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Chapter Text

Prologue

Six Months Earlier

Her footsteps were loud against the stone flooring, her blasters clinking quietly against the Beskar steel of her armour. The golden colour of the armour basically twinkling under the artificial lights of her home. The blue underclothes of her armour were soft against her skin, not coarse like she knew some clans had.

The Skirata clan were proud.

Even though only a few hundred years old and considered one of the younger houses. Saiph thought her clan was the best. Her father Kal was one of the best men and Mandalorians she knew, he was loyal but fair. He was the most honourable man in the galaxy, he cared where others didn’t. When Jango Fett became the donor for the Grand Republic clone army, the other houses turned the would-be Mandalorians away.

They had no interest in training them, but her father was different. Kal Skirata cared about what happened to the clones, he travelled to Kamino and helped train them. And when Saiph hit her nineteenth birthday she accompanied them.

And she was grateful she did.

The clones had become like her brothers and they were becoming fine warriors. She cared not for the war between the Republic and the Separatists, she only cared that her friends would be able to defend themselves. And with her father’s training, she knew they were the finest army that the Grand Republic would ever see.

“Saiph!” Her cousin’s voice urgently called out, making her snap from her thoughts as Venku hurried towards her. She knew something was wrong, and when she’d been summoned to the main reception room of the home, she felt a sense of dread fill her stomach. Her father hadn’t long returned from Kamino and she expected a report back from how her friends were…but she was told to bring her weapons and don her armour.

She would’ve brought them anyway, as the life of a Mandalorian her weapons were like her religion. She knew nearly every weapon out there, she could expertly handle most of them, this was the way of the Mandalorians. “What’s going on? Is Buir ok?” She asked Venku, her cousin was wearing his own armour, a forced smile on his face as he nervously run a hand through his dark hair.

“Clan Viszla has just arrived. Pre Viszla has sought an audience with your father.” He admitted, her stomach dropped, her chest tightening as she quickened her footsteps. Nothing good could come from Vizsla’s visit. He believed he was the rightful ruler of Mandalore and had been calling clans to fight behind him, her father had refused many times.

“I will not follow a madman.”

The doors to the large reception room hissed open, Saiph immediately hurrying beside where her father was standing in the middle. Wearing his armour, his blaster clasped to his hip as he held his helmet under one arm. “Buir!” She called out, her father quickly turning towards her with a warm smile, though she could see the nervousness in his dark gaze.

He reached out, gently cupping her cheek as his gaze saddened. “You look so much like your mother,” he whispered, sadness filling her as her chest ached painfully. Her mother’s death was still raw, she’d died a few months ago when confronted by a new upcoming bounty hunter, who thought killing a Mandalorian off guard would earn him a title.

All it earned him was his father’s wrath, he’d died only a few rotations after her mother had.

“I miss her,” she admitted quietly, her eyes stinging as her father gently wiped under her eyes. “I miss her too Stardust.” He whispered gently, dropping his hand from her face as her uncle hurried towards them, helmet already in place. “They are nearly here,” her uncle told him, Kal nodded his head once before clasping his helmet into place, nodding towards Saiph and Venku to do the same, both of them hurrying to follow their leader.

Venku stepped to her father’s right, his own father stopping beside him as she heard the movement of the rest of the clan entering the room. The large doors hissed open, Clan Viszla striding forward, helmet tucked under his arm as he glared towards them, his lips curled into an ugly grimace. He glanced at all of them, his eyes finally settling on Kal as he paced back and forth, his own clan stopping behind him.

“What do you want Viszla?” Her father asked, his voice calm as he crossed his arms over his chest, his stance was strong as he stood proudly, almost puffing his chest out. Pre Viszla was silent for a long moment, his blue eyes finally narrowing before he stopped pacing. He unclasped something at his hip, before a loud hum echoed around the room, the dark sabre igniting. He held it proudly above his head, his lips curling into a smirk.

“I am Pre Viszla and I am the rightful ruler of Mandalore. I demand that Clan Skirata follow me into making Mandalore great again or die and become nothing.” Her eyes narrowed behind her helmet, her hands dropping to her pistols as she gritted her teeth. She could hear the clan shuffling behind her, the uneasy tension filling the room as they all hovered their hands over the weapons.

All except her father, who was stoic.

“I will not follow a madman for his quest for power. I do not care that you wield the Dark Sabre, you speak of making Mandalore great again…but you will be its downfall.” Her father’s voice was firm, and unyielding and she couldn’t stop the proud smile under her helmet.

She was grateful a man like him was her father.

Pre Viszla narrowed his eyes, the dark sabre turning off with a loud hiss as he reclasped it at his side, pulling a blaster from his holster. “Then you will all die.” He snarled, her father finally unfolding his arms as he reached for his own blaster, a slight nod of his head and she pulled her own blaster free.

“You will not wipe out Clan Skirata so easily.”

Then the first shot fired.

Chapter Text

Her quarters were small, when she returned to Kamino six months ago the Kaminoans and the Jedi Master were confused about why her father hadn’t accompanied her. She could still remember how she cried, her cheeks stained with tears that her father was gone, and her uncle and cousin too.

