefits to me trying to claim the title of Mand'alor, and it would make gaining the Mandalorians as allies much easier, but the drawbacks (rallying a war-like people in a time of peace, the fight to unite all the clans, dealing with the fallout from the Senate and the Jedi, and the fear certain races would have about a resurgent Mandalorian sector) were greater, at least at the current time.

Yet, now knowing that some were beginning to see the potential in me, and when combined with Naz's earlier affection towards me, everything she'd done made sense.

"I kriffed up." I muttered as I returned my focus to Bo. "She's going to be kaden with me for a while, isn't she?"

Bo smirked. "Aye. Should make things fun until you leave." The smirk hinted that she would find what would happen fun, though I highly doubted I would. "Give her time though. Just as you need to remember she was born Mando'ade, she needs to learn and understand that you weren't, and that you're less forceful in taking what you want."

"True." I nodded at her words, then tilted my head to the side. "When did you become mirdala?"

Bo caught a laugh that threatened to escape as she punched my shoulder (landing the shot right where the scar was.) "Funny. Just because I prefer to focus on combat and have none of the interest in playing politics as you do; doesn't mean I don't understand what's going on around me. Plus, even if I'll deny it to anyone you tell, just like Naz, you're my friend, and having your friends squabbling like ik'aade isn't fun to be stuck between."

I sighed. "Aye, you're right." I ignored the spike in pain from the (less than gentle) punch to my shoulder and shook my head. "I really kriffed that up," I sighed once more then met Bo's eyes. "When she's calmed down, can you let her know I'm…"

"Do it yourself." Bo stated, cutting off my attempt to get her to lay the groundwork for me making things up with Naz." She took a step back. "You may be my friend, but Naz is my closest friend. No way I'm taking your side over hers." She paused as a chuckle escaped her lips. "Besides, watching you flail around trying to make this right is sure to be fun to watch."

"Ow, my beating heart." I replied, theatrically placing my hands over my heart. That draw a louder chuckle even as she turned and walked towards the doors.

"Tatooine." I called out just as they started to open, making Bo stop and turn back to face me. "I won't tell you want I killed, or how the fight went – I'm not breaking my word to your father and my masters – but you can tell Naz I was on Tatooine."

Bo smirked. "I already knew that, but I haven't told Naz because my father swore me to secrecy. Though since you've now told me, if he gets angry about Naz knowing I can blame you."

"You're welcome, I think." I replied, letting an exaggerated look of confusion spread over my face. Bo laughed at that, before stepping through the open doorway.

"Well, that was fun." I muttered as the doors closed behind her.

Yeah, I'd massively overreacted to Naz's approach, and while I'd been out of sorts because of the newly unlocked skills, it wasn't an excuse. I'd kriffed up and would have to work on making things right with Naz before I left the planet and sector.

Naz, beyond being very close with Bo, and having a clear interest in me that I'd be interested in responding to – once I was older (like out of my teens) – was the daughter of Pre Vizsla. Having her as a friend and ally had the potential to, at the very least, undermine Pre's leadership of Death Watch. It would also help if (and it was a big if) I attempted to recruit Pre to my side (which by that point would likely be a small, but growing, faction that wasn't aligned with the Republic or emerging CIS.) Losing her friendship would likely result in her falling into line with her father, and thus having us face off across the battlefield. While I had no doubt that I'd win if it came to that, it was better to have her (and others) fight for me, than against.

Any thoughts I had on ways to make things right with Naz were cut off as the doors to my ward opened, allowing entry to my teammates (bar Tiber, thank the Force) from the Institute.

"See, this is why you don't send a Jedi to do a Mandalorian's job." Huzu commented with a smirk as she led our team towards my bed. "They don't have the gett'se to do things right." The rest of our team laughed at that while I shook my head at my former 2IC's comment.

"I'd say 'ner'sheb', but I think you'd enjoy that." I replied, making her laugh, and increasing the laughter from the others.

All of them enjoyed hearing me curse in Mando'a, which made sense as hearing those words from a Jedi had to be funny and was why I'd replied as I had.

Once the laughter died down, Andeeld, who had moved to my left and crossed his arms, smirked. "So what did you kill?"

I barely managed to fight off the urge to roll my eyes. I'd expected every Mandalorian to be curious about it, but were they always going to lead with that question?

… …

… …

It was a few days after I'd woken up before Doctor Harvik and finally signed off on my leaving the Sundari Medical Centre, and I was glad when that day came. Spending time sitting in a medical bed (and being constantly scanned by the various sensors in the room) was boring and not conducive to anything but meditating. Well, save for the intermittent, yet regular visits from my classmates, all of whom constantly probed about what I'd killed for my verd'goten.

The only downside of getting out was that I'd spent the last week in isolation with Fay and Dooku as they began our discussions and meditation on the Dark Side and the inherent dangers it posed to one as young and gifted in the Force as me.

During the week that we'd been in isolation, Fay had spent most of it (when not politely reading me the riot act for using the Dark Side, however unintentionally) preaching from the Jedi hymn book on the dangers of the Dark Side, and anything connected to it. Thankfully, she seemed more understanding than the instructors during my brief time as an Initiate had been, and often spoke of moments where even one as old, wise, and revered as her had been tempted by the Dark Side; of the ease with which she could've just given in and lashed out. Not that she ever had, mind you. But hearing that even someone like Fay had heard the temptations was strangely reassuring.

Dooku, while agreeing with Fay on her points, didn't add much of his own. Now, I knew that in the unaltered timeline he'd have likely been close to quitting the Order by now, and even with me as his new Padawan, there were hints that he was slowly turning into a Jedi-In-Name-Only (what many would call grey Jedi, but I wasn't a huge fan of the term.)

Because of these talks, and the fact I knew both would be looking for any hint that I was not heeding their warnings or trying to use the Dark Side, I'd chosen to avoid training most powers during our joint meditation sessions (save Valour: Passive and Levitation) and instead used the time to try to commune with the Force.

That had been… strange. I could always feel the Force around me as it flowed and connected everything it touched together in a giant web, but I'd never really given much thought to just letting its essence wash over me.

What I'd found was that it was alive yet wasn't. At least in any sense that I could understand. Fay compared the Force to a river that guided us to where we needed to be to bring balance, but I felt that wasn't a great analogy. The Force felt simultaneously stronger and calmer than would fit in a simple river analogy. It was also far, far vaster in scope than any mortal could perceive. As if it was an infinite ocean and our connection to it allowed us to sense the currents beneath its surface. It was something so beyond, yet above, my understanding that I was both memorised and concerned by it was capable of.

Still, the week of meditation and discussion had meant that (bar my evenings) the last month had been a wash regarding training and levelling up any skills or powers. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, I wasn't complaining. Yes, in the sense that almost nothing had increased, it was wasted, but I didn't consider it such. I'd killed a dragon (that was never going to get old), glimpsed what the Dark Side was capable of (and been terrified of how easily I'd been able to use it), and had spent time with both my masters simultaneously. Dooku had even hinted that after we left the sector, he would begin to fully train me in how to integrate more offensive Force techniques into lightsaber combat. That was something I was looking forward to as bar applying approaches from my old life a few times, I'd generally not merged my powers offensively into my fighting style.

Before and after the retreat with my masters, I also made sure to spend time talking via the Holonet with both Serra and unexpectedly Padmé. I'd reached out to Serra the moment I was freed from the medical centre as while I knew she'd been told that I was alive and well, I could still sense her anxiety over the thousands of lightyears between us; and that was both incredible and disturbing. Serra had been relieved to speak with me and hear from my lips that I was ok. She'd explained what'd happened when she'd sensed my 'almost death' and apologised profusely for revealing that I'd done the verd'goten in the Temple. She was curious about what I'd killed, but beyond telling her it was something else called a 'dragon', I hadn't revealed anything. The Holonet wasn't, at least in my mind, entirely secure and the risk that someone at the temple – Like Windu – discovering what I'd killed, and what had happened afterwards, was too great. Serra hadn't been happy about that, but she'd accepted it; on the basis that I gave her a memento of my kill when we next met.

Discovering Padmé had sensed my lashing out in the Force was… surprising, and a little disconcerting. The girl wasn't particularly Force-sensitive, nor was our bond that strong, so I'd been confused as to how she'd sensed anything. My mind had wandered to KOTOR2, and I wondered that if because of the Interface and my other unique powers, I'd developed a bond with her similar to how Meetra Surik had done in that game. Regardless if that was the case or not, Padmé had sensed my 'almost death' and reached out to Serra. Seeing her face, and the relief I'd just barely been able to sense from her when we'd first spoken had lifted a small weight from my heart I hadn't realised had been there, and the same was true of Serra. Then hearing how her new classmates teased her about how (potentially) close she was to the author made me laugh. She'd thanked me repeatedly for getting her an advanced copy of 'Return of the King' (though I'd had to arrange for a copy to be sent to Serra as Padmé had revealed her novel to the other girl) and stated that she'd have to find a way to pay me back for it.

However, despite my efforts, I'd not been able to speak with Naz to apologise, either before I'd left for the week with Fay and Dooku, or after I'd returned. During any of the few meals that Fay, Dooku and myself had shared with Adonai, Pre, and their families, Naz had chosen not to attend. Pre claimed she was handling clan business, but I'd used Observe on him to learn that he was happy that some distance had formed between me and Naz. A distance he hoped to increase once I left the sector. After discovering that, I'd asked Bo for help, but she'd once more chosen to stay out of things (bar her continued subtle supporting of Naz) leaving me with no chance to fix my mistake.

Hopefully, she'd be at the celebration of me joining the ranks of the Mando'ade, which I was currently waiting to be escorted to with Fay and Dooku. While her seeing my kill wasn't how I wanted to create an opening (I suspected once it got out what I'd killed I'd be mobbed by a lot of people offering congratulations) it might be my only chance to begin to heal the small rift that had formed between us. At least before I left the sector.

I glanced to my right and saw Fay looking serenely out of the window of the small room where we were waiting for our escort to the royal banquet hall of Keldabe to arrive. Prime Minister Worra had been furious when he discovered that Adonai wished to celebrate the kill in the old capital, but I was glad we weren't having the feast there as Sundari was a symbol of the New Mandalorian ways. Location aside, this venue was still markedly different from Serra's celebration as then Adonai had only acquired a small hall for the celebration.

I'd asked my masters why Adonai had booked a much larger venue, and Dooku had explained that Adonai was likely using the size and awe of my kill to enhance his political strength. Fay had then explained that many were still unhappy with Jedi training alongside their children and that the more traditional-minded Mandalorians were beginning to grow restless with the duke's alliance with the New Mandalorians (both of which I was already aware of). She also hinted that it wasn't uncommon for alliances between clans to occur at these celebrations, thus Adonai might be using the event to secure his power base, something I hadn't considered but that did make sense upon consideration.

Though what was beginning to get to me was the wait. We'd been in this room for nearly an hour and I was growing bored and wondering how much longer we'd have to sit here and twiddle our thumbs.

Thankfully, a moment later a chime sounded, and Fay and Dooku both stood. Both were dressed in their robes, yet unless I missed my guess, they'd both had their robes cleaned – Dooku's even seemed to shine in places as he moved. Fay gave me a warm smile as she approached the small table I'd been sitting at.

"Are you ready for this?" Fay asked as I stood slowly.

While I was also wearing my Jedi clothing, on top of that I was wearing the armour I'd used on my hunt; or what was left of it. Apparently, it was a tradition for new warriors to wear the armour from their hunt to the celebration, though Serra hadn't been able to do this as her armour had been badly charred and cut from her body by the medics (though I was happy it'd done its job and protected her from worse burns.) This armour would never see combat again, but it was wearable for today.

"Is it wrong to say I'm looking forward to everyone's reaction?" I returned, which made her chuckle.

"No. While most Jedi wouldn't admit to enjoying it, there is nothing wrong with taking enjoyment in your success." Fay replied. "Though only if such things don't lead to one growing prideful."

"Indeed. A hunt such as this deserves to be enjoyed. And it will serve as a reminder that while Mandalorians are capable warriors, against any true Jedi, they are outclassed." Dooku added and I turned to him and was taken aback to see him smiling. Even if his hand still hovered near his lightsaber, seeing the usually stoic (almost sociopathic) man smiling openly was… a touch disconcerting.

I could sense his pride through the Force – though he was doing his usual job of keeping his internal emotions under tight control – though my eyes were drawn to the small crate he was carrying under his arm. It wasn't that large, perhaps thirty centimetres cubed, and clearly wasn't hard to carry, yet when I'd asked about the crate when we'd been led into this room, both he and Fay had claimed it was a surprise that they'd reveal during the celebration.

I was thinking about probing them again about what was in it – mainly because I was bored, not because I expected them to cave in and reveal what was inside – when the doors to the room opened. I turned around to see Dorgo step into the room. Unlike almost all the other times I'd seen him, he was wearing his full armour bar the helmet and jetpack (the former of which was under his arm, and the latter of which I was unsure if he even used) with a pair of blasters strapped to his waist (with force knows how many weapons hidden elsewhere). Gauntlets were strapped to both forearms, though neither hand was wearing a glove. All in all, he looked like he was almost ready to go to war, though from what I'd observed of the people in Keldabe, that was simply the normal way of dressing. His armour was mostly grey, though the gauntlets and pauldrons were red while other places had pale green edging.

He paused a few steps into the room and lowered his head. "Master Jedi, Alor Cameron. I am here to escort you to the celebration." He lifted his head and turned ninety degrees, taking position beside the door. I frowned at being referred to as Alor (chief). I wasn't a member of any clan and Serra never mentioned this happening to her (nor did I recall anyone referring to her by such a title) until after the celebration was over.

"Thank you for the escort." Fay replied as she and Dooku stepped towards the door with me falling into step behind them. "We are ready."

Dorgo nodded and lead us out of the room. The walk to the hall was short, but as we entered through a large door, I let out a small whistle at the size of the room. For Serra's celebration, there'd been maybe a hundred and fifty people present – mainly students from the Institute – however, that hall hadn't been full.

The hall Adonai was using for my celebration was much larger – perhaps five times the size, with tables for maybe three to four times the number of people – and almost all the seats were already taken. The centre of the hall was empty, and as Dorgo led us towards the front of the hall, I noted that the central area leading from the main tables to the far wall was empty. Likely that was for the dragon's head, but the doors at the end of the hall were far too small to allow it to be brought in, so I was curious as to how that feat would be managed.

I saw a few familiar faces (mainly other trainees from the Institute) scattered around, but most of the people were new to me.

"We are honoured today as over four dozen clan leaders have journeyed here." Dorgo began with a voice louder than normal voice – so we could hear him over the din of the hall – as he led us through a row of tables and into the central aisle. "Rumours about what exactly you hunted and killed have spread across the sector. My father has used that to invite many to this celebration, though he has been unusually secretive about it."

"Understandable." Fay replied and while I couldn't see her face since she was in front of me, I could sense her amusement, and a spike in Dooku's pride, at the young man's words; and the hidden question within them. "Cameron's kill was most… dini'la."

I chuckled once at Fay's non-answer to the unasked question, and I'd be glad that soon I'd no longer have to face that question. However, I suspected that I'd be asked to regale many with how I managed to take down the dragon.

"Ah, Alor Cameron, Master Fay, Master Dooku. Good, good." Adonai called out as we neared the main tables. The noise level in the hall had dropped a touch as we'd entered, though it had still been very rowdy. Yet the moment Adonai addressed us from his seat at the high table, the noise level fell far enough that I suspected everyone could hear the duke. "Come, your seats are here."

