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Chapter Text

chirp, chirp

My eyes fluttered, but I valiantly stayed asleep.

CHIRP, chirp

I grumbled and lazily swatted around by my pillow to silence my phone. My search came up empty. Cursing under my breath I sat up, stabilized myself with one hand as I wrenched the pillow off the bed, and discovered some very concerning things. First, but not the most pressing, was that my phone was missing. Second was that this wasn't my bed, third this wasn't my bedroom. Third, the arm that was braced against the mattress wasn't mine. Last, but certainly not least, there was a blinking chat window hovering in the upper left edge of my vision.

My mind stalled. For a moment, everything around me froze as my brain started up again. The skin on my arm was a deep crimson. It was too natural to be from a prank. If it was fake then it was some seriously impressive make-up. The bed I was on was a bit smaller than a Queen, but the cushion was perfect, and the sheets felt like silk.

I sat back on the bed and examined my body. This wasn't what I looked like when I had went to sleep last night. Did I go to sleep last night? Come to think of it, I don't remember what I was doing before I woke up here. The various aches and pains I had collected through the years were gone. I hadn't been in this good of shape since my twenties. Actually, I had never been in this good shape.

CHIRP, CHIRP

The sound was much louder this time. I paused the inspection of my new body to read the window.

• Congratulations!
• You have been chosen to receive access to the Forge
• For entertainment purposes you have been relocated to an interesting setting
• Your new form should be a familiar one
• Try to put on a good show!
• Personal Warehouse Acquired
• House Key Acquired

I narrowed my eyes at the last three lines. Isekai wasn't unknown to me, I liked the occasional anime and manga, but this was a little different than what I had seen. What the hell did that mean?

• Personal Warehouse
  Your own personal dimension to store your junk. Any workshops, storage areas, garages, or rooms will be added to your warehouse. Does not come with any furnishings.
• House Key
  This key will temporarily transform any door into a doorway to your Personal Warehouse. It can only be used by you. If lost or stolen it will return to your possession within one hour.
• Wallet
  This wallet will take the shape of whatever you like, within reason. It can automatically draw from storage in your ship and warehouse. Only you, or those you authorize, can access it. Currency is converted to local standard.
• Money
  Buy yourself something pretty.

I glared at the window panel as it faded away. It appeared again once I tried to focus on it. With a shrug, I got off the bed and started to take stock of where I was. A constant, gentle rumble tickled a thought at the edge of my mind, but I couldn't put the pieces together just yet. My new bedroom was the size of a small hotel room, but with much nicer furnishings. There was a shower cubicle with a toilet that folded into the wall near the foot of the bed. Across from it there were two other doors, one that turned out to be a closet and one that led out into the hallway.

A Mandalorian helmet that stared back at me from the closet made it pretty clear where I was. It was blue with gold accents and made everything click. This was my character from The Old Republic. A Pureblood Sith Mercenary that wore Mandalorian Armor. In my prime gaming time, I was part of a Mandalorian Bounty Hunter Guild. There were RP elements, but it wasn't hardline. I even learned a bit of Mando'a for the hell of it. We would gather to take down world bosses and arrange PVP 'bounty' hunts.

There was a veritable arsenal that was carefully arranged on racks in the closet with the armor. A collection of pistols, rifles, a couple weapons that looked like SMGs, and a row of grenades were overshadowed by a single lightsaber hilt resting carefully in front of it all.

I moved with a reverent slowness as I picked up the hilts. They activated with a hiss and short blue blade emerging. It fit perfectly in my hands, nice with one and fine with two. I deactivated them and placed them back on their place in the closet.

The near-panic was replaced with a jolt of excited energy. I was in Star Wars. Hours upon hours of my free-time was spent imagining something like this. Usually, I took the spot of Luke rather than my TOR character, but I wasn't going to complain.

Now, I was Kiskin, a Sith Pureblood which was a near-human with crimson skin. I had opted to skip the weird face tentacles and went with some bone ridges along the bridge of my nose and eyebrows while my eyes were a vibrant orange with strands of gold along edge of my pupil. My new body looked to be in the mid-twenties, or whatever the equivalent was for Sith, with an athletic build. I didn't have a six-pack, but it was damn close. My muscles were firm and functional rather than for show.

There was no way in hell I wasn't going to put on this armor.

~

The armor was a lot more comfortable than I had expected. It was temperature controlled, fit perfectly, and lighter than it looked. The HUD for the helmet gave me one-hundred and eighty degrees of vision, monitored my armor integrity, and kept count of all of the various ammunition I carried. My vambraces each had an arsenal unto themselves, not to mention this Universes version of an Omni-Tool that came with a suite of functionality. Even the jetpack felt good to wear. I didn't have a cape, cloak, or poncho that was so popular in the setting, but that was probably a good thing. Always ended up looking like an idiot in one of those.

Two blasters were holstered at my waist, an A180 and a K-16 Bryar. A knife was sheathed in my boot as well as another strapped to the small of my back. There was a hold-out blaster hidden in a pocket on the underside of my left vambraces, the one that didn't have a flamethrower in it. I opted to forgo anything bigger than a pistol.

Once I was suited up I explored my ship. It wasn't one from the games. The model was a YT-1930 and was crewed by a squad of B-1 battle-droids, a few astromechs, and some maintenance droids. There was also a Virtual Intelligence that functioned as an interface for the ship and coordinator for the crew. My room, the captains' quarters, was the biggest of a group of rooms suitable for passengers or more crew. There was also a speeder in one of the two cargo bays.

• Armored Up +100 Forge Points
• Roll – Bank – Shop

I could guess what Bank and Shop meant, but Roll was a new one to me. What were Forge Points? Curiosity got the better of me.

• Name: Runic Spell Innovator
• Cost: 200 points
• Not Enough Points
• Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss

That didn't sound familiar whatsoever, so I dismissed it. Following my curiosity, I selected Shop.

• Bounty Hunter Skill Set – 100 Points
• Captains Skill Set – 100 Points
• Blade Master Skill Set – 100 Points

Those all sounded amazing. The setup was simple: earn Forge Points then spend Forge Points to purchase or pass on the Options. I had the saber and desperately wanted to use it. However, I knew that depending on the Era they could draw a lot of unwanted attention. I needed to figure out where I was in the timeline before I started using them and the Force. The Bounty Hunter Skill Set sounded like the most useful at the moment.

• Bounty Hunter Skill Set Purchased
• Current Balance – 0 Points

I rocked back and almost lost my balance as a myriad of skill dropped into my brain. Without a doubt I knew I could use and maintain my entire arsenal and armor like I had years of experience. I also knew how to track targets across a variety of terrain, gather information, and even some dirty fighting techniques for good measure. Unfortunately, I wasn't a member of the Bounty Hunters Guild yet, but I knew a couple of places I could visit to correct that.

My curiosity about this Warehouse and the House Key was too much to ignore. Sure, I needed to know when I was, but there was this shiny new thing that was begging for attention. The key looked like a classic skeleton key. It transformed into something like a key-fob as it got closer to the door.

The key let out a little chime and the door slid open. Instead of my ship, it was a flat expanse of the interior of a warehouse. It was rather clean and looked like it had just been built, but it was just like it said. There weren't any furnishings, it was simply an expanse of open space. Disappointed, I closed the door and clicked the key once more. It had said it wasn't furnished, which meant it could be at some later point. Maybe I would need to bring in everything from the outside. The next time I opened it I was greeted by the sight of the interior of my ship.

Now, I just needed to figure out where I was in the timeline. The B1 droids looked like they had stepped right off the assembly line and the astromechs were R-series. While the technology didn't make leaps and bounds, there was a different flavor from different points in time. Old Republic droids were a bit bulkier than the Skywalker Saga.

I headed to the cockpit. The Virtual Intelligence booted up, taking shape as a holographic orb on the Control Panel.

"Welcome, Captain," my VI, Carrie, greeted me.

"Hello," I replied. "I need some information."

"Of course," Carrie replied. "Just ask."

"I need to do a search or recent events. Narrow it down to the last year," I said. "Keywords: Palpatine, Naboo, and Alderaan."

"Searching," Carrie said. "Sheev Palpatine, Senate Representative for Naboo, calls for sanctions against Trade Federation. Trade Federation claims blockade on Naboo is within legal parameters."

"How long ago was that?" I asked.

"Two weeks," Carrie replied.

I tapped the edge of my helmet as I thought. Two weeks. That would put me a little bit before Episode One if the Jedi hadn't sent anyone to negotiate for Naboo yet. This presented a couple of problems. Pureblood Sith had been extinct for a couple thousand years at this point. I'd need to keep my helmet on unless I wanted someone to strip me of genetic material for study. Then there was the overarching plot that was about to kick off. If I could get to Tatooine before the Jedi then I could snag Anakin. That would certainly scramble the timeline going forward. Removing Anakin from the plot of the first movie would be an interesting change. He did blow up the Trade Federation ship, but that was an accident.

Whoever put me here wanted a show. Why not give it to them? First stop Tatooine.

"Carrie, set course for Tatooine," I said.

"I can't do that, Captain," she said in an eerily calm tone.

At least she didn't call me Dave.

"Why not?" I asked.

"We've been orbiting Tatooine since you woke up," Carrie replied.

"Take us in for a landing," I chuckled. "Mos Espa."

• Tatooine? Tatooine! +100 Points
• Roll – Bank – Shop

I shook my head at the notice. Roll.

• Name: Hangar
• Cost: 100FP
• Gives a Warehouse attachment for planes, vehicles, boats, and submarines. A very all-encompassing storage space that keeps the vehicles stored in prime condition too.
  For an additional +50FP, these hangar bays also come equipped with special clamps and harnesses to refit and refuel any vehicle  much more quickly than they would if you were using them by hand. For sea-based bases, this also means you have docks for boats and submarines.
• Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss

"Purchase," I said under my breath.

• Current Balance: 0 Points

Now I just had to figure out how to move my ship there. I was tempted to try the key on the door to my quarters to see what this warehouse looked like. It would also let me check if there was a way to pull the ship into the hangar from inside. Though that gave me a bit of a headache. If the door to access the warehouse was in the ship and the ship was in the warehouse then would I be stuck?

• Want to find out?

"No thanks," I muttered.

I sat in the pilot chair and let Carrie handle the process. Either I would need to purchase that Captains Skill pack or hire a pilot. Carrie already did most of the ship tasks or directed the droids to do them. It took me a moment once her conversation was finished that I realized I had understood what had been said. They weren't speaking English, or Basic, it had been Huttese. I still knew a few words in Mando'a, but I never learned how to speak Huttese.

• We had people learn the local language in the past. It got old.

Whoever was behind these messages had clearly done this before. Honestly, I would rather be in a few versions after they've had time to iron out some rough patches rather than the Beta-Test.

I shook that line of thought away and focused on the matters at hand. The ship came to a landing in a dusty bay that looked like it had seen better days. This was Tatooine so that could mean it had been around for a few generations or built yesterday. The desert was not a kind place.

"Welcome," a Twi'lek guy hurried out toward the ship as I walked down the ramp.

He came to a sudden halt as he saw the armor I wore.

"Welcome," he repeated, this time bowing deeply. "Mando. I am dockmaster, Bip. What brings you to our humble town?"

"Parts," I replied. My voice came out modulated through the helmet speaker. "For a Nubian cruiser."

"Oh," the dockmaster leaned over to get a better look at my ship.

It clearly wasn't Nubian.

"Problem?" I snapped.

"No, no, of course not, Mando," the dockmaster bowed again. "Watto's Scrapyard. He deals in higher end ship parts."

I inclined my head and stepped around him. He was a little taller than me, which I found kind of funny. I wasn't sure which of the shows, movies, and all of that were part of this timeline. The current Mandalorian regime was switching over to full Pacifism If the Clone Wars show was among them. I hated that idea and Death Watch were just as bad. Unfortunately, I hadn't given the cartoons much attention aside from the occasional episode I caught at random. I knew the broad-strokes of the plot. The details were lost on me. Most of the big plot points would be different, or completely scrapped, if I could snag Anakin before things kicked off.

"Um," the dockmaster squeaked. "The fee."

"How much?" I asked.

"Twenty credits," the dockmaster said.

I stared at him without saying anything. It was amazing how much could be conveyed with a full-face mask. He gulped.

"Fifteen credits," he corrected.

I tilted my head to the side.

"I meant, five credits," he said as he took a step back.

"Which one?" I asked flatly.

"Five," he squeaked.

"What happened to twenty?" I pressed.

"I was going to keep the extra," he admitted practically shrinking into himself.

I pulled out fifteen credits from my wallet. It came out as two metal squares of some type I didn't recognize. I held them out to him. His hand shook as he reached to take them. He stared at the two credits then back to me with clear confusion on his face.

"Nothing wrong with making a little profit," I said. "Just don't get greedy. That's how people end up dead."

He nodded enthusiastically, took the credits, and hurried out of the hangar. I sighed. Directions would have been helpful. Standing around wasn't going to get me anywhere. My hand stayed close to my blaster in a loose, slight motion as I stepped out into the town.

The streets were relatively busy. A quick check of my helmet's HUD told me it was mid-morning. It also converted the temperature into something that I could understand. Needless to say, it was hot. The love I felt for my armor doubled as I was nice and cool while the exterior temperature rose higher.

I scanned the signs around the street. There were a couple of open-air bars, a restaurant, and what looked to be general store, but Watto's Scrapyard wasn't among them. An annoyed sigh escaped my lips. I decided to play into the Mandalorian side of things and grabbed a passing person by their arm, pulling them to a stop.

Their words cut short as they came face-to-helmet with me.

"Watto's Scrapyard," I said simply.

"Th-That way," the pointed toward the left side of the street.

I flipped them a credit as I walked away. Regardless of the galaxy, money could smooth over a lot of rough edges. The buildings in the town changed as I headed down the street. Outdoor seating shifted to stores then to a wide blank space before the scrapyards and mechanics began to pop up. It didn't do much for the air quality, but the smell didn't bother the people eating.

My HUD told me the temperature inside was a good five degrees cooler. The scan that followed annoyingly told me that there was only one life-form in the room. A second wider search told me that there was a human outside in the heat.

I walked over to where Watto rested on a counter. His attention was on a data-pad, mostly unaware of my approach.

"What do you want?" The Toydarian grumbled.

"Parts for a Nubian yacht," I stated.

"Nubian," Watto practically purred. "Expensive, rare…" His 'sales pitch' stopped as he finally looked at me. "Mandalorian? What do you want with a Nubian? Thought they would be too pretty for your kind."

"I'm stylish," I replied evenly.

The voice modulation from my helmet made anything I said sound more intimidating. I had meant it as a joke, but his gulp told me it didn't come out that way. The fact that I was basically a walking tank with the arsenal to match may have played a part too.

"Anakin," Watto called.

I waited for a moment. Thankfully, my helmet hid my shock. It was a young Hayden Christensen that came in rather than Jake Llyod. I guess it made sense, they didn't look alike, especially as they got older, so having the guy who played Anakin in most other appearances worked.

"Do we still have those Nubian parts?" Watto asked in Huttese.

I played dumb, not acknowledging that I understood them.

"Yes, I covered it with a tarp like you asked. Did you want me to scrap it now?" Anakin answered, he came to a harsh stop as he saw me. "You're a Mandalorian. Are you here to kill someone?"

"If I must," I replied.

The two returned to a conversation in Huttese. Watto knew what he was doing, subtly tossing a couple of questions aimed at me to see if I knew what he was saying. They weren't pertinent to the situation, so I just ignored him. He had made a point of looking at Anakin through their conversation so I would have had to interrupt them to answer.

"Yes," Watto said finally. "I have parts for a Nubian Yacht. Nothing for a fighter or cruiser."

"Let me see," I ordered.

"Anakin, show him," Watto said in Huttese.

"Follow me," Anakin waved at me.

I stayed a couple of steps behind the kid. My HUD had tagged Watto. It kept track of his position and any potential out-going communications. Mandalorian armor could fetch quite a price on the right markets. The pervading stereotype of an entire culture that was bounty hunters or soldier-for-hire also meant that jobs might come my way simply by being seen. Unless the timeline included the Clone Wars changes. In that case, a Mandalorian in blue armor would make people think I was part of Death Watch. Not everyone knew the significance of the chosen colors. Blue was reliability and gold was vengeance. It also looked badass.

That did bring up the timeline once again. I needed to see how much of the shows, movies, comics, and all that had actually happened in this version of the setting. My meta-knowledge wouldn't help me with the details once I started making changes, but the general information should give me a steady base to work with. Figuring out the year was pretty useless. The official fandom was set as Before Battle of Yavin and After Battle of Yavin. As it hadn't happened yet, everything was on their own system-based calendar. Today was the Seventh of Jabbia, whatever that meant.

"How old are you, kid?" I asked.

"Nine," Anakin answered. "I'll be ten soon."

"Do all of your family work for Watto?" I asked.

"Yes," his shoulders slumped. "My mom and me. We're slaves."

"Hm," I clicked my tongue. "Your father?"

Anakin shrugged. His mood picked up as he came to the tarp-covered engine. A burst of dust and grit filled the air as he pulled the cover away. I smiled under my helmet as he coughed.

"You good, kid?" I asked.

"Yeah," Anakin said between coughs. "I hate sand."

"I know what you mean," I chuckled. "It's course, rough, and it gets everywhere."

"I KNOW!" Anakin agreed. "One day, I'm going to leave this planet and live somewhere with no sand."

"What do you think about it?" I asked the kid.

He shrugged.

"What needs to be fixed on it?" I asked softer so only he could hear.

"The sun and the sand gums things up," Anakin answered. "Watto makes sure his parts are in working order. Word gets around fast on Tatooine."

"I'll take it," I nodded. "How much?"

"Ten thousand," Watto replied.

I stared at him for a long, silent moment, letting the helmet do the talking.

"Eight," I countered.

"Eight?" Watto made it sound like I just slapped him. "I will not break even. Nine, five."

"Nine, five?" I shook my head. "How long has that been sitting in your backlot? Nine."

"Sold," Watto said a little too quickly for my liking.

I had an instinctive grasp on how much money I had in my wallet. The correct amount would come out whenever I reached in with something in mind. Three thick rectangles with a slight silver sheen to it covered the cost of the part. Still, it felt like I had just gotten ripped off. I tossed the equivalent of a hundred credits on top of everything.

"I'm going to take this back to my ship, restore it, and sell it," I explained. "It's going to take a while. If someone comes in looking for Nubian parts, send them my way and you'll get a cut."

"Of course," Watto caressed the extra hundred with something akin to love. "Your name?"

"Kiskin," I replied. "My ship is at landing bay Echo Seven."

"Echo seven," Watto repeated.

I paused, looking over to where Anakin stood.

"How much for the boy and his mother?" I asked.

"What?" Watto hopped up, his wings kickstarted before he could drop too far. "Why?"

"I want the kid and having his mother nearby makes them easier to be around," I replied easily.

"Why do you want them?" Watto sounded more protective than I had expected.

"The kid reminds me of someone," I admitted. "He's got that mechanic look to him. Got a feel that if I give him a few tools he'll be able to take apart my ship and put back together better than ever."

"Twenty thousand for both," Watto growled out. "It will take a lot to replace two slaves."

"Toss in their deactivation codes and you've got a deal," I said not hiding the smile in my voice.

Watto grumbled. He cursed in two different languages before he disappeared into the back of the shop. The sound of his wings was loud enough to hear through the closed door. I looked back at Anakin to see him staring wide-eyed at me. Anything I would have said drowned out my more cursing and the sound of things being thrown in the back room.

Eventually, Watto returned with a stained white stick that looked like a garage-door remote. He stopped out of my reach.

"Twenty thousand," he practically spat.

I pulled out a stack of credits that equaled twenty thousand credits. Watto tossed the remote to me. My helmet scanned it and translated the functions. A small block of instructions appeared in my helmet HUD. I turned to Anakin and hit the correct button. A bright red light blinked at the base of his skull. Three short flashes to show it had deactivated.

"Welcome to the crew, kid," I said.

Anakin yelled and spun in place.

"Come on," he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. "We have to get my mom."

"Wait," I said.

Anakin stopped. He practically vibrated with energy, but he didn't try to leave.

"My droids will be by later," I reminded Watto. "I look forward to doing business with you in the future."

Watto grumbled and waved without looking at me.

"Lead the way, Anakin," I turned back to the Chosen One.

• Destiny Can Sit and Spin
  +200 Points
• George Can Too
  +100 Points
• Fated Encounter
  +200 Points
• Balance: 500 Points
• Roll – Bank – Shop

I hung back a couple of steps. A quick couple of changes on my HUD turned off the speaker in my helmet.

"Roll," I said.

• Cost: 1000 FP
• Technology: Lucre Hulk Class Droid Control Ship
• This ship acts more as a mobile space station with a central sphere which acts as the ship's bridge and reactor assembly. The major feature of this ship is that it can mass-produce droids and is able to control them using its array of Broadcast equipment. This ship is able to mass produce basic B-1 Battle Droids, Vulture Droids, C-9979 landing craft, Multi-Troop Transports, Armored Assault Tanks and Platoon Attack Craft.
• Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss

"Damn," I said.

A Droid Control Ship. That could potentially change the Battle for Naboo in a big way. Too bad I needed another five hundred points before I could get it.

"Bookmark," I ordered.

• Warning – You can only bookmark one item at this time
• Lucre Hulk Class Droid Control Ship – Bookmarked
• Roll – Bank – Shop

"Nice," I whispered.

Buying another skill package from the Shop was tempting. So was taking a chance on a Roll. Why not? I could just Dismiss the choice if it wasn't worth it. It was doubtful the System would let me Roll again if I didn't take the second option.

"Roll," I repeated.

• Cost: 500 FP
• Abilities: Precision and Definition
• A true Master understands the need for a softer touch at times, to avoid frivolity and wastefulness. You are such a master, being able to use the Force with precision and flexibility not often found in youth. Very fine telekinetic manipulations, charging a battery with a definite application of lightning or touching upon the minds of an audience most gently to lend to a speech without it being noticed. This perk goes beyond your application of the Force, of course, providing an almost impossible level of delicacy with any supernatural power. A Ki blast like a micrometer laser? Teleportation onto an incredibly narrow wire? Both possible with this perk, assuming you couldn’t do so before.
• Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss

"Holy fuck," I whispered.

If I had read that correctly, I would basically jump to a Master level Jedi for five hundred points. It would take everything I had. There was no way I was going to let it go.

"Purchase," I said as fast as I could.

Instantly, the world around me came alive. I could feel the Force everywhere and in everything. The ambient energy drifting on the air currents. Wild branches of the Force from deep in the dark of space that blanketed entire planets. I hadn't realized I had dropped to my knees until I felt Anakin knock on my helmet. My eyes had closed at some point, I opened them and instantly regretted it. Anakin burned brighter than the two suns in the sky.

"Are you ok?" Anakin grabbed the side of my helmet to steady my head.

"Yeah," I let out a breath.

He didn't hear me. I chuckled to myself before activating the speaker on my helmet.

"I'm good, kid," I said as I regained my feet. "A bit of hyperspace lag. Let's go meet your mother."

Chapter Text

Shmi Skywalker stared at me as I stood behind her son. Her expression went completely blank as she saw the remote in my hand.

"Mom!" Anakin ran over to her completely oblivious to her plight. "We're free."

"What?" Shmi finally looked at her son.

"Kiskin bought us from Watto," Anakin explained just short of a yell. "He deactivated my chip and said I was part of his crew."

"I'd like you to come as well," I added.

Her sharp eyes snapped back to me. I deactivated her chip as she studied me.

"What does a Mandalorian want with a woman and a child?" There was iron in her voice.

"He seems like a good kid," I replied with a shrug. "It would be a waste for him to stay on this dust ball of a planet. And I'd be complete bastard if I didn't take you along as well."

I felt something gently brush against my consciousness. My connection with the Force was new enough for me to still be sensitive to such things. Shmi was, at the very least, Force Sensitive. Her brief touch seemed to be enough to ease her worry. It helped that I had no ill-intent toward her or Anakin.

"You should pack," I nodded to the door that Anakin had taken. "We're heading to my ship once you're both ready."

There was a mingling of voices from the room that Anakin was in. I recognized the other as C-3PO. What I didn't expect was the sudden sharp cry of shock. I dashed to the doorway to see Anakin holding a familiar looking detached droid head.

"Watto wouldn't be happy if I took all of him," Anakin answered my silent question.

I nodded in understanding. My mind wandered as the boy hurried around the room packing little things. There were half a dozen handcrafted toys, some clothes, and a quite a bit more tools than I had expected. It didn't take long.

Deactivating their tracking chip was a good start. Still, I wanted it out of them just to be safe. After that I needed to wait until Padme and the Jedi showed up for the parts. I could do what I told Watto. Fix up the part and sell it for a tidy profit once the group arrives. I had no qualms taking Republic Credits. My wallet automatically converted it into local currency, so I was fine taking anything as payment.

Unfortunately, I couldn't just casually drop that Palpatine was a Sith Lord and responsible for everything that was happening. That wasn't fair. The blame wasn't completely on him, he saw the situation and used it for his own purposes. A war was coming regardless of the machinations of the Sith. It may have taken a little longer, but it was unavoidable. The Republic was corrupt, and people had seen the signs for a while.

I would need to guide them in the right direction without exposing myself. Keeping Anakin away from the Jedi was even more important. Removing him from the Battle of Naboo potentially could cause some issues. How long would the Naboo and Gungan forces be able to hold out without the ship blowing up? It looked like I was going to have to get involved. Purchasing the Droid Control Ship could tip things in my favor. Tinkering around with the B-1 droids back on the ship would be good too. I had no idea how long it would take to save up enough points to get the Control Ship, a backup plan would be a good idea. Cracking the droids communication network would be a decent goal.

Figuring out the timeline was still an issue. I knew the Era, and had colossally fucked up the Plot, but I had no clue when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were to arrive on Naboo. Buying what they needed for repairs would answer that. Until then I just had to wait.

Motion to my right brought me back to the present. Schmi stood nearby studying me once again. I motioned at the bag she held and the one on her back.

"Is that it?" I asked.

She nodded.

"My people, the Mandalorians aren't a race," I said breaking the silence. "We're a people that follow a code. The Resol'nare, or Six Actions. Education and Armor, Self-Defense, Our Tribe, Our Language and Our Leader, All help us to survive. It's a rhyme we teach to our children. In simpler terms: wear the armor, speak the language, raise your children in the way, defend yourself and your family, contribute to the clan's wellbeing, and heed the call of the Mandalore. There's more to it than that. Mandalorians are supposed to seek worthy opponents to grow and improve. Defeat against a stronger foe isn't a failure, but a new goal to reach. We've lost our way, but we can become what we once were. Warriors of purpose, not glorified thugs."

I paused to give her a chance to speak. She didn't.

"Children are one of the most important parts of my culture," I continued. "Adopting Foundlings is one of the main ways we grow our numbers. If we all get along, you'd be invited to join my clan. I'm the only member at the moment."

• Some Wine with that Cheese?
  +100 Points
  Roll – Bank – Shop         

Bank. I wanted that Droid Control Ship.

"You want a family," Shmi stated.

A family? Not really. I wanted to give Anakin a better life to avert the disaster that was on the horizon.

"What can I say?" I chuckled. "I've got a gooey center under this crunchy shell."

Shmi's eyes widened at my statement. A small smile played across her face after a moment.

"Ani," she called. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Anakin burst out of his room carrying a large bag and wearing another as big as he was on his back.

"Anakin," Shmi sighed.

"What?" The boy asked innocently.

"What is all that?" Shmi asked.

"The important stuff," Anakin grunted as he lifted the bag he held a bit higher.

I pulled out another one-hundred credit square and placed it on the counter for Watto to find later.

"That should cover it," I said as I took the bag from his hand.

It was heavier than I expected from a kid his size. Either it was by pure will that he hadn't dragged it along the floor, or he was subconsciously using the Force to strengthen his body. I held my hand out to Anakin, who took it, and smiled brightly up at me. Shmi was covering her worry rather well. Not that I blamed her. This random stranger shows up, casually buys her and her son, sets them free, and now Anakin was staring at him like he hung the suns.