So many of Clan Skirata dead.

After the confrontation with Pre Viszla, he’d bombarded their home, blew it to smithereens. He had decapitated her father, removing his head from his body.  She was dragged from the rubble by the very few remaining clan members, she had fled to Kamino…she had nowhere else to go.

She was surprised when the Jedi Shaak Ti hired her to help train the clones, she accepted of course, she had so many friends in Tipoca City and she wanted to help them be the best soldiers they possibly could. During her first six months, she had only ever had two squads to train, the first squad was some of the best Clone Commandos she’d ever seen and the squad she was training now would pass with flying colours.

Her men were good.

The doors to her quarters hissed open, Saiph narrowing her eyes slightly before snapping her gaze towards the intruders. She relaxed when she noticed the familiar clones stepping into her quarters, the familiar colours of their armour making her swell with pride. “Boss? It’s been a while.” She greeted the leader of Delta Squad, the first squad she had ever trained.

Boss had his helmet tucked under his arm, his lips curved into a small smirk as he was practically shoved out of the way by Scorch, who took a seat on the edge of her bunk, throwing his own helmet against the mattress. “We were called back to see some of the squads going through their trials. Heard your boys are in there.” Boss told her, Saiph grinning before pushing herself from her seat, Fixer immediately hurried inside to take her recently vacated seat.

“Worried they won’t be good enough?” She teased, Scorch and Fixer huffing an amused breath behind her. “Oh please, we know you only train the best.” Sev spoke from behind Boss, leaning against the wall with his lips curved into a smirk, his golden gaze sparkling with mirth.

“That can’t be true, I trained you lot.” She teased, a laugh bubbling from her mouth at their mock outrage.

***

Stepping onto the platform, Saiph was donned in her armour, all except her helmet which she left behind in her quarters. Boss had joined her, to help evaluate the squads but Fixer, Scorch and Sev had decided to forgo watching the trails, opting to do relax in their barracks. At the sound of them entering, Saiph glanced down to the trail where El-Les’s squad were currently working and easily passing the drill. El-Les turned to her, giving her a warm smile before turning back to his squad, his eyes sparkling with pride. Bric on the other hand just sneered at her, his arms crossed over his chest.

Her lips were grimacing as she looked at the Siniteen bounty hunter. Saiph and Bric had never seen eye-to-eye, he was harsh and unkind to the clones. The bounty hunter in him only seeing them as a paycheck, she had never watched his new squad in action but if they were anything like his old squads, they would pass by the skin of their teeth. The drill ended, El-Les cheering with pride while his men passed easily. Saiph clapped him on the back, her lips spread into a grin at his joy.

She wasn’t surprised his squad has passed, with a teacher like El-Les she knew they would. Unlike Bric, El-Les took pride in training the clones and actually formed a friendship with them. “I’m impressed, you trained them well.” Boss complimented El-Les, even though his helmet was on Saiph knew her friend was smiling.

“Whose next?” He asked, turning towards El-Les and Bric. “Uh, Bric’s Squad. Domino Squad.” El-Les whispered, his voice breaking as his eyes turned nervous. Saiph felt her stomach drop at his tone, she had never seen the Domino Squad in action, but judging by El-Les reaction she didn’t have high hopes.

“Patch their comms through.” Saiph told the Kaminoan, the alien nodding her head once before the clones voices came through.

“We can do this.”

“All we need to do is follow orders!”

The lift entered the arena, Saiph’s eyes turning to the squad as they entered their arena, weapons already drawn.  El-Les’s team were leaving their arena, clearly saying something as the Domino’s voices came back through the comm.

“They are so much better than us.”

“Knock it off!”

She let a sigh escape her lips, it definitely wasn’t a good sign if they were arguing before the test had even started. “Begin the programme, don’t take it easy on them.” Boss told El-Les, the alien pausing before starting the programme.

Suddenly blaster fire echoed around the training area, droids falling but plenty of shots missing the targets. Her lips turned into a grimace, her head shaking gently as she folded her arms over her chest. They were messy and unorganised, but she could see the potential in them. With the right training, she knew they could become some of the best clones in the army. She glanced to Bric in the corner of her eyes, his eyes amused as he watched his own squad fall apart.

“They’re getting farther then normal!” El-Les pointed out, his words excited even though Saiph released a sigh. They were farther than normal? They weren’t even halfway through the course, “there sloppy.” She commented softly, her voice gentle. “This is nothing! Give them their next set of orders and watch chaos ensue.” Her eyes narrowed into a glare at his words.

He was the one meant to be training them, yet he seemed excited at the prospect of them failing!

“I’ll flank left, you flank right.”

“Take it easy, I’m on your side. Get it, your side. Ha!”

Saiph bit down on her bottom lip, laughter bubbling up inside of her at the joke. They definitely had a sense of humour, that was for sure. Her eyes fell to a clone who proceeded without his squad, a droid immediately turning on him.

“Droidbait, behind you!”

The droid fired a stun shot at the clone, the trooper falling to the ground with a cry, most of his squad progressing without him.

“Man down!”

“Forget him! I’m breaking for the Citadel.”