Adonai was standing at the highest of three tables that dominated the room, and he was pointing at three seats to his right that were empty. The seat to his right was also empty but based on the fact that Dorgo's wife Sellena and Bo occupied the next two seats, it was safe to assume that was Dorgo's seat. Seated below Clan Kryze were Pre and his children, likely indicating Pre's importance and (presumed) loyalty to Adonai. Tor gave me a friendly nod as our eyes met and Pre remained impassive, yet my focus was on Naz. She didn't nod or smile, instead choosing to narrow her eyes as she saw me looking at her, meaning her anger hadn't dissipated that much (if at all.)

My brow rose as I looked to the right of the three seats reserved for myself and my masters. There Duke Torrhen and Lady Asta were seated with their children. I knew the youngest – and the one furthest down the line – was Ebbe, but the other two were newcomers. Thanks to Observe I quickly learnt that the daughter, Alys who was rather pretty, was seventeen, was curious if the stories about me were true. The eldest son and heir, Osto, was twenty-two and even sitting down, it was clear to see he was built like a bear.

The Ordo's being there was a surprise, as they were no fans of Adonai's alliance with the New Mandalorians. However, based on what Dorgo had said about nearly fifty clans being present, and having already worked out that Adonai was using this as a way to play politics, them being here did make some sense. As we reached the stairs to begin our walk up to our seats, I wondered if this was the beginning of the re-establishment of the alliance between House Ordo and House Kryze, and the severing of Adonai's alliance with the New Mandalorians in Sundari. I quickly realised that my presence here was likely the catalyst for that to have happened, and saw first-hand an example of a ripple my actions were having now – even as my mind began to ponder how this ripple would alter the events I knew happened in the canon timeline.

Sat below the Ordos were a dark-skinned family I'd never met before. I knew the man was named Baston Tyri (and that he was loyal to House Ordo) by bothering to use Observe on the man. Baston, like others in the hall I suspected, was curious about me and what I'd killed/done to earn the respect of the two dukes.

Between Vizsla and Tyri, sat Commandant Kraviss and Rangemaster Marod. Given to their location, I had to assume that they were filling in for where a loyal ally or servant of my clan (if I had one) would be seated. The lowest of the three tables held the other instructors from the Institute (along with Nia's sons), and surprisingly Drayy'ven Jral. The game hunter gave me a wink and lifted his glass as our eyes met, and while he didn't seem upset that I'd killed the dragon he'd been hunting, I was still confused as to why he was here.

Yet, as we passed the lowest of the three tables, I returned my attention to the top one. There was clearly more going on here than just my celebration, and my curiosity was growing as to what was about to happen. As the continued to climb, my mind began to run through scenarios that could happen, and plot ways to use them to help my plans for the future. Though even if there was little I could do today in that regard (beyond the reputation boost I was going to get when everyone saw what I'd killed) I would try to help Adonai and Torrhen with their plans as a strong and friendly Mandalore sector had far greater potential than the… waste that existed in The Clone Wars.

As we reached the top of the stairs, Adonai stepped out, as did Torrhen, and both shook hands with me and my masters before directing us to the empty seats. I sat between my masters with Fay next to Adonai and Dooku next to Torrhen. The latter duke sat down, letting the host, and my sponsor to the Institute and into Mandalorian culture take the floor.

"Mando'ade, today we are assembled to recognise a new warrior joining our ranks." Adonai began, a large booming smile spreading across his face. As he spoke, I let my eyes drift over the hall, wondering how they were going to get the massive skull of the dragon (there was no way they could get the whole beast in here without removing the roof and flattening dozens of tables) through the small doors.

"Just over one year ago, two young Jedi came to our sector, eager and willing to learn the ways of our people. Many considered my decision to allow them to train beside our children as foolish, ill-disciplined, and a disgrace to our heritage. However, in those two, and in particular the one we recognise today, I saw… a spark. A spark of something that reminded me of what our people had once been, of what many of you feel I have abandoned with my choices over the last few years."

"These two Jedi adiike trained with our children, listened, learnt, respected our ways, and quickly proved that while they may be Jedi, their hearts beat to the drum of a warrior. They do not shy away from battle, nor reject the ways of our people. And today, we celebrate the triumph of Cameron Shan for completing his verd'goten and recognise that armed with nothing but a single blade and his wits, slew a beast worthy of record in the annals of our people. Today we honour his success and raise a new clan into our ranks."

There was some clapping around the hall at Adonai's words, but many seemed sceptical, and I had to agree. Adonai's speech had been… theatrical and not at all fitting with what I'd heard at Serra's celebration, nor what I'd expected at my own.

"Duke Adonai, if I may." Duke Torrhen stated and after a nod from Adonai, he also stood and addressed the hall. "Mando'ade, while I am not challenging the word of Duke Adonai regarding Cameron of Clan Shan's kill, I must state that we are not raising a new clan." My brow creased so much I must've looked like I'd aged fifty years in a second. What was Torrhen on about?

"No, today we are restoring a Clan founded under the orders of Te Taylir Mand'alor." As a few gasps echoed around the hall my brow uncreased and shot into my hairline. I knew the pair were likely up to something, but linking it to Canderous Ordo… Yeah, I hadn't seen that coming. "Under his leadership, Te Taylir Mand'alor raised two new clans into our ranks. For over three thousand years both those clans have lain dormant, but from this day forward, that will change. In the name of my ancestor, I, Duke Torrhen of Clan Ordo stand and recognise the restoration of Clan Shan among the Mando'ade."

Most of those assembled roared their approval, which shocked me. Why would it matter so much more that I was restoring an old clan than creating a new one? Something told me there was more I'd have to learn about this culture to understand why that was.

Torrhen turned to me and raised his glass. Ignoring my confusion, I returned the gesture and did the same with Adonai.

"Duke Torrhen, Duke Adonai, if I may." A voice called out from those seated in other places and I turned my attention back to the hall to see that Aundars Wren had stood. "While I, like everyone here, are overjoyed to hear that an ancient clan, even one with no battle honours, has returned to the ranks of Mando'ade, there is an issue. We still have no proof of the boy's kill, nor of his claim to the bloodline."

My frown returned as he spoke. Aundars challenges seemed odd as he was an ally of Adonai's yet was openly challenging him and Torrhen. My frown broke as I realised that this was theatre, a show for the masses to cover a challenge the two dukes must've known would come. By having a loyal ally make the challenge, it probably cut off a threat of someone else challenging my kill and causing bad blood between them and the dukes. And with many in the hall nodding in agreement, it seemed that would've been the case if Aundars hadn't acted quickly (too quickly for anyone who should've been caught off-guard by Torrhen's declaration.)

"While my words carry little weight here, as I am not Mando'ade, my long-dead partner was." Fay began as she stood. "And as a Jedi Master, I can speak for the Order in saying that we have confirmed his heritage and accepted it as fact. As have the Republic Senate and the current and former Chancellors." Fays' words were soft yet carried easily over the hall. Yet, what had me confused was the faintest hint of trepidation and worry that I could sense from her. Why would she be concerned about what she'd said unless it had to do with who the Mandalorian she'd been close with had been…

"Forgive me master Jedi, but I know of no Mandalorian who has wed a Jedi." Aundars stated softly.

That sense of trepidation from Fay spiked for a moment before she responded. "That is because we were joined centuries ago, not long after the Dral'Han was carried out by the Jedi and Republic." OK, revealing that she'd been alive during that attack, would explain the concern and the few murmurs that began in the hall at its mention certainly had me thinking that was why there was a small amount of worry within her.

"Master Fay has been confirmed by her Order to be over seven hundred years old." Adonai added, which made the murmurs grow in volume. "As for who her partner was, that is a private thing. However, she has confided in myself, Duke Torrhen, and a keeper of sigils who her riduur was, and confirmed their personal sigil." Adonai pointed to an old man who sat to the far right of the hall.

The ancient man stood, which had the murmurs die off almost instantly, and gave he gave a single nod before sitting down once more. No new murmurs were heard, meaning this keeper of sigils had a position of utmost respect within their culture.

Aundars bowed his head. "Then I remove my concern about the boy's heritage. However, my concerns about his kill still stand."

Even as this set off a new round of whispers and hushed tones, my eyes widened as I saw the far wall begin to lower. It took me a few seconds to realise that this was a design feature and that it was how they planned to reveal my kill to the room (and the space that I could see behind the horns of the dragon suggested it could also be used to expand the size of the room for even larger gatherings.

"Then to you, and to all I present the kill of Cameron of Clan Shan: The greater krayt dragon of Tatooine!" Adonai voice rose to a roar as he extended an arm to point to the now-lowered far wall.

As I locked eyes with the beast that had almost killed me, a small shiver shot through me, though I quickly beat it away. The beast was dead (a point proven by the missing eye where I'd driven my blade into its brain) and was no longer a threat. Yet, even dead and with just the head now present, it was still an imposing sight. The repulsor-lift that was carrying it was being pushed by (at least three people) and even to the top of the skull, it was taller than any man present; to say nothing of the crest-horns, which reached so high that they scraped against the lights suspended from the roof high above the hall.

"Osik!" I heard someone mutter, and while I agreed with the sentiment, my focus was on the skull; specifically, its one remaining eye. Seeing the missing eye was reassuring, but I still felt a shiver go up my spine as the remaining eye seemed to lock onto me. I knew it was dead, but seeing it again resulted in the memory replaying in my mind, releasing all the fear and panic back into me.

A hand came to rest on my shoulder, and I felt a warm sensation flood through me. Slowly, with more effort than normal, I turned my head and smiled at Fay. She smiled back before removing her hand, mere moments before Adonai resumed his speech to the now deathly silent room.

"Traditionally, we would have our newest Mando'ade detail their hunt for you, let you reveal in their retelling of the hunt. However, with a hunt this impressive, I doubt simple word of mouth would suffice. Therefore, another option has been arranged." The volume of Adonai's words had fallen – since there was little need to shout over the hall to be heard – but they carried to everyone. "From the recordings starting on my personal cruiser, the Cin Vhetin, I give you the battle of the dragon versus Mando'ade from my perspective."

The lights dimmed and a large, circular, holographic display appeared (with the dragon's head being inside the screen so as to not disrupt anyone's sight) with the screen flickering to life at the moment I would forever remember. The moment when I'd come face to face with the apex predator of Tatooine.

From the recording, I saw a chunk of the sarlacc the dragon had ripped off just before this and idly wondered if that monster had survived the injury. It'd lost its main stalk but –

--RROOOOAAARRRRRR--

My thoughts about the sarlacc were cut off as the dragon roared. My hand shot to where I knew my lightsaber was hanging, finding comfort in the familiar ridges of the hilt, as the entire hall seemed to shake from the intensity of the challenge the dragon had sent at me.

"Shab!"

The curse came from a female voice to my left, and the recording of me began to run, I suspected many others in the hall shared the sentiment. For me though, it was worse, as seeing how massive the dragon was compared to myself, and how easily it stayed close to my recorded self, had my mind travelling back to that day, reliving the chase.

As the recording of me stumbled, I felt a hand come to rest on mine and I looked down to see that Fay had been the one to do so. A glance at my hand let me see my knuckles had turned white as I gripped the table in a death grip.

Even though I knew the overall chase had only lasted about ten minutes, watching it begin all over again seemed to take forever, and as the recording of me stumbled and fell to my knees, I felt my terror spike.

As the dragon swiped at me with its massive tail, I heard someone whisper out "How…" Likely they were shocked that I'd avoided being skewered by the massive tail of the beast. My hand not being held by Fay moved towards my lightsaber, though I stopped the movement once I realised I was doing it.

A few minutes (that felt like hours) later, gasps echoed around the hall as I stumbled out of the canyon and into the dune sea. Those gasps were likely from people who knew enough about the predator and planet to understand I'd just stumbled into its natural habitat. The number and volume of the gasps grew as the dragon's tail swatted me out into the dunes.

For the first time since the recording had begun, something other than fear flowed through me, and a small smirk crept onto my face as, even as I saw myself fly through the air then smash through a dune, the dragon pulled its tail back and looked at; reacting to the fact my beskar knife had managed to hurt it.

After recovering from the shock of my wild attack irritating its tail (no way it did any real damage), the dragon dove into the sand, disappearing from sight. Or at least it would've if not for the fact the recording was able to track it based on the movement of the sand as it swam beneath the dunes. Murmurs broke out around the room, likely due to people wondering how I managed to take down the beast in its preferred environment.

Though what caught my attention, was that as the chase had continued, the picture had grown steadily clearer, with the smaller details of myself and the dragon coming into focus. That meant the cruiser had been descending the entire time the chase had been happening, but I'd neither heard nor seen it as my focus had (rightfully so) been entirely on surviving or escaping the monster.

A hum of anticipation seemed to vibrate around the hall as the dragon turned towards me, then erupted in a cheer as, at what looked to be the last second, I dove to the side. Seeing how close I'd been to losing a leg to those massive teeth sent a shiver through my body. I heard a faint scratching but kept my focus on the recording. I needed to see this again, to know that I'd made it through and process the unbelievable amount of panic I'd felt during the chase and fight. I hadn't focused on it the time as that was what got you killed, but now, sitting here reliving it, I was forced to confront how terrified I'd been.

Another roar erupted around the hall as I once more dove out of the way of the monster's massive maw, then an even louder one as I was able to slash one of the dragon's paws during its third attack. Though the third roar of approval died quickly my recorded self was knocked away by the force of the dragon's momentum and struck the sand hard, losing my grip on my knife.

I could feel their building anticipation as the recording of me scrambled towards the cliffs. Even without the Force letting me sense their emotions, the slowly growing tension was easy to see. For a brief moment, I felt a wave of anger surge through me as I realised that everyone here was enjoying seeing me almost die, but I pushed it away as it was an entirely natural way to behave, at least for those used to fighting. And of course, because the dragon chose that moment to rear back and stand over the recording of me.

A deathly silence fell over the hall as it became obvious just how much more massive the dragon was in comparison to me – not like there was any ever doubt of that. Seeing the thing stand up so high that, for a moment, the cruiser's cameras couldn't seem me, made it clear just how minuscule I was compared to the mighty beast.

Somewhere in the hall, something fell from a table, but no one reacted. Everyone's attention was transfixed on the recording as I shared a face-off with the dragon of Tatooine.

"Me'shab?" I heard Bo mutter (or at least I thought it was Bo), and even though I knew what was about to happen, I had to agree. Seeing a massive dragon pause and look down at prey no bigger than one of its claws definitely was a 'what the fuck' moment.

Almost as one, everyone inhaled as the dragon's head dove towards the recording of me then watched in morbid silence as I leapt. As the recording of me seemed to kick the dragon's nose (more by accident than on purpose, but I doubted anyone cared) a rumble began to build in the room.

As I desperately grabbed onto one of the crest horns (my eyes briefly darted to said horn on the head below, confirming to myself once more that the dragon was dead) the rumble drew steadily louder.

--RROOOOAAARRRRRR--

Once more the roar of the dragon echoed around the room, though unlike the times during the chase, it wasn't muted. The plates, cutlery, and goblets on the table I was at visibly rattled at the power and volume of the dragon's roar and I swore I saw several Mandalorians cringe or lift their hands towards their head. Yet none of their eyes left the recording. Everyone one of them probably could sense the end was near.

And they were proven right as, when the roar ended and the dragon fell forward, the recording of me swung around and drove the knife into the dragon's eye.

A brief muted cheer when up at that, though it died the instant the dragon recoiled and roared out in pain. Though the moment I pulled back and drove my arm in once more, this time sinking in up to my arm, the cheer returned; louder than before.