"Do you ever take off your helmet?" Anakin asked as we walked toward the hangar.

"Yes," I nodded.

"You do?" Anakin squinted at me as though he could see through my helmet.

"How else am I supposed to eat?" I said with a soft chuckle. "Around people, rarely. Only those I trust or count as family."

"Does that mean you'll take it off around us?" Anakin asked in wonder.

"Maybe one day," I replied.

We arrived at the hangar in time to see my droids loading the parts into the ship. The Twi'lek dockmaster watched with a mingling of interest and dread. I could almost see him calculating what he could do with the information. The entirety of my crew so far was droids. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be easier to rob than if the crew were people. It was easier to shoot droids.

"No issues?" I asked as I approached the Twi'lek.

He jumped at the sound of my voice. His eyes drifted over Anakin and Shmi for a moment before turning his attention to me.

"No," the Twi'lek shook his head fast enough to whip his lekku.

"Good," I replied. "I'll be here for a bit longer than expected. How much for a month?"

The word 'month' felt odd in my mouth. I took it to mean that I had said something different that meant the same thing in this universe.

"Ninety," he squeaked out.

I reached into my wallet. Instinctively, I knew that I had roughly ten thousand credits left. It sounded like a lot, but I had just spent nearly thirty thousand with Watto. I really needed to work out a budget. Or come up with a way to make some money.

He caught the credit square I tossed him. My internal math told me it was worth a hundred.

"Keep it," I said before he could say anything. "I'll let you know if I need fuel or a restock."

The Twi'lek nodded again before rushing away.

"Why did you do that?" Anakin asked. "You gave Watto more money too."

"They'll remember that in the future," I answered. "It lays the groundwork for better service and potential connections in the future."

"Or they think you're an easy mark," Shmi spoke softly.

"Then they would learn their mistake the hard way," I waited for the droids to close the hatch on the loading bay before I entered the ship.

Anakin and Shmi stayed at my side. The boy watched the droids with intense interest. His mind was working overtime studying everything about them. I didn't doubt C-3PO would get some upgrades when their body was finished. My helmet hid my smile at his energy. I led them over to the strip of crew quarters. Technically, they were for potential passengers as well as the crew.

"Pick one," I tapped the panel by the door. All of them opened, save for mine. "You can choose if you want to share a room or not." I pointed to my door. "This is mine. The fresher is right there, another on the opposite side as well. We have a freshwater tank and a recycler. Go easy on it, the process isn't instant, and the tank isn't endless. I'm not filling up here, so we'll have to wait until our next stop."

The rest of the important spots were next: escape pods, the kitchen, maintenance corridors, lounge, droid charging area, cargo bay, brig, and the cockpit. It ended with us standing by the Life Support array.

"We don't have a medical area yet," I said. "The med-kits, bandages, bacta-patches, and all that are stored right here."

They watched as I opened the panel and pulled out an auto-injector.

"Have you had any inoculations for off-planet illnesses?" I asked.

Shmi shook her head. Anakin latched onto the side of his mother.

"It's alright," I said as I loaded a cartridge into the injector. "Just a little pinch. You've felt worse when working on your droid."

Anakin nodded. He offered his arm. I cleaned the area with a swab. The prepped area was a few shades lighter than the rest of his skin.

"What's that?" I asked nodding over his shoulder.

I gave him the shot the moment he looked away. He turned back to face me, his face screwed up in confusion.

"I didn't see anything," Anakin said.

"Did you feel anything?" I asked with a small smile in my voice.

"No," Anakin shook his head. "Are you going to do the shot now?"

"I already did," I tapped his forearm.

He looked down at the little red circle in wonder.

"Go take a shower," I said. "Then we'll go through your stuff."

"Why?" Anakin asked.

"To see what you have and what you need," I replied. "Go get clean."

Shmi gave her son a reassuring smile as he stepped into the fresher. Her shoulders tensed once the door shut. She turned to face me with a slowness that broke my heart. I motioned for her to give me her arm. The process repeated, this time without a distraction.

"The other fresher is open," I said. "You should get cleaned up too."

Shmi smiled at the sound of water spray and laughter that was loud enough to hear through the thick metal. Her expression shifted to neutral as she addressed me.

"Will I be warming your bed?" She asked with a well-hidden shiver in her voice.

"No," I shook my head. "You are an attractive woman. I think I could grow to enjoy your company. That doesn't mean you're here as entertainment."

A silence grew between us until I had to say something. I couldn't just set them free. The world didn't work like that. Shmi would spend the rest of her life waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I paid twenty thousand for you and Anakin," I continued.

She flinched at the number.

"I'm not going to throw that investment away," I said. "Ten thousand total and you're free to do whatever you wish. Until then, you're part of my crew and will be treated as such. We do a job; you get a portion of the pay. Anything you do on your own time is yours."

"Why?" Shmi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Your kid," I motioned to the closed fresher door. "There's something special about him. You already know that."

She nodded.

"He's Force Sensitive," I continued. "Too old to join the Jedi and too powerful for the Sith to find."

"Sith?" Shmi asked.

"Evil Jedi," I replied. "It's more complicated than that, but close enough." I waved away any further questions. "They'll twist him into a monster and the entire galaxy would fear him." I paused. "He's too powerful to be left alone. Most Force Sensitive people that the Jedi don't find, or the Sith corrupt, live their lives without ever noticing. That won't happen with Anakin. The signs are already there."

It was a statement, not a question.

"He's the only human pod-racer on Tatooine," she whispered.

"Force Enhanced Reflexes," I said. "I'll train him the best that I can. Now, go take a shower and set out the stuff you brought. I have a feeling we're going to go shopping soon enough."

Shmi did as instructed. I had just given her a lot to think about. It's not every day you find out your kid has the potential to be an insanely powerful space wizard.

I turned off my helmet speaker and opened a note on my HUD.

"Dictate, notes," I said. "Number one, long term goal: train Anakin. Number two, figure out how to either kill Palpatine or expose him. Number three, possibly undo the extinction of my species. Number four, fuck if I know."

I paused to listen for a moment. The water for Anakin had turned off but he hadn't come out yet. Shmi used the Fresher on the other side of the ship, so I had no idea on her progress.

"Expand note number two," I said. "Assassinating a Senator is a lot easier than a Chancellor. What would the implications be of killing him before things really kick off? The approach of the war could slow, but Dooku can't be written off. He's smart, resourceful, and charismatic. His goals are his own. Could possibly be more of an issue than Palpatine."

Anakin emerged from the Fresher a few shades lighter than he went in. His hair was wet, he was wearing clean clothes, and he had a wide smile on his face. He sprinted into one of the open rooms. A quick glance before the door closed let me know he was currently spreading his items on the bed for inspection.

"Further expanding note number two," I continued as I waited. "Taking the timeline, access, and his hidden force abilities into account a direct attack would be out of the question. He could know how to negate poison, so that's out too. A bomb would be the best bet as long as he didn't sense it. Maybe a multi-stage trigger as to not alarm him. Requires research."

A few minutes later a paler and cleaner version of Shmi appeared. She chose the room directly next to Anakin. It didn't escape my notice that she had positioned herself between his room and mine. I couldn't blame her for that. She started to unpack her items as I had instructed.

"Expand note number three," I walked over to the lounge and took a seat. "Research cloning options. A few of myself unaltered, then examine options to mingle my DNA with other compatible sources to expand the starting population. Can age acceleration stop after maturity? Sith can inter-breed with humans. Find out what other species are viable. Set the starting batch free with the sole intent on increasing the population once a sufficient number of clones are gathered. Option two, start knocking up a couple of women on each planet I visit. Much slower. Much more fun. Not sure if either method is practical since I'm the only source of Sith DNA. If I remember correctly, I would need around three thousand adults to continue with the species with minimal risk of inbreeding. More is probably better unless it dilutes the Sith DNA completely. Shelve the idea until more information has been gathered."

"We're ready," Shmi said as she approached me.

I activated the speaker on my helmet as I stood. The HUD worked via voice commands and frankly impossible level of eye-tracking technology.

"Lead the way," I nodded to her.

We stopped at her room first. She had two outfits, including the one she had just worn, and a smattering of nicknacks that had to have some emotional connection. It was a testament to her pragmatism that she didn't pack anything that Watto would want back. I picked up one of her shirts and felt the fabric. My gloves didn't allow me to assess the quality, but it felt like worn burlap. A quick look at Anakin's selection showed his stuff was along the same lines. He had three outfits that were in better condition. I gave Shmi an appreciative incline of the head at her.

"You know where to get better quality clothes?" I asked.

Shmi nodded.

"And a med-center that can remove those chips?" I asked.

She paused for a moment, then nodded.

"We'll do that one first," I said. "Let's go."

~

The trip to the med-center and market didn't cost nearly as much as expected. I asked that we avoid the slave market, so I didn't spend the rest of my capital on freeing as much as possible. That, and I didn't think killing random slavers would do much in the way of progress. Note number three became: plan downfall of slavers. That was going to be a major one. Being in Hutt Space meant that I would basically declaring war against some of the biggest crime lords in the known galaxy. Taking out the little guys would open the planet to new slavers. Aiming for the Hutts meant that I was inviting another criminal organization or two to try to fill the vacuum. I'd either need to set myself up or get someone in power that I could count on. Both options were going to take a lot of work.

We ended the day at a little cantina for dinner. I was a little surprised to see how mundane most of the food was. Sure, the ingredients weren't the standard ones from my previous life, but the presentation was similar. A sandwich was a sandwich regardless of name or galaxy. I did learn two important lessons. One, Bantha meat is not the equivalent of beef. Two, Blue Milk is freaking delicious. Eating in public was a bit tricky. I could tilt my helmet back and use a straw for the drink, but actual food took some slap-dash invention. There was a chance that no one would think twice about another near-human alien of dubious origin. It was unlikely a random xenology expert would just happen to be on Tatooine, in Mos Espa, and would see me.

Still, I wasn't going to take off my helmet in public. I needed to solve this issue, so it didn't come up in the future. Shmi was a lifesaver. She wrapped a loose scarf around my helmet just below the eyes. With that covered, I was able to tilt it back enough to eat. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of a Mandalorian using a glorified bib. Still, it's not a stupid idea if it works. At least it isn't as stupid.

Shmi and Anakin looked like new people. The shower, new clothes, and most importantly, removing the explosive chip at the base of their skull helped them relax. Anakin wore a pair of coveralls that made him look like a mechanics apprentice while Shmi stayed low key with a simple outfit that blended in with everyone else.

"Anakin," I said as we made it back to the ship. "Come here."

Shmi tensed, but Anakin didn't question it. I sat on the floor in the lounge area settling into the classic meditation pose. Anakin stared at me for a moment before he joined me.

"We need to talk," I said slowly turning my head to face him.

He nodded but didn't speak.

"Do you know what the Force is?" I asked.

"Magic that Jedi use," Anakin replied quickly.

"Correct, in a way," I patted him on the head. "The Force is an energy that lives in all things, it connects everything. People who can use it are Force Sensitive. People like you."

"Me?" His eyes went wide with the information.

"Yes," I nodded. "Your reflexes are faster than a standard human. You simply know how to fix things. Not to mention, I can sense it."

"You're a Jedi?" Anakin asked.

"No," I shook my head. "But I am a Force User. My creed is my own. I would like to teach you, if you're willing."

Anakin looked over to his mother. She gave him a small smile and a nod. He leaped to his feet and pulled her into a tight hug. Shmi laughed while she enjoyed the attention. He quickly skipped back to me and got back into the meditation position.

"This first lesson is to feel," I said. "We'll try a few ways to see which works best for you. Close your eyes and let your mind drift. Don't try to force your mind to blank, let your thoughts flow. The goal is to relax and to feel the world around you."

I didn't expect it to work for him. Most source material painted Anakin as impatient and short tempered. Which was why I was so shocked when his breathing slowed. He wasn't asleep; he had already settled into the zone.

"Now," I kept my voice soft and even. "Pay attention to what you feel. The floor you're sitting on, the breeze of the air circulation, the heat from my body." I paused. "Do you feel it?"

"I think so," Anakin replied.

"Go through each feeling, explore and identify before you move to the next," I continued. "Tell me what you feel."

"The floor," Anakin said. "The screwdriver in my pocket is poking my leg."

"You can take it out," I laughed.

He scrambled around as he emptied out his pockets. How he was able to fit the equivalent of an industrial toolbox on his body was beyond me. Once more he settled beside me. It didn't take long for him to return to the target zone.

"I feel something," Anakin said slowly.

"Just like the other sensations, explore and identify," I repeated.

"I know this feeling," Anakin said. "It's… It's always with me."

"Is this the sensation you feel while pod-racing?" I asked.

"Yeah," his voice got louder as he drew the word out. "That's the force?"

"That is a way to identify the Force," I answered. "We'll do this every morning and evening. Don't hesitate to ask me questions at any time. If I can, I will answer or find the answers."

We got a routine going over the next week. I wasn't going to do more than meditation with Anakin until we were off planet. His mere presence would bring unwanted attention from the Jedi. Training him up would be an even bigger problem. Plus, I needed to do get my own connection in order. I knew how to use the Force, hell, I had the equivalent of a Force Master in my head, but no practical experience.

I did my own experimentation and practice when Anakin was asleep, or busy in the cargo bay. Watto wasn't happy to see me when I came back, but I stayed true to my word. I would purchase something from his shop, fix it up, and then either sell it myself or back to him at a reduced cost. He was actually happy to see me after the third time I made him a profit.

Shmi was slow to warm to me, but she did her job without complaint. The droids all listened to her by the end of the second day. Even Carrie, the ship VI, would spend time chatting with her. Anakin and I made a team project to modify the B-1 droids. He helped reshape their heads, managing to get a mix between the more humanoid C-3PO and the battle droids. The final product looked like a Commando Droid with a friendly face. We also added a few more points of articulation, adapted the hands to have five fingers for more dexterous manipulation, and gave their processors an upgrade.

It took the better part of a week, but we managed to update the entire squad of ten. One of the droids that hadn't been activated yet was donated to give 3PO a body. He was the only one with protocol programming. The others were mechanics, gunners, and guards. They could fight, if needed, but were mostly there for defense rather than carrying out prolonged attacks. The astromechs were jealous, so they all got custom paintjobs, and a few upgrades. They also were happy they got to skip Anakin and I poking around in the B-1 communication network.

We had a week to settle in before Watto contacted me. There was a group of spacers looking for parts for a Nubian Yacht and tomorrow was the Boonta Eve Classic.

Chapter Text

"I know this hasn't been as exciting as you were hoping," I said as Anakin took a seat across from me. "It's important to know the basics before we move on to the fun stuff."

"Like building a laser sword?" Anakin bounced in place.

"No," I laughed. "They are called Lightsabers and are an important benchmark to reach."

Anakin pouted.

"Today, we are going to talk about the Jedi and Sith Codes," I explained.

"Why?" Anakin asked. "You said you weren't a Jedi."

"I'm not," I nodded. "It's important to know other approaches. I can't just say I'm not a Jedi, or Sith, unless I know what they are. There is also the possibility that I could learn something from them." I paused to let him think. "And there is a chance that you might find them interesting."

"But then you couldn’t teach me," Anakin gasped.

"True," I said. "But I'm not going to let my limitations hinder your growth. We would need to find someone to teach you. With me observing, of course."

Anakin nodded happily at the news.

"Now," I brought him back to the topic. "The Jedi Code. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the force." I paused. "What do you think?"

"It's confusing," Anakin replied.

"The Jedi Code teaches that emotions are the way to the Dark Side," I explained. "I don't see it like that. Blocking off all of your emotions means you're unprepared for stressful situations. Searching for knowledge, finding serenity and harmony, and accepting death is a noble thought. Ignoring, or denying chaos, passion, and ignorance is foolish."

"Accepting death?" Anakin asked. "I thought nothing could kill a Jedi."

"Everything dies," I replied. "Death is a part of life. It cannot be undone. Anyone who claims otherwise is selling you something." I waited for him to acknowledge those words. "Accepting death does not mean ignoring or not caring about life. Fight to save those you can, that includes yourself. You can't help anyone when you're dead."

Anakin nodded again.

"Let's start at the beginning," I brought the conversation back at hand. "What do you think the Code means?"

"Uh," Anakin thought for a long moment before he shrugged. "I don't know."

"Perfectly valid answer," I said. "Everyone starts somewhere."

Anakin waited for me to continue.

"Letting your emotions control you is a slippery slope. Imagine that you're fixing an engine," I shifted to an example I hoped he understood. "You have been working on it all day, and nothing is working. You're frustrated, tired, and angry. You're holding a wrench, and it would feel so good to just smash it a few times."

Anakin nodded in understanding.

"Would that help fix it?" I asked.

"Maybe?" Anakin replied with a sly smile.

"Concussive maintenance," I laughed. "If only that worked on everything."

I let him have the silly moment.

"No, it wouldn't help fix it," I continued. "Keeping calm and focused is what you need to do."

Anakin nodded again.

"You keep working on it, and working on it, but it's just not happening," I let a little frustration bleed into my voice. "That desire to smack the engine is getting more and more insistent. What now?"

"Uh," Anakin thought for a moment. "Keep calm?"

"In a perfect world, sure," I shrugged. "In reality, that's setting yourself up for failure. Your anger will eventually get the best of you. It might not even be while you're working on the engine. There are two ways I could see going forward."

Anakin perked up.

"Walk away for a time," I said. "Or let a little anger out."

"Huh?" Anakin screwed up his face in confusion.

"Smacking it with a wrench isn't going to fix anything," I repeated. "Holding onto the anger isn't helping anything either. Let it out. You don't have to smash it with a wrench. Yell at it, curse at it, and then let it go." I paused. "The Jedi would tell you to release your emotion into the Force and skip the yelling or cursing. Again, it sounds nice. Controlled logic without emotion."

"Sounds like a droid," Anakin wrinkled his nose.

"Excuse me," 3PO gasped at the insult. "I am quite in tune with my emotions."

"Trust me, we know," I deadpanned. "The Sith Code. Let me clarify one thing before we continue. The Sith, as they are today, are a religion like The Jedi. Long ago, there was a people called Sith. They had a natural connection to The Force, as well as a skill for the Dark Side."

"Ok," Anakin said slowly.

One of these days he'd find out why that information was important. I still hadn't taken my helmet off around them yet. Shmi made sure I was in her line of sight at all times. I was pretty sure she managed to get the droids to keep an eye on me too. It probably didn't help that I was dealing with Watto a bit more than I had planned. Say what you want about the bug, but he had some good scrap.

"The Sith Code," I repeated. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me."

Anakin perked up at the last bit.

"Sounds interesting, hm?" I said. "It definitely has more of a hook."

He nodded.

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion," I said. "Through passion, I gain strength. That's true. You can call on your anger, harness it, and use it as strength."

Anakin nodded.

"Exactly," I tapped the edge of my helmet. "Great. You're angry, you feel strong, so you lash out at the thing making you angry. Now the engine is a twisted chunk of metal that you can't fix no matter how hard you try."

"So, I'm not supposed to get angry?" Anakin asked. "That sounds like the Jedi."

"Being angry isn't the problem," I explained. "Losing yourself to it is. The important part is how you use it and the result." I paused. "Say the reason you can't fix the engine is that there is a bolt that is rusted so bad that it's welded into the frame. Tapping into that anger for the boost of strength might help get it loose."

Anakin nodded slowly in thought.

"But it would strip the treads," he said.

He froze as he realized he had just contradicted me. I turned my hands to show him my palms while making sure my posture was devoid of aggression.

"I don't know everything," I explained. "There are times where I will be wrong. There are going to be times where I don't have the answers. The important part is learning, not accepting ignorance."

The tension in his shoulders eased ever so slightly.

"Let's look at this imaginary situation now," I guided him back to the conversation. "You were calm and continued to work. When the issue persisted, you allowed a little anger out and stripped the threads. Now what?"

"Uh," Anakin thought for a long moment. "I replace the bolt and then I can get to the interior."

"Perfect," I said. "Did your anger cause some destruction? Yes, but it's more efficient to fix this mistake than to lose everything. Emotions are important. It is control that you have to strive to reach."

Anakin nodded slowly.

"Confused yet?" I asked with a little smile in my voice.

"Kind of," Anakin blushed.

"Emotion can be a powerful fuel," I said. "Letting them take control will lead to a painful end."

Further discussion was interrupted by the chirp of my comm. I brought up my Omni-Tool to see it was Watto. My brow furrowed; we didn't have any deals arranged at the moment. I opened myself to the Force, feeling the currents of the world. Finding Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan was easy even with them cloaking their signature. Unfortunately, my technique was lacking, and they could sense me just as easily.

"We're going to have guests," I muttered.

"I can feel something," Anakin whispered.

"Tell me," I motioned for him to continue.

"A… man? Yeah. A man, he's old but not too old," Anakin meandered as he quantified the information. "He's a warrior, noble, proud, and sensitive. He cares for those around him."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Another," Anakin said. "It's weaker. Not just farther away. Not as strong as the other one. A student." He brightened. "Like me!"

"Well done," I patted him on the shoulder then stood. "Those two are Jedi. Now, if you can feel them, can they feel you?"

Anakin screwed up his forehead in thought once more. I felt his signature in the Force shimmer then start to collapse in on itself. It was a valiant attempt.

"We'll work on that later," I said patting him on the shoulder.

Anakin hopped to his feet with ease. He followed me into the cockpit where the holo-terminal was located. I could have taken the message on my Omni-Tool, but I wanted a good look at the situation. The terminal popped on to show Watto hovering in front of three humanoid figures. I recognized the trio as Qui-Gon, Padme, and Jar-Jar. The Jedi Master was taller than I had expected. He kept control of his expression when a Mandalorian appeared in front of him. Padme schooled her features after the barest flash of surprise.

"Ooo, is-a Mandalorian," leave it to Jar-Jar to state the obvious.

"Indeed," I said flatly. "Watto."

"Mando," Watto replied with a hungry smile.

He knew this was going to be a payday for me, which meant one for him as well.

"They need parts for a Nubian yacht," Watto chuckled. "The ones you bought."

"The ones I rebuilt," I countered. "If they've got credits, send them over. Bay echo-seven."

I ended the transmission before anything more could be said. Anakin stood beside me. His mouth had dropped open, and he was still staring at the spot where the holograms had just been.

"You good, kid?" I asked.

"Was she an angel?" Anakin asked in a tone filled with wonder.

"You'll have to ask her," I replied.

I gave Shmi a slight incline of my head to show my amusement. She was polite to me, but we had some distance to go before she would relax.

"Shmi," I spoke evenly. "We're going to have guests, three of them. Two humans, or near-human, and a Gungan. Could you please prepare a meal for all of us, as well as three rooms for them to stay the night."

"They're staying the night?" Anakin chimed in.

"There's a sandstorm coming," I answered. "It's not safe for them to travel."

"How do you know?" Shmi asked softly.

I tapped the side of my helmet. Not sure how she took that as an answer. Regardless, it worked.

"Anakin," I said. "Get the Nubian parts ready in the loading bay for when they arrive."

"Roger, roger," Anakin saluted.

A couple of nearby droids perked up at that. Soon he had a few customized B-1s following him. They already had a basic personality matrix. The one for 3PO was more advanced and made the gaps in quality obvious. I was going to have him upgrade the units as time went with specializing in the ship functions. The astromechs droids already had plenty of personality.

I sighed as I waited for the group to arrive. It sounds silly, but the entire issue with Padme, Naboo, and the Jedi had mostly slipped my mind. Training with Anakin, including the various projects around the ship and tinkering with the droids, had taken more of my time than I had expected. It helped that I was learning right along with him. The knowledge was there, but it didn't actually sink in until I was talking about it.

Now, how to deal with the Palpatine situation. As much as I entertained the thought of killing him it wouldn't be that easy. The galaxy was already on the brink of implosion without his meddling. Killing him would slow things down, but it would also mean that everything I knew would be useless. The Clone Wars were going to happen with or without Palpatine.

Who would know about the clones without Palpatine around? Kamino was discovered during the investigation into the assassination attempt on Padme. How would the CIS change with Dooku as the leader? The war run by Palpatine was a smoke-screen to solidify his power, thin out the Jedi, and gain control of problem systems by 'rescuing' them from CIS attacks. Dooku was all for revamping the Republic and ending the current Jedi regime. He also held the other CIS together. Even worse, he believed in the cause. Though I doubted he would go to the lengths of slaughtering every Jedi.

Plus, I was of the opinion that Padme was wrong. Even before the split, those organizations that made up the CIS had too much military power to be ignored. Sure, it was to keep their trade routes and cargo safe. Those same droids could easily be used to target less important Republic worlds, like Naboo, to exploit without any real consequence. A standing army, even a small one with the potential to be reinforced by world-based resources would have made it harder for the Trade Union to make moves. Profit versus expense was something they were familiar with. Attacking an 'unarmed' Republic was a lot more enticing than fighting one that had even a reserve force.

Fuck it. They made their own mess, and it was up to them to fix it. I had other plans.

The casual attitude toward slavery in this region of space made me want to tear my hair out. It wouldn't be an easy thing to fix either. Killing the slavers and setting the slaves free would be a disaster. They could easily be scooped up by another group in a few years. There needed a support system before they were let loose on the galaxy and a safe place to return if they needed it.

The plan was simple. Take over Tatooine, abolish slavery, and make the place somewhere worth living. There were a couple of things that I could do to better the chance of success. The Hutts needed to go. They were the big shots that dealt in slaves. The crime syndicates had an unspoken arrangement to stay out of the way of each other. Slavery was the Hutts focus. The Pyke Syndicate moved Spice. Black Sun worked in classic organized crime sticking to protection rackets, smuggling, and laundering funds. The Crymorah Syndicate was a bit of an outlier handling information, assassinations, and corporate espionage. They were closer to an Independent Covert Operations Company than an actual criminal organization. I was fine to let them be as long as they stayed away from slavery.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't be enough to take down the Hutts and take over Tatooine on my own. That led to my true 'first' step. Gather what was left of the true Mandalorians, then take the fight to the Hutts. The best I could come up with was rehabilitating Death Watch. Challenge Pre Vizsla for control as per Mandalorian tradition. Death Watch were thugs playing dress-up, but I could use them as ground forces while I gathered the real Mandalorians. There were certainly plenty that didn't agree with the new Pacifist regime without joining Death Watch.

• Setting the Course

• +100 FP

• Roll – Bank – Shop

• Balance : 200 Points

• Bookmarked –

• Lucre Hulk Class Droid Control Ship

• Cost: 1000 Points

Do I still need the Droid Control Ship? I wasn't planning on intervening with Naboo which was the original function. Though having an army of my own battle droids would help as well. I could still Roll and purchase something new without losing the Bookmark.

"Roll," I said once my helmet speakers muted.

• Cost : 100 FP

• Skill : Anti-Stormtrooper Aim

• You actually hit what you’re shooting at, even relatively small and fast-moving targets. Your aim is remarkable, even by the standards of commandos, snipers and other marksmen, and your reflexes mean you usually shoot first.

• Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss

How could I say no to that?

"Purchase," I said.

• Balance : 100 Points

A wave of new knowledge filtered into my head. It wasn't as drastic as the previous times. The addition enhanced the knowledge Bounty Hunter Skills gave me already for weapons. I would need to earn and save more points before I could acquire the ship.

Further introspection was put on hold as the trio arrived.

Seeing Qui-Gon in person was an odd feeling. He was taller than I had expected. There was also a cloud of energy around him that could only be The Force. Padme was around sixteen right now and she was absolutely adorable. Jar-Jar was… Jar-Jar, I could do without him.

"A real Mandalorian," Padme narrowed her eyes at me.

"One of few left," I said with a nod.

"Not a fan of Duchess Kryze?" Qui-Gon asked.

I tilted my head to the side in an unspoken reply.

"Wow," Anakin gasped as the trio entered the ship though his gaze was solely on Padme. "You are an angel."

"I'm Padme," she said, blushing. "Who are you?"

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," he introduced with a big smile. "Mechanic of the Zepplin."

"The Zepplin?" Padme asked.