She felt her stomach drop with his words, her heart plummeting. Leaving a man behind? Instant fail. The droids shut down, the clones turning around clearly confused before Boss spoke through the speaker, his voice annoyed.

“Broke formation, disobeyed orders and you left a man behind!” He snapped, crossing his arms over his chest as the clones turned to face them on the balcony. “You broke rule number one.” He shook his head, clearly unimpressed before turning on his heel, vacating the balcony.

“I’m sorry Domino Squad, this is an automatic failure.” El-Les told them softly. “I told you they were failures.” Bric reminded them, his voice amused as he watched his squad leave with a smirk. “No, they’re failures with you training them.” Saiph snapped, turning on her heel without waiting for him to answer, her heart thudding in her chest.

She knew they could be better.

Chapter Text

Her door to her barracks hissed open angrily, her hands curled into fists as she practically threw her helmet onto her bunk. She could hear Boss behind her, his sharp intakes of breaths loud as he followed her into the room, the door closing behind him. “I know what you’re thinking Saiph and don’t,” Boss warned her, his voice heavy as she turned towards him quickly, her brows drawn together in a frown.

He held his hands up in a calming gesture as if trying to placate an angry animal. “Boss, he’s barely trained them! Surely you can see the potential. Domino Squad is only disorganised because they have a lousy mentor. Bric is only in it for the money, he doesn’t care about his men as he should. I know the Domino’s could be some of the best troopers, with the right guidance.” She told him, her voice shaking.

She could feel the truth in her own words, her hands shaking at her sides. She had never disliked someone as much as Bric, he was a heartless, ruthless bounty hunter. She wished that the Republic never hired him, he wasn’t even that good at aiming a gun himself. She unclenched her fists, crossing her arms over her chest as she met Boss’s gaze.

He watched her quietly before a defeated sigh left his lips, his head shaking slightly as his lips curved into a small smile. “What?” She asked, cocking her head to the side as he waved her off, turning his back as he made his way back towards the door. “I’m not even going to try to talk you out of it. You do love a challenge.” He chuckled, stepping from her rooms as the doors hissed closed behind him.

Saiph’s lips curved into a small smirk as she already reached for her helmet, reclasping it back onto her head.

Boss was right, she did love a challenge.

***

She could already hear their arguing, most clones were already in their pods sleeping but she could hear the voices of Domino Squad in the distance, arguing loudly between themselves. “What are you doing here mistress?” 99’s voice came from her left, making her jump slightly before turning to the elderly clone. He was hunched over with a broom in his hand, his eyes soft as he looked up towards her.

She felt herself soften at his gentle gaze, her hands reaching up to unclasp her helmet from her head as she smiled towards him. “How many times have I asked you not to call me mistress?” She asked softly, her voice fond as his lips curved in a lopsided smile. “You’ll probably have to tell me a few more times.” He chuckled, but before she could answer another loud shout from the Domino squad cut her off, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

“They have potential.” 99 whispered, his voice so quiet she almost didn’t hear him. She snapped her gaze towards him, her lips curving into a warm smile as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I agree with you, but with someone like Bric showing them the way…well, they’re not going to get far.” She admitted, her voice quiet as she glanced back towards where the Domino Squad was.

“They argue most of the time, they don’t see eye-to-eye, but I know they can be better. They just need the best to train them…like you.” 99 urged, his eyes as wide as they could be as he looked up to her, his gaze basically pleaded as he clasped onto her hands. She jerked her head into a nod, gently squeezing his hand as she turned from him, her hand sliding from his grasp.

“That’s exactly what I’m going to do 99.”

***

She had left 99 behind, her footsteps loud against the stone floor as she came to a stop in front of the Squad. They didn't notice her at first, four of them arguing between themselves before she cleared her throat, their words falling quiet as they slowly turned towards her with wide eyes. It took them a few minutes but they jumped from their bunks, their hands clasping behind their back as they watched her awkwardly. 

"Ma'am?" The clone she recognised as Echo spoke, his golden gaze anxious as he followed her movements, as she paced for a few moments. "If you're here to tell us how bad we are, Bric already beat you to the point." Droidbait grumbled, his gaze staring at the floor before he watched her nervously. Her stomach sank with his words, her gaze softening slightly. Even though his brothers didn't say anything else, she could see the rejected looks on their faces. 

They believed everything Bric told them. 

"You have potential, with the right guidance you could be some of the best damn troopers this Republic has ever seen. Bric isn't worth shit, but all you do is argue. You're brothers and you have this amazing bond that no one else does. You were literally born to fight, there is a Mandalorian in each of you and I know you can bring him out. I want all of you in the training arena tomorrow morning, do you hear me?" She asked, her voice stern as they quickly saluted, their lips curving into small smiles. 

"Yes Ma'am!" 

Realisation slammed into her, her eyes widening when she realised one of their brothers was missing. "Where is your brother?" She asked Echo, the clone glancing around before chewing on his bottom lip nervously. "Bric wanted to talk to him, they left a few minutes ago." He admitted, dread filling her stomach as  she quickly turned on her heel, determined to find Bric and their brother.