The cheer of the hall was drowned out as I was flung clear of the dragon, and it threw its head back and roared to the heavens in pain. Watching myself bounce off and over the dunes was hard to do as it brought back phantom pain surges where I'd struck the sand.

The final roar of the dragon seemed to transfix the hall as I could barely tell if anyone had breathed, never mind moved. All were watching in trepidation to see if this was the moment the beast fell.

As the dragon's final, pained roar died, and it fell to the sand, silence fell over the hall, yet the moment the recording of me stood, a rhythmic banging began. Around the hall, slowly at first, then louder as more joined in, Mandalorians of various colours, genders and species began to slam their fists and stomp their boots in a pattern that I instinctively knew was a type of war cry.

As the recording of me turned from looking towards where the dragon to the sky, then roared (I still wasn't sure if that was more in relief, disbelief or as a challenge to the galaxy) the hall roared along with me.

"Taung sa rang broka Mando'ade ka'rta. Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu. Duum motir ca'tra nau tracinya. Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a."

Chanting filled the room as the plates, cutlery and goblets began to bounce from the noise the warriors in the hall were making, and I saw a few empty chairs also bounce around.

"Kom'rk tsad droten troch nyn ures adenn. Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu. Duum motir ca'tra nau tracinya. Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a."

For over a minute, the hall was full of the chant as the warriors assembled sang their hearts out. My eyes once more found the remaining eye of the dragon, letting the energy of the room wash over me, and push the last vestiges of residual fear I'd felt from the chase. Reliving that had been more terrifying than the actual fight, but now that it was over, and I had faced that hidden fear, I felt better. In my old life, I'd never enjoyed hunting – likely because my work involved me killing people for a living – but here and now, I felt understood why people did; at least those who hunted something that had a fair (or in my case, insane) chance to kill you instead.

The swelling pride I felt at having faced off against a beast that could've, and should've, killed me and not only survived but won… Words failed to do justice to how amazing that felt.

The chanting began to die down as a loud bang came from my left and I brought my attention back to the hall and turned to see that Adonai had stood. While there was a clear smile on his face, his focus was on trying (rather unsuccessfully) on gained the attention of everyone present and getting them to quiet down.

It took a few minutes from when Adonai had first banged his goblet on the table before the chanting and general volume in the hall dropped to a level where the duke felt comfortable talking.

"Count Aundars, I hope this allays your concerns regarding the kill?" Adonai asked, drawing chuckles from many in the hall, including Aundars himself as I saw a large smile on his face as he stood.

"Aye Duke Adonai." He paused and looked at me directly. "On behalf of myself and my clan, I apologise for doubting your kill, and offer my congratulations." He raised his goblet. "Cameron Shan!"

As one, the whole hall rose, goblets, glasses, and mugs in hand.

"CAM-RON! CAM-RON! CAM-RON! CAM-RON!"

I couldn't stop a large smile from breaking out on my face, though I admittedly didn't try too hard. Being accepted by warriors, being made one of them… My thoughts drifted back to my old life, my old team and for the first time since my rebirth, I finally felt like I was somewhere I belonged.

The chanting seemed to die down for a moment, only to be replaced by a more general roar. I frowned in confusion until Adonai tapped my shoulder and I turned. He pointed behind me and I rotated enough to see what was there.

Two banners had unfurled behind me. The right one was the same image of the Star Forge that I'd used during the trial fight, however it was the left one that drew my attention. That one was of a black dragon's skull; specifically, the dragon I'd killed on Tatooine. The eye that I'd pierced was coloured purple, while there was a red slash over it – signifying how I'd kill the beast much like the blade into the head of the spark-dragon on Serra's sigil signifying where she'd killed that dragon – while the teeth were dark crimson.

Thanks to my time on Mandalore, I understood what all the colouring meant. Black signified justice and a sense of personal honour, red to honour a parent, purple to signify luck – which, even if there was no such thing where the Force was concerned, I'd seemed to have on my side to take down the dragon – and crimson for defiance. All in all, the colours made sense and a broad grin spread over my face as I looked at the banner.

"A worthy sigil." Dooku commented from beyond Fay. "Though I do not expect the High Council to care for the colour choices."

I chuckled at that, as black and red were seen by the Jedi as colours of the Sith. "Indeed."

As I turned back from seeing my new sigil (and getting confirmation that the Star Forge was going to stay as Clan Shan's sigil) I noticed that the cheering had died down, many of the tables were talking among themselves, or to a nearby table; often while gesturing at the massive head that dominated the room.

Adonai lifted a blade and tapped his goblet with it. Once he'd regained their attention, he continued.

"With nothing but a blade, this blade," he lifted the knife high above his head as he spoke, "Cameron of Clan Shan took down a beast of great renown. To mark this feat of incredible courage, I've had the blade reforged to a weapon worthy of such a feat while the hilt is now made of one of the great teeth of the dragon."

He held the knife which now seemed as thin as a hair, though I doubted that mattered because it was beskar, it had been lengthened into something resembling more of a short sword, gently curved and darkened to almost black, its simple guard had four downward-facing spikes that looked like they could do real damage, I suspected the High Council would have issues with them, along with the entire blade in general.

"To honour this achievement, I present this altered weapon to him." He continued as he turned to me and indicated for me to stand. "May it bring you glory in the battles to come." He stated as he passed it to me.

Slowly, almost reverently, I took the blade by the offered hilt. The spikes on the hilt weren't made of beskar – at least they didn't have the distinctive ripple effect I'd come to associate with the metal – but they looked sharp enough to do some real damage. The hilt was smooth, yet seemed to fit easily in my hand (or as easily as it could given that I was still too small to grasp it properly).

As I turned it over in my hand, I saw that where the hilt met the blade – which I now realised was a giant fang from my kill – there was a small engraving of my new sigil, which made me smile. While it could never compare to the necklace from Fay and Dooku, nor the bond I felt with my lightsaber, this blade instantly became one of my most treasured possessions.

"Vor entye, Alor Adonai." I said quietly as I twisted the blade around for show before placing it down on the table. I considered sliding it into my belt, but that would make sitting down a challenge. Plus, if it was as sharp as it looked, then it'd likely slice through my belt without any effort.

"A weapon such as that needs a sheath equal to it." I turned at Torrhen's voice and saw he had stood. He reached down and pulled a leather object from under the table. "One made from the hardened skin of your kill. Capable of resisting both blaster fire and lightsaber strikes." He explained as he passed the sheath to Dooku who turned and then passed it to me.

I picked up the blade, and carefully slid it into the sheath – which shimmered dark grey in the low light with my new sigil near the top. The blade slid in easily, showing that they were meant to be together; much like they were meant to be with me.

"Vor entye, Alor Torrhen." I said loud enough for all to hear as I placed the now sheathed blade on the table.

Torrhen gave me a nod in reply as his wife then stood. "Nearly four thousand years ago, our ancestor, Canderous Ordo, Te Taylir Mand'alor, stood as an ally and friend of your ancestor, Naast be Me'suum. The Jedi and Sith Lord known simply as Revan. Today, we wish to restore that alliance."

As she spoke her eldest son, Osto, stood and took a step back from the table. I had to crane my neck upwards to look at the young man. He was very broad and with the braids in his hair, he honestly reminded me of a Viking.

"We understand that you are a Jedi, much as Revan once was, but to mark the restoration of this alliance between our Clans, we offer you a gift." Asta continued as Osto lifted a small bag from behind his chair then moved to towards me. From the bag he pulled out a dark grey cloth that, like the sheath, had been cut from the dragon's skin.

"Made from the hide of your kill and modelled on the style worn by Jedi during the time of Naast be Me'suum, we present you with this cloak." Asta stated as Osto handed me the cloak. As I held it, I noted that it was a touch darker than the sheath, but the leather felt surprisingly smooth as it shimmered while my fingers gently slid over it. There was a faint scaled pattern to the cloak and I wondered if that was a natural feature of the dragon's skin (I had no interest in reliving my memories to confirm that) or if it was an effect added in by the tanners. "Like the dragon itself, this cloak will protect you from blaster bolts and lightsaber strikes, though they are no substitute for true armour." Asta continued, drawing a chuckle from many in the hall, myself included. "And once you are old enough for the Jedi to allow you to wear robes, we would be honoured to commission them made from the same material.

I smiled at both her and her son. "I thank you for the gift and would be honoured to accept an alliance between our clans. However, I am a Jedi and my responsibilities to the Order, and my masters, are my current priorities." I said slowly hoping that I had avoided insulting them with how I'd worded my reply.

I suspected that there would come a day when I'd leave the Order, but for now, my path was with them. A large chunk of the Order was… less than keen on my continued training as a Jedi, nor on allowing me the freedom to roam the galaxy. While the same could be said of the Mandalorians concerning my training and cultural assimilation – particularly when I'd arrived on-planet over a year ago – they had done more in the last year to truly make me feel like a part of their society than the Jedi– bar a few members – had done in five.

"We understand and had expected this Alor Cameron." Torrhen replied with a smile as Osto returned to his family. "However, know that should the moment ever arise where you require help, House Ordo will stand by your side."

"Then with my master's permission to serve as an acceptance from the Jedi Order, I happily agree to the offer of an alliance. I promise that if the time comes where you are in need, I will do what I can to help." A cheer broke out at hearing that, and I and the Ordo's sat down.

"Alor Cameron." Putting aside my discomfort with being referred to as a clan chief when I was the only member of said clan, I turned at hearing my name come from the Kryze side of the table and saw that Dorgo had stood and was now looking at me. "In recognition of your hunt, and in the hopes of seeking an alliance between our two clans, Clan Kryze would also like to offer you a gift." He explained as Bo stood and walked towards me, a small box in her hands. "We present to you vambraces made of beskar. Though, in keeping with your other role as a member of the Jedi, we have taken the liberty to remove all but the defensive and non-lethal options standard to such devices."

Bo opened the box which contained two vambraces. I picked one up and turned it over slowly in my hands. Similar to the cloak that Ordo had given me, they looked a little large, but that would leave me room to grow into them, and just above the display was my personal sigil. A quick check of the visible options, and the interface confirmed that the vambrace only had options such as a grappling hook or shield generator. There wasn't the flamethrower or combat blaster that was common of vambraces (unfortunately), though there were slots in the design, and options in the menu, to allow the vambraces to be customized further at a later time.

I placed the vambrace back with its partner, smiled and Bo and took the box from her before returning my attention to Dorgo. "I thank you for the gift, Heir Dorgo and accept the offer of alliance under the same conditions I explained to Alor Torrhen."

Dorgo's smiled and gave me a nod. "Of course."

That set off another round of cheering in the hall, and after waiting a few moments to ensure that no one else was going to spring a surprise alliance on me, I sat down.

[Gifts such as these are not normal for a new warrior.] Fay said to me telepathically to ensure none of the Mandalorians would hear. [An making allies of two of the most powerful clans will have repercussions; both here and back on Coruscant. However, the choice is yours and we will respect it.]

[Indeed. Though I am hesitant to allow you to keep the blade until I am sure you can wield it properly.] Dooku added and I turned enough to see that a rare smile had crept onto his face as he lifted the crate he'd brought onto the table [While I know you can fight with a knife, a blade such as that is not to be twirled around indiscriminately.] he continued, indicating my sheathed blade with a tilt of his head.

[I am aware of the repercussions, masters. However, I suspect the two dukes have used me as a way to subtly re-establish their own alliance. While they do seem to genuinely respect me, and carry my great-grandfather in high regard, if only one had allied with me, it would've run the risk of destabilising their dynamic. By having both ally with my clan of one, they removed that issue, offer me some protection from others who might try to target me as a single member clan, and a Jedi, and gain a backdoor to begin restoring their own alliance.]

While that was all conjecture on my part, they were the only reasons I could come up with on the spot as to why both dukes had allied with me.

Feeling brave, I also added a shot to Dooku. [At least now I have an excuse to start practising Jar'kai more since the sizes are similar.]

Dooku's brow rose in disdain, yet the corner of his lip tugged upwards. [We shall see.]

"If I may have your attention." Adonai called out as he stood once more, cutting off any further comment on my theory from my masters. "With the honouring of our new warrior, and the establishment of alliances now concluded, it is now time for the feast."

At this, various side doors opened, and several dozen repulsor-carts were pushed in. The smell of grilled meat quickly filled the air, making many (myself included) salivate at the chance to enjoy a dragon steak. With krayt dragons being such dangerous beasts, eating a steak from one was considered a rare delicacy; to say nothing of the fact this was steak from the greater krayt dragon.

As one of the carts floated up towards my table, I idly wondered just what had happened to the pearls (there had to be more than one from a beast that size), and where they were being stored. I had no fear about Adonai trying to take them as it would be a gross violation of honour and shatter our newly formed alliance, but I was still curious as to where they were being stored.

Once everyone at the main table had a steak in front of them, Adonai turned to me. "Alor Cameron, if you would do the honours."

Realising what he was referring to, a large smile broke out on my face. As I stood, I carefully unsheathed my new blade and sliced off a large chunk of my steak. The blade sliced through the meat incredibly easily; far better than any bladed weapon I'd used before, and I began to understand why Dooku was insistent on me learning to use it properly before allowing me to carry it with me.

Stabbing the slice I'd cut with the blade, I lifted it to my mouth and happily ripped a chunk off with my teeth.

A loud cheer went up as I did so, but my focus was entirely on enjoying the taste of the dragon. I could remember tasting juicier and sweeter steaks before, but the sheer satisfaction that came from dining on the very beast that had almost killed me meant that no meal would ever come close to beating this.

After chewing and savouring the taste, I swallowed the bite. Raising my blade above my head, the steak sliding down it as gravity and the incredible sharpness of the blade worked to further cut it, I smiled out at the crowd.

"Haili cetare!"

That set off everyone else, and as I brought my blade back down to take a second bite, knives flew into the steaks.

While I would forever hate the fact that I'd come close to death fighting the dragon and had a newfound understanding of why Anakin hated sand, I would savour this day and everything that had led up to it, for the rest of my life.

… …

… …
Mandalorian Song:

The ash of the Taung beats strong within the Mandalorians' heart.
We are the rage of The Warriors of the Shadow,
The first noble sons of Mandalore.
Let all those who stand before us light the night sky in flame.
Our vengeance burns brighter still.

The gauntlet of Mandalore strikes without mercy.
We are the rage of The Warriors of the Shadow,
The first noble sons of Mandalore.
Let all those who stand before us light the night sky in flame.
Our vengeance burns brighter still.

A/N:
To be very clear, there will be no lemons/smut in this story, and Cam won't pursue a relationship until he's at least 17/18.
And to any who complain about Cam being considered an adult by the Mandos, their society isn't ours. Don't judge them by our standards.

Still, I hoped all enjoyed the chapter, and until next time.

May the Force be with you. Always.​
​
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What about the Box that Dooku had? Is that going to be opened next update?
 
DispatchedDude said:
What about the Box that Dooku had? Is that going to be opened next update?
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star-wars-yoda.gif
 
LuciferBael said:
So? Its still part of the verse, the Jedi have definitely detained without trial and have sent out kill teams to kill fallen Jedi without anything but them having fallen
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I get the Jedi committed a lot of war crimes and other stuff during their total wars with the Sith empire and stuff, but afterwards they progressively mellowed out didn't they?
 
Not sure why those certain details were added even if the story's not going to feature them... it was kinda squicky and broke my immersion a bit.