"That's our ship's name," Anakin answered.

"The parts are over here," I waved Qui-Gon over to the loading bay.

We haggled over the price a little. I had no problem taking Republic Credits. It would be converted into the local currency once it was in my wallet.

"The boy isn't your son," Qui-Gon stated as we watched Padme and Anakin in the other room.

Shmi had somehow wrangled Jar-Jar out of the way. A few of the droids followed close behind to clean up the mess. That woman deserved a raise. The timeline could probably benefit with Jar-Jar not being around. I wasn't going to kill the stupid Gungan just because he's annoying.

"He's my mechanic," I replied.

"You are both strong in the Force," Qui-Gon stated.

"You're horrible at hiding you're a Jedi," I chuckled.

"I wasn't hiding it," the tall man replied. "I sense there is something more about you than appears."

I shrugged. We stood in silence for a moment before I spoke again.

"I've asked Shmi to make sure there are rooms for you to stay," I motioned to the line of crew quarters. "There is a sandstorm coming."

"They're deadly," Shmi added. "Even if you don't get lost."

"Thank you," Qui-Gon inclined his head.

I strolled into the cockpit and took a seat. My helmet hid my smile as Anakin began giving them a full tour of the ship. This next bit was important. Maul wasn't going to attack until after the race tomorrow. I wasn't sure Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan would insist on returning to Naboo with the Queen if they didn't encounter the Sith. Removing Anakin from the plot would change the battle enough as it was. Things would go completely sideways if Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan weren't there.

My solitude didn't last long. Qui-Gon casually took an open seat next to me.

"The Force around you and the boy is chaotic," the Jedi said.

"I've noticed," I replied. "If I may ask, what color is your blade?"

"Green," he answered.

"I would have thought it would be blue," I said.

"Why would you say that?" He asked.

"Guardians usually choose green," I replied.

A ghost of a smile played along his face.

"Duty and justice," he gestured to my armor.

"Green is duty," I corrected. "Blue is reliability, trustworthiness."

He nodded.

"Something drew me here," I said, not lying. "Among the things I saw were unmistakably lightsaber blades. One green, yours," I motioned to his hip. "One blue, your apprentice I presume." He inclined his head ever so slightly. "And one red."

He stilled.

"You are certain?" His voice took on an edge to it.

I nodded. He twirled his beard near his chin.

"If you're here, then the red lightsaber will be close," I said. "Tomorrow, the next day at the most. You could stay to determine the truth. You're stuck here for at least the night due to the sandstorm."

"You are a Force User, not Jedi though," he said. "I do not sense the Dark Side in you."

"You don't sense the Dark Side at all," I snorted.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"A Sith Lord controls the Senate," I added. "This is just the first step in a grander plan."

"You know this?" He asked.

"You can believe me or not," I gave a dry chuckle. "I've got my own plans."

I clicked off my helmet external speaker and summoned one of my astromechs. A green and yellow striped domed droid rolled over to me. It ejected a little disc which I took with a silent thank you via my helmet. Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow as I offered it to him.

"We've run scans and completed diagnostics for the communication framework of Baktoid Combat Droids," I explained once my helmet speaker activated. "Send this to the Control Ship and it will shut everything off."

"How long?" Qui-Gon asked.

"A minute or two," I replied. "Enough for a squad of pilots to take out a Control Ship."

"My thanks," the Jedi Knight slipped the disc into his robes.

There. That should cover for Anakin not being there. I wasn't going to rush the blockade mid-battle to blow the ship up. Looking to the future, the Clone Wars would start in the next ten years or so and gathering enough clout among the Mandalorians to legitimately challenge Pre Vizsla for control of Death Watch was going to take some time.

~

We delivered the trio and the parts to their ship once the sandstorm faded. Qui-Gon decided to see if I had been telling the truth. I had no plans to fight Darth Maul. My Bounty Hunter skill package came with some knife-work, but everything else was for ranger combat. Shooting at a Force User was rarely a good idea. I hadn't touched my lightsaber since I first woke up. Accidental amputation was not on my list of things to do. I wasn't going to use it until I was able to purchase the Blade Master Skill Set from the shop. Even then, it provided the knowledge not the physical aspects. I had experience with firearms before so there was a foundation to build on.

Now that I thought about it, could I access the shop -or whatever it was- outside of earning points?

• Would you like to access the interface outside of notifications?

• Yes/No

Selecting 'Yes' was the obvious choice.

• Open the Settings

• +100 Points 

• Balance: 200 Forge Points 

• Roll – Bank – Shop

This wasn’t a full system. I didn't have access to stats, levels, or some sort of Character Sheet. Now came the hard part. Two hundred points would mean I could purchase the Blade Master Skill Set and then do another Roll. That might be good in the short-term, but it would take even longer to get the droid ship.

I looked at Qui-Gon from where he stood nearby. My helmet expanded my vision to the make it so I could see all around me which made it easy to keep aware of my surroundings. I wasn't going to Naboo. Once Maul appeared they would get back on the plot. I gave them the communication codes and the diagnostics of the standard battle droids. This was important, I needed to get the details in order.

• Cost: 1000 FP

• Balance: 200 Forge Points

• Technology: Lucre Hulk Class Droid Control Ship

• This ship acts more as a mobile space station with a central sphere which acts as the ship's bridge and reactor assembly. The major feature of this ship is that it can mass-produce droids and is able to control them using its array of Broadcast equipment. This ship is able to mass produce basic B-1 Battle Droids, Vulture Droids, C-9979 landing craft, Multi-Troop Transports, Armored Assault Tanks and Platoon Attack Craft.

The ship could mass produce battle droids. B-1 droids were played as a joke. Truth was that they had defeated Clone Troopers  on multiple planets. Hell, I could skip the basic models and focus completely on the specialists. It was expensive but worth the wait.

"Bank," I answered the Interface.

I needed another 800 points before I could purchase the ship. An army of droids would make things a lot easier. The Interface awarded him for doing things, which sounded obvious now that he thought about it. It had told me to put on a good show. I had been too distracted to really pay attention to everything. If I was to put on a show it meant that there was someone watching.

It would be a smart idea to see what the viewers wanted.

I had plans to start working on spreading my name to create some clout to make my challenge worth something. Some random Mandalorian strolling up to their leader and demand a duel would at the very least be laughed out of the room and, mostly likely, shot. There should be plenty of opportunities to see what the viewers wanted.

~

Anakin made sure that we all knew today was the Boonta Eve Classic. He also convinced his mother, me, and our three visitors to watch it. I sprang for some VIP seating, which meant we had our own little elevated box to watch the race. The executive cave had a few screens around the room that displayed all of the major action points. Thankfully, it was enclosed and had air conditioning. The temperature didn't bother Anakin or Shmi since they had lived on Tatooine for years and had adjusted to the heat while I was fine with my armor keeping my body temperature nice and comfy. Qui-Gon, Jar-Jar, and Padme were not so lucky. I didn't particularly like the Gungan, but that didn't stop me from feeling sorry for him. A planet like this was not the place for an amphibian.

What novelty there was from meeting Qui-Gon had gotten old fast. Every conversation with him turned into subtle gestures, unspoken information, and it was annoying. Granted, I wasn't the most talkative person around. When I did speak, I preferred it to be about something rather than just hints. Though watching him pretend he didn't know Padme was the Queen was funny. She was constantly exasperated by everything the older Jedi did. They could pass for parent and child if I didn't know any better.

Watching Anakin attempt to flirt with Padme. His pure energy and intent seemed to win her over a little by little. I did my best to focus on anything else than what was coming. The race played out mostly the same. Sebulba won without Anakin there to be actual competition. I didn't place any bets on the race. My preferred method of gambling was a game of cards. The system I had in place was an easy one. Place some money aside for the sole purpose of gambling. Treat it like the funds are used 'buying' the time with said money. Anything I walk away with is a bonus.

We caught a glance of Watto as we all walked away. He didn't look like he had just lost everything, that was good for him. Anakin had sold Watto the pod-racer that he had built for a tidy profit. The Toydarian was considering backing his own racer in the next competition. I earned a bit of goodwill from Shmi when I shot down the idea of Anakin being his racer.

• Flag Avoided+100 Forge Points

• Balance: 300 FP

• Roll – Bank – Shop

It was incredibly tempting to Roll. I guess there was another sort of gambling that I liked.

"We're leaving in the morning," I told Qui-Gon. "Tell me when you make it back to your ship. I'd like to know if you run into the other blade in my vision."

"It was good to meet you," Qui-Gon nodded. "I hope the Force guides us to meet once again."

"Your majesty," I bowed to Padme.

"How did you know?" Padme's eyes went wide.

"It's a gift," I said. "I don't plan on fighting a war for someone else. You've got my information if you need a mercenary, bodyguard, or someone to stand behind you and look menacing."

Padme flashed a nervous smile. Jar-Jar moved to take her. He looked at me expectantly. I made an effort to avoid the Gungan for the time. It was the perfect time to tell him to jettison himself into space. Seeing a hyper frogman giving me water-puppy eyes made the words dissolve before they reached my lips.

"Jar-Jar," I said, then took a long pause. "Stay alive."

Jar-Jar nodded so hard his ears flapped against the side of his head. I couldn't think of anything more. Our groups split as they left town. Anakin watched them go until they faded from view. He didn't whine or beg for them to stay. Good kid.

"Why did you call her, your majesty?" Anakin asked once we were back in the ship.

"The planet Naboo is in trouble," I explained. "The Queen, her guard, and two Jedi were able to break through a blockade to get help. Their ship was damaged in the escape, and they had to stop somewhere for repairs. The Queen has handmaidens that she can switch places with for protection. She switched places to keep an eye on Qui-Gon."

"Padme is a Queen?" Anakin said in awe.

"Don't give up, Anakin," I patted the kid on the shoulder. "Love has overcome many challenges."

We settled in for a brief rest while the crowd from the races. Tonight, the two were going to go around to say their goodbyes. I had also tasked Shmi with gathering intel on slavers in the area. Nothing dangerous, just which groups weren't attached to large crime organizations, and who needed a few lasers to the back of the head. We would leave tonight if they finished before it got too late.

My comm chimed. The signal went through to my helmet. I had the option to take it privately or broadcast. This time, I let it play for the others to hear.

"Go ahead," I said.

"This is Qui-Gon," his voice came out tired and pained. "Your vision was correct. The Sith attacked on the journey back."

"Any casualties," I asked.

"No," Qui-Gon replied. "The Force was with us."

"Glad you're alive," I said. "Try to stay that way."

"May the Force be With You," Qui-Gon said.

"You as well," I said as I ended the connection.

"They made it!" Anakin hopped around the open space of the lounge.

Shmi watched him with a soft smile.

Chapter Text

I hate to admit it, but I had no idea what to do next. Create a reputation, challenge Pre Vizsla for control of Death Watch, return to Tatooine to destroy the slave trade, and then turn my attention to the Hutts. Somewhere along the line I'll need to think about the Clone Wars as well. That all sounded great, but getting there was the issue. The droid control ship would speed things along which meant I still need to get enough points. Then, to speed that along, I needed to figure out what the 'audience' wanted. Someone was giving me points and gave me access to the Forge, that meant someone was watching.

How would I create a reputation for myself? Shmi was supposed to gather some intel of troublemakers that weren't associated with any larger organizations as she said goodbye. Slaves, beggars, and staff were overlooked so often that it made them an amazing resource for information.

I knew there was a Bounty Hunters Guild, so that was one option. If this was a fantasy setting I could have gone to the Adventurers Guild for quests. I didn't think those existed here. Being a solo mercenary would be slow going until I had more of a rep. Working for the Hutts was an option. It would take time to gather resources to take them down. Funding their destruction with their own money sounded fun.

The only thing to do was to get started. Find out what the audience wants. So far, I have been rewarded with points for making changes to the overall plot. The stretch between Episode One and Episode Two didn't have a lot of information. At least, not that I knew. Changing destiny when I had no idea what was going on wasn't an option. Action, sex, and drama were a good start. Hopefully they didn't want romance. Living happily ever after was a nice thought, but I didn't see it happening with all the upheaval on the horizon.

Shmi and Anakin returned some time later. I kept myself busy by playing around with the settings for my HUD. Never underestimate how much time adjusting text size and font can take. There was a small readout about that covered the armor integrity, oxygen reserves, filter quality, and multiple features that were synced with my Omni-Tool. It didn't hit me until I had some time to truly think that I realized how odd having one meant. An Omni-Tool was from Mass Effect. The display was the trademark blue of the Star Wars setting rather than the compressed flame of the original. Did that mean that there were more cross-overs? I would keep an eye out for any more strangeness. Seeing the occasional Turian or Asari would be cool, but I didn't see how it would change things much. There were plenty of random aliens in the background that weren't explored.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

Shmi nodded. Her ever-present soft smile had a slight tinge of melancholy. Anakin had his brow scrunched up and his lips pressed tight.

"What's up, kid?" I waved him over.

"I don't know," Anakin sighed and flopped down into an open seat in the lounge.

"You're going to miss your friends, but you still want to leave," I said.

Anakin thought for a moment, considering my words. He nodded after a bit. His head tilted down and away from me to hide the fact that he was crying.

"There is nothing wrong with crying," I set a gentle hand on his shoulder. "This isn't an easy change."

Shmi watched from the doorway. She wasn't as tense around me. It helped that the droids all answered to her first then me. I still had no idea how that had happened. Anakin was amazing with technology, but he wasn't subtle in his changes. I would have been able to spot if he changed the droids programing. Either Shmi was a slicing genius, or she had simply won them over. With her I would never know.

Anakin looked up at me. His eyes were red and puffy, they searched my helmet for some sort of understanding. I sighed. Shmi tensed as I stood. Anakin looked up at me curiously. They both watched as I released the seal on my helmet. My armor made it possible for me to comfortably exist in areas without air or hazardous fumes. Spacewalks were beyond me at this point as my boots didn't have mag-locks and did not like the idea of floating off. I set my hands on either side, ready to take it off, but paused for a breath then took the helmet off. It felt different without it. Detailed, I know, but it was the closest I could do. It was like I suddenly lost one of my senses.

[Trust is Scary]
+100 FP
[Balance: 400 Forge Points]
[Roll – Bank – Shop]

I blinked my eyes a few times to adjust to the light. Thankfully, that was enough cover to dismiss the message. It could respond to mental commands. Noted.

"Everyone cries, everyone gets scared, and everyone makes mistakes," I said sitting back down. "Anyone who says different is lying."

"I thought you didn’t take off your helmet," Anakin whispered.

"I only take it off around those I trust," I gave him a small smile.

"What are you?" Anakin asked.

"Ani!" Shmi snapped.

"It's fine," I chuckled. "I'm a Sith."

"But you said Sith were evil Jedi," Anakin cocked his head to the side.

"It's named after us," I rolled my eyes. "As far as I know, I'm the last of my kind."

"Oh no," Shmi said softly.

"Can't you just have some kids?" Anakin asked.

"That won't be enough to restart a species," I shrugged. "Thank you for the concern. We were talking about you."

"Huh?" Anakin asked.

I smiled.

"We'll talk later," I said. "Relax in your room while I talk to your mother."

He nodded and went into his room. I turned my attention to Shmi once his door closed. Her smile dropped a little before she joined me. We waited a moment to make sure Anakin wasn't going to pop out for some reason.

"Did you have any luck?" I asked once she was settled.

"Yes," Shmi replied in her usual soft tone. "There are quite a few swoop gangs that are bothering isolated settlements and homesteads. Smaller slaver groups are stamped out by the Hutts before they can get started. I did get the names of a few harsher slave owners that would make great targets." She paused. "Most were worried about the Sand People. There have been a lot of attacks lately. No one knows why."

I drummed my fingers along the table before us for a moment.

"What do you think about the Sand People?" I asked.

"They're people," Shmi replied easily. "They're just trying to survive like everyone else."

"All of the homesteads and settlements they raid are just survival?" I continued.

"No," Shmi sighed. "I won't judge an entire people for the actions of a few."

I took a deep breath and let it out.

"You're a good woman, Shmi," I said giving her what I hoped was a warm grin.

She nodded in wordless thanks. We sat there in silence for a moment with our thoughts.

"What do you plan to do?" She asked.

"That depends on you," I replied.

She stiffened a little at my words. We still had a ways to go before there was actual trust there. I was starting to feel a little exposed with my helmet off.

"I can take you and Anakin to a different planet as a vacation, then come back here and take care of the targets you provided," I continued. "The second option, I can handle them now, then we take our leave together." I paused. "Personally, I'd like the second option. You know this planet and I'd rather not let people suffer any longer than I can help it. That and the time together somewhere other than Tatooine would be nice."

She nodded, but didn't say anything yet. I picked up my helmet and put it back on. My HUD snapped back into place, making the tension in my body eased to my usual levels. It had been a little early to take it off around Shmi yet. Trusting Anakin was hard not to do, the kid was like a golden retriever puppy in human form.

"We should help the people first," Shmi said breaking the silence. "If I may make a request?"

I nodded.

"Target the slave owners first," She suggested. "Slavers, while horrible, take better care of their 'product' than an abusive harsh owner. It cuts into their profits to sell damaged goods."

The venom in her voice was rather impressive. I could see where Anakin got his intensity. She kept her emotions under tight control, but there was clearly more going on that she didn't let people see.

"Did you get the details?" I asked.

"No," she replied shaking her head. "I have their names and the nearest town. Any more than that would have attracted too much attention."

"Load up the list to the ship computer," I said standing up. "Then have the droids scour the network for any available information."

I headed to the cargo area. We didn't have anything to transport, so it was just an open space right now. It was the perfect place to burn off some energy. I had yet to actually use the lightsaber beyond turning it on when I first saw it. The desire to swing it around like a kid on too much sugar gnawed at me. Only the, very likely, possibility that I'd lose a piece of my body stopped me. I needed more skill handling a blade before I tried one that could cut through flesh like hot butter. Either I needed training, or I needed to purchase the Blade Master Skillset from the shop. Except that it would slow down saving for the ship.

It all came back to knowing the audience.

~

An hour later we had enough information to attack the abusive slavers. Was someone that had slaves a slaver or a slave-owner? Thoughts for another time.

Anakin and Shmi sat in the cockpit with me as we lifted off. My hands flew over the controls with practiced ease. It wasn't to the extent that someone else was controlling my body, more like I was simply remembering how to do something I'd done hundreds of times. I even knew about the switch that liked to stick every now and then. All the while I explained the controls to Anakin. I had started telling him how it worked before he had the chance to ask. He would learn it one way or another and I'd rather be the one to teach him than him flipping switches to see what they did.

"We're heading to Mos Ila," I said. "You two can take some time exploring the town while I have some work to do."

"I want to help," Anakin piped up.

"Not yet," I said in reply.

"But…" Anakin scrunched up his face in thought. "You're teaching me how to use the Force. I can help."

"Anakin," I turned my full attention to him. "Right now, you can help by being safe. Either on the ship or in the town, as long as it isn't around blaster fire."

Anakin looked like he was about to start arguing again.

"I will train you, and your mother, how to use a blaster once I get back," I said. "You still won't be able to help out on my jobs. Yet."

He didn't look happy, but he wasn't arguing.

"Plus, your mom scares me," I whispered.

That made him giggle. Shmi shook her head at my antics. I grabbed a couple of pouches and placed them on the table in the lounge.

"Your wages," I said motioning to the bags. "I apologize for not giving them to you sooner. They're the same amount right now. We can discuss the details once I'm back."

"Wages?" Shmi asked.

"You work, you get paid," I replied easily.

Anakin had no such reservations. He grabbed one of the pouches, opened it, and dumped it out onto the table. His eyes went wide as he saw the amount.

"Woah," he scooped up the credits.

"It looks like a lot," I cautioned. "Watch how you spend it, or it will be gone before you know it."

Anakin scooped the credits back into his pouch. He rushed into his room. The door closed just as the sound of things being moved around started to echo through the ship.

"There's a box under my bed," I said. "If I don't come back, take it, and the ship. Get off this planet and go somewhere green."

She studied me for a long, silent moment.

"Not Alderaan or Naboo," I added. "Maybe Naboo once this conflict is over. Stay away from Alderaan. I've got a bad feeling about that place."

Shmi nodded. It was slow and her eyes never left mine. She had figured out where my eyes were now that she had seen my face.

"I don't know how long this will take," I said as I walked into my room. "Give me seven days. Leave if you don't hear from me by then."

She nodded again.

"Please wait for the full seven," I said with a small smile in my voice.

She gave another serious nod. Damn. I really hoped this didn't take longer than seven days. There was no doubt that Shmi would do just like I had said. They would be off-planet before the suns were fully risen on the eighth day.

~

The town, Mos Ila, was bigger than I had expected. It wasn't what I'd call a city, but it was a decent size. The hangar was nicer than the one in Mos Espa. I didn't have to Mind Trick the dockmaster for a legitimate fee either. Hopefully, Anakin and Shmi would enjoy their time here.

My target was Avar Soammu, a Rodian 'businessman' who had a reputation for having a short temper and showing off. The combination led to rather public displays of him abusing his slaves. He lived in a villa near Mos Ila with his own security, which was a common practice for anyone with enough money. The only 'law enforcement' on the planet was under control of the various criminal organizations. Helping people wasn't in their job description.

On a professional level, the Rodian was a local merchant that had done very well for himself. He had a couple of shops in multiple towns around the planet and a few space stations as well. On the criminal side of things, he was a smuggler for a couple of different Hutts and dabbled in the Spice Trade. It didn't make him anything special, but it did mean that there was a good chance he had some credits stashed.

The villa was too far to walk. Thankfully, there was a speeder in one of the cargo holds. It was rather standard, like someone took a dirt bike and stretched it out but had to take off the flashy bits to make it work. Regardless of its appearance, the thing could move.

I shot out of the hangar much faster than I had intended. Anakin gave a loud whoop as I left, probably thinking I had done it on purpose. The stretch around the hangar was clear of buildings. I was able to get the speeder under control by the time I reached the outskirts of town.

There were some great things about the desert. It provided plenty of variety in the landscape for cover via dunes, cliffs, ravines, and ancient riverbeds. Most towns and settlements aimed for the more arid areas where stubborn vegetation refused to die. This left long stretches of untamed desert for the rest of the planet. Unfortunately, everything kicked up dust when traveling across the sands so it would be tough to go in stealthy. Fortunately, everything kicked up dust when traveling across and they wouldn't know who was approaching.

I pulled my speeder to a stop on the incline of a dune just low enough to hide my silhouette against the sand while maintaining a line of sight with the villa. The place had an adobe wall around it, aside from the hangar which had an energy shield. I didn't see any guards, but there were a few turrets spaced out along the top. The buildings inside the wall were domed shaped like most of architecture of the planet.

The villa slash compound wasn't airtight, but it had decent security. Trying to break in would require some time to scope out the area for possible points of entry. I doubted I could be stealthy enough to avoid their attention for long. Hell, they probably knew I was already here. A Mandalorian charging up to your place on a speeder wasn't something people ignored. There was a reputation attached to this armor. It wasn't like I could just walk in through the front door.

I paused. It was worth a shot. Like I had just said, the armor came with a reputation. Mandalorians were known as soldiers for hire, bounty hunters, and all-around muscle when something needed to be broken. Just the sort of thing a low rank merchant would be looking for. Even Jabba had Boba Fett stand around looking tough in his manor.

Plan A, scope out the place and sneak in, had failed. Plan B was to kick down the door and blast everyone but the slaves. Plan C, the one I had just come up with, was to knock on the door and offer my services.

My posture changed. I went from somewhat hunched low to standing straight up. Proudly, I strutted back over to my speeder and hopped on. Abandoning all attempts at stealth, I took off at a rush. I made three circuits of the walls before I came to a stop at the front door. The turrets had popped out of their little placements to track me on the first run.

I powered down my speeder and strode up to the door with purpose. They had set a thick slat of armor over it some time ago. I didn't bother knocking or using what I took to be an intercom box. Instead, I looked up at the camera above the door and slowly tilted my head to the side. I pointed to the door, then crossed my arms and waited.

The camera above the door shifted away from me to a spot directly in front of the area. A familiar light blue of a hologram flickered into view. Before me stood a slightly portly Rodian. He was dressed in admittedly good quality clothes. The excess of gaudy jewelry shattered whatever small bit of class he could potentially earn.

"Mandalorian," he spoke Huttese. "What brings you to my doorstep?"

"You need me," I stated.

Avar laughed.

"Why would I need you?" Avar asked.

"I found seven major security flaws and three minor ones in my circuits," I bluffed.

My helmet modulated my voice, making me sound more confident that I actually was. I wasn't lying completely. There were a couple of spots that I could exploit. Problem being that it would draw a lot of attention that I did not want. Judging by the wall, turrets, and closed off dwellings I could tell he took his security seriously.

"That isn't possible," Avar gave a forced laugh. "I contracted the best to arrange my defenses."

"Get your money back," I stated flatly.

"Prove it," Avar said.

"I'll give you one," I said. "The rest will cost you."

"I already have guards," Avar said. "I don't need you or your claims."

"The exhaust port on the hangar," I replied. "You have it angled to avoid the sand and prevent clogging. It's at the perfect angle for a thermal detonator. The holes on the grate aren't big enough for one to pass through. It would catch a detonator and hold it until it exploded. There goes your exhaust port. Pop in a few more thermals for an explosive entry. It would make it big enough for a couple of speeders." I paused. "And that's if they want to let you know they are coming."

I had never seen a nervous Rodian before. At least, not until now. It was all true. Unfortunately, I didn't have any thermal detonators, and I didn't mention that the plan would take more than just one person to get in successfully. The observation came from a mixture of some of the ambient Bounty Hunter Skill package and my own natural paranoia. Let's just say that my old life wasn't exactly sunshine and roses for the first thirty-ish years. I had been shot twice through my stupid teen adventures, stabbed at least three times by the time I was twenty, and would wake up from a dead sleep at the jiggle of a door handle. Those instincts don't die easily. I tried not to think too hard about my old life. Honestly, I didn't really want to go back to it. Star Wars was something that I latched onto in my younger years and had a lot of good memories attached to it in a stretch of time when they weren't common.

"You said that there are others?" Avar asked with a shaky voice.

"Six more you need to change now," I reiterated. "Three others you should soon."

A series of loud CLANKS came from the door as the armor dropped. I stood off to the side as the second layer dropped away. The doors hissed out a jet of compressed air then slid open. Two older model droids and flanked a Rodian that wasn't Avar. This one was a sturdier build and wore something akin to a soldier's uniform.

"What do you want, Mando?" The Rodian spoke Huttese.

It did make me wonder if a Rodian was capable speaking Basic.

"You're the one in charge of defenses," I stated.

"I've set this place up to be a fortress that a Hutt couldn't crack," the Rodian snapped.

My hand dropped and snapped back up in a flash. Two shots took out the droids. My blasters settled on him. We stared at me for a moment. I holstered the blasters.

"Crack," I said.

"I knew this was a trap," the Rodian grumbled.

"If it was then you, and the rest of the compound, would be finished," I said as I stepped around him.

Avar was waited inside with another few droids. A smattering of rough looking individuals of various aliens that had similarly appeared in Jabbas' palace in the movies. I doubted that they were the same. It was tempting to just start blasting right then and there. That didn't tell me how many more guards were still in the compound or what would happen to the slaves.

"I get paid per fix," I stated. "The first one was free."

"What brings you here, honored Mando?" Avar gave an awkward bow.

"Work," I replied. "A bounty. Someone else got here first, then I saw your compound." I paused. "Show me to your security room."

"And next the vault?" The Rodian from outside asked.

I turned my head slightly. My helmet made it a lot easier to see.

"Tell me," I said turning to the side to see both parties. "Where would I hold a vault?"

"What?" Avar asked.

"If I were to kill you all," I spoke casually, not reacting to their flinching. "Crack open the vault and, then what? Walk away with my pockets stuffed full of credits? The pay off wouldn't be worth it."

"Your speeder," the other Rodian said.

"If that's enough to clear out your vault?" I asked, turning back to Avar.

He shook his head.

"Enough," I snapped. "Show me your security room, I do the job, pay for fuel, and get off this dust ball."