I'm kinda sad to see this arc end. I also have some questions - how are his Mandalorian quests going? Indeed, what about the Dragon Pearls?
I also suspect that Pre Viszla is using this time to indoctrinate his daughter some more. I really want to see that smug bastard get found out that he was the one who tried to kill the guy his own daughter was fond of (also, the other Mandalorians wouldn't be happy, but my point stands).
USSExplorer said:
I won't tell you want I killed, or how the fight went
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That should be "what" not "want"
USSExplorer said:
An making allies of two of the most powerful clans will have repercussions; both here and back on Coruscant.
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"And" making allies?
 
I'm usually a lurker but I wanted to speak up since I noticed a lot of people complaining about the mandalorian arc. It's hands down been the best part of this story for me. I'm interested in seeing what's next, but there is 0% wish this part was over already. Loving the work USSEXPLORER.
 
Literally my only complaint about the current arc is the length. Everything else is fine in my opinion.
 
S!ËGFR!ÊD said:
Literally my only complaint about the current arc is the length. Everything else is fine in my opinion.
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Technically the arc has changed (though we haven't left Mandalorian space as there are a few more things to handle - which are semi/hellishly important to the future). Though this arc should only run for 5 or so chapters, so we'll be away from Mandalore soon enough
 
The Warrior Reborn 2
  • Threadmarks
    • A/N:
    As always you can find myself (and the backroom team who help with this) on Discord at:
    For this series: Heart of the Force
    For my ASOIAF story: Game of Kingdoms (Still under construction, so not much there yet)
    In general:
    Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
    Emerald Library

    If you wish to support my writing, gain access to 1st drafts of chapters (currently 2 chapters ahead) , and at the highest level, early access to the chapter (currently 1 chapter ahead), consider supporting me on Patreon:
    USSExplorer
    (Note, the benefits there link to the Heart of the Force Discord server)
    Current date: 4 years until the Invasion of Naboo

    Mandalorian Words and Phrases:
    (Note: I've skipped the more common/recurring words for ease)
    …
    Ara'novor bal cuyir haatyc. Jorhaa'ir te resonl'nare bal jor'lekir gar tal. – Approach and be seen. Speak the Resonl'nare and confirm your blood.
    Ba'jur bal beskar'gam, Ara'nov, aliit, Mando'a bal Mand'alor. An vencuyan mhi. – Education and armor, Self-defense, our tribe, Our language and our leader. All help us survive. (The words of the Resonl'nare)
    Beskad – A sword made of beskar
    Dar'Manda – A state of not being Mandalorian - not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and his soul.
    Di'kutla – Foolish/Stupid
    Laam'alverde – High Commander
    Meshgeroya – Limmie in Basic. A much more violent from of football/soccer.
    Ori'kyroya'kar – Big (Mandalorian) Wolf (Personal command cruiser of Duke Torrhen Ordo)
    Osik – Shit
    Osi'kar – Oh Shit!
    Oya Manda – Expression of Mandalorian solidarity and perpetuity
    Resonl'nare – The creed of the Mando'ade.
    Shab – Fuck
    Te Taylir Mand'alor – Canderous Ordo


    The Warrior Reborn 2
    ...    ​
    I broke from my meditative trance (which I routinely used during the evenings to level up various Force Powers) a few minutes before my alarm was due to go off, and after disabling it for the morning, looked around my quarters. Like any quarters aboard a Mandalorian cruiser, they were spartan yet comfortable with the only noise I could hear being the faint hum of the ship's power core through the hull as it supplied power to the hyperdrive.

    Currently, along with Fay and Dooku, I was travelling aboard Duke Torrhen's personal cruiser (which was larger and far better armed than Duke Adonai's – I blamed the New Mandalorians for that) the Ori'kyroya'kar. At his invite, we were travelling to Ordo (the planet) to deal with whatever the 'Vault of the Preserver' was, though neither Torrhen nor Asta had directly mentioned the vault, instead implying that there was something on their homeworld that was important to our shared history.

    As I stood and moved towards the small cleaning area in the quarters, my mind drifted back to the celebration of my hunt.

    After I'd officially started the celebration, the noise in the hall had increased sharply. It got so loud that even hearing my own thoughts was difficult, but a gentle tap on my shoulder by Fay had me turning to see Dooku lifting the small crate he'd brought with us onto the table.

    The first two bottles he pulled from the crate were birthday presents from Padmé. I knew about those as the girl had mentioned them during our talk before the celebration. Plus, they doubled as a thanks for the early copy of 'Return of the King' that I'd arranged for her to receive for her birthday (which was about two months after mine) before the novel was released to the public.

    The other two bottles Dooku removed from the crate were bottles of Alderaanain wine that he had procured to celebrate my successful hunt. While neither he nor Fay were overly comfortable with my killing to prove myself to the Mandalorians, they understood that the event was worthy of celebration. Dooku had then explained that the wine had traditionally been used to celebrate a successful hunt, which made the tart taste of the wine easy to stomach.

    Upon seeing this, Adonai had sent one of the staff off and they returned (with help) and brought six bottles of Corellian Reserve, four bottles of Merenzane Gold (as I later learnt, two very expensive types of alcohol) and several casks of one-hundred-year-old Mandalorian wine. While I enjoyed all the drinks, particularly the Merenzane Gold – which was used for a private toast with my masters – I was glad that Player's Body countered the negative effects of alcohol otherwise I'd have either passed out after my fifth or sixth glass – which would've been very embarrassing – or died of alcohol poisoning.

    Still, with no risk of either of those happening, I was able to enjoy almost as many glasses as my masters (who it turned out assumed I was using the Force to counter the effects of the alcohol) and gain a good number of levels for Damage Resistance: Bio-Chemical and Purge Toxin and remain sober for the entire party.

    The first hour passed quickly as everyone enjoyed the meal, the drinks, and the seemingly random outbursts of singing that would break out. By the beginning of the second hour, people were beginning to mingle (both Adonai and Torrhen had stepped down to talk with others who, thanks to Observe, I learnt were heads or heirs of various clans) with some coming to the table and either offering to join my clan in battle, or challenging me, at a later date, to a friendly spar.

    Still, with everyone now allowed to move, I figured this would be my best chance to fix my only error in judgement (well, since waking up back on this planet, at least). After taking my leave of my masters, and sharing a quick drink with Bo, Dorgo and Sellena, I moved down to the middle of the three tables, towards Clan Vizsla.

    Both Pre and Tor extended their congratulations on my hunt, though Pre's was less enthusiastic. Curious if I'd learn anything new, I used Observe on him, and I had to take a few moments to calm myself at what was revealed.

    I knew that the mercs that had attacked me had been hired by someone and had heavily suspected that Pre was behind, so learning he was annoyed that I hadn't died on that kriffing sand-covered hellhole of a planet wasn't a huge surprise, though it still angered me to have it confirmed. Also, he was right in his thinking that there was little anyone could do to track the leak back to him. Adonai had started an investigation, but nothing had been uncovered so far. The thing that did settle my mood was the fact that one of my options for dealing with him –the most appealing one, in all honesty – involved me killing him and taking the Darksaber. If I did that, then I could either reform the Death Watch into something more useful or disband it entirely.

    Pre was also grateful for whatever had happened to distance his daughter from me, though learning that had me turning my focus to my reason for coming down to this table. However, before I could say anything to Naz in the way of an apology, she'd leapt up from her seat, and pulled me into a tight hug. It took me a moment to get over my shock at her hug (and the fact that my head had been jammed between her surprisingly well-developed breasts) before I was able to turn my head so I could still breathe and return the hug.

    As we pulled back, I realised a lull had fallen over the hall – or at least the area near us – but at the time, I'd paid it no attention. In retrospect however, I suspected that several who saw our behaviour would begin to suspect that there was more going on than met the eye. And while Naz was an extremely attractive young lady, I felt that I wasn't ready physically to start a relationship. Putting aside any remaining hang-ups over entering a relationship with someone decades younger than my mental self, I could also tell that this body was still in the unstable period of puberty, and therefore not suited for total physical intimacy quite yet.

    Plus, with me currently being a Jedi, it was probably best to not give the Council another thing to bash me over the head with.

    Once we broke the hug to the point where I wasn't forced to stare at her chest, I began to apologize. I didn't mention anything about how my mood was soured because of TPTB unlocking a set of skills I didn't want to currently have (not that she would have understood that anyway), but I did say I'd been an idiot for how I'd reacted to her kiss.

    Naz had nodded along, seemingly in agreement, only to offer her own apology for jumping on me – her words – not long after I'd just woken up from a near-death moment. Like all but a few, she hadn't realised just how dangerous my hunt had been and had been angered at my rejection. However, having just seen what I'd faced, and realising that I was unsettled when I woke, she now understood that I wasn't focused on anything but being grateful to still be alive. She also had come to realise that I wasn't a born-Mandalorian and was raised in the more (in her words) di'kutla ways of the Republic, though she'd mentioned in a few years there'd be no difference.

    One thing that had come from that little talk (though I'd already seen evidence of it before) was that Mandalorian teenagers were, generally, more mature than those from my old life. That made perfect sense coming from a more serious, combat-orientated society, but it was something that I regularly forgot about as my old ways of thinking clouded my behaviour and actions. Still, at least now Naz and I were back to being friends once more.

    Once we'd broken apart and said our pieces to each other, Bo had come down from the top table and all but demanded to see my new blade. I'd pulled it to me with the Force then let the pair (and the others that came over) examine it. As it was her turn to do so, Alys Ordo had made an offhand comment about getting her own hilt made from a fang.

    After that, I headed down further and greeted the others at the lower tables. Nia, Commandant Kraviss and Rangemaster Marod were all proud of having a part in training me, while Gar offered a handshake and asked that the next time I went into battle, I made sure to invite him beforehand. I'd laughed and half-jokingly agreed even as I silently hoped the Force wasn't listening in because I would like a quiet few months after taking down the dragon.

    Rook, who was seated next to Gar (suggesting things between them were more serious than I realised) had made a comment about Naz staking her claim, and that she'd seen a few others wanting a piece of me. I'd joked back at her that I guess killing a dragon was good for a reputation boost, though my amusement had disappeared the moment Rook had suggested she'd have to mention this to Serra the next time the pair spoke. At that, I'd had to promise her that we'd spar before I left the sector, and she'd made it clear that she meant a spar similar to what I'd had to become Akaan'lor and not the kind then she enjoyed with Gar.

    Drayy'ven Jral clapped me on the shoulder before joking that the next time we were on the same planet, he was going to make sure I was nowhere near his intended kill. If not for the fact that he was smiling and laughing – and a quick usage of Observe to confirm that he wasn't angry with me for killing the dragon – I'd have been worried that he held a grudge. Still, to be safe, I'd promised him that if I ever ended up on the same planet as he was hunting on, I'd make sure to leave as soon as I could.

    From there, I'd headed down onto the main floor, and quickly been engulfed by my teammates (bar Tiber who had stayed quiet when I'd spoken with Nia, Gar and Rook) who offered their congratulations, demands to see my blade, and wanting to spar with me one final time before I left the sector. Then, I wandered around the floor, often being pulled aside by Adonai and Torrhen to meet various clan chiefs, heirs and other dignitaries Adonai had invited to the feast.

    Most of the clans were known to me (mainly due to me having seen or interacted with a child from them at the Institute), but any that seemed important to the dukes I used Observe on to learn a little bit more about them. What I was able to determine was that around eighty per cent of those present were loyal to House Kryze or House Ordo. The remaining twenty were either possible allies for one of the dukes, or in the case of one table, representatives of major Mandalorian companies like Mandalmotors and Mandaltech and the leadership of the Protectors from a few planets in the sector.

    At one point during my walk around, a rather drunk Mandalorian – one, according to Observe, who had issues with Jedi – came over to and challenged me to a duel, right then and there. I'd tried to back out of it, claiming it wasn't fair to fight someone drunk off his arse (ok, so I wasn't the most courteous about it, but it was my feast, dammit) but that only enraged him enough to throw a wild haymaker. I easily sidestepped it, but he stumbled and ended up hitting Bo's plate, sending food flying over her, Rook and Gar. Seeing this, and the look of murder that came to the two girl's eyes, I figured I'd settled things quickly, and struck the man with a Force-boosted punch. That had resulted in him flying off his feet and landing on another table. From there… well, it quickly descended into a short, chaotic brawl.

    After the brawl had ended (though no one seemed to mind as I saw people at several other tables fight at different times during the feast), I'd returned to my seat, planning to enjoy more of the steak. Rook, it turned out, had other ideas, and with the help of Bo, dragged me back to the main floor, then through a side door. For a moment I was concerned the pair were going to try to have their way with me, but after laughing at me when I asked them if that was their plan, Rook explained that we were heading for a private party.

    As we'd exited the building, we ran into Gar, my teammates (minus Tiber, thank the Force), Naz and Alys and Ebbe Ordo, before heading as a group to the Oyu'baat cantina. Apparently, the Oyu'baat was the oldest cantina on the planet, and apart from that claim to fame (and the fact it also doubled as a hotel) having a drink here was considered a rite of passage for any true Mandalorian.

    While the drinks there weren't as expensive or varied as at the feast, the fact no one cared that I was a Jedi – indeed, many bought me a drink when they learnt I'd just completed my verd'goten – was nice. Though I did have to regale the patrons with my hunt a few times (but since that meant even more free alcohol for my friends and me, I was willing to do so). We stayed there for hours, drinking laughing and with my friends teaching me some Mandalorian songs and chants and introducing me to Meshgeroya (Limmie in Basic), which struck me as a far, far more violent form of rugby (and reminded me of an old computer game called Speedball).

    As the evening wore on, and the drinks kept flowing, Huzu eventually suggested a game that was a mixture of target practice and truth or dare. Three or more people would compete each turn to hit as close to the bullseye of a target with the loser having to reveal a fact (truth) or pay a penance (dare) demanded by the winner. Thanks to my high skill with a blaster, cheats to limit the effects of alcohol on me, and the Force, I won all my games. Every game I won, I kept the truth or dare simple and harmless, though the others weren't as civil, and since we were there to celebrate my hunt, I was often the one targeted by dares, which were often things like sitting on my lap for a minute or making out with me. That was always a little unsettling, but the most worrying (and confusing) moment of the night came near the end. That was when Rook had beaten Bo, and with a smirk that I had come to associate with her, had dared Bo to make out with me.

    I'd opened my mouth to say that Bo didn't have to do that (as I was well aware that Bo preferred the company of women over men) when Bo had smashed her lips against mine. Then held the kiss for nearly a minute. That had left me very confused, and I retreated into myself for the rest of the evening, while doing my best to ignore the comments made by others, and the fact that Bo hadn't even paused to complain before kissing me.

    Thankfully, not long after that, guards loyal to Clan Kryze arrived to escort Bo, Naz and me to a flyer that would return us to the palace in Sundari and take the others back to the hall or other locations where their families were gathered.

    Since that night Bo had ignored the kiss (which I really wished I could do as every time I saw her, it kept playing back in my mind), though Naz had poked fun at it; while also asking which of herself and Bo was the better kisser (since she'd been dared to kiss me a few times the previous night).

    After a late breakfast – which made sense as almost everyone was suffering the effects of a hangover – I headed to a storage room where the now stripped clean skull of the dragon (along with its bones) was being kept. Even as nothing more than a skeleton, it was still impressive (or intimidating, depending on your opinion). Though as I examined it more closely and saw that behind the row of massive teeth was a second set of about forty smaller – but just as sharp – teeth, my mind wandered back to a comment Alys Ordo had made at the feast, and an idea began to form in my head.

    Before lunch (though no one was particularly hungry), I had a meeting with Adonai, Fay and Dooku to determine what to do with the remains of the dragon. Ignoring that even after the feast last night, there were nearly thirty tons of dragon meat left, there was the matter of all the skin (which Adonai had already sent to be tanned) and various fibres and internal organs that remained. Adonai was willing to store all the meat, leather, and other parts in several secure frozen containers on the condition that he could occasionally use the meat for special feasts and be allowed to hang the dragon's skeleton in his family's estate back on Kelevada, though he assured me that no one else would take credit for it.

    I had no issue with any of that, though Fay was less than impressed that Adonai wished to glorify my kill by displaying the skeleton as an ornament, and I quickly agreed to his terms. After that, I brought up the idea that I'd had about the smaller teeth, and all three adults had said it was an excellent idea with Adonai promising to have them ready in a few weeks.

    After that though, my jaw almost hit the floor when Adonai revealed that inside the stomachs of the dragon, they had discovered thirty-four high-quality pearls of varying size. The smallest were at a size that they could be added to a lightsaber (though I discovered that night that my Mechanics: Lightsaber skill wasn't at a high enough level to allow me to do such a thing) while the largest was the size of the duke!

    After we'd (my masters had been just as surprised as I) all gotten over our shock at learning how many pearls there were – and having Adonai state that the three largest ones (there were two others close to Adonai's size) could easily fetch several million credits each at auction – we'd decided to place them in a very secure vault for the time being, though Dooku had requested one of the smallest ones to see how it could be adapted into a lightsaber.

    Later that afternoon, we (as in Fay, Dooku and myself) headed into Keldabe to a private hall at the Oyu'baat cantina. There Duke Torrhen, Lady Asta and a little over two dozen clan chiefs were gathered, and this was where I discovered what had happened after I'd blacked out from my wounds and tapped into the Dark Side of the Force.

    The moment that the camera flared with red light, I saw many glances my way, though my attention was what happened next. The flash of light had sent the Trandoshan flying backwards from me (and from what I could make out I'd hit him with Force Lightning, though I had no idea why it had been red as the only time I could recall seeing that was from the Brother during the Mortis arc), and stunned the remaining mercs enough that the incoming Mandalorian squad was able to engage them before any could close om my crumpled form.

    While the mercs had a slight numerical advantage, the Mandalorian strike team was better trained, better armed, better motivated, and, as I watched one Mando blast the arm of a Human mercenary off at the elbow then shoulder, far more brutal. And frankly, they put my old unit – and any other Tier-1 operations group – to shame with just how fast, efficient and devastating they were. It only took less than twenty seconds for all but three of the mercs to be down (two of which were Trandoshans) and those fell soon after, with the last Trandoshan falling to a blindside attack by Adonai, who'd jumped from a small craft, and decapitated the giant lizard – and removed one of his arms – with a single (jet-assisted) downwards strike with a blade. (I later learnt the blade was a beskad and had been in Adonai's family for five generations.)

    When the recording had ended just after Adonai's rather epic kill, the room erupted in fury. I was taken aback at how angry the Mandalorian chiefs were, but Torrhen explained (while Adonai tried to calm the others down) that attacking an adiik during, or just after their verd'goten was a mark of such dishonour that wars had been declared for less. It took Adonai nearly five minutes to calm the chiefs down enough that he could explain what he knew.

    Adonai's forces had managed to persuade the few surviving mercenaries to reveal that they were hired by Decca the Hutt to attack me and bring me in, dead or alive. From there, Dooku and I had explained our past dealings with Decca, which meant revealing the existence of the Lokella to the Mandalorians (in particular, Pre who was present at the meeting). The anger in the room grew as I explained that the Lokella were freed slaves that Decca had attempted to recapture – though no one mentioned anything about my killing of Girk Saxon when it came up. While I was less than thrilled to have revealed the Lokella to the Mandalorians – particularly due to Pre's presence – many of the other chiefs offered their warriors to help train the Lokella and strike back at the Hutt's operations.

    Fay had been adamant that we would not condone revenge attacks against the Hutt, but Count Aundars pointed out (rightly in my mind) that this was not a Jedi matter, but a Mandalorian one, though if I, as chief of Clan Shan, preferred we didn't, he and the others would follow my lead. I was conflicted as I didn't want things to escalate and makes the threat of another attack by Decca on the Lokella worse, but having trained warriors helped the Lokella (whether that be simply training them or cooperating in operations against the slaver) was a boon I couldn't deny to the Lokella plus I would lose standing with the other clans. I decided that the Mandalorians could aid the Lokella with their training and in bolstering their standing defences. If they decided between themselves to launch any incursions into the Hutt's operations, then that could be arranged between their two groups, and I need not decide that for them, nor even be aware of it. The grins on the clan chiefs as they worked out my loophole was unmistakable. I suspected it was not only due to the chance to fight some Hutts, but also from my willingness to skirt the edges of Jedi dogma when necessary.

    Fay didn't say anything about my choice then and there, though I sensed her disapproval and we ended up speaking about the matter later. Strangely, Dooku supported my actions and was able to alleviate most of his fellow Jedi Master's concerns. One thing I did mention to both in private was that having the Mandalorians and Lokella train and operate together now had the potential to be useful for the coming darkness. I knew the first possible test of this would Naboo, but my masters didn't, and as such, Fay was sceptical about my reasoning, but willing to go along with it while Dooku considered it a practical approach to the building of a non-Jedi force to bolster our efforts in combating the rising darkness.

    The clan chiefs had accepted my suggestion for training the Lokella, and they quickly began to make plans to have the first unit of fifty warriors head to the ShaDo system (Dooku happily explained the reason for such a name when it came up, making several of the chiefs laugh) while I promised to contact the Lokella after the meeting.

    After that, Adonai revealed the fact that only a handful of people knew what planet I was on for my verd'goten, however all of them had denied leaking the details to the Hutts and Adonai's operatives so far hadn't been able to determine where the leak had come from. I'd expected Pre to have covered his tracks but hearing that he had was still infuriating. Though I wasn't alone in my annoyance as many grumbled upon hearing that a fellow Mandalorian had leaked the information, however Adonai stated the investigation was still ongoing. While I knew it was Pre, and because of this I was leaning very heavily to taking him out when the time was right, there was little I could do to point Adonai in that direction. A vague comment about the Force and Pre would be about as welcomed by the Mandalorians as an Ewok stripper on the Senate floor would be.

    From there, the meeting had delved into the particulars of my new alliances with Clans Ordo and Kryze, and it was all but confirmed that the pair had used me to lay the groundwork for them restoring the alliance between their Houses. That would infuriate the New Mandalorians – and their backers in the Senate – and I could sense Pre's discomfort with this development, but I was more than happy to have this change take place. The Mandalorians in the Clone Wars were… useless. Oh, some of them were still good warriors, but the society as a whole was nothing more than a waste of space that needed to be removed. Now, there was a chance – however small – that this development could turn on me at a later date, but I was more than willing to take that risk; after all, that was one of my main reasons for coming to this planet in the first place. If only it hadn't taken a year to get to this point.

    Now, Adonai had no intention of breaking his alliance with the New Mandalorians, at least not for the time being, but nothing was stopping him from slowly preparing for the moment when he would break from them. This irritated several of the chiefs present, but since Adonai had all but stated he planned to break with them at some point and was merely waiting until it was most politically advantageous, the majority were willing to go along with things; for the time being.

    That evening, after dinner, Fay, Dooku and I were escorted to a secure landing pad on the outskirts of the old capital, where we met with Duke Torrhen, his family and their retainers and boarded his personal cruiser, the one I was currently on.

    We'd been on board for two days so far and provided nothing untoward happened (though with my apparent luck, I couldn't rule that out), we'd reach planet Ordo shortly after lunch today. This evening, Duke Torrhen would hold a celebration to acknowledge the re-establishment of the alliance between our families in Clan Ordo's ancestral estate (for which we'd brought a literal ton of dragon meat). We'd then be taken the following day to the Vault of the Preserver.

    I couldn't help but wonder just what was in this vault that Canderous had supposedly left, and why it seemed they needed someone of Revan's bloodline to open it. I doubted Revan had left anything for me specifically in there as that would suggest he'd had visions of what I'd face in the current era and would've cost him resources in his time. Now, while I didn't know exactly what had happened to him after the Knights of the Old Republic games, I suspected he'd gone and tried to take on the Sith Empire that would attack the Republic and Jedi about three hundred years after his time.

    With that in mind, I couldn't see him leaving me anything truly important in the vault, and certainly not anything that would help with his quest (The Promise of the Fallen). It was more likely that Revan and Canderous set this vault up as a fallback option for when the Sith Empire emerged to attack the Republic, but it was forgotten about in the centuries between its construction and that war.

    A chime sounded, letting me know it was time for the shift change. While that wasn't directly important to me, it did mean that I was expected to be in the mess hall in fifteen minutes. With that in mind, I turned and headed to the small cleaning alcove my assigned quarters had and, as I exited my quarters, pushed thoughts about what I'd find in the vault to one side.

    … …

    … …

    Seven men waited quietly as a large, well-decorated transport began its final descent to the spaceport. This ship carried an unexpected but important guest to their world; one rich enough to travel with four heavily armed cruisers as escort. The passenger, the one the seven men were waiting for, was one of the richest and most powerful beings in the Republic, though why he had come to Mandalore was unknown. The head of Mandalmotors, Dred Yomaget, was keeping the reasons quiet.

    However, news of the impending guest had leaked, and there was vocal dissent from non-Death Watch sympathizers about allowing an outsider to visit and invest in Mandalorian companies. Hence why the six-man honour guard waiting with a senior member of Mandalmotor's board were only the obvious sign of combatants present. A further thirty warriors were stationed nearby in various units to prevent any unexpected incidents from occurring.

    Less than a minute later the transport had landed (thankfully without any hint of an attack being imminent) and the landing ramp began to descend. Slowly, the airlock hissed open and from within came eight large, armoured warriors, each carrying a force pike whose silver armour forced the senior member to raise a hand and shield his eyes from the glare they gave off. The Mandalorians tensed at seeing the Sun Guards appear as there existed a large amount of bad blood between the groups, however they were all well trained and none overreacted to the presence of the new warriors.

    After the Sun Guards had taken up position at the base of the ramp, a single Munn walked down the ramp. He was paler than most of his species and wore a large, distinctive mask over his face. The lead member of the Mandalorian delegation stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his pistol as he eyed the guards cautiously.

    "Magister Damask, we are honoured that you have chosen to visit Mandalore, though we are curious why a member of the Banking Clan has come all this way. My name is…"

    The man stopped as Damask raised a long-fingered hand. "I am here on a private matter for Damask Holdings and while you are likely someone of importance within your company, you are not who I am here to meet."

    "Ah, of course." The board member said, forcing a smile onto his face. "Then if you and your escort would kindly follow me, we'll escort you to Chairman Yomaget."

    Damask nodded his consent and the board member turned to the honour guard. Two fell into step at the front, acting as way finders, while the other four waited for Damask and his guards to pass by before bringing up the rear.

    "Would you care for a tour of the city before we reach Mandalmotors headquarters?" The man asked once they'd left the landing pad.

    "Thank you, but no." Damask replied. "While I am sure there will be time for me to visit locations around the planet later, I would prefer to speak with the Chairman first."

    "As you wish."

    The large group moved through the bustling streets of Keldabe, though Damask was able to see that guards were stationed along their route to ensure none of the locals came too close to himself or his guards. A wise precaution as the Sun Guards and those who followed the Old Ways of the Mandalorians held no love for each other.

    However, as they headed down the main thoroughfare, and came into sight of Mandalmotor's headquarters, a loud noise came from a building to their left, followed shortly after by a man exiting the building through the window.

    That man landed at the feet of the front honour guard, who quickly and bluntly 'escorted' him from the road.

    "Is it always this… unruly?" Damask asked as he glanced at the cantina the man had been thrown from, the air pungent with the smell of food and alcohol.

    "Yes, though this is a rather unusual day." The board member replied, fighting to keep a small smile from his face as he remembered his part in the festivities the previous day. "A new warrior has joined our ranks. Though not born on our worlds, the Jedi proved himself by slaying a greater krayt dragon single-handedly."

    Damask's brow rose as he turned to face the board member. "A Jedi Padawan slew such a beast alone?" The man nodded and seemed to stand taller as Damask gazed down at him. "I have heard that such beasts are all but immune to lightsabers. Most impressive that a Padawan was able to take one down."

    The board member smiled. "Oh, he didn't use the Jedi weapon. The b… warrior took it down as our traditions demand, with nothing but a single blade. During the hunt he respected our ways and laws, not using the powers a Jedi is known for."

    Damask tiled his head. "Indeed? Hmm, then if it is at all possible, I would like to meet this young Jedi. Someone with such skill, courage and uniqueness has the potential to be a valuable ally."

    The board member's smile slipped a touch before he replied. "Sadly, the boy is off-world with his Jedi trainers. However, if your meeting with Chairman Yomaget goes well, he may be able to speak with Duke Adonai Kryze to arrange a meeting. The duke is the one who sponsored the boy's training with our youngest warriors."

    Damask chuckled, which was a strange sound because of the mask. "Using my curiosity as a potential benefit. Very wise. Though we will see how my meeting with your superior goes before I make any requests to him or this duke."

    Without another word, Damask began to walk once more. The board member had to move quickly to both keep up with the alien and avoid being trampled by the powerful Munn's guard.

    … …

    … …

    As I looked at the large door that sealed the Vault of the Preserver, once more my mind wandered as I contemplated what could be within. It turned out that the vault was located below Clan Ordo's ancestral estate (which was in a mountain region in the northern hemisphere of the planet) so getting to it from the estate where we were staying was easy enough. That is if you overlook the fact that it took twenty minutes of heading down into the mountain tunnels before we arrived at the vault doors.

    "There's no lock." I commented as my eyes wandered the large (about five by three metres) slab of beskar – it was easy to tell that as the metal had the distinctive ripple effect common to the metal – that served as the door to the vault and completely covered the entrance; sliding into the walls at the edges of the tunnel.

    "Aye, and the door, if one could call it that, is embedded about half a meter in all directions." Lady Asta explained from just behind me and to the right. "Previous generations scanned the door to confirm this, though none have risked opening the vault. To do so would insult the ancestors of our clan."

    Since the Ordo's expected me to be the one to open the door, they – along with Fay and Dooku – were standing behind me as I surveyed the door. The Ordo children had wished to come down with us, but Torrhen had made them stay with Baston Tyri and his two children, Jakada and Bryn, in the Ordo estate on the surface. Baston held the position of Laam'alverde (High Commander) within House Ordo's military forces and, from what I could gather from talking with both me and using Observe on them, Torrhen trusted Baston implicitly. I hadn't spent much time with Baston outside of the presence of Torrhen, Asta or my masters, but both his children had expressed an interest in sparring with me before I left the planet. (Which meant I'd received over sixty spar requests since my feast, though some were likely to be of a less than friendly form.)

    "The Force is unusually strong here." Fay commented, and I knew what she meant. As we'd entered the tunnels, I'd activated Sense Force and almost stumbled at the glare that appeared on my minimap from below. That glare had been caused by the vault we were now standing in front of. The Force seemed to swirl around the door, with a stronger presence coming from inside the vault. That had me curious as to just what Revan had done here to soak a cave so thoroughly in the Force. What object (or objects) was inside that even after millennia, could give off such a strong Force aura.

    "Perhaps that is how the vault has stayed sealed for all these years? It needs the presence of one strong in the Force to, at least partially, open the locks within." Dooku suggested. I turned to reply, only to stop at a growl.