Avar nodded. The other Rodian didn't appear happy about it but followed the order. I kept an eye on the surroundings as they led me deeper into the compound. Thankfully, my helmet made note of the path much better than I could. The slaves I saw along the way wore little more than rags. Unless they were attractive, then they wore barely anything. It didn't escape my attention that all of the slaves were all female Twi'leks.

"Do you see anything that catches your eye?" Avar said, leering at the passing Twi-lek.

"I don't mix work and pleasure," I replied.

They led me to a central hub. Regardless of galaxy, security offices looked the same. There was even a cup of whatever passed for coffee in this place sitting on the console. I recognized the perimeter through the various screens. It wasn't an act when I shook my head in disappointment. This place wasn't nearly as imposing now that I could see what they were really working with. There were stretches of blind spots I could have had plenty of time to cut through the wall with a welding torch and a pickax.

I started to feel a tension headache when I saw the point-of-view of the turrets. The little cluster of controls were grainy, tucked in the corner of the room, and only one station controlled all of them at the same time. I overestimated this place to a large degree.

"Your guards," I said. "How many life forms and droids?"

"Thirty in total," Avar answered before the other Rodian could protest. "Twenty of them are droids."

I scanned the console again. It didn't take me long to find the droid controls. I had expected taking down this guy to take a few days. The movies told me that I'd just need to blast the console to disable all of it. I wasn't going to bet the lives of people that shooting it could trigger the slave chips.

"Gather your guards," I ordered. "I need to speak to them. You can sit in."

Avar nodded eagerly.

"You heard the Mandalorian!" Avar yelled at the person working the console. "Call the guards."

My helmet was a lifesaver. It hid the broad smile on my face when I saw how exasperated the other Rodian looked. He was fuming as Avar ignored him completely in favor of whatever I said. The Mandalorian reputation carried more weight than whatever this guy could come up with.

"Follow me," the guard Rodian grumbled.

The guard at the console left it to come along. I had to clench my jaw to stop myself from telling them to sit back down. They were leaving the entire compound vulnerable. The Rodian led me to a room that was a mixture of a break room and a barracks. Avar stood before a group of rough-looking people that were barely a step up from street-thugs. There were a couple Gamorrens, a few Weequay, and a chunk of humans. They started to squirm when they saw a Mandalorian enter the room.

"Is this all of them?" I asked.

Avar nodded. I waited until the two guards that had led me here joined the rest of them. The HUD in my helmet marked each of them as a target and tagged their species. There weren't any exotic aliens among the group, which meant that a headshot would put all of them down.

My hands moved in a practiced flow. I raised my blasters smoothly and let loose a string of shots at the group. Avar went from being surrounded by his guards to alone with me. We stared at each other in complete silence. He screamed as I shifted my aim to focus on him.

"What was this about a vault?" I asked.

[Violence Isn't Always the Answer]
+100 FP
[But It Is An Option]
+100 FP
[So, I Started Blasting ]
+100 FP
[I Love It When A Plan Comes Together]
+100 FP
[Balance: 800 Forge Points]
[Roll – Bank – Shop]

Chapter Text

I had one blaster out and aimed at Avar as we walked down the corridor to his private room. My other hand was free in case I needed to grab him if he tried to run. Any of the slaves we saw along the way simply watched in awe as we passed. Avar tried to order them to attack me, but a smack upside the back of his head shut him up.

The door to his room was hard to miss. While the rest of the place was standard, this one had an intricate, swirling pattern carved into it.

"Open it," I ordered.

Avar rushed over to the door and slapped at the controls. He tried to rush into the room before I could get in. I shot him in the lower leg to remind him it was a bad idea to annoy me. He crawled along the floor toward a control panel next to his bed. I strode by him and got there first. The controls were for the security droids and automated defenses, both of which were currently at the 'off' selection. From this panel I could control almost every aspect of the compound.

"Where are the slave controls?" I asked.

He didn't answer. I turned back to see that he had lost consciousness at some point.

My helmet picked up the sound of feet approaching. I adjusted my aim to the doorway and waited. A minute or so later a blue Twi'lek woman tentatively peeked inside. Her eyes widened when she saw the trail of blood that led to the still form of Avar. The brief flash of pure joy vanished as she realized I was there as well.

"I know how to get in the vault!" She yelled as she raised her hands.

"What about the slave chip controls?" I asked.

"Slave chips?" Her brow crinkled in confusion. "I know where they are."

"Do you know how to use it?" I asked before she could speak again.

"No," she scoffed. "Why would I be here if I did?"

"Fair," I replied. "Is there a kill switch?"

"What?!" She yelped.

"For him," I motioned to the unconscious Rodian. "If he dies, the chips go boom. Does that sound familiar?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't think so. He's already dead."

"Not yet," I said.

She watched as I kicked Avar. It didn't have much power behind it, but it got a reaction. The Rodian let out a pained groan but didn't rouse.

"He's not dead?" She gawked at me.

I shrugged then shot the Rodian twice between the shoulders. The Twi'lek watched with wide eyes. Her hand clapped against the base of her neck as though that would stop the explosion. We would never find out if it worked. Her chip didn't explode.

• [Rodian Preservation Society]
  [+100 FP]
  [Rolling the Dice]
  [+100 FP]
  [Balance: 1000 Forge Points]
  [Purchase Bookmarked Item?]

Mentally, I agreed. The feeling of something moving around me made my vision blur for a moment. It was like someone had shifted the entire room over while I was in it. Without a doubt, I knew that the Droid Control Ship was not in the Hangar of my Warehouse space. I didn’t have a reason to go back until now.

Back to the matters at hand.

"No switch," I said shrugging and holstering my blaster. "We need to deactivate the chips before we open the vault."

"We?" The Twi'lek asked.

I tilted my head to the side in a silent question. Her cheeks darkened with a slight blush.

"Right," she practically skipped across the room. "The vault is right over there."

She pointed to a large portrait of Avar that rested on the far wall. He must have spent all of his money on shiny things rather than security. I doubted my next targets would be this easy. Avar was primarily a merchant with some middling contacts, this level of security was probably decent by that standard. Taking down an actual criminal organization, even a small one, wouldn't have the same vulnerabilities.

"Noted," I said. "The controls?"

"Over here," she motioned for me to follow her.

She led me to an inset door on the wall behind the too-large bed. I recognized a panic room when I saw one. There were some food packets, a blaster, and a bank of monitors that were of a significantly higher quality than those in the security control room. A little box the size of a remote control rested in a cubby protected by a force field. The most disturbing part of the device was the spike on the bottom. If this guy had put as much effort into the rest of the place as he did into the panic room then I would have had a lot harder time with this.

I decided to indulge in some classic logic of the setting and blasted the console. Everything flickered, then powered down, the forcefield on the cubby as included. I plucked it from the spot and held it up for inspection.

"Why is there a spike?" I asked as I showed her.

"That's how they install the chip," the Twi'lek said it like it was obvious.

"And remove it?" I sighed.

She nodded.

"Of course it is," I muttered. "Ready?"

She leaned her head down. There was a pinprick scar near the base of her skull. The remote was straightforward. Place against the scar, hit disable, then press remove. She let out a single squeak when the spike did its thing.

"It has to be done for every person, one at a time," I stated.

She nodded.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"What?" The Twi'lek flinched.

"Kiskin Aurelian," I knocked a knuckle on my chest. "You are?"

"Oh," she said softly. "Mette."

• [Making Friends]
  + 100 FP
  [Balance: 100 Forge Points]
  [Roll – Bank – Shop]

Why the hell not? Roll.

• [Cost: 400 Forge Points]
  [Item: A Glass Coffin]
  [A body that lies within this coffin will not perish. A magical blessing allows those within to rest and recover, requiring no food or water, and healing any injuries or diseases. It can bring back the recently dead, but it will take nearly a year of uninterrupted sleep.]
  [Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss]

Interesting, but not something I needed at the moment. Shop. Nothing happened. Well, I guess I couldn't change my choice after the Roll. Good to know. Dismiss. I would have to wait until I earned more points to access the shop for Blade Master.

"Gather the others," I told her. "We'll do this in one go."

~

I had expected this to take a few days of integrating myself to the place, learning the security, and some subterfuge. Now, I had fifteen newly freed slaves and had to figure out what to do next. They were all female and Twi'lek. The older ones, those being maybe forty at the most, had been removed from the pleasure jobs and moved to service options. Those in skimpy bikinis and nearly-transparent clothing were in their teens to early twenties, or whatever the Twi'lek equivalent.

We all stood around the guard canteen staring at each other. There was a lot of crying, hugging, and language that I didn't understand. Either they were speaking in something that didn't come loaded into my brain or were simply not making sense.

"What do we do now?" Mette asked.

"Whatever you want," I replied with a shrug. "We'll see what is in the vault before you decide."

"Why?" A Twi'lek with light purple skin asked.

She was one of the older former slaves. There was a swirling scar along her lower left jaw. It didn't change the fact that she was gorgeous, but a bastard like Avar saw her as damaged goods.

"You need money to survive," I replied. "I'd like a cut, if there's any left."

The group went silent at my words. I slowly looked around the room, making sure to 'meet' their eyes as best as I could. My helmet meant that I didn't actually have to move to see any of them. This felt more personable.

"Ok," Mette said the word too fast and too loud like it would prevent me from changing my mind.

The entire group headed back to the main room. No one argued when I tore the portrait from the wall and tossed it away like trash it was. Mette stepped up and entered the code. The door popped open a little as the air pressure adjusted.

"Wait," I snapped before they could open it fully.

I motioned for them to step back. They did after a moment. I hooked the edge of the door with the toe of my boot and pulled it open. A turret popped down from the ceiling, centered on me, and opened fire. It slammed into my chest plate and punched me off my feet. The armor held, instinct kicked in, and I activated my jetpack. I righted myself to land on my feet.

My hands moved in a blur as I drew my blasters and sent a barrage of at the turret. It wasn't my finest moment. Most of my shots dented the protective dome and the ceiling around the turret. A shower sparks told me that one or two must have hit something important. One of the barrels hung low, pointing at the floor while the other spun in place.

I kept my blaster aimed on it for a moment longer. My HUD scanned the turret telling me it was disabled. It also traced the power cable through the ceiling to a hidden panel near the edge of the doorway. It also identified a couple tripwires. I popped it open to find a simple on-off switch. The light in the vault dimmed once I flipped it.

"Let's try that again," I said as I stepped inside once more.

Nothing happened. I holstered my blasters after another scan of the vault.

"Go ahead," I called over my shoulder.

I let them go through the contents while I turned my attention to the readout on my HUD. My chest armor wasn't compromised, but it would need some maintenance once I was back on the ship. I'd be fine aside from some bruising. A starburst shaped blemish in the paint marked where the turret had hit. Still, my armor hadn't been dented, Beskar was amazing.

"Are you alright?" The purple Twi'lek asked.

"Nothing hurt but my pride," I replied.

She stared at me for a moment.

"You're not what I thought a Mandalorian would be," she said.

I didn't say anything. We stood there in silence as the others went through the vault.

"Are you going to join them?" I asked.

"Not yet," she answered. "Are you going to repaint your armor?"

"Gives it character," I replied shaking my head.

"I'm Adyan Moorint," she offered.

"Kiskin Aurelian," I answered. "What do you want to ask me?"

She paused at my blunt question.

"I'm a mechanic," she said. "You have a ship?"

"Yes," I nodded. "And I have a mechanic."

"I'm a pilot too," she countered. "But..."

She motioned to the base of her skull where the chip had been.

"Kaboom," I finished for her. "Fine." I sighed. "You can join my crew on a trial period. I'm hopping off planet after this. You can decide if you want to stick around after."

She smiled brightly at me before she rushed into the vault. It took a bit longer for the ladies to settle on who would take what. The skimpily dressed ones replaced their wardrobe with pieces from Avar's closets. It wasn't the best quality, but it was a step up from scratchy, cheap fabric and too much skin.

I ran through the various scans and functions of my armor that could be controlled via my HUD. As it was, everything was operating in an acceptable range. The turret would have blasted a hole through any of the slaves if they had taken the shot and maybe a person in light armor. My body temperature was fine, everything was airtight, and I had yet to use any of the built in bacta-spray. The connection with my ship was still strong which I took to mean that Shmi and Anakin were still on the planet. If they did leave they had found another ride.

"We're done," Mette said approaching me cautiously. "The rest is yours."

The assembled Twi'lek women were now dressed in a mixture of Avar's less ostentatious clothing. He had had a penchant for colorful items which made them look like an eclectic troupe of traveling dancers. The parachute pants a few wore didn't do them any favors. At least they wouldn't be mistaken for slaves.

Interestingly, they now had a few blasters among them. I inclined my head to show I heard her, then entered the vault. There wasn't much left, a few containers of spice, a mostly empty rack of blaster rifles, and a small, open box with Republic Credits in it.

I made sure they weren't looking when I added the credits to my wallet. Once I was sure it was clear the contents of the chest vanished. I didn't have to answer any questions it may have inspired, but it was just easier to prevent them from the start. An actual inventory option would make things so much easier. Maybe that was why I didn't have one. I had an audience, and they wanted a show.

The remaining blaster rifles were of the heavier variety, the equivalent to a machine or mini-gun. I preferred something fast and accurate but having something with more punch would be nice. My HUD identified two of the blasters; an Exarch MK-2 that looked more like a rifle, and an E-15 Assault Cannon that was literally a portable cannon. They were too big and bulky to carry around. Neither would be part of my every-day loadout. Nice to have options though.

Mette and Adyan were the only two still in the room when I stepped out.

"The others are taking one of the ships," Mette offered before I could ask.

"Their call," I replied easily. "This place belongs to you now. Not a good idea to stick around for long."

"Can I come with you too?" Mette asked.

I looked from the blue Mette to the purple Adyan. The younger Twi'lek had on normal clothes now, but it was plain to see that she was gorgeous and had a body to kill for.

"Any skills?" I asked.

"Um," Mette gulped. "Me."

"Ass, grass, or gas, eh?" I quipped.

The two stared blankly at me.

"Are you offering your body as payment?" I clarified.

She blushed and suddenly found the floor in front of her to be rather interesting. After a moment, Mette nodded.

"I wasn't used for that," she quickly clarified. "You can have a doctor check if you want."

"That's not the issue," I held up my hand before she could continue. "Any woman I take to bed will be by choice." That seemed to ease her worry a touch. "Plus, you have no idea what I look like, or who I am. I could be hideous."

"Are you?" Mette asked with a gasp.

"Maybe you'll find out one day," I replied. "I came here in a speeder. It can take two people, not three."

"There's a shuttle," Mette spoke quickly. "We can load your speeder in it and then go to your ship."

"Is there any way to identify where it came from?" I asked after a moment of thought.

"No," Adyan answered. "I made sure the ships and shuttles registered blank on any scans. As for as anyone can tell, they're all minecarts."

"Nice," I chuckled.

"Standard practice around these parts," Adyan said.

"Fine," I turned to face Mette. "We take the shuttle. I have space for a passenger if you want to come with me. You can either pay for passage, or work for it."

The two visibly tensed at my words. Did they not just hear what I said about being a bed warmer?

"How could I do that?" Mette asked barely above a whisper.

"You could sell the shuttle to buy a spot," I offered. "Or you could do odd jobs around the ship. I have two humans on my crew and a squad of droids. There should be something for you to do."

"Ok," Mette smiled brightly.

I deactivated my helmet speaker and activated my in-built comm.

"Shmi, Anakin, come in," I called.

"Kiskin?" Anakin's voice said in reply. "Are you hurt? Do we need to come rescue you?"

"I'm fine," I replied with a small smile. "It's already done. I'll be there later today with two guests."

"Guests?" Anakin asked. I could almost see his face all scrunched up in confusion.

"They might stick around longer," I added. "We'll see."

"I'll let mom know," Anakin said then ended the connection.

I reactivated my helmet speaker. It had the option of modulating my voice to sound completely different, change the volume, or completely silence anything I said. The standard setting was simply to project my voice for others to hear.

"The ship will be ready for us," I told the two. "Show me this shuttle."

~

• [Picking Up Strays]
  [+100 FP]
  [Look What Followed Me Home]
  [+100 FP]
  [Balance: 300 Forge Points]
  [Roll – Bank – Shop]

I ignored the little jabs at my proclivities and opened the shop.  

• [Captains Skill Set – 100 Points]
  [Blade Master Skill Set – 100 Points]
  [Lovers Touch Skill Set – 100 Points]

The last one was new. Was it a not-so subtle hint for another sort of content the audience would like? It wouldn't hurt to try. The sacrifice was great, but I would do what I must.

• [Blade Master Skill Set Purchased]
  [Balance: 200 Forge Points]

My helmet was muted as I waited for the shuttle to finish the short trip to Mos Ila. I had originally planned on taking a quick nap before the points notifications popped up. Thankfully, I was sitting down, otherwise I may have collapsed. A webwork of hot needles started at the top of my head and raced along the entirety of my body. I screamed louder than I had ever done in my life. Nice way to find out my helmet was soundproof when sealed.

It wasn't a quick process. My muscles learned and adjusted to a lifetime worth of swordsmanship to match the knowledge that saturated my brain. I stayed conscious through the entire thing. On the plus side, I now knew how to handle bladed weapons masterfully, be it a lightsaber or metal.

I had closed my eyes at some point. When I opened them I found that Mette and Adyan hadn't noticed anything had been wrong. I took a few deep, calming breathes before I unmuted my helmet. Adyan was still flying the shuttle while Mette watched the world pass by. There was a lot of sand.

"Do you want to keep the shuttle?" I asked once that my voice was my own.

"No," Mette shook her head. "I'll sell it."

We exited the shuttle to find the dockmaster waiting for us. I didn't remember them, but I recognized the uniform. It could have been a shift change. Regardless, the human man stood in shock as I emerged.

"I need to sell the shuttle," I said as I stalked over to the dockmaster.

They shrunk a little as I approached.

"Will you buy it?" I asked.

"We don't buy ships," the dockmaster whimpered.

"Anyone who does?" I asked crossing my arms.

The dockmaster nodded so fast I thought he'd give himself whiplash.

"Mette," I turned to speak to her for her benefit. "Talk to the man. I'll load your things into the ship."

Mette and Adyan shared a look. After a moment they split, one going with the dockmaster and the other waiting for me. Adyan gathered their items from the shuttle. They had grabbed a good chunk of loot from Avar's vault as well as the few items they had claim in their quarters. It might be a surprise, but slaves didn't have a lot to call their own.

"Anakin, Shmi!" I called once we were inside.

No one answered.

"The others aren't here. Pick a room," I motioned to the row of crew quarters. "There's enough space to have your own."

"How many others?" Adyan asked.

"Two," I replied. "My mechanic and…" I searched for the word for what Shmi did. "A steward."

"Steward?" Adyan asked raising her eyebrows.

It struck me as odd that Twi'lek didn't have hair, but they did have eyebrows.

"You'll see," I replied.

Chapter Text

Mette and Adyan stood off to the side as Anakin and Shmi returned. The two Twi'lek studied my crew with a confused interest.

"This is Anakin and Shmi Skywalker," I introduced. "This is Mette and Adyan. Adyan is a pilot and a mechanic. Mette is willing to learn."

"Hi!" Anakin waved happily. "You're joining the crew?"

"Hi," Mette replied with a shy wave.

"Yes," Adyan answered with a nod.

"It's nice to meet you," Shmi gave the two a warm smile.

Sure, they get warm smiles while I get stoic stares.

"I thought you were going to be gone longer," Shmi asked turning her attention to me.

"I thought I was too," I replied. "It wasn't as complicated as I had expected." I paused. "Do you have another name? We need to move fast before word gets out."

"Another name?" Mette spoke up.

"Abusive slave owners," Shmi answered motioning to the familiar scar where her chip had been.

The two Twi'lek snapped their gaze onto me. I didn't know what to tell them. There was a chance I could get another raid in before we left the planet. The audience seemed to enjoy the violence, so some more should give me points. I used the cover my helmet provided to actually look at the two Twi'lek. There was another possible way to earn points. I hadn't tried sex yet. Shmi was attractive, but definitely not interested in me yet. She might never be, and I wasn't going to force the issue.

Assuming one of the two Twi'lek might sleep with me was playing into the reputation that the species had. Again, I wasn't going to abuse my position. A quick roll in the sheets wasn't worth losing a crew member. I hadn't even considered settling down. Not to mention I needed to figure out how the armor impacted the process.

"There's one more you can target nearby," Shmi said bringing me out of my thought process. "They aren't near any settlement though."

"Meaning it would take some planning to approach without setting off alarms," I muttered. "What do you mean by 'they'?"

"It's a group," she answered. "They have a mining operation. Their slaves don't last long."

Going in on my own wouldn't be a good idea. It was a good thing I had a droid factory.

"I'll need time to prepare," I said after a moment. "Get to know each other and settle in."

I strolled over to the door to my quarters, pulled out the Warehouse Key, and activated it. The others watched with interest as I appeared to unlock my own door. Luckily, they couldn't see inside from where they stood.

The interior of the Warehouse had changed drastically. Instead of a vast, open space there was a hangar with the Droid Ship hovering in it. It made sense that something with the word 'Hulk' in the name was huge. The entire Warehouse felt both cramped and vast at the same time. An interface window popped up on my HUD as I studied the ship.

• [Activating Link . . .]
  [Reticulating Splines]

• [MENU:]
  [Create Droids]
  [Create Ship]
  [Research Advancement]

I scrolled through the options for the droids and ships at my disposal. Everything currently available was the first generation. The droids I wanted needed to be researched. I queued up the advancement as well as some of the other better-quality selections.

• [Research: Battle Droids – Second Generation]
  [Time: 1 Day, 23 Hours]

"This will slow things down," I muttered.

• [Complete One Research]
  [Cost: 100 Forge Points]

• [Balance: 200 Forge Points]

I dismissed the notification. It wasn't worth the rush. A knock on my door interrupted further debate on the issue. Probably for the best. I would have spent the points if I thought too much longer. My helmet connected to an intercom.

"I'm here," I said.

"There is an incoming transmission for you," Shmi replied.

"I'll be right out," I replied, then clicked off the connection.

I left the Warehouse through the door and dismissed the link. Shmi narrowed her eyes as I stepped out. The interior was obscured to people until I invited them inside and there wasn't a reason to do it yet. Hell, I still needed to figure out how to place the ship in space.

She stepped to the side to let me pass, then followed me to the Holo-Communication Projector. My pace slowed as I saw who it was.

"Kiskin," Queen Padme Amidala spoke in her 'royal' voice.

"Your majesty," I replied with a slight bow. "What can I do for you?"

"Why is the Queen of Naboo talking to him?" Mette whispered to Anakin.

"They know each other," Anakin replied.

He tried to push closer to get a better look. I scooted over to give him a chance. Padme gave him a gentle smile. He waved shyly at her.

"You previously offered your services," she fell back into her role. "Is that still open?"

"I can't fight a war for you," I replied.

"And I am not asking for you to do so," the Queen said. "I have a bounty I would like to offer you."

"People usually go through the Guild," I countered.

"This is personal," she said with a bit of steel in her voice.

"Who is it and do you want them dead or alive?" I said with a smile, even if she couldn't see it.

"Nute Gunray," her voice dripped with venom when she answered. "I want him alive."

"This should be interesting," I replied. "I accept. Suppose he's still holed-up in your castle on Naboo?"

"You are correct," the queen replied. "Please, time is of the essence."

"Of course," I said, inclining my head. "It was nice to speak to you again. Next time, it will be on Naboo."

"Thank you, Honored Mandalorian," the queen faded away once she said her piece.

"Change of plans," I said turning to my crew. "We're heading to Naboo."

"Is that a good idea?" Shmi asked as she took a step closer to Anakin.

"Probably not," I replied. "Adyan, set the course. Let me know how long it will take. Shmi, Anakin, I said I'd show you how to use a blaster. This is a good time to start."

~

Shmi wasn't bad with a blaster. It clearly wasn't her first time using one. Still, she didn't look happy seeing Anakin learning. I kept the blasters set to stun focused on getting the basics settled. How to hold it correctly, adjust for recoil, change a power-pack, and trigger safety.

"You won't be able to carry a blaster until I say," I said to Anakin. "You're doing good. Keep it up and it shouldn't take you too long."

"But I want to fight now!" Anakin whined.

"Ani," Shmi soothed.

"No, mom!" Anakin yelled. "I can do it."

"Anakin," I snapped.

Mette, Anakin, and Shmi snapped to attention. I hated to do it, but he needed to understand this was a serious issue.

"Your mother is looking out for your safety. I am looking out for your safety," I kept my voice firm and even. "Do you think I would waste my time teaching you if I thought you couldn't do it?"

He shook his head.

"This isn't about you fighting," I knelt down to get on his level. "I have no doubt whatsoever that you will be a great warrior AFTER you have learned. You will not throw away your future due to impatience." I paused. "Like I said, emotion is fuel, but you can't let it control you."

Anakin pouted but still nodded.

"This isn't how I'd like to start your teaching," I confessed. "The first step is long range with rifles, then mid-range with a carbine, close with a pistol, and then melee with either a knife, sword, or lightsaber. Do you know why?"

Anakin shook his head.

"That way, you survive long enough to learn everything," I told him. "Once we're done here, I'll add combat training in with the rest." I dropped my voice a little so only he could hear. "Work hard with a rifle and you could be my overwatch on missions."

He scrunched his brow at the word.

"Long range cover," I clarified. "You scan the area, identify threats, and take them down."

His eyes lit up.

"For now," I shifted my voice back to normal. "I need you to trust me and be patient."

His shoulders slumped. After a moment he nodded.

"Thank you," I said as I stood.

"We're about to drop out of hyperspace," Adyan called from the cockpit.

The hum of the engines eased as the ship arrived near Naboo.

"Uh," Adyan yelled. "We might have a problem."

I strolled into the cockpit with Anakin, Shmi, and Mette a step behind. The entire viewport was filled with Trade Federation ships.

"Here," I flipped a couple of switches on the control panel. "We're broadcasting a FOF signal. They should ignore us as long as we don't draw attention to ourselves."

"How do we do that?" Adyan practically snapped at me.

"Fly casual," I replied with a smile in my voice. "I've always wanted to say that."

The Twi'lek shook her head in exasperation as she followed my order. We slipped passed the first line of ships without an issue.

"They're scanning us," Adyan said. "Now, they're hailing us."

"We got closer than I thought we would," I said with a shrug.

The entire crew stared at me for a moment.

"We won't pass any sort of inspection," I said. "Punch it, we need to get on the planet now."

Adyan opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She clicked the straps on her seat into place.

"Everybody, strap in," Adyan said tightened her grip on the yoke. "This is going to get rough."

We had barely got into seats before the ship kicked up in speed. Thanks to my helmet I could see the everyone's reactions. Anakin had a wide smile on his face and had his hands in the air like it was a rollercoaster. Shmi was her usual calm self, if you ignored the white-knuckle grip she had on her straps. Mette, well, the poor girl had her eyes clenched shut and was muttering something in a language that I couldn't understand.

Lasers exploded around us as the Trade Federation ships opened fire. They hadn’t had enough time to release their fighters just yet. I hoped that it would give us enough time. Adyan cursed every time she had to pull a tricky turn or dodge more lasers.

"Doesn't this ship have guns?" Mette screamed.

"Yes, we do," I replied. "They can't take down one of those."

I pointed to the large ships that were now trying to shoot us down. We lurched to the side. Adyan let out another loud string of curses.

"I can't get close enough," she growled. "It's too much."

She pulled the ship into a sharp dive to avoid a barrage of lasers. I activated my Omni-Tool and linked it to the console. A quick scan of Theed, the capital city, revealed the palace. More importantly, it identified the hangar we needed.

"Great, thanks," Adyan rolled her eyes. "That makes it so much easier."

"Anakin," I ignored her comments. "Take the controls. I marked the landing site."

"Roger, roger," Anakin launched himself from his seat and was in the co-pilot chair in an instant.

"Are you sure about this?" Adyan asked incredulously.

"He's the best pod-racer in the galaxy," I replied with a small shrug.