    That growl had come from Torrhen's… companion (calling it a pet or familiar felt wrong). The thing was a Raqour'daan that came up to Torrhen's midsection and looked like a Force-cursed beast. The body was that of a large wolf that was covered in black fur, while the head was covered by an exposed skull (or what appeared to be one) and from the sockets where the eyes rested, two icy-blue eyes stared back at me. The beast's tail reminded me of a scorpion's stinger, and I was morbidly curious if the stinger at the tip carried venom. Apparently, Torrhen had killed one such beast for his verd'goten, only to discover three pups not long after. He'd brought them home and raised the trio as hunting hounds with the one with us today being the alpha (and only male of the initial three) of a pack of twelve. Everything about the beast yelled 'danger', so for Torrhen to take one as a companion made perfect sense to the Mandalorian way of thinking.

    I glanced back at the beast, and its eyes seemed to narrow as it saw me; almost as if it was sizing up a threat to its pack. It growled once more, only to stop as Torrhen idly stroked its fur. At that, it turns its attention to the duke, leaning into the hand and I shook my head at seeing such a dominant beast become so submissive and trusting towards the duke. The bond that existed between them reminded me of those between dog and soldier back in my old life, and while I wondered what it would be like to have such a thing as a companion, I seriously doubted that it would ever happen. There weren't many creatures in the galaxy that I knew of that were suitable or capable of being the companion of a Jedi save for those that were considered a threat by the Jedi Order to any Force Sensitive.

    "A former Jedi has tried to open it." Torrhen replied to Dooku's suggestion. "When Tarre Vizsla became Mand'alor, and he proved himself to the then leader of our clan, he was brought here and attempted to open the vault. He failed and stated that the vault was sealed with something called a Force signature, and while he could force his way through, he believed that doing so would risk the contents of the vault."

    I frowned at hearing that as I had no idea the Force could have a signature. Was it similar to a genetic marker that passed from parent to child? If so, then there was a fair chance I couldn't open the vault as my link to Revan was… diluted after four generations. If that was the case, then I'd just as likely have to leave the vault alone for now; though a part of me wanted to just phase through the door and see what was on the other side. Yes, doing that could get me in trouble with House Ordo, but so far, I'd failed to see or detect (via Force Sight) any cameras or other methods of detection, so it was an option for a later date. Yet, the more I stood staring at the unopenable door, the more I had a feeling that I had to get in there; as if something within the Force was calling to me.

    "Unusual. Such things are almost unheard of in the Order." Dooku commented and I suspected he was stroking his beard. "Though, if I recall my history correctly, they were once used by powerful Jedi to seal away important objects for safekeeping."

    "They were, but even when I was a Padawan, such things were rare." Fay added on. "Though I do remember there being rumours that Lord Hoth had one such vault hidden somewhere in or near the Yushan Sector. However, no one has ever come forward claiming to have found it." She paused and I soon felt her hand on my shoulder. "Given to the link that Canderous Ordo held with your ancestor, I suspect that only you have any chance of opening this door."

    I turned my head just enough that I could see her. "How?"

    Fay smiled, in that enigmatic way she loved to use whenever she felt an answer was obvious. "Trust in the Force. It has guided you here for a reason. Both Master Dooku and I can sense that."

    "Indeed." Dooku added from my left. "The Force feels almost… excited by us being here and since that is because of your choice to come to this sector, I am in agreement with Master Fay that you are the one meant to open this door."

    I nodded as I turned my attention back to the slab of beskar (and ignored the returning thought about how much such a slab would be worth; financially and culturally) and watched as the Force seemed to dance around the door. With Sense Force active, it was like the aurora borealis dialled up to a thousand as the Force moved, shimmied, and slid over the door. There were no colours, but I could almost feel every ripple, shift, and change in the Force. Though as I stared at it further, I noticed that some of these ripples weren't running along the door, but through it. I couldn't tell how far past the door the Force currents seemed to run, but I was quickly becoming certain that there was more to this door than met the eye and tried to focus on the Force just past the door.

    I inhaled sharply as I did, as the Force seemed to react to my gentle push and reach back to grasp me. Yet, there was more to it, something almost familiar to the current in the Force that had reacted to my presence. No, currents because as I edged forward in the Force, I was able to feel that the current was actually two; similar yet distinct enough that I could now tell them apart.

    Quickly I was able to place the first, stronger yet more subdued aura as that of Revan's. Even though I couldn't explain how, I knew this aura was his. The other presence was both more familiar, yet not, which made my brow crease in confusion.

    If I was understanding what I was sensing (and quite frankly, what I was sensing was insane), then it felt as though Revan's aura was… amused by me being here. Yet even though that should've been my focus – this was Revan we were talking about after all – my attention was drawn to the second aura. While Revan's… spirit (for lack of a better word) seemed to be content to acknowledge my presence and find amusement in it, the second aura seemed to reach out and wrap itself around me. I inhaled sharply as I swore that I felt delight from that aura, and it seemed to almost be singing in the Force; music that vibrated through my very soul and made me feel safe, protected and home.

    "Cameron?" Fay asked, a hint of confusion in her voice and in the Force, along with, strangely, a faint sense of amusement.

    "I-I'm fine, master." I replied slowly, trying to not verbally react to the almost ancestral presence in the Force as it moved to all but encircle me; almost as if it was trying to hug me. "This place… it was made by Revan. But there's something else here. Or someone. I, I don't know how to …" I stumbled over my words because I had no way to describe what I was sensing and feeling through the Force.

    I felt Fay's hand on my shoulder tighten and sensed her support through our bond. "Explaining how the Force is, how it moves, flows and behaves is not easy to do with mere words. It is a wonderous thing that only those touched by it can truly comprehend. Now, these… residual spirits that you feel, do they seem friendly and inviting?"

    "I think so. I mean, the older one, the one I think is… a left-over sense of Revan, that one seems amused by me. The other one though… I feel as if I know it." I replied slowly, taking my time to try and put my thoughts – and what I was sensing – into something that should make sense to my masters, and as I spoke, I swore I felt the second, more familiar spirit laugh; or at least I sensed a massive spike in joy and warmth from it. "This… it's incredible."

    "The Force often is." Dooku stated and I could sense amusement from him, Fay, and the two residual presences within the vault. "This second presence, why do you think that you know it?"

    "I… It's familiar. As if I know who it is, yet I can't place it with anyone I've ever known." I replied, still taking my time with my words as I gently reached out further into the Force, and felt this ancestral aura seem to dance around my probe. "They… They're a part of me, I think. Yet…"

    I gasped as the aura seemed to grab my Force probe and pulled it towards the door.

    "Cameron."​

    I swore I heard something whispering in the deepest parts of my mind, speaking in a voice that I instinctively knew. Yet, I also knew I'd never heard it before. Though before I could try and process why I knew the voice, the aura shifted and drew back to the door; yet it was also trying to pull me, or at least then tendril I probed into the Force with, along for the ride.

    Trusting in the Force, I let my probe be pulled towards the door and felt as the aura guided me around the metal. Feeling the Force seep through the bonds of the Mandalorian Iron door was… beyond words. The aura led my Force tendril (and even as I thought about it, I knew my words to describe what was going on were lacking, yet there was nothing else I could use) through the door, then over to the left wall. There it seemed to dance around in a certain manner, but before I could understand why it was behaving like this, my tendril was pulled once more; this time to a point that I instinctively knew was right against the wall.

    This new location… was both stronger in the Force, and yet lacking, which made no sense. Yet, as I tried to understand how that could be, the aura that was guiding me began to repeat the strange dance. As if a switch had been flicked in my mind, I understood what I had to do, and copied the motions of the dancing aura. As I finished the strange, ethereal dance, I heard something click.

    "Wh-what?" Asta muttered, but I paid her no heed, instead keeping all my focus on the Force, and this strange, ancestral aura that now seemed to glow with delight.

    As I pulled back from what I now knew was something like a Force lock (though how such a thing even worked, I had no clue), the ancestral aura shifted back as Revan's… spirit came closer. For what felt like an eternity, Revan's aura seemed to gaze upon my presence in the Force. The ancestral aura tried to come closer, but a dark spark from Revan's spirit made it keep its distance. During this I kept my body and Force presence calm; or as calm as I could under the pressure I somehow was feeling from Revan's aura.

    Eventually, Revan's aura seemed to accept me, and shifted around; seemingly dragging my tendril with it to the other side of the vault near the door. There it stopped and, if I understood what was going on, was gesturing at something for me to deal with. Slowly, I let my tendril in the Force shift towards where Revan's aura was indicating and felt… something cold, dead, yet not. This was obviously another lock of some sort, but unlike the last one, it didn't have the Force flowing around it as if at one with the Force. Instead, it was almost as if it was challenging me, trying to draw me closer.

    A moment later I realised that this lock needed me to touch the Dark Side, or at least not reject it, to have any chance of opening it. Plus, it seemed Revan (or at least his aura) wasn't prepared to help me, and I was forced to push towards the lock; taking on the challenge that I could sense in the Force. It took me much longer to figure out this lock – which wasn't a surprise – but eventually, I managed to move it in the right way and I heard a second click echo through the tunnel.

    A loud hiss filled my ears, and I yanked back the tendril I'd extended into the Force and opened my eyes to see the giant slab of beskar that served as the door of the vault shift. My hand moved to my lightsaber as the door slid silently into the left wall, watching cautiously for any further traps that might be inside. Even once the door was over halfway into the wall and ceased to move, I stayed still. There was no way that the door was only opened by two locks that required the Force to use. That was too simple (and at the same time illogical) for people like Canderous and Revan to use.

    And I was proved right as when someone behind me shone a light into the vault, we were greeted by a second door; though this one didn't appear to be made of beskar as it lacked the distinctive ripples the metal was known for. And further unlike the first door, it clearly opened centrally and had a device of some form locking the two halves in place.

    Cautiously, I – followed by the others – stepped through the first door and approached the lock on the second.

    "That looks like a simple blood lock with a verbal interface." Torrhen commented once we were all between the two doors and he shone his torch on the lock. "Though I'm not sure about the wiring running into the door."

    "Probably a trigger trap." Asta suggested from her husband's side. "In his place, I'd have done something like that."

    "If that is the case, how can we be sure of whose blood will deactivate the lock?" Dooku asked as I felt Fay reach out with the Force, likely searching for a hint of how to approach this obstacle.

    Before anyone could answer, the lock beeped, and a small display activated.

    "Ara'novor bal cuyir haatyc." The lock spoke in the voice of Canderous. "Jorhaa'ir te resonl'nare bal jor'lekir gar tal."

    "Well, that's nice and clear." I muttered as I easily understood that it wanted someone to approach, repeat the Resonl'nare – the Mandalorian creed – and submit blood for a check. "Save for who it wants to approach."

    "I suspect it is you, Chief Cameron." Asta commented after a long pause followed my statement. "You were the one to open the outer door. Logic dictates that it should be you to open the inner one."

    "Why not you or your husband?" Dooku asked as I kept my focus on the lock. I activated Force Sight and examined the lock, but found nothing untoward, and then followed the cables that ran into the door.

    "No. Our duty was to protect the vault, not help to open it. We were not needed for the first door, so I doubt we're needed for the second." Asta replied but my attention was on the cables.

    Through the Force, I could see them split into twelve lines. Four curved back towards the first door while the other eight headed deeper into the vault. I turned my head to follow the ones that curved behind us and found all ended in small (twenty by twenty centimetres) boxes at the four corners of the outer door. While I couldn't be certain what was in those boxes, I had a fair idea.

    "Padawan?" Fay asked and I turned to face her, deactivating Force Sight as I did. The last time I'd used that power on a strong Force user I'd almost mentally blinded myself from the glow I could sense.

    "The cable in the lock leads to four points near the outer door, and at least eight further in." I replied. While that was more than most Force users would be able to determine in such a short space of time, my masters knew I was 'skilled' at sensing such things now while the Ordo's wouldn't realise that I was faster than your average Jedi. "At a guess, I'd say they're explosive charges. An incorrect blood scan, or failure to recite the Resonl'nare will likely set them off."

    "Probably something any Mandalorian would do." Torrhen said in agreement.

    I turned back to the lock and sighed dramatically. "Well, who wants to live forever?"

    "I was hoping to live to a hundred, but osik, what's the point in living if you can't live dangerously." Asta answered my rhetorical question with a chuckle, and it drew one from me as I slid my hand into the small slot that I assumed was a blood scanner.

    A light flickered in the slot then the screen bleeped and displayed the Mando'a word for ten. "How droll. A countdown." I commented with a roll of my eyes. "Ba'jur bal beskar'gam, Ara'nov, aliit, Mando'a bal Mand'alor. An vencuyan mhi." I said clearly, repeating the creed of the Mandalorians in their tongue (as there was little chance the recording would ask for it in Basic).

    The screen stopped its count (it was at six) as the light scanning my hand flickered off. Taking that as my cue, I pulled my hand out and stepped back, my left hand slowly tightening around my lightsaber. While I didn't expect any more challenges to enter the vault, I wasn't going to be caught unawares.

    Thankfully though, I was just being paranoid, and the second door clicked – likely due to the latches holding it together unlocked – then slid back slowly. The door wasn't as silent as most other doors were (or the first) but that might just be an issue of age with the locking mechanism.

    "Osi'kar!" Torrhen muttered as his and Asta's torches shone over the vault as they, and the rest of us, realised that this wasn't a simple vault with a single room (or cavern) but an extended section of tunnel that led on about ten metres before turning to the right. However, what drew my eye (thanks to Sense Force) were two small crates that were resting on a pallet about a metre or so into the tunnel. Both had a faint glow within the Force, though the first crate felt… safer than the second.

    "Cameron." Fay called out in caution as I began to step forward, but my focus was on the crates. A feeling told me that, while both crates were important, the first was more… linked to me. Though how I knew that I still didn't understand. The Force was such a strange and mysterious thing that I knew (even if it seemed to want to help me change the fate of the galaxy) it would take me decades to even begin to understand. Force, Fay had been living in tune with it for centuries, and there were still times when I sensed her surprise at something we sensed through the Force.

    Slowly, I stepped closer to the first crate, and after a moment checking that there were no booby-traps on it (and examining it with Sense Force), used the Force to lift the lid off with a simple gesture.

    There were several objects inside, my eyes were drawn to the first (and topmost) object. It was a standard holocron, yet something told me it was important. The ancestral aura I'd sensed in the Force – the one that'd helped me open the first lock on the outer door – was present in the holocron, and I knew this would explain why I felt I should know whose presence in the Force I was sensing.

    Almost on autopilot, I reached out and lifted the holocron. Whatever residual Force presence there was inside flared at my touch, and I gasped and the surge that ran through me. As it did, I realised that this aura wasn't just familiar, it was familial; and close family at that.

    "Cameron?" Fay asked, trying to draw my attention (and I could sense concern and curiosity from her through the Force), but my focus stayed locked on the holocron in my hand. I closed my eyes and reached out for it in the Force. It seemed to almost revel in my touch, and slowly I pushed through the Force, trying to tease the holocron to open.

    As it flared brightly in the Force, I opened my eyes and gasped as the image of a woman (no more than thirty centimetres in height) was projected on the top of the holocron. It was hard to judge the height, eye and hair colour from a small hologram, but there was no denying she was beautiful, having an almost regal air to her and stood with a strong, but weary stance.

    "My name is Ressa Shan, Jedi Knight, and if you are seeing this, then I am likely dead."