"This isn't a pod-racer," Adyan snapped back.

"It's so much better," Anakin whooped.

We were pushed back into our seats as he turned the ship into a spiral dive. He gracefully danced the ship through the various bursts of lasers. A moment later we broke through the atmosphere. The anti-air turrets opened fire now that the ships in orbit couldn't target us without damaging their own.

Anakin pulled up, leveling us out to run parallel to the ground. We were approaching the palace hangar way too fast. Mette's screams of terror drowned out the jubilant yells from Anakin. My helmet adjusted the noise so that everything was at a comfortable level.

He cut the thrusters at the last moment and engaged the rear deflector shields at full power. The ship jerked at the rough shift in momentum. He slid the ship into the hangar without engaging the landing gear. There was an unholy screeching noise as the bottom of the ship scrapped along the floor. We came to a stop against the far wall of the hangar and probably would have crashed through if it hadn't been built into the side of a mountain. A large cluster of droids were ground to scrap under us. The nearby Naboo pilots watched the scene in shock.

"Get on the turrets," I ordered. "Blast any droids you see. I'll be right back."

I rushed out of the cockpit and swung by my quarters. For the first time since I arrived in this reality, I clasped my lightsaber to my belt. I did a quick check to make sure my blasters were ready to go, then snagged the newly acquired rifle as I passed.

• [Making an Entrance]
  [+100 FP]

• [Balance: 300 Forge Points]
  [Roll – Bank – Shop]

Roll.

• [Cost: 100 FP]

• [Abilities: Blaster Manipulation
  [Who brings a sword to a gunfight? Someone who can ignore bullets. You may now use the Force to deflect or even halt blaster bolts in midair, nullifying the ranged weapons of your enemies. Once a bolt is frozen, it requires minimal concentration to keep suspended, though if you walk away it will continue on its path. This power is less effective on kinetic projectiles and non-energy-based weaponry, but dedicated practice may change that.]

• [Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss]

That sounded like a good deal.

Purchase.

• [Balance: 200 Forge Points]

It was time to see how much the audience liked violence.

~

The droids in the hangar hadn't had time to call for reinforcements. It would have been a bonus if we hadn't made such an entrance. I doubted they would overlook a random ship all but crashing into the royal hangar that just so happened to be where the leaders of the Trade Federation invasion were.

I had the rifle up and ready as I exited the ship. The few droids that were still functional were put down with a couple of precise shots. I had no idea when the Queen and her entourage would do their thing. The roller-droids and wider shoulder ones were either protecting Nute or weren't here.

A string of blaster fire raced through the air toward me. I held up my hand and flicked them away. They splashed against the wall. A squad of basic battle droids fanned out as they entered the hangar. I kept my shots in controlled, precise bursts. My talents, previous experience, and steady fire cut through them with brutal efficiency. The helmet highlighted the spots that would do the most damage. A mini-map of the palace appeared in the lower right corner of my vision. It didn't mark the locations of enemies, but at least I knew where I was going. I adjusted my path, heading for the throne room now that I knew where it was.

The shots that the droids did land weren't deadly. That didn't mean they were gentle touches. My armor was doing work keeping me alive and earning 'character' with every shot. There were more droids in the palace than I had initially thought. A sense of dread settled in at the sound of a roller-droids approaching. I dove behind a pillar as three of them unfolded and opened fire. Chunks of stone rained down around me.

"Kiskin," Adyan chimed in on my comm.

"A little busy," I replied scanning the area for a path of escape.

"We just got word from the Queen," Adyan continued without comment. "They're hitting the Control Ship with the shut-down code. The droids will be down for a couple of minutes at most."

A wicked smile crossed my face at the sound of the nearby shield generators powering down. I unhooked a thermal detonator from my belt and rolled it between the trio of roller-droids, then tucked back behind the pillar. The subsequent explosion sent a shockwave down the hall that shattered the windows.

I paused to shoot each one as I passed. With the droids out of commission I didn't have to stay inside the palace. I stepped out through one of the broken windows, activated my jetpack, and zipped over to the throne-room. Nute Gunray and his other dehydrated space frogs were scrambling.

They stared in wonder as I stepped through the broken glass. I trained my rifle on the Viceroy.

"Nute Gunray," I said as I approached. "I was told to take you alive, but I can still make it hurt."

They all raised their hands in unison.

• [Tech Support]
  [+100 FP]

• [Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again?]
  [+100 FP]

• [Space Frog Retrieval]
  [+100 FP]

• [Roll – Bank – Shop]

BANK. I'd look into it later.

• [Balance: 500 Forge Points]

I pinged my ship, connecting to the comms.

"Tell the Queen I have Gunray," I said.

"Roger, roger," Adyan replied.

"Let's go Viceroy," I motioned with my rifle to the door. "I've got a nice spot in my ship for you."

~

I had the group of Neimoidians in front of me as I directed them down the hall. Technically, I could have grabbed Gunray and hopped out the window. That would have left the others unattended, and I didn't want anyone left behind to get ideas. I directed them to the elevator, still keeping them in front in case there were droids waiting for us.

A sense of dread filled the air as the elevator came to a stop. I had just enough time to wonder what the hell it was before the doors opened. A flash of red decapitated the three Neimoidians in front of me. They didn't have time to scream. Darth Maul stood before me, practically snarling as he glared at me.

I shifted my grip on the rifle and held it out as a shield. Another flash of red slices the blaster into two pieces. I threw one half at him and grabbed the barrel, wielding it like a club. Maul swatted away the chunk of partially melted metal. His backswing chopped my impromptu club so only a nub poked out from my grip. I tossed that part at him too.

He caught the nub and growled in annoyance. I shrugged. Maul sprang forward; the red blade swung toward my head. I raised my arm, catching the lightsaber on my bracer. The Beskar stopped the strike. I didn't lose my arm, but the impact sent streaks of pain up to my shoulder. If I survived this I was going to invest in some cortosis weave in my armor.

A brief moment of confusion flashed across his face. I used the opening to kick him in the chest. Maul stumbled back a couple of steps. I stepped out of the elevator, over the trio of headless bodies. Maul cocked his head to the side as my lightsaber jumped into my hand. The blue blade added highlights along my armor.

Years of instruction, practice, and form activated the moment the blade was in my hand. Balance, speed, distance, and accuracy were the pillars of this knowledge. The scorching full-body needle treatment when I purchased the skill provided some muscle memory too.

Maul grinned like a shark. He held hilt parallel to the floor and activated the second blade of his lightsaber.

"I can wait if you want to get a real weapon," I adjusted my grip to allow two hands on the hilt.

He snarled as he spun his blades.

"Oh," I shook my head. "You're serious. Here in the elevator, or do you want to do this right?"

Maul stepped back and deactivated one of the blades. He waved for me to follow. We kept each other in view, him walking backwards while I casually strolled after. It was impressive how he could navigate through the palace without taking his eyes off of me. He led me to an expansive room with a long table in the center that stretched almost the entire length of the space. It looked like the space could still easily fit a few dozen assistants, droids, and whatever else royalty needed. Just for the hell of it, I hopped onto the table to see if he would follow. It was a lot wider than I had expected, I could probably land a fighter on it. He flashed a feral smile as he landed across from me.

He activated both sides of the staff and spun it casually. I feinted forward, he recognized the move and adjusted with a side-step. One end of the staff sliced out, aiming for my neck. I ducked, aiming a swipe at his legs as I did only for him to hop back out of range.

If this was a proper duel I would have waited for him to reset. Instead, I rushed him. My blade hummed that awesome sound as it cut through the air. I cycled through a series of rolling chops, switching sides with each one. Maul blocked them as he strategically gave ground.

He caught me off-guard with a sudden lunge. I twisted to the side to let it pass seemingly playing into his plans as he spun the staff with the other end angled to slip into my side where the armor didn't protect. I blocked it with my bracer and felt a much harder jolt race up to my shoulder.

Pushing through the pain, I shifted my arm and latched onto the saber-hilt just above where the blade emerged. A quick burst of Force Push twisted that side into a crumpled mess of metal, extinguishing the compressed plasma and turning this into an actual swordfight.

Maul roared at the disrespect. He spun, using the momentum to power a kick that hit me in the gut. I didn't feel any pain thanks to the armor, but the intensity behind it knocked me back. He pressed on, slashing at me in a wild abandon.

I was purely on the defensive now. Dodging the strikes I could and blocking those I couldn't. I didn't realize how much ground I had given until I ran out of table to walk on. Maybe this hadn't been my smartest idea. That being fighting Maul in the first place and choosing to do so on a table to look cool.

A burst from my jetpack lifted me into the air over him. I quickly landed, now with plenty of space to work with, and hopped back another boost-assisted distance. Maul held up his lightsaber, the broken end sparked and sputtered. His hate filled eyes locked on my visor.

"At least you have a decent weapon now," I said smirking under my helmet.

Taunting a Sith? Eh, if I was going to die I'd rather go out with my head held high. Not literally, that's how you get decapitated.

Maul didn't bother to reply. Even pissed off the guy was good. He didn't lose himself to rage like others would. It fueled him, making him faster and hit harder. Even blocking with my lightsaber made my hands tingle. I pushed forward, closing the distance between us. We crossed blades, letting me get a good look at his face. He was younger than I had expected.

I let go of my lightsaber, deactivating it in the process, and dropped to a knee. The hilt half-spun as it fell. I caught it in my left hand, activated it, and found that it was blade-down in reverse grip. Before he could adjust I slashed at his mid-section.

Maul jumped back but I still caught him on the side. It wasn't the hit I was aiming for. I spun the blade to a proper grip as he shed his singed shirt. The wound was a contrasting bright red against his skin. He glared and launched himself at me. Fighting with my left hand wasn't optimal. I needed to swap to my right if I wanted to go on the offensive.

He swiped at me from the left side. I raised my arm to block the strike with my bracer, using the motion to toss the blade to my other hand. Maul adjusted his aim as I caught my lightsaber. I had just enough time to register my mistake before his blade cut through my forearm just below my bracer. Adrenaline was the only thing that kept me alive and not paralyzed in pain.

The blade streaked across my chest sparking as it went. He was within my reach. I dropped my lightsaber, grabbed him by the neck, and activated the flamethrower on my gauntlet. Pressurized space-napalm hit him square in the face and covered his entire head after a moment of continued flame. I kept it going until his head was a smoldering stump.

Maul's body collapsed onto the table allowing the fire spread to engulf the corpse.

I moved on autopilot, picking up my detached forearm and tucked it under my arm. Then, I grabbed his lightsaber and clipped it to my belt. I hopped off the table, then made my way back to where Nute Gunray and his minions had been killed. The pieces of my rifle were scattered among the bodies. It wasn't a big loss.

The sound of footsteps brought me out of my detached observation. I drew my blaster and turned to face whoever was approaching. Padme and her royal entourage came to a stop when they saw me. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan continued on to inspect the scene.

"You're hurt," Qui-Gon stated.

"You should see the other guy," I replied.

That moment was when the adrenaline wore off. Losing a limb, or part of one, to a lightsaber was an interesting experience. The blood was minimal. Instead, every nerve along the cut was overcome with a mixture of heat and pain. A notification popped up on my helmet, but my vision was too blurry to read. It wasn't from the Forge, just a standard one.

I barely felt the slight pinch along my left shoulder. However, I did feel the effects as the nerve-block activated. Damn, I loved this armor. My vision began to clear as the pain faded. I holstered my blaster and held out the detached piece of my arm.

"Any chance this can be reattached?" I asked holding it up for the two Jedi to see.

"No," Obi-Wan answered. "I'm sorry."

"You haven't met," Qui-Gon spoke up. "This is my Apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

I held out my detached hand for him to shake. The entire group stared at me in shock.

"My armor has an emergency medical protocol," I explained. "I'd rather not be conscious when it wears off." I turned to the Queen. "Is it over?"

"Yes," she nodded. "The signal you provided worked wonders. We were able to disable the control ship long enough to destroy it. The droid army shutdown without it."

"Apologies about Gunray," I motioned to the corpses with the stump of my arm.

"It is regrettable, but understandable," Qui-Gon spoke before the Queen could.

"Great," I sighed. "My ship doesn't have a bacta-tank."

"The people of Naboo will be honored to provide further medical care," Padme said quickly. "Sabe."

"Yes, your majesty," one of the handmaidens that was almost identical to Padme stepped up. "Come with me, Mando."

My helmet scanned her and compared it to the one of Padme. Sabe was a little taller by a couple of inches. The headdresses would easily mask it. That, and who would think a Queen would pretend to be a handmaiden?

I followed her through the palace. My helmet automatically marked the path we took.

"Privacy please," I said as I followed her. "Removing my armor is…"

"Understood," Sabe replied with a small bow. "The royal healing droids are sworn to secrecy."

"Thank you," I said as we arrived at our destination.

The room was mixture of beds, bacta-tanks, and machines that looked like a mixture of an MRI machine and a tanning booth. It was fully staffed by droids. Sabe led me to one of the horizontal booths.

"I will give you some privacy," Sabe bowed.

I nodded in reply. She paused at the door to speak.

"Words cannot express the appreciation we have for what you have done," Sabe left before I could say anything in response.

"Greetings," a medical droid floated over to me. "Please remove your armor and enter the pod."

"Wait," I commanded.

The droid floated back to give me space.

"Anakin, Adyan," I connected my comms to the ship. "Are you all alive?"

"Yes," Anakin's voice came in loud and clear. "I got to blast droids!"

"Good work, kid," I chuckled. "Is everyone ok?"

I could hear some shuffling. It made me picture the woman trying to wrangle Anakin out of the way.

"Yeah," Adyan chimed in. "The droids were focused on you. Two Jedi and some guards showed up a few minutes ago and released the pilots. Are you alright?"

"No," I replied. "I'm getting in a bacta-pod right now. They'll let you know when I'm out."

I motioned for the droid to approach. It did so.

"I'm not human," I said as I began the process of taking off my armor.

"We have an expansive catalogue for medical treatment," the droid replied.

I took off my helmet and gave the droid a flat stare.

"Oh, my," the droid whispered.

"Pureblood Sith," I provided. "Do you have information for that?"

"Searching," the droid hovered in the air.

It stayed quiet long enough to strip out of my armor completely. Each piece removed exposed bruises, cuts, and burns that I hadn't realized I had acquired. Some of the damage ended abruptly marking where my armor protected.

"Good news," the droid said. "Our medical records include a selection on a Sith-Human hybrid. We will be able to extrapolate treatment based on that."

I removed the rest of my clothes, then got in the pod.

• [Anyone for Space Frog Legs?]
  [+100 FP]

• [A Brush With Greatness]
  [+100 FP]

• [Gotta Hand It to You]
  [+100 FP]

• [You Survived!]
  [+100 FP]

• [Sith, Extra Crispy]
  [+500 FP]

• [Qui-Gon Lives!]
  [+500 FP]

• [Roll – Bank – Shop]
  [Balance: 1900 Forge Points]

"Bank," I said.

"Pardon?" The medical droid asked.

"Nothing," I replied. "Start the treatment."

"You will need to use this to be able to breath," the droid used one of its claw-arms to place a small mask over my mouth and nose. "It will start with a sedative before the pod is filled with bacta."

I nodded, then closed my eyes and breathed deep.

Chapter Text

Any possibility of assassinating Palpatine before he got too powerful was foiled by my recovery time. I was still on the fence about killing him, but it was nice to have the option. The perfect time would have been when he arrived on Naboo to celebrate. Send a droid into his ship with an explosive device near the hyperdrive set to explode once it is activated. Boom. No more Emperor. It was probably for the best. I had no idea what would happen next, and my knowledge of the setting would be worthless. It wouldn't even be certain that his death would prevent the Clone Wars.

I woke up four days later. They weren't able to reattach my arm, but they did take the opportunity to fit me with a replacement. My crew, the Queen, and her Handmaidens were waiting for me when I woke up. They were considerate enough to place my armor nearby and wait in another room until it was on. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had become to wearing it. At first, it had been a way to hide my origins. Now, it felt like a part of me. The evidence that it had kept me alive was told in each newly earned mark. A few blaster shots from various droids dotted along my leg armor. The places Maul's lightsaber hit my bracers had left a strip of charred paint. My armor that covered my chest and torso got the worst of it. A couple of lightsaber marks and a smattering of blaster damage mingled with the turret fire from the slavers vault. Oddly enough, my helmet was untouched.

"Please refrain from covering your prosthetic for the next twelve hours," the medical droid said as I reached for my bracer.

Funny thing, the bracer was intact with some discoloring where the blade had gotten too close. The 'skin' over the prosthetic matched the rest of my body making it clear I wasn't human.

"Were there any visitors?" I asked the droid.

My new hand was making it tricky to get my armor in place.

"No," the droid replied. "Your preferences for privacy were honored. A boy claiming to be your mechanic was rather insistent that he see you."

"That's Anakin," I said with a smile. "He is my mechanic. Did he cause any trouble?"

"Noted," the droid said. "No. While he was worried, one of the Queens Handmaidens was able to keep him occupied."

I smirked at that. Good for him. Maybe they'd get together in this timeline too. After fumbling more than I would like I finally finished getting my armor settled.

"You can let them in," I said once my helmet was on and sealed.

I took a deep breath and let it out. My body released some tension that I didn't know I had. I cocked my head to the side.

"The air tastes different," I said.

"It's a common side-effect from prolonged bacta exposure," the droid explained. "It should fade within the next twenty-four hours."

I nodded to show I had heard them. One of the little grabbed that the droid used as hands split into a cluster of a dozen thin strands. They weren't exactly needles, but they still made my skin crawl.

"Please extend your arm," the droid ordered.

I glared at it under my helmet as I did.

"This will measure the sensitivity and attunement of the prosthetic," the droid explained.

The strands were flexible instead of solid as I had thought. A series of random sensations covered the prosthetic.

"Any discomfort?" The droid asked.

"No," I replied.

"Excellent," the droid said. "Are you willing to accept visitors?"

I nodded. The speaker on my helmet muted to prevent my voice from being heard.

"Interface," I said.

[Research Complete – Second Generation Droids Available]

I had forgotten about that. Fighting Darth Maul and getting my arm cut off was a bit distracting. I opened the Droid Manufacturing Control Panel. The UI had the option to order production as well as customization. I'd have to play around with that later. Designing some droids that had a Mandalorian style to them would be fun.

[Research – Third Generation Droids – 10 Days]
[Balance: 1900 Forge Points]
[Roll –Shop – Research]

Roll.

• [COST: 100 CP]

• [ITEM: The Heart of the Guardian]
  [The Heart of the Guardian is an ancient crystal used by the redeemed Jedi Master Revan. When placed inside a lightsaber this crystal provides a powerful enhancement. The blade will become a fast yet devastatingly sharp blade. This can be used to upgrade any lightsaber to a much higher level. Perhaps you could learn how to recreate the crystal by studying it.]

• [Purchase – Bookmark – Dismiss]

Purchase.

I felt a slight shift of weight of one of the pouches on my belt.

• [Balance: 1800 Forge Points]

Roll.

• [Cost: 600 CP]

• -REDACTED-
  [The Bounty Hunter Guild has, for millennia, provided morally ambiguous services to both legal and private entities. There have been organizations that offer more definite solutions to the problems of customers concerns. One such group was [REDACTED], originally a tool for maintaining the political stability of the Republic. Some claim they were destroyed millennia ago, others that they were merely subverted by an ambitious killer. Regardless, you seem to have gained the skills of one of their members. An elite assassin almost without peer in this galaxy, there are very few you couldn’t kill. Whether through the use of obscure Sith born poisons or from hundreds of kilometers away with a scoped rifle, you deliver death with a nigh absolute certainty to your targets. You’d become incredibly infamous on the galactic scene if you ever deigned to leave proof of your actions.]

"Damn," I muttered. "Purchase. Roll."

• [COST: 200 CP]

• [Political Advisor]
  [A junior politician who has attached themselves to you, an arrangement you agreed to for the mutual benefit. While you might be more experienced in the political arena, they are talented at determining what the public desires and what their reactions to various policies would be. It’s up to you whether you regard them with mutual respect or see them only as an asset.]

• [Purchase – Bookmark – Dismiss]

"Dismiss," I sighed.

• [Balance: 1200 Forge Points]

That was a good sign to wait on further rolls. I didn't need to waste my points on useless stuff. Another person to add to the crew would be nice, though I doubted a Political Advisor would have any applicable skills. Two good pulls were plenty. Further exploration with the Interface could wait.

Anakin was the first one through the doors. The Queen, her handmaidens, and Qui-Gon followed shortly after. Padme seemed to be rather fond of Anakin in the short time they had been together.

I noted the stray looks at my exposed arm. It was too late now.

"Thanks for this," I held up the prosthetic.

"The people of Naboo, and I, thank you for your assistance in recent events," the Queen used her 'formal' voice. "We provided the best care available in your recovery."

"I appreciate it," I said with a small bow. "My apologies for not delivering Nute Gunray as requested."

"Extenuating circumstances," the Queen said. "Is there any other reward you wish to request?"

"No," I shook my head. "Thank you, your majesty."

"I will contact you if another situation arises," The Queen said.

"I will do my best to answer," I replied with a small bow.

"Are you ok?" Anakin said as soon as Padme had stopped talking. "Did you really fight a Sith? Did you kill him? How did you get your arm chopped off?"

"Yes, yes, and he was good with a lightsaber," I replied kneeling to get on his level. "It was a rough reminder I need to work on my swordsmanship."

"I tried to get in to visit you," Anakin said earnestly. "That droid wouldn't let me. He didn't believe I was your mechanic."

"I corrected him," I said with a quick look at the droid. "He was following orders, so don't get too mad at him. I asked that they give me privacy while I was…" I searched for the right word. "Exposed."

"Oh!" Anakin said. "Because of the trust thing."

"Exactly," I said with a smile in my voice.

"May I speak with Kiskin in private?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Of course, Master Jedi," the Queen replied giving him a slight side-eye.

The group turned to leave, only Sabe hung behind for a moment. She took a couple of steps toward me.

"I'm glad you're doing better," she smiled shyly at me.

"Thank you," I replied.

She was a bit young for me. I didn't know the laws on Naboo, or the galaxy in general. Regardless, it made me feel icky to think of it further. Sabe hurried to catch up to the Queen.

"I think she likes you," Anakin whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sabe moved much quicker.

"I'm too old for her," I replied.

"You're not that old," Anakin glared at me. "My mom is older than you."

"I'm not sure about that," I chuckled. "Do you want to stick around for the conversation?"

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows at that. Anakin looked from me then the Jedi. He scrunched his forehead in thought. After a moment he shook his head.

"The ship needs a few more patches," Anakin sighed, sounding much older than he was. "It was a rough landing."

"You did amazing," I patted him on the shoulder with my normal arm.

He smiled brightly at me before he raced out of the room leaving me alone with Qui-Gon. Aside from the droids that is. I shifted my gaze from Anakin to Qui-Gon, waiting for him to speak.

"Are you certain it was a Sith you fought?" He finally asked.

"Red lightsaber," I counted off the items on my fingers. "He had no problem killing those three without warning. Plus, his eyes were like fire. Orange in the middle with red around the edge. That sounds like a Sith to me." I unhooked Maul's lightsaber from my belt and held it out to him. "Take this to show your council."

Qui-Gon inclined his head as he took the lightsaber. I realized then that my own weapon was missing.

"Your lightsaber was caught in the flames," Qui-Gon explained.

"Fuck," I growled.

Anakin, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan looked at me in confusion. The intent was clear, but they didn't recognize the word.

"If you don't mind me asking," Qui-Gon moved the conversation along, he motioned to my arm.

"I like the color red," I replied flatly.

He flashed an amused grin.

"The Council is very interested in this Sith Lord," Qui-Gon continued. "Are there any details we might have overlooked?"

"The was the Apprentice," I stated. "He would have killed me in a moment if he had been a master. I was able to play his pride against him."

"That is," he paused for a moment. "Concerning."

"I have thoughts," I replied. "Follow me to my ship."

He bowed and motioned toward the door. I followed the path that my helmet had marked on the way in. Thankfully, the ship didn't look bad, aside from some cosmetic damage to the hull. Anakin had done a great job fixing things.

Obi-Wan joined him as we entered the ship. I closed the airlock and made sure it was secure. The two Jedi shared a look. I waved them to follow me further into the ship. Shmi, Mette, Adyan, and Anakin were already inside. They noticed my arrival as well as my guests. Mette and Adyan were rather interested in the color of my new arm. I would need to discuss it with them later.

"I know who the Sith is," I said. "It's best if you figure it out on your own."

"Why is that?" Qui-Gon asked.

"That way you can explain it to your council," I replied. "Who benefited from this? Not the Trade Federation. Neither did Naboo."

"They did," Obi-Wan cut in. "Senator Palpatine was elected the new Chancellor."

The Padawan paused. A myriad of thoughts played across his face.

"Fortunate for him," I said. "A well-connected Senator from a prosperous and harmless world. He warns the Queen that the Senate won't help her. Obviously, it's the Chancellors failing that has caused such discourse. If only there was a charismatic individual that could leverage the current crisis to further their goals. Thanks to some timely intervention, the planet is saved, there is a new Chancelor, and everyone is celebrating a return to peace rather than asking questions."

"He didn't want the Queen to return to Naboo, or for us to accompany her," Obi-Wan countered.

"What did he lose by her coming back?" I asked the young man. "He could have used her to gain more sympathy. If he kept her away long enough she may have given in to the Trade Federation. Either option works out in his favor."

"The Chancelor is a Sith Lord?" Qui-Gon stated more than asked. "The council didn't sense him. A Master of the Dark Side would certainly be too powerful to miss."

"Powerful enough to hide in plain sight as well," I said building on his statement. "The Sith are rather adept at being unnoticed."

Qui-Gon twirled the hair of his beard on his chin as he thought.

"You have given us a lot to consider," the Jedi Master said after a moment. "Thank you, Kiskin Aurelian. I hope it is under better circumstances when we meet again."

"We can hope," I agreed.

The two Jedi excused themselves. My crew gathered once the air lock was sealed once more, and we had our privacy. I motioned for them to sit, then waited.

"You're not a Zeltron," Mette spoke quickly. "I've been around them. You don't feel like one. That helmet doesn't have enough room for horns. Not a Devaronian or Nikto. Obviously, you're not a Twi'lek or a Togruta."

"What are you?" Adyan interrupted.

"I'll tell you one of these days," I replied. "If you stick around."

"He only tells people he trusts," Anakin said puffing up a little.

"You know?" Mette huffed. "Both of you?"

Shmi nodded. Mette grumbled something under her breath. Adyan simply studied me as though she'd somehow see through my armor.

"Fine," Adyan sighed shaking her head. "Until then."

We moved from the lounge area into the cockpit. Adyan and Anakin began the pre-flight check as Shmi and Mette followed a step behind me.

"Zepplin is ready to go," Adyan said as she studied the control panel.

"What do we do now?" Anakin asked as we sat in the cockpit.

Adyan was in the pilot seat with Anakin beside her while I sat in an auxiliary position behind them. Mette and Shmi stood in the doorway.

"We deserve a vacation," I replied.

The two Twi'lek perked up at the word. Shmi gave a small smile, which I counted as a victory considering she was still unsure about me. To be fair to her, we hadn't known each other for very long at all.

"Huh?" Anakin asked scrunching his brow.

"A vacation," I repeated. "Getting my arm cut off has earned for rest and relaxation."

"Oh," Anakin settled back in his chair.

I watched a silent conversation play across his face.

"Have you ever seen snow?" I asked.

His eyes widened at the word. Slowly, almost like I'd change my mind, he shook his head.

"That makes it easier," I activated the galaxy map for everyone to see. "From what I've heard, Alderaan is beautiful."

"You said you had a bad feeling about Alderaan," Shmi said.

The two Twi'lek and Anakin turned to look at me.

"The future is always in motion," I said.

"What does that mean?" Mette asked.

"Things change," I replied with a chuckle. "I'm still not going to retire there and wouldn't recommend you do either."

"Ok," Adyan said with forced brevity. "Are there other options?"

We waited in silence for a beat.

"Alderaan it is," Adyan sighed. "It'll take about a day to get to the Corellian Trade Spine. We'll ride that for a few days before we have to drop back into sub-light. Settle in, people, we've got some time."

~

We had plenty of time in sub-light for me to adjust for me to get bored. My missing lightsaber was starting to get more noticeable as the day went on. I hadn’t used it beyond the fight with Maul, but I still felt its loss.

"Anakin," I called as I made my way to the cargo bay. "Do you want to help me make a lightsaber?"

Anakin squeed and hurried to follow me. He practically vibrated when we arrived at the workbench. It was meant for minor ship maintenance and such, but it had the tools I needed. Making a lightsaber wasn't as hard as I had expected. The hilt wasn't difficult. It was the internal mechanisms that were the tricky bits. As odd as it sounded, the Force guided me through the construction. Anakin somehow stayed quiet through it all. It wasn't until time for the crystal that he made a noise.

"What's that?" He asked barely above a whisper.

"The Heart of the Guardian," I replied. "It's a kyber crystal, you can't make a lightsaber without it." I paused. "Turning it on now would fry the internals. You don't want that."

The parts of the saber floated in the air before me. I closed my eyes and let the Force flow around me and the lightsaber. The parts appeared in my mind as precise currents of air rotated the pieces until they were aligned. Clicks of metal fitting into place echoed through the room. The crystal glowed brightly in the Force as it slipped perfectly into the cradle. I felt the pieces lock into shape and a sense of rightness settled into my very being.

I opened my eyes to see my newly assembled lightsaber. The hilt was utilitarian and fit nicely in my grip. I could hold is easily in one hand and snuggly with two. It had a nice weight to it that made it feel more real than the one I had lost. I could sense the crystal within.

The blade sang as I activated it. A sharp, light-purple blade emerged with the familiar snap-hiss. It sent a shiver down my spine. Revan was a drama queen, who would have guessed?

"Wow," Anakin whispered.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Wow."

• [I See You Have Constructed a New Lightsaber]
  +100 FP

• [Roll – Bank – Shop]

ROLL.

• [COST: 100 FP]

• [ITEM: Rebreather]
  [Those with sufficient training can hold their breath for a surprisingly long time. For the beginners, or those that will need to exert themselves for a longer period of time, this device can easily be held in the user’s mouth in order to supply fresh air for up to an hour before it needs to refill itself. Useful for diving.]

• [Purchase – Bookmark – Dismiss]

My helmet already did that.

DISMISS.

• [Balance: 1300 Forge Points]

• [Roll – Shop – Research]

The 'Roll' option was calling me in a siren song. Thirteen hundred points was just too much to be left there. I could probably find some interesting stuff to purchase.

"Could I make one?" Anakin asked.

His voice snapped me out of the fugue.

"Not until you get a crystal," I replied shaking my head. "It's part of your training."

"What are we waiting for then?" Anakin practically yelled as he skipped over to the open area of the cargo bay. "Let's do some training!"

I smiled under my helmet. There was no way I was going to let this kid get twisted in darkness.

~

I didn't remember falling asleep, but that was the only explanation. Currently, I was standing in the center of a spotlight. The room around me felt expansive, even if I couldn't actually see it. Everything outside of the ring of light were vague shapes and ghosts of sensations.

"Welcome, Kiskin," a voice from the shadows said.

It twisted and shifted with each word, somehow familiar while completely alien with each syllable. I searched for the source only to come up empty. My effort was met with a lilting laugh.

"You don't need to worry," the voice spoke. "We're not here to hurt you."

We. More than one. The hairs on my body were standing on end. My hands instinctively drifted to my holsters. I had grown accustomed to the weight of the blasters, as well as my newly built lightsaber. The fact that they were missing kicked my anxiety up a few notches.

"They wouldn't help you anyway," another voice dismissed.

"That doesn't make me feel better," I replied.

"It would be a waste of effort to harm you," the first voice said. "We've already invested time and effort into your adventures. You have an audience that would be upset too. Small, though it may be."

"You're the audience?" I asked.

"Mmm, no," the second voice chimed in. "We're the producers."

I stayed silent. It's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're smart rather than open your mouth and prove them wrong.

"You've made some impactful changes already," the first voice said. "Killing Maul, saving Qui-Gon, and taking Anakin as your apprentice. The timeline is hanging by a thread."

"You wouldn't have put me here if you didn't want me to change things," I said.

"True," the first voice had a bit of cheer in their tone.

"This meeting is a status report?" I asked. "Will I remember this at all?"

"Of course," the first voice replied.

"Not a status report," the second voice added quickly. "A proposal."

I narrowed my eyes. This felt like a trap.

"What proposal?" I asked.

"The timeline is ready to collapse even if your plans fail," the first voice said.

"Why not have some fun?" The second voice asked. "What do you say about mixing things up?"

"How so?" I asked. Once again I really missed having my blasters.

"How do you feel about cross-overs?" The first voice sounded excited.

"They have to be done right," I replied after a moment.

"We have a deal for you," the second voice sounded closer now. "We activate cross-overs, which will open the timeline to alteration for the changes, and we'll give you three free rolls."

"What type of cross-overs are we talking about?" I asked. "I'd rather not have the Borg, or the Reapers show up due to a bad roll."

"Too boring," the first voice said.

"Galaxy ending events don't draw in an audience like they used to," the second voice sighed. "These would be subtle changes."

"Mostly," the other added.

I took a deep breath and let it out. If they were to be believed, these voices were the reason I was here. They could make my life hell if I pissed them off. The fact that they were asking felt like a curtesy rather than a requirement.

"Fine," I said.

"Yay! I have plans!" The second voice said clapping.

~

My head snapped up as my helmet clacked against my chest-plate. Mette tried to hide her smile. She sat across from me in the lounge area. There was a partially disassembled part of a droid on the table between us.

"Tired?" She asked with a small tease in her voice.

"Must be," I muttered.

The last whispers of a dream faded. I could swear I heard clapping for some reason.

"Where were we?" I asked.

"Refitting the actuator," Mette prompted.

"Right," I straightened my posture as I spoke. "The B1 droids need frequent repairs. They can be produced in bulk but the quality drops. Their actuators are a common issue."

I continued to teach the young Asari.

Wait.

Asari.

That wasn't right. Mette had been a blue Twi'lek. Asari didn't exist in Star Wars.

"Do I have something on my face?" Mette asked as she squirmed in her seat. "Did I do something wrong? Is the droid going to explode?"

"No," I shook my head. "Lost in thought. Where's Adyan?"

"In the cockpit," there was a question in her voice.

"Wait here," I stood and walked with purpose to the cockpit.

Adyan sat at the controls. She was deeply focused on the various switches and blinking lights. Her lekku subtly twitched every so often. She was still a Twi'lek. The 'dream' I had was clear enough now for me to remember the last bit of the conversation.

"Subtle," I muttered. "Right."

At least no one else seemed to notice. A blinking notification on my HUD grabbed my attention.

• [Complication Added: Retroactive Merge]
  [All changes would be undergone unnoticeable for general population, for them it would look like the world was like this all the time and only you would be aware of the changes. Everyone will think you're crazy if you try to tell them otherwise. All materials and memories of the fictional worlds you chosen would be scrubbed or replaced by something else in this new world.]

I tried to search through the knowledge that I had of any other changes. There was a disconnect between my fan-knowledge and how it applied to the actual world. Retroactive Merge meant I couldn't directly ask someone what had changed without sounding crazy. My knowledge had adapted to include the new information either. I would need to dig through the holo-net for answers or adjust as I encountered something. It looked like I was going to be spending the rest of the trip studying.

"Anakin," I called as I returned to the lounge.

"Yeah?" The boy looked the same, aside from a few more streaks of grease.

"Could you take over teaching Mette how to fix the droids?" I asked. "I need to do some research."

"Sure," Anakin smiled at me.

I activated the Warehouse key on the door to my private quarters. It closed quickly after me. The droid ship still loomed, incredibly large across from me.

"Could we change this?" I asked whoever was listening. "It's an eyesore."

The Warehouse around me shimmered and shifted. I watched as the ship melted away, merging with the space around me. The droid factory emerged from the floor, taking shape as a connected room. My Warehouse, which had been stretched beyond logic moment before, now looked like its namesake. The space was split into three rooms. First, the main space of the original Warehouse. Second, the droid factory. Third, a hangar. The style of the walls, floors, and ceiling had adjusted to a mixture of the space-ship and standard concrete. I tried not to think about it too much.

Truthfully, I didn't need to use the Warehouse for some silent focus, but the disconnect helped. My new life had just grown more complicated. I needed time to adjust, time to get some information, and somewhere I could freak out a bit.

The Warehouse fit all those needs. I removed my helmet and took a couple of deep breaths. When that didn't help I screamed until I ran out of air. The Warehouse was big enough for the sound to echo. For some reason, that helped. I continued to gather air then screamed until my voice was ragged.

Now, with that out of the way, it was time to do some research.

Chapter Text

Half an hour later I emerged from my Warehouse. My research provided me with less information than I wanted. The various aliens from Mass Effect had been blended in among the standard Star Wars setting. From what I could tell, there were no blue Twi'leks, they had been replaced by Asari. There had to be more of them rather than a simple replacement. Closest I could think would be that it was a way to easily integrate the species into the setting without causing too many issues. The culture was the same, only not as prolific. Their home-world had replaced some barren rock. The Krogan had replaced some Gamorreans throughout the galaxy. Similar to the Asari, they were also placed among the population. The Genophage wasn't a thing here, so there were considerably more of them than the other transplanted aliens. Quarians hadn't changed all that much. They were still a migrant fleet, but the general consensus was that they were basically Jawa that spoke basic and were more interested in ships that could be added to their fleet than random junk. Turians were the hardest to pin down. They appeared to just be scattered across the galaxy. Salarians took after the Asari, except they replaced some Duros rather than Twi'lek. There was a distinct lack of Geth, Collectors, and Rachni. I was glad that the last two weren't going to be an issue. The Geth not being around made me wonder how they explained the Quarian Flotilla. I could see the logic of it. Adding a sentient species of the equivalent of droids would make things much more complicated than needed. I couldn't find any mention of Element Zero, Mass Relays, or Biotics, but the Asari were known as a Force Sensitive species.

The main thing I took away from the research was that the Main Characters from Mass Effect didn't exist here. Some plot-points for the various species had been integrated into the local lore. Most of the tech had been adjusted too. The new planets were placed in galaxies that matched their level of shininess. Thessia, the Asari homeworld, was located in the Core while Tuchanka, the Krogan Homeworld, was on the Outer Rim. The tech from Mass Effect wasn't nearly as sleek and had been modified to fit with the Star Wars aesthetic.

It appeared that the new additions were the only cross-over elements so far. Not exactly a subtle change, but I wouldn't need to worry about stumbling into Commander Shepard or running afoul of Saren. The 'producers' said they weren't going to add the Reapers. I really hoped they didn't change their mind about that.

"Are you ok?" Anakin asked bounding over to me.

"Thanks, kid," I nodded.

"I knocked on your door," Anakin whispered. "You didn't answer. I thought you were mad at me."

I knelt down and pulled him into a hug. Anakin stiffened.

"I'm not mad," I replied. "I just needed some time to get my helmet sitting right."

He leaned back to study my helmet.

"It looks fine," he shrugged.

"To get my thoughts in order," I clarified.

"Oohhh," Anakin nodded sagely. "Are you going to paint your armor?"

The sudden jump in topic took me a moment. I looked down at my armor. A couple of blaster marks and some abrasions gave it character. The broad patch of bare Beskar on my chest and the marks from Maul's lightsaber went beyond that. I didn't want to look too clean, but right now I was just ragged.

"I could use a touch up," I chuckled.

"Can I help?" Anakin asked.

"Sure," I waved for him to follow me.

We returned once more to the workbench in the cargo area. Luckily, painting the armor didn't require anything special. Tracking down an Armorer for a paintjob would have been annoying. I closed the door to the cargo area and began to remove my armor. Anakin watched as I carefully powered down each piece before taking it off. I worked in silence, turning the act into something of a ceremony. It didn't take long until I was in my black undersuit which was basically a compression shirt and pants that blended together so that it looked like a single piece of clothing. It was surprisingly comfortable.

"Are you going to paint it blue again?" Anakin asked.

"I don't think so," I replied.

I paused. My voice sounded weird without the modulator from my helmet.

"There is a group that call themselves Death Watch," I explained. "They claim to be Mandalorians and wear blue armor. I don't want people to think I'm part of them."

"Then what are you going to do?" He asked.

"The color of armor is important," I answered. "It tells others what you consider important and what you strive to uphold." I paused to make sure he was listening. "These colors, blue and gold, represent reliability and vengeance."

"Why vengeance?" Anakin asked.

"The message was in the combination," I explained. "The blue means that you can count on me to make sure things are handled in the best of my ability. Gold would mean making sure people get what they deserve or rebuilding something that has been lost."

"You don't want to do that anymore?" Anakin asked, his eyes were locked onto my armor.

"I need to adjust my goals," I said. "There are more problems in the galaxy beyond restoring Mandalore. Something big is on the horizon. It would be pointless to rebuild the Mandalorians only for us to get wiped out."

Anakin's mouth dropped at my words.

"But… you're a Mandalorian," he said. "They're the toughest people in the galaxy."

I knelt down and began to search through the tools stored under the workbench. It didn't take long to find the colors that I wanted.

"What are they?" Anakin asked.

"Black and red," I replied. "Black for justice, red to honor my parents. Rather, justice for my heritage. It's closer to my original intent and expands on the concept."

"Wizard," Anakin whispered.

"Grab a couple of masks," I told him. "We don't want to breath in the fumes."

"Do you think I could get my own armor?" Anakin asked as he started his search.

"We'll see," I replied.

"That means no," he grumbled.

"No," I chuckled. "It means we will see. You might change your mind in a couple of years, and I don't want you to feel obligated."

"Oh," his voice echoed from inside the locker he was searching. "Ok."

"I will do my best to guide and teach you," I said. "It's up to you to decide how much you carry on through your life."

"Huh?" Anakin hurried back over to me holding out a respirator mask.

"Your mother," I nodded my thanks as I took the mask. "She teaches you what's right and what's wrong."

He nodded.

"It's your choice on how you act when she's not around," I continued.

Anakin scrunched his eyebrows in thought. He nodded again after a moment.

"Red with black highlights and accents," I said. "Do you want to paint the bracers?"

"Yeah!" He cheered.

"We'll start with a layer of black as a base," I said as I assembled the paint sprayer.

~

The newly painted armor looked pretty damn good if I do say so myself. As planned, red was the main color with accents of black. I meant it as a statement of intent. Honor the old ways and aim to restore Mandalore to what it should be. This also meant taking care of Death Watch along with attempting to bring the pacifists into the fold. If nothing else, I would work to reestablish what it meant to be a Mandalorian.

I used the classic Mythosaur skull in place of a Clan Crest. It was painted gold, for vengeance, and placed on my left pauldron. I can admit, it was a bit over the top, but no one ever accused Mandalorians of being subtle. The Darksaber and the Mask of Mandalore were proof enough of that. Owning both artifacts would be undeniable proof that I was worthy. It was tempting, but I had no idea where to even start looking for the Mask. Pre Vizsla had the Darksaber which meant it would be mine soon enough.

It felt like I was myself again once I had the armor back on. Anakin bounced with barely contained energy as I got everything into place. I let him help a little, which seemed to appease him for now. Shmi and I needed to talk about his future. I didn't save her from a horrible future simply to ignore her.

My helmet let out a little hiss as it connected to the rest of my suit. The internal air-system cycled through a couple of times to check for leaks. I opened the valves as to not waste the reservoir. It would slowly fill up from the ambient oxygen and automatically activate if I found myself in an area without breathable air. Poison, smoke, and ash required manual activation.

There were three messages waiting for me once my HUD booted up.

• [COST: Free]

• [ITEM: Sabaac Deck]
  [A Sabaac Deck. Sabaac is one of the most popular card games in this galaxy, having players from the miners of Apatros to the halls of power for both of the current galactic states. A sabaac deck comprised a number of face cards (including the Idiot, the Queen, the Evil One, and the Star) and four suits of fifteen pip cards (Flasks, Sabers, Staves, and Coins). The face value of the cards changes at random in play but are locked as soon as the cards were placed on the sabaac tables suspension field. This in particular makes Sabaac a complex and unpredictable game, as a potential winning hand could turn into a losing one if not used at the right moment.]

• [COST: Free]

• [ITEM: Bio-Foam Injectors]
  You’re not always going to have a medic on hand when you’re deep behind enemy lines. If you happen to say, end up getting a collapsed lung or end up getting a hole in your side the size of a half-dollar coin, you need a way to be patched up immediately. Along the entire suit you have a series of injectors that when a large wound is detected needles immediately pierce the skin and inject bio-foam to ensure that the wearer can be held together for some additional time as a temporary measure, at least until they can make it to an actual medical facility to receive proper care. Something is better than nothing, right?]

• [COST: Free]

• [ITEM: Mining Facility]
  Sometimes, civilizations are held back by the need for more resources, which they can only find by leaving their home world. What you have here is extremely useful, as this asteroid-based mining facility will deliver large amounts of resources straight to your Warehouse. From aluminum to titanium to even uranium, these monthly shipments are filled with enough resources that you should have enough to build a frigate within three months. Of course, the rarer materials will be in a lower amount than the more common ones.]

I felt a tingle along my skin as the bio-foam injectors integrated into my undersuit. That would have been wonderful before the fight on Naboo. Stranger still, I felt the aftershock as the Mining Facility connected to my Warehouse. It wasn't so much added as another room as the Droid Factory and Hangar. More like a new dock area for deliveries appeared along one of the walls. My armor clacked a little as I shivered.

"What was that?" Anakin asked.

"Nothing important," I said, once again grateful that my helmet hid my expression. "Let's see how much longer we have."

Even after my time in the Warehouse researching the changes and repainting my armor had only taken a few hours. We still had the better part of the day before we even hit Hyperspace. I hadn't spent nearly enough time teaching Mette about droids. Well, that would pass some time.

"Mette," I called as I stepped into the lounge area.

Mette stiffened and put down the data pad she was reading. The Asari, that was still an adjustment, perked up at her name. Her eyes went wide as she actually looked at me.

"You changed," she said, then clapped her hands over her mouth.

"You're not in trouble," I shook my head a little. "The paint was beyond saving and it was time for a change."

"Ok," she whispered. "You called me?"

Mette hopped up from the couch and skipped over to me. Shmi had adjusted some of the clothes that Mette and Adyan had brought from the compound. One pair of the parachute pants was enough to alter into a decent dress and shawl. We were definitely going to need to get her real clothes once we were on Alderaan. At least she was smart enough to leave the shawl off while she worked on the droids.

"Did you want to learn some more about droids?" I asked.

"Uh," she scrunched her mouth in thought.

Damn, she was adorable.

"Is there something else you want to learn?" I asked.

"I want to learn how to fight," she said looking up at me like I would reprimand her.

"Follow me," I said waving her to follow.

I led her to the cargo hold. Anakin followed as well. Teaching him to shoot a blaster without Shmi present was just asking for trouble. Still, the barely contained energy that was coming off of him told me he wouldn't be content to just watch.

"Anakin," I said. "Ask your mother to join us."

He zipped away without a word.

"We'll start with blasters first," I said as I strolled over to a cabinet.

It chirped as I got closer and opened on its own. A few rows of blasters and knives of various sizes were lined up neatly inside. She needed a blaster that was light to start with, but something that would still work. I was planning on lowering the power output to prevent any damage to the ship. My HUD identified the weapons as I scanned the rack. It didn't take long to find something for her.

"This is a Relby-K23," I said as I removed a blaster from the rack. "It's popular among Bespin Security companies due to its variety of energy settings and easy repair." I held the blaster up for her to get a better look at it. "This switch is the power regulator. Right now, it is in the off position. From there it goes from Shock to Stun, then Base, and finally High. The first two settings are nonlethal." I adjusted the switch to Shock. "The blaster is now active."

She reached out to take it. I moved it out of her reach just a little. Mette pouted.

"Basic rules," I said sternly. "Treat every blaster as though it is loaded and set to lethal. Don't point the blaster at anything you don't intend to shoot." I adjusted my grip to show her how I held the weapon with my finger off of the trigger. "Do not rest your finger on the trigger. That's how people get shot on accident."

Mette stared at me for a long moment. She nodded. Shmi and Anakin joined us before she could take the blaster.

"Perfect timing," I said moving it out of her reach once more. "Mette, please tell Shmi and Anakin the basics of Blaster Safety."

Mette wrinkled her nose at me in frustration before she turned to the other two. She went over what I had told her. I went through the motions as she did.

"I would like to teach Anakin, and yourself, how to use a blaster," I said, my full attention on Shmi.

Shmi held me with an even gaze. After a moment, she nodded.

"Yipee!" Anakin yelled.

"We're taking turns," I told Anakin. "Mette, your mother, and finally, you."

"Why?" He whined.

"I want you to pay attention to what they do and how they learn before it's your turn," I explained. "We will stop once we hit Hyperspace."

I went through the other blasters I had for something suitable for Anakin and Shmi. There was another Relby-K23 for Shmi, I had three in total. That left a couple of blasters that looked like early versions Scout Trooper side-arms, one A-180 BlasTech, and a row of rifles. Unfortunately, the grip was too big for Anakin. I gave him the sole hold-out blaster I had. I took some time to arrange a few targets from random pieces of scrap. The metal wasn't the type to reflect a blaster, and the power was set low enough to prevent punching through.

"Now," I said as I got everything arranged. "Let's start with how you hold it."

We made it through the basics before Adyan joined us. She poked her head around the edge of the doorway to get a look at the noise.

"What are you doing?" Adyan asked between the blaster fire.

"Kiskin is teaching us how to shoot," Anakin said brightly. "Do you want to join?"

"I already know how," Adyan replied giving him a small smile.

"How much longer do we have?" I asked.

"Hours still," Adyan sighed. "Sub-light travel might feel faster, but it isn't."

"Where did you learn to shoot?" I asked.

"I wasn't always a slave," she replied with a bit of edge to her voice.

"Fair enough," I nodded.

I wasn't going to blame her for not trusting me yet, as I hadn't shown I trusted her.

"Well," I motioned to the others. "Want to help out? We'll stop before we hit Hyperspace."

"Sure," Adyan shrugged.

~

We made it to the Corellian Trade Spine without any issues. After all that time in the bacta-tank I didn't want to have to sleep. My body didn't get that message. By the time we finished shooting practice I was dead on my feet. I had the energy to tell the others I was going to my quarters, but not enough to go through the process of taking off my armor. It didn't matter. I was asleep as soon as I was horizontal.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but I woke up too soon for my taste. The helmet-comm chimed with a message.

"What?" I snapped as I opened the line.

"There's a message from Alderaan," Adyan replied.

There was something in her voice that made the aggravation fade.

"What type of message?" I asked.

"An open distress signal," Adyan answered. "Do you want me to send it through to you or do you want to watch it in the lounge?"

"Lounge," I grumbled.

There was a brief moment where I closed my eyes and willed the situation to vanish. Unfortunately, that kind of power was beyond me. I pushed myself to my feet and trudged out to the lounge where everyone had gathered. It struck me at that moment that I had slept in my armor. Not only that, but I also didn't have any sore muscles or tender spots from prolonged pressure. This stuff was awesome.

"Have you already played it?" I asked as I took a spot around the holo-projector.

"I did," Adyan replied. "We waited for you to show it to everyone."

I nodded, signaling her to play it. The light blue form of Senator Bail Organa appeared. He stood regal and tall but had bags under his eyes and scruff on his face.

"This is an open call for assistance," the Senator said. "The Killik scourge has returned. Their hives have appeared across the globe. Our peacekeepers and house guard forces are overwhelmed. We are requesting outside aide and will compensate those who assist handsomely."

His image was swapped out with a Killik drone. It looked like a large ant that was vaguely humanoid shape and size. The Killik had six legs, four of which were used as feet while the other two functioned as arms. If anything, they were kind of like an ant centaur, if that made any sense.

"This is a common Killik," his voice continued. "They are a sentient insectoid species with a hive mind that can reproduce at an alarming rate and have the ability to mentally dominate other species into becoming a Joiner through exposure to their pheromones."

The image swapped back to the senator.

"Due to this crisis, the planet is on lockdown," Senator Organa continued. "All ships on approach are to be redirected to an auxiliary space stations positioned around the planet. The stations have representatives that can further explain the situation for parties interested in assisting."

"It repeats from there," Adyan said as she cut the feed.

"So much for a vacation," I muttered.

"We're helping them, right?" Anakin asked.

Those puppy-dog eyes he gave me should be illegal.

"I am helping them," I clarified.

"But-" he stared.

"Pheromones exposure is airborne," I said before he could get started. "Last time I checked, I'm the only one with a set of sealed armor with its own air supply."

Anakin pouted. Shmi rubbed his back but shot me a grateful look.

"I could help," Mette chimed in.

"Do you have an air-tight suit you've been hiding?" I turned my attention to her.

"No," she mumbled.

"That settles it," I said cutting off any further disputes. "I know this wasn't what we wanted."

"Doubt the people of Alderaan wanted it," Adyan added.

"We'll head to the space station and get the details," I continued without acknowledging her comment. "If I can, I'll offer my services."

"What should we do?" Shmi asked.

"I've heard good things about Stewjon," I offered.

"We're not going to leave you!" Anakin yelled.

I knelt down to get on his level. After a moment, I unsealed my helmet and took it off. Mette and Adyan gasped as my face was exposed.

"Anakin," I said firmly, but without an edge. " The Senator said the Killik were all over the planet, I don't know how long this is going to take."

"No," Anakin crossed his arms and glared at me. "I'm not leaving you."

I gave him a gentle smile.

"I can't bring you with me yet," I said softly. "We'll compromise. Daily reports, if possible, and you'll come back after thirty days, local time. Regardless of the situation, I'll leave with you."

Anakin scrunched his face in thought. After a moment he gave a single nod. He lunged at me before I could stand, wrapping me in a hug. I put an arm around him to give him one back. There was a trick to hugging kids, only let go after they did. It's something small, but it is more important than you'd think.

"How much longer until we reach Alderaan?" I asked as I stood.

Anakin hadn't let go yet, so I scooped him up with my free arm. He rested his head on my shoulder. It probably wasn't comfortable, but he wasn't complaining.

"We've got a few more hours on the Corellian Trade Spine, then another two in sub-light," Adyan answered.

"Send a docking request when we're close to the space station," I said as I tucked my helmet under my other arm. "I need to spend some time with Anakin."

Adyan nodded then returned to the cockpit. Mette stared at the paused image of Senator Organa. She idly nibbled on one of her fingernails as she was lost in thought. Shmi put a supportive arm around her.

"So," I said as I took Anakin back to the cargo bay that had been arranged as an impromptu target ranger. "Do you want to hit each other with sticks?"

"What?" Anakin asked leaning back to look me in the face.

"Well," I teased. "You could call it lightsaber training, if you want, but hitting each other with sticks sounds like more fun."

"You'll let me use a lightsaber?" Anakin perked up.

"No," I shook my head. "We're going to use practice weapons for now."

He wiggled out of my arms and ran over to the cabinet with all the weapons. There were two practice blades among the blasters. They were full sized versions. He had to use both hands to carry one. I took the other one to test its weight. It had some heft to it. This was supposed to be a way to keep him distracted, not make him frustrated by reminding him how much he couldn't do yet.

"Anakin," I said, putting my helmet on a shelf.

Normally, I would have put my helmet back on. I wanted him to see my face and the expressions. He was a smart kid and would pick up on the various tones of my voice, but this was about showing I trusted him. He looked at me as he struggled with the sword.

"Grab me the hand-torch from the toolkit," I said.

Anakin shrugged but did as I asked. I took it, and his practice sword, over to the workbench. A few minutes later, and a careful application of the torch, I had shaved off a bit of weight. The weld was an eyesore, and it still had some heft to it, but it wasn't nearly as heavy as before.

"It's not pretty," I said as I handed it to him. "But it will do for now."

"That's fine," Anakin beamed at me. "I can still hit you with it."