    I inhaled sharply at hearing her name as everything about the aura in the Force I'd been sensing clicked together. This was my mum; or at least the woman who'd given birth to Cameron Shan before I'd… merged (?) with him and altered his destiny.

    "Know that what I did, in falsifying my son's records and hiding him away with my father, was all for a reason." Ressa continued as my mind wondered why the auras of my 'mother' and Revan hadn't sensed there was something different about me. When I'd spoken to his ghost in the crystal cave on Ilum, Revan had realised that I wasn't entirely his descendent. So why hadn't the aura he'd left in the Force here react to that? And why hadn't my mother's aura noticed something was different as well?

    "Though since only my Cameron, or one of his children, could access this message, then I can be happy that it was all worth it." Ressa smiled and I cursed whatever power had decided that this beautiful woman had to die so that I could be reborn here. Would it have hurt anyone to have allowed her to live and raise me before I'd been driven into the future (and the era I'd chosen when I'd created my new history/body)?

    "My dearest Cameron, if you are watching this, then I need you to know that I'm so, so sorry that I couldn't be there for you. That I couldn't train you in the ways of the Force, watch you grow, become a great man and, I hope, if you haven't already, one day have children of your own. And if I am speaking to one of my grandchildren, or further down the family tree, then know that I loved my son, and that everything I did was to protect him." She paused and her eyes seemed to scan the room as if looking for someone from beyond the grave. "If my son, or his descendent is here with a Jedi Master, or another willing to train them in the ways of the Force, you have my deepest and warmest thanks."

    "It has been our honour, Knight Shan." Dooku replied, showing respect to a woman long since dead, and even if I couldn't see him, I knew he had bowed to the recording of my mother.

    Ressa's hologram – for some reason, it felt wrong to keep referring to her as my mother – shifted, and her shoulders dropped. "My sweet little Cameron. If it is you listening to this message, then I must beg your forgiveness; for both leaving you with my father as a baby, and for hiding your strength in the Force from the Jedi." She sighed and looked down to one side, rubbing her arm as she did so. "You see your father… he was not who I believed him to be."

    "I… I met him about four years before you were born, not long after I became a Knight, on a world deep in the Outer Rim; one that had once been a part of Exar Kun's Sith Empire though, by the time I arrived, it had been a part of the Republic for centuries." She paused and took a breath, seemingly to steady herself and I felt a cold shiver travel down my spine. Something told me that what she was about to reveal was not going to be comforting. "He was older than me. Heh, almost as old as my father, yet there was this… air to him. Something regal, noble. And while he wasn't trained at the Temple, he was well trained in the Force, if seemingly lacking in strength in the Force, and claimed that he'd been a Padawan of a travelling Jedi several decades before. Like a fool, I believed him even though the chances of that were remote." She shook her head. "I should've seen the truth, should've questioned more about the chances of such a meeting taking place, but in my youth; in my arrogance, I didn't."

    "As time went by, and we travelled together, I quickly fell for him and not long after I realised that I was pregnant with Cameron, something happened. While dealing with pirates on an outer rim world, we were overrun and, in a moment of anger, the man unleashed his full strength in the Force. His power… was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Pure, controlled fury that obliterated the pirates." She sighed again, still rubbing her arm. "It was at that moment I knew I'd been fooled. The man I'd fallen for was not a Jedi, but a Sith Lord. One of incredible power who I believe had sought me out due to my heritage." I heard Fay inhale sharply and sensed a spike in concern from Dooku at the reveal of my father being a Sith.

    And where the fuck was that mentioned in the life setup options?

    "Keeping quiet about what had happened, and doing my best to shield my thoughts, I was able to slip away from the man one night. Though it was a close thing as, while my shuttle was leaving the planet, he unleashed a Force Storm that ignited the atmosphere of the planet. I escaped, but even though there should've been little chance that he survived his attack, I took no chances."

    "I… I didn't feel safe leaving you with the Order." Her eyes darted up as if looking for something before they returned to looking at the floor in front of her. That man… your father, H-he was more powerful than any of the Masters at the Temple, and possibly all of them combined. So, after you were born, I faked your Force potential check, dropped you with my father then disappeared. I… I wish… that I could've seen you grow; seen you become a man that I know in my heart will help those in need, but I couldn't risk it. The Sith would be after me."

    "I'm leaving my personal holocron, along with several other objects for my son here, in this vault set up by Revan and Canderous in the hope that one day, you may find them, Cameron. That you can forgive me for what I've done and can stay safe from Kadir."

    For the first time since Ressa had begun her recounting, she stood tall, and her eyes were searching for something as if she was trying to reach out across the millennia to speak directly to me.

    "I wish that I could've been there to see you grow, my sweet, sweet boy. To see you take your first steps, get into your first fight, construct your first lightsaber and become the man that I know in my heart you are destined to be, but it couldn't happen. I know there is every chance you cannot forgive me for what I've done, but everything has been to protect you, to set you on a path that I, and the Force, feel is the correct one. Everything I have done is because I love you, my darling boy. May the Force be with you, always."

    The message flickered off, but I continued to stare at the holocron, trying to process what I'd just learnt. I didn't know if this Sith was influenced by The Powers That Be to seek out my mother, or if that had been what was supposed to have happened to Cameron before I merged/replaced him but learning that my father was a Sith was… a shock to the system. I didn't know of any active Sith during those years, though thanks to my time at the Temple, I was aware that about two hundred years after I 'left' the past, a powerful Sith Empire attacked the Jedi and Republic - even being able to occupy Coruscant for a while - so my father might have been an advanced scout for that empire.

    The other big issue with this reveal (beyond the thoughts about what Kadir had been like as a person – Sith of no, he had been my father) was how the Jedi in general – and the High Council in particular -would react to this. Something told me that if they found out about this, then my chances of altering the future – and thus, preventing the rise of Sidious' Empire – would be… restricted.

    "Cameron?" I turned at Fay's voice and felt her hand as she gently touched my shoulder. "How are you handling this?" I turned to face her while still holding my Ressa's holocron.

    "I…" I licked my lips and sighed. "I don't know. Knowing my mum seemingly died to protect me is bittersweet, but learning my father was a Sith… The Council will not like that."

    Dooku almost snorted at my comment. "I see you are learning the art of understatement." I couldn't keep the smirk from my lips as he continued. "The Council will only learn of this if, and only if, Master Fay and I believe they need to know." He paused and glanced away for a moment before continuing. "The actions of one's parents have no bearing on the child. All the mistakes, triumphs and everything in-between belongs only to the parents, with the child being no more than an observer to them. To judge you for the choices made by a man you have never met would be… unworthy of educated beings."

    "Yes. This is a private matter that you, and you alone, have to come to terms with." Fay added as I felt a wave of reassurance from her through the Force. "While this news is… troubling, you have never known your father, nor are you bound to follow his path simply because you share his genetics."

    "Okay." I mumbled out as I turned my attention back to the holocron. The Force, while now calmer, was still swirling around the object. I felt as though there was more stored within it for me to learn; about Ressa, my family and the Force. Yet, I knew this wasn't the time nor place to see. Still, I used Observe on the holocron before I slipped it into one of the inner pockets my robes had.
    ​
    Ressa Shan's Holocron
    The personal holocron of Jedi Knight Ressa Shan.
    Served as a diary and knowledge storage unit for Knight Shan for over a decade.
    HP: 200
    Rarity: Unique
    Value: 15000
    Energy Value: 25000
    Special Features:
    Almost unlimited storage capacity.
    The knowledge within is protected by a 'gatekeeper'.
    …    ​
    ​
    ​
    The almost unlimited storage space was something I'd seen on other holocrons (something to do with the Force and how they worked I suspected), and the Hit Points, Value and Energy Value – which I still had no ideas as to its function, though it wasn't how much Force Power I could push into an object as I'd tried that on a few things without success – values were in-line with other holocrons as well.

    Then again, the only holocron I'd played around with was the Sith apprentice's holocron that I'd grabbed before ending up in this era. With that, I'd been reluctant to spend too much time delving into what it contained. While it had belonged to only a Sith apprentice, it was still an object soaked in the Dark Side (making it hard to open when always around Jedi), thus I'd only browsed the more… surface information contained within. Still, I felt better having in my Inventory than being locked away in a vault in the Jedi Temple (with whatever other objects deemed 'tainted by the Dark Side' the Council had locked away over the millennia).

    As I dropped the holocron into a large pocket, I lamented that my standard robes had a limited number of pockets. There was certainly not anything big enough to holster my new short sword, though that was hardly a surprise. Said blade was currently back at the Ordo estate as neither of my masters felt I'd require it for the vault. Both were less than thrilled that I even had it with me, but to leave it back on (the planet) Mandalore would've been - according to Duke Adonai - an insult to his clan; and that of Clan Ordo as they commissioned the sheath.

    One thing I did plan to have made - once I was knighted - was a set of robes made from the dragon skin that had more pockets than a normal robe. If not for my Inventory, I'd have to have left many things (not least my lightsaber shoto when I didn't keep it secured with a magnetic clamp) behind, or have them stored in a rucksack that would be unusual for a Jedi to carry.

    Turning my attention back to the crate, the next thing that caught my eye was a simple, if slightly old, datapad. A quick check confirmed it still had power, and I turned it on.

    The screen flickered and took longer to start than was normal, but given to its age and lack of activity, that wasn't unexpected. What was, was the picture that appeared. It showed Ressa, her hair matted against her skull, holding a bundle. I gasped as I realised this was me, or at least my body, being born and again my mind wondered if this boy would've been born if not for me choosing to be inserted into this universe as a descendent of Revan.

    Still, even if this woman wasn't technically my mother, I still felt a connection to her; and given to the way her aura had reacted to me, that extended into the Force. Slowly, taking care in case my touch might break the ancient datapad, I ran my finger down the screen. It was clear that this photo was taken not long after my 'birth', and it should've been a happy moment to see. Yet, my mind was quickly drawn back to who my father was, and the fact that not long after this Ressa was forced to place 'me' with her father and run away. A swell of anger grew in me at realising that Sith had stolen 'my' childhood, yet I was quickly able to dismiss it. The fault likely was my own because of my choices before my rebirth, so any anger should be directed at myself and not a Sith that was long dead.

    Part of me wanted to spend more time looking at the picture – and any other pictures or data that might be on the datapad – I knew it was something I could do at a later date. So, being careful with the ancient datapad, I placed it down gently on the unopened second crate and returned my focus to what was in the first.

    The next thing I picked up was a narrow but long case that reminded me of those fancy cases for expensive pens from my old life. Continuing to be careful due to the contents of the crate being millennia-old, I lifted the small case. After discovering the lock, it opened with a hiss; signalling that whatever was inside had been sealed away to preserve it.

    Inside was a lock of light brown hair held together by braids.

    "Her Padawan braid." Dooku offered from just behind and to my right. "To many, it's an important link to their past and a reminder that no matter what they have done, there is always more to learn and understand about the Force."

    I heard his words, and I lifted a finger towards the braid. I didn't touch it – concerned that doing so might damage it in some way – but instead, I traced from the yellow band and one end to the red at the other. In between red, blue, and green beads that, if the meaning held the same back then as it did now, she had been a Jedi Consular and skilled with a lightsaber and in a cockpit. There were also a few white beads, but those were not used by the current Order, so I was unsure as to their meaning.

    As my finger traced down the braid, I swore I felt a residual… spark in the Force. As if it was another attempt by Ressa to reach out across the years to connect with me. I smiled at the idea, and my hand drifted to my necklace. While not made directly for me, the braid felt as though it should be with me, just as the necklace did.

    Still, there was more in the crate to examine, so I closed the small case – making sure to reseal the lock – then placed it on the second crate. Looking back into the first crate, I noticed a pile of credits that while old, I would still be able to add to my Inventory, thus allowing me to draw them as 'new' credits if the need arose. I'd already done that with credits I'd discovered under the Jedi Temple and proved worked by withdrawing the entire stored credit reserve in private a few days later.

    I shifted the credit pile to the side and found a small box, no bigger than my fist, buried beneath them. Curious as to why Ressa would've done that, I pulled the box out of the crate. The box was nondescript, but inside was a small light blue crystal that looked the right size to place in a lightsaber.

    "A rather common colour." Dooku commented in a quiet voice. Whether that was out of respect for the intimacy of my looking through my 'mother's' possessions or because he didn't want his voice to carry to the Ordo's (who were near the second door, possibly examining the explosive trigger system Canderous had set up. I couldn't say. "Though I sense an unusual ripple in the Force from it."

    Something about the colour and what Dooku said stirred a memory in me and my mind was drawn, as if by someone else, to the moment Bastila had confronted Darth Revan abroad his flagship. Revan's lightsaber engaged, and I felt a slight tremor in the Force. My curiosity piqued, I used Observe on the crystal.

    ​
    Mantle of the Force
    (Unique Force Crystal)
    One of two legendary Force crystals linked with Revan.
    While the origins of this crystal have been lost to the ages, the potential it possesses has not.
    HP: 20
    Rarity: Unique
    Value: 50000
    Energy Value: 1000
    Special Features:
    Enhances the benefits of any other crystals used in a lightsaber.
    Grants a small increase in the potency of an attuned user's Force abilities.
    Attuned Users:
    Revan (95%)
    Bastila Shan (4%)
    Ressa Shan (1%)
    …
    NOTICE:
    Attuning Force-touched objects that are attuned to others is more difficult than those that are unattuned.
    Time to attune varies depending on the strength of attunement, the Force potential of the former user, and the inclination of a Force presence to allow re-attunement.
    …    ​
    ​
    ​
    I managed to stop myself gasping at realising I was holding one of the two crystals Revan was linked to, and silently wondered how and when Ressa had managed to obtain it. Either it had been given to her by my 'father' (hinting that Revan had died fighting whatever Sith Order he had come from), or it was given to Ressa by either my grandfather or Bastila.

    "You recognize this crystal?" Dooku asked, indicating that while I'd not reacted outwardly, my masters had sensed my shock through our bond.

    "I, I think, this is one of Revan's crystals." I began, rapidly concocting a story in my head about how to explain what I knew. "I saw images of the crystals he used in his lightsaber and… when I picked it up I thought I saw an image of him wielding it in my mind." I paused and slowly lifted the small crystal out of the box. "The Force feels… familiar within, though not in the same way it does with my mother's holocron. If it is what I think, then this is the crystal known as the Mantle of the Force."

    I heard Fay inhale sharply and felt spikes of shock and curiosity in the Force from both my masters.

    "How certain of this are you?" Dooku asked slowly as I turned and gently handed the crystal to Fay.

    "The colour matches, and the Force… It feels like I'm right. Though I won't know until I place it in a lightsaber." I stated as Fay brushed a finger over the contours of the crystal.

    "To think that this might be that crystal… That it might be real…" Fay paused and a faint, disbelieving chuckle escaped her lips. "Never did I think the day would come when it might be proven to be real." She handed it back to me and met my eyes. "If this is indeed the Mantle of the Force, then it calls into question many of the official records surrounding Revan, Malak and the Old Republic Insurrection."

    "Agreed. Though until we can confirm such a thing, if we are able to, then none of our fellow Jedi will be willing to question the official story regarding Revan." Dooku added.

    While I kept my eyes on the Mantle, I wondered about what he was talking about. The records that I'd been allowed to browse within the Archives were accurate, if simplistic, regarding Revan, Bastila, Malak and everyone linked to them during their lifetime.

    "To many, the idea that two crystals with such supposedly strong presences in the Force would gravitate to a man who was once a Sith Lord is considered… heretical." Dooku explained, probably having sensed my confusion.