"Show me what you've got kid," I said as I strode over to the center of the room.

Chapter Text

A cluster of space stations circled the planet of Alderaan. There was at least a dozen. Each one was its own little hive of activity. We didn't know which one to aim for, so we slowed our speed and opened a communication channel to the nearest one.

"Unidentified vessel," the voice of a droid came through speaker in the cockpit. "State your purpose and identification number or cease your approach."

"YT-1930, designation Zepplin," I replied. "Offering services as requested regarding Hyperspace Distress signal."

"Thank you, Zepplin," the droid said. "Please allow the tractor beam to guide you to your docking spot."

I motioned Adyan who did as suggested. She flipped a couple of switches and leaned back in her chair as the tractor beam took hold.

"Are you sure you have to do this?" Anakin asked.

"They need help," I replied with a nod, then smiled. "And they're paying."

Anakin stuck his tongue out at me. I had kept my helmet off since our 'sparring' to make it easier for us to communicate. There was an amazing amount of subtle ways something as simple as looking into someone's eyes could convey. The long stretch in Hyperspace and sub-light travel helped the crew adjust to each other. It felt more natural to relax around Shmi, Mette, and Adyan now simply by spending time around each other.

Mette had started listening in when I taught Anakin about Mandalorian culture. Shmi joined us once it was clear that he wanted to learn more, but the Asari hadn't worked up the courage to approach yet. Adyan was perfectly happy doing her own thing. She had a little rivalry going with a couple of droids that swapped out piloting duties. Shmi made sure it stayed friendly.

"I will try to make contact once a day. If I'm not able, then be patient," I explained yet again. "I can't stop in the middle of a fight to tell you about my day. You have your studies."

Anakin grumbled. I gave him my best parent look. It wasn't as effective as Shmi, but it made him laugh.

"If you want to earn your armor then learning the history of Mandalorians, as well as the Creed, is important," I said with some firmness in my voice. "Expanding your catalogue of languages and cultures is also important. If nothing else, learn to understand a few more languages. You would be amazed at the things people will say if they think you don't know what they are saying."

Anakin still pouted.

"Bounty hunting and mercenary work are two of the main peace-time careers," I continued. "You need to know what your potential employers want. More importantly, if they're to be trusted." I stole a quick look at Shmi. "Even supporters need to know what's going on. Medics, mechanics, merchants, and a dozen other essential positions require a strong base of knowledge."

That seemed to mollify her a little. Anakin, thankfully, was thinking it over. He nodded after a moment.

"How long will you be gone?" Anakin asked.

"No clue," I shrugged.

He kicked me in the shin and instantly regretted it.

"It depends," I chuckled. "Thirty days at most, barring unforeseen issues." I motioned to the various space stations around the planet. "This isn't a small operation."

"Fine," Anakin huffed.

"We're about to land," Adyan said.

I knelt down to get on Anakin's eye level.

"Listen to your mother," I said softly. "No more than four hours a day on your lessons. At least one hour on your exercises and meditation. Work on your control with the Force. Peal the Jogan fruit like I showed you. If you can get that down, then move on to removing the seeds and slicing it into portions."

I put on my helmet and made my way over to the airlock. Shmi walked with me. Anakin recognized when the adults needed to have a private conversation.

"Thirty days," I repeated. "Get a status report if I don't contact you. This ship is yours if I'm dead."

Shmi nodded but didn't speak. I stepped into the airlock then she sealed it behind me. The silence while I waited for the landing process pressed in on me. Leaving them was a lot harder than I had expected. It would have been easy to ignore the distress call and find somewhere not in crisis for a vacation. Like I had told Anakin, they needed help. It didn't feel right to ignore them. Bail Organa was a good man, from what I knew from the movies and shows.

I activated my Forge as I waited. Staying alive was more important than saving points. I wasn't going to ignore the Forge if there was a possibility that even one of the options could keep me alive.

• [Balance: 1300 Forge Points]

• ROLL.

• [COST: 200 CP]
  [ITEM: Medal]
  [You will gain a customized medal for every heroic action you take and operation you succeed in allowing anyone who you let look at them relive the memories of those events as though they were there.]

DISMISS. ROLL.

• [COST: 100]
  [TRANSPORT: M12 Warthog]
  [There are some things that are just so reliable that any upgrades you make are just variants of the basic vehicle in question. Reliability is needed in a war of survival. That reliability comes in the form of this four-wheeled ground vehicle that boasts impressive speed, traction, and torque at both the high end and low end. Using hydrogen-injected ICE I/C plant and a Graf/Hauptman Solar/Saline Actuator, this thing can go for four hundred and ninety miles before needing a refill and could use twelve liters from any fresh, brackish, or salt water to turn into more hydrogen on the fly. While the default variant comes with a light machine gun turret that can be wielded by a third person, you may take the machine gun out for four extra seats for troop transport instead.]

A ground vehicle sounded like a good choice. I admit there was also a small fanboy voice telling me to get it. Who didn't wanted to drive a Warthog for real?

PURCHASE. ROLL.

• [COST: 300]
  [ITEM: Basilisk War Droid Schematics]
  [Originally made by the Basiliskan Race from the planet Basilisk, these semi sentient War droids are possibly the greatest in the Galaxy. These droids are operated with a single rider from their backs and can even allow their rider to survive atmospheric reentry and operate as star fighters both in an atmosphere and in a Vacuum. With this purchase you gain a both the schematics, and a single War Droid.]

PURCHASE.

"Begin research," I said in hopes that the Droid Factory would respond.

• [Research – Third Generation Droids – Time Remaining – 9 Days]
  [Cancel Research?]
  [Add Research Slot – 500 Forge Points]

I really wanted a Basilisk War Droid, but I wasn't going to spend five hundred points just to start the research. Especially since I didn't know how long it would take. I would have to get the process going once I had enough points, or once there was a research slot open. As it stood, I needed the points for something more.

DISMISS. ROLL.

• [COST: 100 CP]
  [Technique: Force Barrier]
  [The Force barrier is a simple, but incredibly useful power. This ability allows the user to generate a shield of pure Force energy around their bodies. This shield is capable of protecting you from various amounts of damage based on the strength of the user. For example, a youngling could probably block one blaster bolt, but Yoda could block a blast from the main gun of a heavy tank.]

That sounded useful.

PURCHASE.

I felt new knowledge in the Force unlocked in my mind. There weren't any hot needles in my brain, which was nice.

ROLL.

• [COST: 15000 CP]
  [ITEM: Backup Alderaan]
  [Your warehouse gains a pocket dimension that can once per planet copy any physically destroyed planet and its population, from a moment before its destruction. Any damage done to the planet during its destruction and if whatever caused the destruction was a part of the planet they will be removed from the copy. By default, this is occupied by a copy of Alderaan and its people. You may keep the stored planet or use it to replace the destroyed one either in its original location or another viable one. When a planet you know about is destroyed you will gain a prompt option to copy it to your pocket dimension. If a different planet is already store you will be required to eject it first; if you do so, it will be released to a nearby safe location. When removing your planet from storage you may choose for the copied populace to be a true resurrection, possibly pulling them out of the afterlife.]

That was either a subtle jibe of how the audience expected this to go, a bad omen, or just strange luck. Regardless, I didn't have fifteen thousand points to spend and didn't want to bookmark it.

DISMISS.

Saving my points didn't sound like a good idea considering what waited on Alderaan. I had plenty still to spend.

ROLL.

• [COST: 50 CP]
  [ITEM: Black Body Suit]
  [More of an underlayer than anything, it could be useful if you want to ensure comfort and additional protection in a last-ditch effort. Used by the UNSC in operations regarding vacuum environments, it is a form-fitting suit of polymer body armor that can deflect small-caliber rounds and comes with both heating and cooling units to mask the temperature of the user for stealth purposes. While it could be uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time, the fact that it’s sealed up would be beneficial if you’re suddenly spaced.]

PURCHASE.

I felt my undersuit shift and adjust to the new version. The Bio-Foam Injectors smoothly shifted into place. It felt much better now that I noticed it. The skin-tight suit reduced most of the bulk that came from wearing what was basically coveralls under my armor.

• [Balance: 350 Forge Points]

ROLL.

• [COST: 300 FP]
  [VEHICLE: Jawa Crawler]
  [Big box like and stuffed to the brim with Jawa's stolen ship parts and stolen droids for you to sell hard to stop its movement and it crosses sand as easily as solid ground]

Interesting, but not helpful right now.

DISMISS.

ROLL.

• [COST: 100 FP]
  [WEAPON: DL-44]
  [This heavy blaster pistol offers above-average firepower without compromising accuracy and is easily modifiable.]

The broomhandle blaster that Han used? Of course I was going to get it. That, and I wasn't going to turn down another weapon now.

PURCHASE.

It would cost another one hundred points to roll again, and I only had fifty to spend. This was all I could afford for now. Hopefully, these new additions would keep me alive for the next thirty days, or however long it was needed.

The airlock opened to reveal a trio of humans. Two flanked behind the last who had the classic admin worker cloud of exhaustion. They flinched when they saw my armor. All three wore respirators. It was good to see they were taking the pheromone issue seriously. From what I could remember Joiners, those unfortunate enough to fall to it, were little more than drones after long.

"A Mandalorian," the clerk said as though it was some big reveal.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Just you?" He asked hopefully.

I nodded. The clerk and his two guards deflated a bit.

"Well," the clerk put forced cheer in his voice. "Please register your name and any previous connections to Alderaan."

"Why?" I interrupted his speech.

"In case you have a preferred location to work, or avoid," the clerk replied.

"This is my first time visiting," I replied.

"That makes things easier," the clerk nodded. "Follow me, please."

The two that I thought were guards split off once the clerk turned around. I had no idea what they were doing, but paperwork was never one of my strong suits. My eyes go distant, and my thoughts turn to static if I have to get clerical.

I was led through a couple of standard halls until we reached one of the hangars. There was a crowd of various mercenaries assembled. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be any other Mandalorians. I tried not to be too disappointed. This wasn't going to be the time to gather other stray Mandalorians, as much as I'd love to make connections. If nothing else, it was something I could use as proof to convince others to follow me and I wasn't just some guy playing dress-up.

Most of the crowd had already split into groups of random sizes. Those usually had matching armor, or at least some sort of identifying sigil. The only group that stood out for me were a cluster of Quarians. They lived their lives in sealed suits so dealing with some pheromones didn't slow them down in the least. I was a little disappointed that there weren't any Krogan or Turians present. Though relying on Krogans to fight space-bugs would just be tempting fate for another war.

"Oya, Mando!" A loud voice called.

It struck me that my mind recognized the words being spoken as Mando'a. I turned toward the voice. A human woman with a scrappy build and dressed in black combat armor strode toward me. Another human, this one a man, walked beside her. Their respirators covered the lower half of their faces allowing their eyes and top of their head visible.

"Didn't think you bastards existed anymore," the woman chuckled.

"Pacifists," the guy spat.

"Dar'manda," I had to force my voice to remain even. "They're just as bad as Death Watch."

They both laughed.

"Jaid," he thumped himself on the chest before offering his hand to shake.

"Kiskin," I replied, clamping on his forearm rather than his hand.

"Rain," the woman offered her.

I shook it in turn and repeated my name.

"I don't recognize the sigil," I motioned to the red and white stack crowns on their shoulder.

"Queens Guard," Jaid replied. "Red for assault, white for support."

They both had red crowns in the top slot.

"What about you?" Rain motioned to the Mythosaur on my shoulder. "I've seen that one around."

"I'd hope," I let out a dry chuckle. "The Mythosaur represents Mandalorians. I'm the last of my clan, but it doesn't matter until we are restored."

The two shared a look.

"Are all of you so dramatic?" Rain snorted.

"That wasn't dramatic," I replied shaking my head. "I didn't have my music queued up, proper lighting, or a wind machine to make my cape flow just right."

"You don't have a cape," Jaid said.

"Damn," I muttered. "I knew I forgot something."

The two looked at him before breaking into laughter.

"A Mando with a sense of humor?" Jaid shook his head.

"It's a gift," I shrugged.

"Come on," Rain waved me along. "I'll introduce you to the crew."

The duo led me over to a group of similarly armored mercenaries. There was some small variation in their gear to denote their roles.

"This is Queen," Rain motioned to a human woman with a scar on her right brow. "She's squad leader."

The woman nodded in greeting, and I returned with one of my own.

"This is One," Rain said shifting to a tall human with dark skin.

Another nod, another return. They both had red on top of white, assault rather than support. Next in line was a shorter human man. His armor was lighter than the first two, and his gear had a couple of tools that I recognized from working on the droids.

"Kaplan," Rain said almost dismissively.

The man didn't look up from whatever he was doing.

"Medic," Rain motioned to the last among the crew.

Medic was a woman with a case of resting bitch face. Her eyes were sharp. She studied me for a quick moment before returning to her study of a data-pad.

"Medic?" I asked. "Is that a family name?"

"No clue," Rain shrugged.

"She never said otherwise," Jaid added.

"Kiskin," I introduced myself once to the others.

"What's your loadout?" One asked, his voice was deep and rich.

"Whatever needs to be done," I replied. "I've been working solo."

"This is a big job," One said. "It's best to work with a crew."

"Want to join up for a stretch?" Rain asked.

"I'm game," I said. "Have you had experience with Kilik before?"

"No," Queen spoke up. "They vanished a few hundred years ago."

"A tectonic shift revealed a previously blocked underground network," Kaplan said finally looking up from his gear. "Scans show that the tunnels stretch across the planet. They thin out under large bodies of water and mountains." He paused. "Who's the Mando?"

"Everyone!" The clerk from before called. "The shuttle is approaching. Make ready to load up."

Conversation stopped as the group of mercenaries queued to board the shuttle. The squad packed up the gear they had. I hadn't brought anything extra with me. Maul had chopped my rifle into pieces which meant I was carrying three blaster pistols. Extra gear seemed like it would slow me down. Though I realized now that I lacked the basics, which wasn't a good start to the job. I had planned on picking up supply's planet-side. Short of that, I'd slip into my Warehouse to figure something out. I made it to the front of the line just behind the group of Quarian. They had their gear packed and ready to go in the time it took me to cross the hangar.

It was time to take another step in my plan. Grow my reputation and gather competent people. That way I had clout when I made my move to restore the Mandalorians. I couldn't stop the oncoming Clone Wars. Instead, I was going to create my own faction.

The shuttle was packed once everyone was inside. They had stripped everything extraneous from the ship and welded in a few rows of 'economy' seating. This group of mercenaries were either human, or near human, meaning the size variance wasn't too drastic.

A hologram of Alderaan flickered to life at the front of the shuttle and elevated for everyone to see.

"The main focus is to secure the evacuation of the people of Alderaan," a mechanical voice started. "The Killik scavenge technology instead of create their own. They are currently attempting to leave the planet via our emergency evacuation network. Most of you will be tasked with protecting the launch sites and escorting civilians to available shuttles. It is imperative that the ships are not compromised."

Blue dots appeared, listed as launch sites. Red dots connected by thin lines denoted the Killik network. Quite a few of the launch sites had been crossed-out and marked as lost.

"Scans have identified an upper layer of Killik tunnels, but we are unable to get a reliable readout of the lower levels," the voice continued. "Our information has shown that we are dealing with multiple colonies that were previously hostile to each other. There have been small skirmishes between drones of different loyalties. These hostilities are now secondary to a focused push to claim the planet surface and acquire space capable transport."

The hologram of Alderaan was replaced by a trio of insectoid creatures. They looked like anthropomorphized ants. Their bodies were covered in an exoskeleton and had distinct sections- head, thorax, and abdomen. The one pictured held a scavenged blaster.

"These are the common Killik drones," the voice continued. "Worker, soldier, and overseer."

The other two types disappeared as the hologram focused on the Worker drone, splitting into variations that were created for specific kinds of work.

"The Worker class drones are numerous but are only hostile if attacked. They are quite capable in combat when pushed."

The selection of Workers was replaced with a single Soldier Killik. It was about six feet tall, had wings, and each appendage ended in a dexterous claws.

"The Soldier drones are capable of using weapons, basic strategy, and can continue fighting as long as their head is intact," the voice said. "Destroying the antenna causes them to go into a berserker state."

The hologram was replaced with a scene of a Soldier drone in combat. It was blasted into pieces. The limbs stopped moving once separated from the main body, and the drone slowed. It continued to fight even though it was a nothing more than a torse and head by crawling to a guard and biting their leg off. The drone finally stopped moving once a blaster bolt punched through its skull. Its death didn't effect the other soldiers around it.

"The most dangerous of the group is the Overseer," the image swapped to another drone.

This one was tall, thin, and almost looked like a hybrid with another species. Something like the bastard child of an ant and a praying mantis.

"The Overseer are fewer in number," the voice continued. "These are the ones that control the other drones. We have been unable to disrupt their communications as of yet. They are able to share information to their drones almost instantly. Drones will bring technology to the Overseer, who then examines and learns the tech before sending the new instructions back for the others to use. Their learning process is dependent on the complexity of the technology and the number of Overseers. As of yet, we have been able to keep them away from ships."

The hologram swapped back to the planet.

"Any questions?" The voice asked.

"What about the nests?" A merc asked.

"The nests will be handled once the planet has reached an acceptable evacuation percentage," the voice replied. "Killik holes are to be tagged and collapsed if possible. You will be paid per kill as well as per completed assignment. Each of you will be given a device to track your kills. These can be coded to an individual or a squad for bounties."

"You're sure these are creatures and not people?" Another merc asked.

"The Killik are trying to take over the planet," the voice replied. "Our attempts to contact the leader of a nest for peaceful negotiations have been met with hostilities. Their goal is to spread across the planet killing those that resist and converting others. The 'Joiners' as they have been labelled are used for infiltration and sabotage. Those that fail their tasks, or face complications in the Joiner process, are used as sustenance." The voice paused. "Any further questions?"

The hologram disappeared when no one spoke up.

"Kill me if I get captured," Rain said without an ounce of humor in her voice. "I don't want my grave to be a pile of bug shit."

Jaid beside her let out a bark of laughter.

"What do you say, Mando?" Queen asked. "Work with our squad?"

"Sure," I replied. "Someone has to keep Rain out of bug shit."

Chapter Text

The landing shuttle was packed to the point that Rain was practically sitting in my lap. Not that I was bothered about that. Athletic with combat skills was my type. Something about a woman that could potentially kick my ass just did something for me. The fact that she looked like a young Michelle Rodriguez was a big plus too. There was something about her, and the rest of her crew, that tickled the back of my mind, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

"Is that a blaster in your pocket or are you happy to see me?" Rain teased.

"You're sitting on my DL-44," I replied dryly. "Otherwise, I'd buy you dinner first."

Rain laughed.

"Once we land," a mechanical voice interrupted further conversation. "The ground forces will sweep the area. We cannot allow the Killik to acquire a space-capable ship. You will disembark once the area is cleared." The voice paused. " You will be given a choice of assignments once the area is cleared. All teams will need to create a passcode to prove they have not been compromised. Those infected by the Joining are unable to say anything negative about the Killik. This is the easiest way to gauge if someone has been exposed. They find the terms bug, creepy crawly, and ants to be insulting."

The voice paused once more.

"You will be paid per job," the voice continued. "Drones and soldiers are too numerous to track efficiently. Any squad that manages to kill an Overseer will need proof via a trophy or image. There is a bounty of five thousand per." That caused a bit of a stir. Five thousand was a decent payday on its own. Less so when split among a squad, but still a nice bonus.

The shuttle stayed in motion above the landing pad until the all-clear message came through. It was rough when it actually landed. The mercs filed out of the tight space with a welcome breath of fresh air. Rather, whatever filtered air made it through various filters in place to stop the Joining Pheromones. Still, the extra elbow-room made it worth it.

We had landed on the top of a wide municipal building in the center of a small town. The architecture reminded me of an underwater fairy-tale castle with smooth lines and a lot of curves. They seemed to have an aversion to colors that were shades of white. It made the turrets, guard posts, and defensive encampments that dotted the area. The artfully sculpted landscape was marred with signs of fighting and refugee camps.

I walked between Jaid and Rain as the squad stepped to the side. A steady stream of civilians was guided up to the roof to fill the shuttle once it was clear. It took off the moment the doors closed. The charred husks of a few building-sized ant hills. Keeping the people safe until they could get off planet was more of a chore than I had expected.

If I remember correctly the planet willingly disarmed itself at some point. Something about loading all their weapons onto a ship or something like that. The Extended Universe was a strange one. Alderaan had a larger population than I had thought. My experience with the planet came down to a couple of episodes of a show and the online game. Neither addressed the size of the general populous. In the game, the Killik were a side-note to the class-specific storyline. The main quests were centered around playing politics between the various noble houses while trying to earn the favor for the Empire or Republic. I guess if the audience wanted that kind of entertainment they could look for something with A Song of Ice and Fire.

"Is this your team?" A guard asked as he approached the squad.

The man was human. He wore what had once been a well-tailored uniform. It, like him, had seen better days. There were worn patches on his coat, his boots were covered in dried mud, and he looked like he hadn't had a decent night of sleep in some time. His gaze swept along the others before pausing on me for a moment. I noticed him take a quick look at my shoulder in search of a clan sigil.

"Yes," One answered.

"Name?" The guard asked.

"Queens' Guard plus one," One replied.

The guard made a note on his data-pad. He tapped a few messages out and waited. A small 'ding' sounded a moment later when he received a new message.

"We set up an emergency communications network," the guard said. "The bugs are using Joiners to interfere with our satellites. Now, they're trying to do it again. We're sending out teams to secure the relays and flag the ones that need repair. Our technicians will do the rest."

The guard paused to see if One had anything to say. My helmet pinged as it received a packet of information. One pulled out his own data-pad to review the information.

"Acceptable," One replied.

"Good," the guard relaxed a little. "I'll mark the coordinates. Expediency is requested."

"Transportation?" One asked.

"We don't have the equipment to spare," the guard replied with a heavy sigh. "Everything is focused on evacuating and safety."

"One," I said to give the guard a chance to move on.

"What?" One growled at me. "You expect us to hoof it the entire way? Did you see the coordinates?"

"Yes," I replied. "I can handle it."

The man continued to glare at me through the visor on his full-face rebreather. They all wore similar models that were basically fancy looking gas masks. We made our way down through the building until we reached the ground level.

I used the crowd to slip away from the others. It took me a moment to find an empty spot. Then I activated my HUD. An icon in the shape of a wheel appeared in the corner of the display. I activated it and received a chirp-chirp of an old key fob in reply. The M12 Warthog appeared in the open area in front of me. It had a mounted machinegun which meant it could fit three people. It had a clearance of nearly a meter and its wheels came up to my chest. I wasn't in any hurry to remove a powerful weapon, so it looked like we were in for another cramped ride.

I hopped in the driver's seat and turned it on.

[SYNCING . . .]
[CALIBRATING COMPASS . . .]

My HUD lit up as it interfaced with the console of the Warthog. I now had access to a compass, the engine temperature, gun status, and condition readout. The engine roared to life as I kicked it into gear. It was loud enough to give people plenty of warning to get out of the way.

One and the others watched me approach. They stared at the vehicle with visible confusion.

"Where did you get that?" One asked narrowing his eyes at me.

"What is that?" Kaplan asked, there was a spark in his eye as he examined the vehicle.

"M12 Warthog," I replied. "Supply drop from a friend."

The squad shared a look, then climbed in when no one had anything to say. Supposedly, there was enough room for three people, but we were able to fit all seven of us without any issue. I guess it was a limit to three Spartans, not normal soldiers.

Kaplan hopped into the passenger seat without a word. There was a manic smile on his face as he studied the control console. It only took him a moment to figure out the interface to input the coordinates. A marker appeared on the compass on my HUD complete with the distance.

"Hold on," I said with a smile.

The Warthog jumped forward as I pressed the gas. My smile grew at the sound of the mingle collection of curses. A small, single chime announced something on my HUD.

[COMMUNICATIONS ESTABLISHED]

"What do you know about the bugs?" One asked.

"Just what they told us on the ride down," I replied. "You?"

"Nothing much more to add about them," Kaplan cut in. "The bugs vanished a few hundred years ago. They were supposedly a sentient species. These haven't been reported to be more than cunning animals. Even the Overseers. No one has encountered a Queen yet, so we don't know if they are."

Kaplan tapped something on his forearm. A quick look out of the corner of my vision told me it was a small data pad that had been welded into his armor. It was a rough job, but it worked.

"The scans show that there are at least three colonies on this continent," Kaplan continued. "Each one has multiple exits. They seem to want to overtake the planet before moving on to do it to any other that they can reach. The colonies do not get along and will fight each other if they encounter others. They tried to work that in their favor, but the Killik will focus on fighting others before turning on each other. A few million people were lost to the Joiners. The initial stages are subtle and can be treated if caught early enough. They're lost once their condition reaches the Recruitment Stage. That's when they can't say anything negative about the Killik or work against them. The code phrases are the easiest way to determine if someone has been turned."

"From now on, we call them ants," One ordered. "What happens when they reach that point?"

"They're lost," Kaplan replied with a shrug. "Can't come back, it's recommended to just kill them. They retain any skills they had before but lose their free-will and higher brain functions. Thankfully, they can't pass on their skills to the colonies, so the ants keep them alive as tools. They're smarter than the soldiers and drones, but not on the level of an Overseer."

"Damn," Queen muttered.

"Two to the chest, one to the head," Jaid said with a snort. "They'll go down like everyone else."

I let their continued conversation fade into the background and focused on driving. The landscape was smooth for the first stretch of the drive. I had to admit, it was beautiful.

"We're coming up on the first relay," Kaplan spoke up.

My mind snapped back to the present at his words. I was focused on the drive rather than the surrounding conversation. They were professional enough to avoid trying to drag me into whatever they were saying.

"Don't slow down," Kaplan said. "The relay is reading fine. This one isn't the issue."

I inclined my head to show I heard him and continued on. The landscape was rougher further from the refugee camps. Their focus was on the safety and extraction of the population. Signs of Killik activity picked up the closer we got to the next relay.

"Slow down," Kaplan said flatly. "This one needs work."

"Jaid, Queen, Rain," One ordered. "Set a tight perimeter. Medic, stick tight to Kaplan. I'll grab the turret. Mando, you do what you do."

The Warthog stayed on when I got out, but the controls were locked for anyone other than myself. Thankfully, the turret was still available for use. The others spread out as ordered. I drew my blasters and slowly scanned the area. My HUD identified blaster scorches scattered around the area as well as drag marks that fit the scale of a human body.

"Signal the technicians?" I asked.

"No need," Kaplan said. "I've got it."

His skills were proved right when the notification off connection popped up on my HUD. Queen and the others covered their angles as they returned to the Warthog. The tension in the air grew as we continued on to the next relay.

The sculpted landscape was well and truly fucked up as we got closer to the next relay. Wreckage of various speeders and other transports marred the plains as well as a smattering of impact craters from high explosives. Everything had been stripped for parts with deep drag marks leading off toward the next relay. Regardless, the Warthog bounced along without issue.

"No bodies," Queen stated.

"Army ants march on their stomachs," Medic muttered.

I nodded my agreement. If Killik were anything like actual ants they cleaned up their corpses. Considering the focus on rapid expansion it made sense for them to gather the dead for food. Hopefully, they were actually dead when they were dragged away. All things considered; they probably became Joiners instead of food. Though that did make me wonder what happened when a Joiner was no longer useful.

"No more chatter," One ordered. "Lock in."

The next relay had been turned into scrap. This wasn't going to be an easy fix.

"Kaplan, contact the technicians," One said. "Set a perimeter. Mando, park it next to the relay. I'll set Overwatch on the turret."

I dropped each merc at a designated spot before pulling up next to the relay. Kaplan did a quick scan to determine how bad the damage was. He didn't hesitate to contact the Alderaan forces. The relay had been set on what had been on a flat portion of the clearing. Now, it was surrounded by chunks of burned-out scrap of defensive encampments.

My helmet kept me appraised of the area. The raised portion of the clearing meant we could see anything approaching, but we were also out in the open. Whatever cover the wreckage could provide was minimal due to distance. I walked in a tight circuit inside the perimeter with my helmet constantly scanning at range.