    "What about the Star Forge?" I asked, wondering at the apparent idiocy of the Jedi. "Do they consider that merely an act of theatricality in the story of Revan?" Now, there were mentions of it in the records I'd been allowed to read about my family, but it was glossed over heavily; either because the information was restricted, or they simply failed to believe such a station was possible. Around me the Force shifted, and I wondered if this was Revan's residual presence reacting to my questions. Force knew he wasn't a fan of the Jedi Council in his time, and likely in mine as well.

    "Yes and No." Fay replied as I placed the crystal back in its box. "While the Jedi and Republic were present for the destruction of the Star Forge, and the Jedi confirmed that the station was strong in the Dark Side of the Force, there is som..."

    "SHAB!"

    Fay's words were cut off by Torrhen's loud curse. Making sure I still had a firm grip on the Mantle's box, I turned and saw that the duke and his wife had moved further into the cavern. Since they weren't in visual range, but no more than twenty metres away according to my Detection boosted minimap, it was safe to assume they'd headed further into the vault while Fay Dooku and myself had spoken about Ressa's Padawan braid and the Mantle.

    "I believe our hosts have found something of significance." Dooku commented, which made me chuckle. While Dooku was often solemn, he had a dry sense of humour and a knack for understatement that I found refreshing when compared to other Jedi. "Perhaps we should see what they've discovered."

    Fay nodded her agreement, and I reluctantly placed the case with Ressa's Padawan braid back in the first crate. I slid the Mantle's box into my robes as there was no way I was risking that being left behind. While I hadn't opened the second crate (and there was the faintest hint of the Dark Side coming from it, I suspected that whatever Torrhen had found would be interesting – plus I could always search that crate later.

    It only took us a minute to reach the bend in the cavern and see the two heads of Clan Ordo. Both were standing over several small pallets holding small blocks of metal. As we came closer, and I noticed the distinctive ripple pattern in the metal, I let out a small whistle in astonishment.

    "How much is there?" I asked, indicating the beskar that sat on the pallets.

    Asta turned to face us, a block of the rare (and culturally significant) metal in her hand. "Enough for a squad to get full armour, maybe a bit more."

    "A most impressive haul." Dooku commented and Asta nodded in agreement.

    "Yes, but this datapad…" Torrhen began as he turned around to also face us, and I spotted a pad in his hand (one that seemed to be trembling slightly). "This… it's a recording from Te Taylir Mand'alor." I felt my brow rise at hearing there was a message from Canderous waiting for us to find. "I watched the start, but it's only to be played in the presence of the heads of Clan Ordo… and Clan Shan."

    My brow rose almost to my hairline – and I absently flicked away a lock of hair that had fallen over my cheek – at hearing that the message was for my clan. Especially since until a few days ago Clan Shan had never held any members. Had Canderous and Revan known that I would one day stand here, or had The Powers That Be done something (in conjunction with the Force) to arrange this?

    I dismissed the second idea almost instantly. The Powers That Be hadn't shown any interest in directly influencing what I did, or where I went (at least I didn't think they had). However, the Force may have been able to… influence events to increase the chances of this haul being something I might discover.

    Torrhen's lip twitched as he watched my reaction to the revelation about who the message was for. "Aye. I wondered the same thing. If they knew that we'd one day all be standing here." He shook his head as he continued. "Then again, I know nothing about how the Force works beyond it giving you Jedi impressive powers."

    "The Force… does not tell us what to do," Fay began slowly as if measuring her words, "but it can help one trained to interact with it… glimpse possible events. Or gently suggest something that it feels we need to do or places we might want to visit." She paused and I felt her eyes on me. "Then again, it does seem to have… more ideas for Cameron to use than most Jedi."

    The Ordos shared a look, and I could understand it easily. Before being reborn, the idea that some… thing could gently influence events on a galactic scale was… insane and terrifying at the same time. Though now that I'd at least spent a few years using and meditating in the Force, I could also see that how Fay described it was accurate… if one used the limited words that existed in Basic.

    "The recording?" I asked, getting the conversation back on track.

    "Right." Torrhen lifted the pad and pressed a finger to the screen.

    "To those who do not know my voice, I was born Canderous of Clan Ordo, yet by the time of this recording, I have claimed the title of Mand'alor of my people." The gruff, no-nonsense voice of Canderous began and I felt a shiver of excitement shoot up my spine. Just like with other famous characters, to hear that voice for real for the first time was something that would never get old (I hoped). "Several years ago, just before he vanished into the Unknown Regions, Revan came to me with warnings of a dark future. One that would bring ruin to the Republic and my people. At first, I was sceptical. Even after my becoming Mand'alor, the Mando'ade are still a broken, scattered people. A darker fate for them I could not imagine, nor did I care about the fate of the Republic."

    "Yet, as we spoke about his visions… I became angered by what he told me would befall my people." A hint of anger was now clear in his voice, and I wondered if Revan had glimpsed what befell the Mandalorians during the Clone Wars, or if there was an even darker future that came afterwards. "To reject our culture, our ways… My blood hungered for vengeance against the dar'manda. Yet, Revan told me this, and that a great evil that would plunge the galaxy into darkness and leave it vulnerable to other threats, would happen long after both of us had passed on. Yet, in this darkness, as it began to grow, Revan claimed to see a… spark of hope." He paused and a brief, wounded laugh came from the pad.

    "Hope. Until I met Revan, that is Revan before either of us knew he was Revan, my hope had died on Malachor. Yet, the very man who had destroyed my hope and had shattered my people was the one to restore that hope. For him, for my brother in arms, I would burn the galaxy to the ground."

    "So, after he convinced me about this… future, we began to plan. Revan, thank Manda, was never your typical Jedi; never one to place false faith in their vaunted Force that things would simply become 'good'. Thus, this vault was what we decided upon."

    "I do not know if those who hear my message will be the ones Revan saw in his vision, this light in the darkness. But I know that only one worthy of his name, and the descendants of my clan, are the only ones I would trust with my offering to the future."

    "Here, I have gathered what I could without arousing the suspicion of my people. The beskar was salvaged from those who tried and failed to challenge my right to rule, who wished to lead us back into a war we cannot win. Not now. The wealth within... Heh. Let's just say I knew several people around the galaxy who were willing to donate to the cause. We are not, nor never should've been, scavengers, mercenaries and rabid kath hounds. I trust those who find this understand that and learn from the failings my predecessors as Mand'alor made."

    "Revan prepared his own items, in a cave nearby, for this light in his vision. I'm sure it will be a surprise to see what he's arranged. Those items, no one but the heirs of Revan are to touch. This I proclaim as Mand'alor. Any Mando'ade who dares try to claim them are unworthy of the name."

    Torrhen and Asta both gave me a nod, accepting that whatever Revan had left (and my curiosity was growing by the second) was mine, and mine alone. Hopefully, my masters would also agree to that.

    "Contained on this datapad are… a final gift from myself to my people and the Heir of Revan. Everything on here is to be shared equally between my clan, Clan Shan, and whoever is worthy to claim the title of Mand'alor. Oya Manda!"

    "Oya, Manda!" The words left my mouth almost instantly, as they did from the Ordos and Fay (which was unexpected) and as Torrhen and Asta moved closer – likely to see what was on the datapad I looked around for this cavern where Revan had stored his gifts.

    I spotted the cavern to my left and took a step towards it only to stop. I glanced back at the datapad. A feeling had me suspecting that whatever was on that pad would be more valuable to my plans than whatever Revan had left for me. And possibly could help alter the course of the galaxy.

    "Go. See what the destroyer has left you." Asta said. I turned to see she'd looked up from the pad at me, a slight smile creeping onto her face. "Torrhen and I will review the datapad then speak with you later about what it contains." She shifted her gaze to look at my masters. "That business is between Clan Shan and Clan Ordo and is an internal matter for Mandalorians."

    "While Cameron is a Jedi, and our Padawan, we understand that this is an internal matter between two Mandalorian clans. Therefore, we will not be present for any meeting, nor request that we know what you have decided. However, I would hope that we may at least know the generalities of what is discussed." Fay replied diplomatically and Asta nodded her consent.

    "And what about the Jedi Council?" Torrhen asked as I felt a spike of amusement mixed with contempt from Dooku. "Will they respect our decisions?"

    "The training of a Padawan, and all that entails, is up to the discretion of their master." Dooku responded in as neutral a tone as I'd ever heard. In the Force however, his annoyance – at either the question or the Council; or possibly both – was easy to sense. "Unless we are asked directly about our visit to your world and estate, I see no reason for the Council to be made aware of this vault. Though do not mistake our silence as compliance. If we suspect a threat to the Order, the Republic or our Padawan we will respond appropriately."

    Even as he said those words, I wondered just how much the first two would be considered. While he wasn't the Sith Lord he would've become, Dooku's opinion on the Order and the Republic was… very low; mainly due to the fact neither showed much interest in the suffering of the galaxy outside of their ivory towers on Coruscant. His distaste for both hadn't been hidden during my time as his Padawan, though I did wonder if he toned it down because Fay was present. While far more of what I thought a Jedi should be (even if there were times when I didn't agree with her approach or choices) she was also far from an ardent supporter of the High Council of Senate. Indeed, she seemed to have even less faith in the Senate than Dooku, though she just used politer terms when expressing her opinion.

    "Understandable and acceptable." Torrhen responded with a small smile that matched his wife's. "We would behave the same for our family, clan and people."

    With that agreement made, I walked briskly towards the cavern. I was still curious about the second cart by the entrance (which was likely also from my 'mother') and what was on the datapad, I really wanted to see what Revan had left. Plus, no matter what I'd gained or learnt from my mother's crate – or would discover on Canderous' Datapad –, this cave was the primary reason I was here.

    "Be mindful of your excitement, Cameron." Fay said quietly once she and Dooku had caught up with me (not that hard to do since I'm physically a young teenager). "While it is understandable to be interested about what Revan has left, getting too curious or enthusiastic about something is a path that can lead to darker emotions if the reality doesn't meet your expectations."

    "Yes, master." I replied. I understood her reasoning (touching the Dark Side on Tatooine had me realising that it was far more insidious and dangerous than I'd originally realised) but the idea that Revan had left something for me made it hard for me to temper my desire to see what was waiting for me.

    It took less than twenty seconds for me to traverse the distance to the side-cavern and by the time there I could sense the Ordo's shock and joy at whatever they'd discovered on the pad. Yet, my focus was now on whatever Revan had left for me, and my eyes were instantly drawn to a red-tinted object that was resting on top of another pad that was on a crate smaller than either of those left by Ressa.

    I felt my pace quicken as I drew nearer, and barely managed to bite down a sequel of excitement as I realised (or at least suspected) what the object was; or more importantly, who the droid head – because I was in no doubt that was what it was – belonged to. The eye sockets were dark, indicating it was depowered, but the shape, style, and distinctive antenna where the right ear would be on a Human all but confirmed who I was looking at.

    Slowly, almost reverently, I reached down for the droid head.

    "Cameron, you know what this is?" Dooku asked, but my focus was entirely on the droid-head. As my fingers brushed against, then through the dust and onto the plating of the head, I considered using Observe to confirm that this head was the one I suspected it was. However, I decided not to do so. I'd rather learn the truth when I activated it than ruin the moment with my unique power (or one of them anyway.)

    Slowly I turned the droid-head around in my hands, examining it for cracks. Finding none – save that it wasn't connected to a chassis – I found a small area on the underside of the head then flipped open when pressed. Inside, a simple switch existed, and my finger shot forward to flick it.

    The head began to hum as power travelled through its ancient circuits and I turned it back so I could be eye-to-eye with the droid once its processing unit engaged. The optical receptors flared yellow as power was restored to them and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation.

    "Question: Where am I, meatbag?" Asked the synthesised voice that I'd never thought I'd ever get to hear for real.

    "YES!!" I roared at the top of my lungs, ignoring the confusion I could sense from my masters.

    "Addendum: Unless you wish to experience a most painful death, I suggest you answer me, meatbag."
    … …

    A/N: Until next time;
    May the Force be with you. Always.​
     
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    • HOW FUCKING DARE YOU END IT THERE!!! THE BALLS ON THIS MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!XLNJKDNLWDKJWB HENLDJKENLKEW DKJLENWD KLW DKLWND LKWND LKWND KLJ
    *cough* Ahem, that wasn't very nice, ending it there;
    For those who watched the movies(and cartoons) R2D2 and C3PO are held near and dear to their hearts.
    But for those who played and fell in love with the KOTOR games?
    HHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Edit:
    I thought he was in a Hammerhead ship, buried under dried lava on that Lava planet?
     
    Gleeful Exclamation: Greetings Meatbags, I'm Back!!!

    You can't have a KOTOR crossover without HK. I'm still curious to see what other goodies are waiting. And I'm looking forward to seeing just how badly Cameron wrecks Sidious's plans.
     
    GrandmasterEli said:
    Edit:
    I thought he was in a Hammerhead ship, buried under dried lava on that Lava planet?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    At least one copy of his program ended up there, yes.
    Though Cam's very existence alters the timeline, thus there might be another copy of HK's programming.

    (and yes, that does leave open the possibility for 2 HK's to run around having a 'competition' to see who is the true version. One proven by seeing who can rack up the larger meatbag kill count)
     
    YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS

    Fanboy squeeeee!

    Super great chapter. While I love Mando culture, I'm glad we are moving on to a new arc. Pity for the lack of romantic initiative, but I understand that's really not the direction of the fic.

    Waiting on the Council reaction to the crystal. Hehehe.
     
    USSExplorer said:
    "Question: Where am I, meatbag?" Asked the synthesised voice that I'd never thought I'd ever get to hear for real.

    "YES!!" I roared at the top of my lungs, ignoring the confusion I could sense from my masters.

    "Addendum: Unless you wish to experience a most painful death, I suggest you answer me, meatbag."
    Click to expand...
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    On one hand... a horrible cliche that covers soooooooooooooooooooooooo many starwars series.

    On the other... HK47!!! WOOOT!

    Curious though, does he have his lower assassin core? Or is it just the protocal/personality core?
     
    Seyum said:
    Wait is his Father Valkorion?
    Click to expand...
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    If so, I'm pretty sure he won't have been using that name yet—pretty sure he was still going by Vitiate. But considering he ate all of the most powerful Sith Lords after the Great Hyperspace War, there aren't many other candidates for "stronger than every Jedi Master alive." It also helps explain why the Sith were able to respond so quickly to Cameron's burgeoning force abilities: Vitiate would have been able to sense his own son, and recognize that he wasn't just another force-sensitive in Republic territory.

    Theoretically speaking, at least. We could be jumping at shadows.
     
    Seyum said:
    Wait is his Father Valkorion?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Zendrelax said:
    If so, I'm pretty sure he won't have been using that name yet—pretty sure he was still going by Vitiate. But considering he ate all of the most powerful Sith Lords after the Great Hyperspace War, there aren't many other candidates for "stronger than every Jedi Master alive." It also helps explain why the Sith were able to respond so quickly to Cameron's burgeoning force abilities: Vitiate would have been able to sense his own son, and recognize that he wasn't just another force-sensitive in Republic territory.

    Theoretically speaking, at least. We could be jumping at shadows.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    If true, then that would mean that he was also Revan's son, as during the period between Revan vanishing, and his reappearance in TOR:O, Revan and Tennabrae/Vitaite/Valkorian were both force ghosts inhabiting that body, TOR;O has that was Revan's grand plan to suppress the Emperor when slaying the vessel failed. It's funny being the player and insulting him over this plan beside Mitra Surik.
     
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