Movement near a cluster of scrap caught my attention. A person crawled out from under the remnants of a covered speeder. They wore the same type of uniform as the guard that had given us our assignment. Dirt, blood, and singe marks told me they had a rough go of things. They wore a half-faced respirator that had seen better days too.

I sent a ping to the others via our comms to notify them. Jaid was the first to see the person. He had his blaster aim steady as the guard approached. I couldn't hear what the survivor was saying, but Jaid came through clear over comms.

"Identify yourself," Jaid ordered.

The person said something in reply.

"Stay where you are," Jaid said forcefully. "Kaplan, run an ID check for a Guardsman Taret."

Kaplan tapped on his data pad.

"Guardsman Taret was assigned on security detail to the previous technician crew," Kaplan reported. "They reported as MIA as of two days ago, Alderaan time."

"How did you survive the bugs?" Jaid asked.

The guard said something. My helmet told me that the man had been slowly making his way closer to Jaid all the while. It was subtle, barely a half-step dragging along the ground.

"The bugs," Jaid said.

The guard paused. They shook like they had caught a bad scent and were trying to clear it. All pretense of normalcy dropped as the guard broke into a sprint at Jaid. The guard was cut down before they could take three steps.

"Joiner down," Jaid reported.

He approached the body with his blaster aimed at it. Jaid put another round in their chest before he rolled the body face up.

"Why would he charge you like that?" I asked. "That wasn't mentioned."

"The disrespect to the ants could trigger an uncontrolled spike in aggression," Medic guessed. "Briefing said they can't say anything negative."

"He had a rebreather," Rain said. "Do these things work?"

"It's compromised," Jaid said, poking the mask with the toe of his boot. "The thing doesn't look graded for anything more than a thick fog."

"Secure your helmets," One ordered. "Kaplan, have you made contact?"

"The team of technicians are inbound," Kaplan reported. "They're bringing another squad for support. We're to hold the location until they arrive."

"Time?" One asked.

"Ten minutes," Kaplan replied.

"That means thirty," Queen grumbled.

"Jaid," One ignored the comment. "Secure that wreckage the Joiner was in. Toss in a detonator for good measure."

The merc moved closer to the wreckage. He unhooked a detonator from his gear and tossed it into the speeder once it was in reach. The explosion wasn't nearly as big or loud as it should have been. My helmet did have built-in hearing protection, but this wasn't caused by it.

I felt the ground under my feet rumble. My helmet helpfully identified it as an approaching wave of Killik. Jaid had just enough time to take a step back before the first bug emerged from the wreckage. Its arrival launched the charred speeder into the air, clearing the way for those behind it and exposing the tunnel that had been underneath.

Jaid opened up on the ant. A near-constant stream of blaster fire tracked up along the Killiks' torso. It stumbled under the assault before falling flat on its face. The thump of the body hitting the ground signaled the surge of soldier ants. Some carried scavenged blasters while others held spears and clubs made from repurposed pieces of scrap.

I drew my other blaster and began to fire into the wave of ants. My HUD marked the optimal locations for me to aim. Five went down with newly acquired holes in their heads while a few more dropped with aerated thoraxes.

Jaid could only be seen in glimpses through the onslaught. He was too close to the bugs for One to use the turret. The man had swapped to his rifle until it was clear. Queen and Rain added their support from their positions. Medic and Kaplan didn't have line of sight.

Rain let out a feral scream as she moved toward Jaid as well. Her rifle went dry, and she swapped smoothly to her sidearm. The HUD on my helmet was going crazy as I waded through the ants. My armor was holding up, but my undersuit was getting torn up.

I reached Jaid first. My hand latched onto the hook on the back of his armor. I held on tight and activated my jetpack. We launched out of the middle of the bugs and landed back by the Warthog. One hopped back on the turret once it was clear. Rain hadn't been able to get close enough for it to be an issue.

Rain reloaded her rifle as she retreated. One handily put down the rest of the soldier ants with the turret. Queen, Kaplan, and Medic made sure to put an extra shot in the fallen bugs before returning to the Warthog.

Medic wasted no time. She assessed Jaid's condition with a mixture of a physical examination and a quick diagnostic of his suit. Their armor wasn't as complex as mine, or as strong judging by the amount of blood, but it did have something to track vitals.

She stopped mid-exam and took a step back. Her gaze zipped over to land on One.

"What are you doing?" Rain snapped at her.

Jaid hadn't spoken yet. His head lolled a bit to the side as only someone with a concussion can do. The lens on his gas mask was cracked and there were streaks of blood on his face.

"His mask is compromised," Medic replied.

"So?" Rain growled. "Patch him up, that's what you are here for."

"He's been exposed," Medic kept her voice flat and without emotion. "We need to assess his mental condition before I do anything more."

I took a moment to read through the multiple warning messages on my HUD. The notifications were not all about the damage I had sustained like I had thought. There were a few mixed in, but the main focus was on the quality of the air. The pheromones were at a dangerous level from the brief time I was in the crowd of bugs.

"Jaid," Rain leaned over to meet his eyes. "Can you hear me?"

Jaid nodded.

"Yeah," his voice came out muffled through the gas mask.

"What's my name?" She asked.

"Rain," he answered with a snort.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" She asked.

"Three," Jaid replied.

He tried to get to his feet. Rain moved to help him. I stepped closer to block her.

"Rain," I cut in. "Ask him about the bugs."

"What?" Rain snapped.

"Ask," I repeated.

"Did the bugs get you?" Rain asked, her voice had a rawness to it.

"I'm fine," Jaid leaned against the Warthog to steady himself as he spoke. "Just stabbed, shot, and roughed up."

"Jaid," Rain said softly. "How many bugs did you kill?"

A flash of something passed across his face at the question. He seemed to think on it for a moment. His eyes tried to focus on Rain, but they didn't seem to be able.

"Kill how many what?" He asked as he finally steadied.

"The bugs," Rain said.

She barely got the words out before he lunged at her. My armored fist intercepted him, slamming into his jaw, and snapping his head back. Jaid fell flat on the ground. His hands scrambled along his gear, going for the blaster on his hip.

One hopped down from the Warthog. He landed with one boot in between Jaid's shoulders and the other on the searching hand.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Rain yelled.

"Rain," One locked eyes with her.

The steadiness in that connection calmed her ever so slightly.

"He's a Joiner," One said. "You know what that means."

"No," Rain shook her head. "It wasn't long enough. There's no way."

She turned to Medic for her input. Medic shook her head.

"Dank Ferrik," Rain yelled. "Jaid, do you hear me?"

"You stand against the Colony," Jaid spoke in a distant, disconnected tone. "The Colony must spread."

Rain seemed to shrink in on herself at his words. My heart ached for her. One drew his sidearm and put Jaid down with a single shot. Rain dropped to her knees, letting out a scream so raw I could feel it in the Force.

It didn't feel right to try to hug her, and I had no idea what to say. Instead, I held out a hand to her, offering my support if she wanted it. She moved with surprising speed. Her blaster blurred as she raised it and took aim at One. My hand changed from reaching for her to clamping down on her weapon. I wrenched it away from her target.

She screamed as an arc of lasers raced through the sky rather than killing One. Her eyes were wild when she turned to me. I saw her fist coming and let it connect. The punch shifted my helmet slightly, but I could hear the armor on her gloves crack. She'd probably have a few broken fingers if she hadn't been wearing them.

"Load up on the Warthog," One ordered ignoring the attempted murder. "Kaplan, contact the technicians again. Update them on the situation and tell them to put some speed on."

He nodded at me in thanks.

"Alright," Rain growled. "You can let go now."

I cocked my head to the side in an unasked question.

"I'm not going to kill him," she glared at me.

I looked at the blaster rifle that we both held then back at her.

"I wasn't thinking," Rain huffed. "Killing him is stupid. It's not his fault."

I slowly loosened my grip on the rifle. She lowered it and let her sling catch it. I half expected her to take another shot at One. Instead, she stomped over to the nearest ant and turned it into a melted chunk of biological matter.

"Kriffing bugs," Rain yelled as she moved on to the next one to take out her aggression.

We let her vent on a few more.

"Rain," One called. "Reload and get back here."

I looked away from Rain to see One had already wrapped Jaid in some sort of tarp. Rain joined him and the thing sealed tightly around the body after a moment. The two worked together to lift their fallen squadmate into the back of the Warthog without a word.

"The technician squad say they're ten minutes out," Kaplan reported.

~

Fifteen minutes later the technicians with their security. There were four more relay points on our run that we needed to complete. Each one was deeper into contested territory that more than likely had been completely lost to the bugs. The relay network spanned the continent. It worked not only to connect the bastions of survivors, but as a rough benchmark of the Killik invasion.

As interesting as all that was, what really caught my attention was the group providing security for the technicians. It was the first time I had seen another Mandalorian since I woke up as Kiskin. The blue and silver armor was familiar, as were the Nite Owl helmets. I knew Bo-Katan led them and at some point they were part of Death Watch. Further details were lost to me. I had no idea if they formed before joining Death Watch or if they took shape after. Contrary to what I had thought, they weren't an all-female unit.

"Oya," one of the Nite Owls said as she strutted over to me.

I remember people making a fuss about her having 'boob plate' when she appeared in the Mandalorian Series. It wasn't 'boob plate' the armor was a chest piece with space for female endowment. There was a distinct lack of separate cups and points that compromised the functionality of the armor.

"Oya," I replied as I mentally made the switch to speak in Mando'a. <Do you speak the language?>

<I wouldn't wear the armor otherwise,> the said in perfect Mando'a.

The thing with the languages was still a bit weird, but I wasn't going to argue. I just imagined a switch to flip when I wanted to speak something other than Basic.

<Fair,> I nodded. <How long have you been here?>

<Two weeks local,> she replied. <Bo-Katan Kryze, you are?>

<Kiskin Aurelian,> I answered. <Clan of one, currently.> I paused. <Kryze sounds familiar.>

<My sister,> Bo-Katan answered full of venom. <The Duchess Satine Kryze. Leading Mandalore into a bright future as toothless Republic pets.>

<Almost as bad as Death Watch,> I snorted.

<At least they wear the armor,> she snapped.

<They have no honor,> I said evenly. <They're thugs playing dress-up.>

<Big talk from a lonely merc,> Bo shifted her stance ever so slightly.

I didn't miss the way her hands lowered closer to her blasters.

<We'll continue this conversation elsewhere,> I said. <Are you the on in command?>

<These are my people,> Bo answered with pride clear in her voice. <Who are they?>

<I'm running this job with them,> I replied. <This isn't something a sane person would do alone.>

She nodded. <What are you carrying?>

I gave her a rundown of the gear I carried. She returned the kindness.

<Nice ride,> Bo motioned to the Warthog. <I don't recognize the model.>

"M12 Warthog," I had to switch to Basic to answer.

The Retroactive Merge Complication should have covered this. Or it could just be a rare model since vehicles with actual wheels weren't seen too often. I'd lean toward the second option. Even Tatooine used vehicles and carts that hovered.

"Bo!" One of her people called.

I looked over her shoulder to see another Nite Owl walking over to her. Another female, but shorter. Considering where we were on the timeline, Bo-Katan was probably in her early twenties at most. Katee Sackhoff circa Battlestar Galactica was fine by me.

She turned off her external speaker and swapped over to private comms. The two shared a silent conversation. Seeing their body language and hand gestures without their voices to accompany them was rather amusing.

• [Meet the Neighbors]
  +100 FP

• [Roll – Bank – Store]

ROLL.

• [COST: 50]

• [WEAPON: BR55HB Battle Rifle]
  [Firing off 9.5 × 40mm M634 Experimental High-Powered Semi-Armor-Piercing rounds from a thirty-six-round magazine, it also comes with a x2 scope on the top while possessing both a three-round burst firing mechanism to deliver three hits in rapid succession. The Heavy Barrel likewise increases the range and accuracy of the weapon to ensure anyone in medium range is not going to be happy. Three loaded magazines are provided and will refill after ten seconds of being emptied.]
  [Balance: 0 Forge Points]

PURCHASE.

Well, damn, now I am completely broke. Fights before now gave a decent payout, but this one didn't. I had no idea how the points were awarded. Maybe losing Jaid marked negative on my record. The rifle appeared on the weapon rack behind the driver's seat. I felt my belt shift as the additional weight of the magazines settled. A mid-to-long-range slug thrower sounded like a good idea in the current situation.

"Friends of yours?" Rain asked as she moved to stand beside me.

"Just met," I replied. "You good?"

"Functional," she said. "Thanks for not letting me kill One."

I nodded.

"You were close?" I asked after a moment of quiet.

"Grew up on the same no-name planet," her voice had a slight shake to it. "Joined the local militia and moved on from there. Death by bug. How kriffed is that?"

I nodded, not sure what else to say.

"Load up," One ordered walking over to us. "This relay is secured and we're moving on."

~

The drive to the next relay was quiet. They didn't seem to notice the appearance of my new rifle either.  No one spoke aside from the updates from Kaplan. The Nite Owls and the technicians would be out at the first location for the rest of the day. They set a network of sensors that tracked vibrations underground and attached a string of auto-turrets to it. The guns wouldn't stop another wave of ants, but it would give them a couple seconds of breathing room.

Signs of fighting increased the farther we went. The smaller villages along the way had been evacuated. They still had scorch marks, craters, burned out vehicles, and plenty of damage to the buildings. Worse still were the broken doors and windows that had multiple claw marks that led to streaks of blood. My HUD didn't pick up any movement around the buildings. The local wildlife would stop as we got close then pick up as we passed. I had expected the ants to take anything they could to feed the colony. The presence of animals and lack of people made me think that less useful Joiners filled that role.

I needed to make sure things went well since I only had fifty points to my name. My best guess was that Jaid dying was the reason I didn't get a payout. Keeping everyone alive was going to be a challenge if the previous relay was anything to go by. Hopefully, the others would be cautious with the loss of one of their own.

My armor was intact. The fight with the ants had given the paint some character, but the damage done was relatively little. Even the attacks that had hit where my armor didn't reach had been absorbed by my upgraded undersuit. The description had said it was uncomfortable for longer stretches, but I had yet to have an issue with it. Switching from the bulk of the previous version, even though it was just clothe, was actually a nice adjustment.

I slowed down as the relay site came into view. It was placed on what had been a flat stretch of raised ground. The previously scenic area was marred not only with the remnants of a battle, but a couple of big ant hills. Unlike the last relay, these Killik didn't bother with stealth. They had sentries, a few patrols, and plenty of salvaged weapons. Most notably was the inclusion of an Overseer Ant. The thing was easily double the height of a drone and spotted us at the same time we spotted it. Its antenna twitched, sending a silent signal to the drones around it. A moment later we watched as the message was sent through the others. A few dozen eyes all turned toward us in a wave of synchronized motion.

My HUD marked it as a High Value Target as I slammed on the breaks. The sudden shift tore grooves in the ground. I flipped the Warthog into reverse and punched the gas. Another gash of tire marks dug into the remains of the sculpted landscape as I hit the brakes once they were out of sight.

"One," I ordered. "Get on the turret. Kaplan take the wheel. Medic, Queen, Rain, covering fire from the Warthog."

"What about you?" Rain asked.

"I'll do what I do," I snatched the Battle Rifle from the hook on my seat and hopped out of the Warthog.

I dropped to a knee as my HUD and the Rifle synced up. Not a moment later the first Killik appeared. A group of drones with Joiners in the mix. I stuck to three-round bursts taking out the ones in the lead with clean headshots, adjusting for the kick by aiming a tad bit lower. My HUD kept track of the remaining ammo, giving me plenty of time to time my reload.

The first soldier ant didn't show up until half-way through the second magazine. Their appearance prompted One to use the turret. Time moved strangely in the middle of a fight. It felt like it had been a few seconds and seemingly an hour or more at once. Regardless, I didn't want to count on the first magazine being reloaded by the time I was through the third.

It wasn't until the soldier ants started to fire their stolen weapons that I realized the drones and Joiners didn't have ranged weapons. They were armed with tools of various quality if they were lucky. Their lack of proper weaponry wouldn't matter if they got close enough. A sharp enough blade will kill just as well as a blaster.

I adjusted my aim to the soldier ants as the turret took out the drones and Joiners. The three-round burst showed its usefulness as it took at least that to put down a single soldier. I went through the remains of the magazine much faster once they joined the fight. My hands moved smoothly through the motions as I reloaded. We still had some distance before they got too close, but I wasn't confident that the magazines would refill before then.

"Note to self," I muttered as I drew my blasters. "Buy grenades."

My blasters felt good in my hands. I didn't give a stray thought to where the spent magazines, or the now-empty rifle went when I switched. My HUD marked the most pressing targets. The turret stopped as it started to run too hot. It would need time to recharge and the ants too full advantage of the sudden lull. They put on speed. The squad started to fire once the ants were in range, but they couldn't recreate the same effect that the turret had.

Most of the Joiners and drones were down or disabled. The remaining fodder was getting too close for comfort and that meant that the soldiers would be a step behind. I heard the Warthog rev as Kaplan reversed to give them more space. Rain yelled something over the comms, but I was too focused to hear whatever she was saying.

I holstered my blasters and stood before the remaining drones got too close. My lightsaber hissed to life the moment it was in my hand. A sense of serenity settled onto my soul as the spark of Force I called my own woke. The drones didn't pause even for a moment. My blade cut through them with hardly any resistance. The area around me quickly became a blur with the Force making me stronger, faster, and more aware than I had been before.

The ants suddenly shifted their entire focus on me rather than trying to reach the others. A spike of annoyance and anger pushed me even faster. My world shrank down to the circle around me and where my lightsaber could reach.

Slash, dodge, kick, stab. Twist, swipe, cut, duck. A burst of Force to gain some breathing room. At some point the turret started up again. Another surge of fighting finished the ants charge. My breathing was hard and heavy in the aftermath. I was covered in a mixture of dirt, grime, and charred bug remains.

My HUD pinged. I followed the noise to find the Overseer standing with a wall of soldiers acting as a shield in the distance. New ones would step into place once the turret cut an ant down. I deactivated my lightsaber and swapped it over to the rifle once more.

A quick check told me one of the magazines had reloaded. I slid it into place, switched it to single-fire, and took aim. The Overseer watched the turret intently to keep its shield ants protecting it. It was on the far end of my rifles optimal range, but I was too tired and pissed off to care.

I took a deep breath, held it, and fired. The round punched through the Overseers' head just below one of its antenna. Damn, I was aiming for its eye. It swayed for a moment before dropping to the ground. The soldiers froze for a moment, unsure if they should continue to follow orders now that the VIB was down.

One took advantage of their confusion to take out a few more as the survivors retreated. My breathing slowed as I started to come down from the rush of the fight. Something clacked against my shin. I looked down to see the head of a drone trying to chew through my leg.

I chuckled as I put a bullet through its head. My HUD did a quick scan for life signs and movement. There were a few pockets of dismembered drones and soldiers, but they weren't intact enough to attack or were stuck.

The Warthog pulled up beside me. Queen, Medic, and Rain hopped out of the vehicle and began to put down the ones that were still alive. One and Kaplan stayed in their stations. I checked my magazines to make sure they were all loaded before I placed them back on my belt.

"What was that?" Rain asked as she walked up to me.

"It's what I do," I replied with a shrug.

"Chuba," Rain snapped. "You're some kind of Jedi?"

"No," I laughed.

"Why didn't you do that before?" Her eyes went hard.

"Too dangerous," I said simply. "A lightsaber doesn't care if you're a friend and I don't want to dismember my allies."

She took a deep breath and let it out. Thankfully, she seemed to accept that.

"You're covered in bug shit," Rain said.

I shrugged.

"This is not good," Kaplan spoke up.

"What?" I asked without taking my eyes off of Rain.

Luckily, it was easy to study without them knowing when I had my helmet on.

"They've hijacked the Distress Signal," Kaplan replied.

I swapped my comms to connect to the local network.

"Survivors, help is coming," a human voice said, there was something off about it, but it could be blamed on stress. "Switch your beacons to code 34462108. A rescue crew will be sent to your location as soon as possible. THIS MESSAGE REPEATS."

"Why don't they know about this?" I asked. "Seems like it's too big to miss."

"The bugs have destroyed enough relays to keep it from reaching the real Alderaan forces," Kaplan explained. "Reporting it now."

Slowly, we pushed forward to the location of the relay. There were a few drones and Joiners left meandering around. The main cluster was around the compromised relay. Worse yet, was that a couple of drones arrived via the ant hills in a steady procession. They grabbed pieces of partially dismantled tech before turning around and taking it down into the tunnels. My previous thought was confirmed when another line appeared to clean up the various bodies that were scattered around as well.

"They're eating the dead?" Rain asked over the comms.

She was on my left with enough distance to cover each other without getting in the way.

"Looks like it," I muttered.

"Orders?" Rain asked, her voice was strained.

"Main command has requested our return," One commanded. "We've updated them and marked the location. Get in the Warthog."

"I could use a resupply," I nodded.

"Yeah," Rain sighed. "Let's go."

I took a spot in the back, letting Queen take the passenger seat while Kaplan drove and One stayed on the turret. My HUD had a couple more air quality warnings, but the seal hadn't been breached. I looked down at my armor. It definitely needed to be cleaned. I didn't mind some battle-scars, but I drew the line at being covered in bug guts.

A trio of bombers raced overhead and erased the area around the hijacked relay. It was better than tossing a grenade into one of the anthills. The Warthog jostled a little when the shockwave hit. It was good to see them take the situation seriously. The adrenaline of the fight started to fade. I felt my eyes start to droop.

~

I woke to a gentle alarm telling me that we were approaching base camp. There was a string of unread notifications as well. One was still on the turret, though he was a bit more relaxed. Queen had her chin tucked against her chest dozing. Rain sat beside me with a tight grip on her blaster. Her eyes stared straight ahead not really seeing anything but aware all the same.

• [Relay Trouble]
  +100 FP

• [Ant Destroyer]
  +100 FP

• [Headless Honcho]
  +100 FP

• [Natural Paint Job]
  +100 FP

• [They Live]
  +100 FP

• [Roll – Bank – Shop]

ROLL.

• [COST: 400]

• [ITEM: Tactical Team]
  [A full complement of twenty-seven elite commandos, or an equivalent appropriate to your species and faction. Unswervingly loyal, skilled and dedicated. They will be stasis in your Workshop until summoned.]

Damn. It would take all of my new points, but still. Appropriate species was an interesting detail. Would I suddenly have twenty-seven Pureblood Sith under my command?

PURCHASE.

[Select Species]
[Human – Twi'lek – Asari – Quarian – Turian – Krogan – Sith]

SITH.

• [Purchase Complete]

• [Balance: 50 Forge Points]

"You're awake," Rain said.

I nodded.

"I can't sleep after a fight," Rain continued. "Never could."

"You don't crash?" I asked.

"I'll sleep once we're off this planet," she replied softly.

Her eyes drifted over to where Jaid's body was wrapped. She sniffed and looked up at the sky, holding in the tears she didn't want to cry. After a moment she took a shaky breath and shook her head.

"I never expected either of us to die in a bed surrounded by fat grandkids," she said. "Just didn't think it would be something like this."

I offered her my hand. She took it and squeezed hard enough for me to feel it through my gloves.

"Damn, you smell," she chuckled.

"It must be bad if you can smell me through that," I said smiling under my helmet.

"So, you're not a Jedi but you use the Force," Rain stated. "Are you one of those evil Jedi?"

"No," I laughed. "I don't come off as evil, do it?"

"At first," she shrugged.

"Thanks," I snorted.

"What are your plans after this?" Rain asked.

"I promised my crew a vacation," I replied. "That's why we were heading here."

"You have a crew?" She asked.

"My ship, yes," I nodded. "Four plus me."

"They aren't Mando?" She asked.

"It's not a requirement," I shook my head. "True Mandalorians aren't as prevalent as they used to be."

"There has to be more of you not on Mandalore," Rain shrugged. "It's not the only planet in the system. There are moons too."

"And those like me who are out in the galaxy," I added.

"What about those blue ones?" She said after a moment.

"Nite Owls," I clarified. "I know a little about them, just not enough to call them allies."

She raised her eyebrows in a silent question. They disappeared under the top ridge of her mask, for a moment it made her look like she didn't have any. I couldn't stop the chuckle that snuck up on me. She glared at me, which made me actually laugh.

"Are you going to explain, or just laugh at me?" Rain continued to glare.

"The Nite Owls, right," I shook my head clear. "Do you know about Death Watch?"

"Some kind of Mando group, right?" Rain said.

"A bunch of thugs playing dress-up," I grumbled. "They're using the new regime as an excuse to blow things up and cause chaos. Death Watch was around before all of this pacifist garbage. They were able to capitalize on it to increase their numbers. Dar'manda the lot of them and that's being generous."

"Sore spot, eh?" Rain asked.

I nodded.

"Base Camp checkpoint," Kaplan announced.

One relaxed his grip on the turret, leaning his arms atop it to rest. The Warthog pulled to a stop beside a guard post. A second layer of barricade has been erected around the camp. There were auto-turrets and raised platforms spaced along as well.

"Report," one of the guards ordered.

There were five of them in front of us in a half-circle that were backed up by a couple of turrets.

"Three relays checked," One replied. "The bugs destroyed one and hijacked another. We put down an Overseer too."

The guard nodded. Calling the Killik bugs would have triggered a Joiner to attack. The fact that none of us tried to kill One was a good sign.

"Pull in," the guard said.

They closed the gate as soon as we were clear. There were a few signs of a fight between the two fences. A group of technicians were going around repairing what had been the first line of turrets. The lack of bodies was even more disturbing after seeing the ants haul the dead down into their tunnels.

The Warthog got some attention as we rolled through the camp. Kaplan followed some signage to the vehicle area without issue. The mechanics came out and stared at it while muttering amongst themselves.

"Does it need repairs?" The head mechanic asked Kaplan.

"Systems read functional," I answered. "Fuel cells are recharging, and the turret is cycling through the heat sink without issue."

"Ok," The mechanic nodded like he understood that.

Kaplan powered the vehicle down as we got out of the Warthog. It locked down automatically once I was out of range. The squad split off to handle Jaid's body. It was a private matter, so I left them to it. I spared a quick look to see the mechanics assembled around the Warthog. They stared at it, pointing out things they found strange. One of them kicked the tires.

"Put tires on something and everyone looks at it like it will explode," I muttered.

I was led to a command tent to debrief to find there were a few other mercenaries waiting to report as well. The squad needed time to take care of Jaid. I could give the report just as easily as the others. Moreso, actually, considering my helmet recorded things. Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls were easy to spot. Then again, so was I. They either had already given their report or were still waiting. Regardless, she made her way over to me.

"I could have sworn your color was red last time I saw you," she teased.

My armor was covered in splotched of mud, ant blood, claw marks, and a few other things I didn't want to think about.

"I was busy," I replied.

"Clearly," Bo scanned the area to see I was alone. "Just you?"

"The squad has an important duty to attend," I replied.

She nodded.

"You aren't the only squad to report compromised relays," she said after a moment. "They passed the information on to the other continents too, just in case."

"They're sure that it's not just one colony?" I asked.

"That's what the intel says," Bo shrugged. "We aren't going to be here much longer anyway."

I cocked my head in a silent question. She tapped her helmet.

[Accept Private Message]
[Yes/No]

<The fight is not going well,> Bo switched to Mando'a for extra privacy. <If it was just one colony they could drop a few bunker-busters every couple of hours. There are at least three locals and more on other continents. The plan with the most traction is to call in some heavy battle cruisers and bombard the hotspots once the evacuation is at an acceptable level.>

I sighed. Maybe the Death Star destroying Alderaan wasn't such a bad idea.

<What's the countdown until then?> I asked.

<Four days, local,> she answered. <Everyone is getting Search and Rescue assignments.>

<Wonderful,> I said.

"Red," an Alderaan officer waved me over. "Report."

<That's me,> I said as I disconnected the private connection.

~

The Alderaan guardsmen had set temporary quarters for the mercs. I found my way to them easily enough and found the rest of the squad already there. There was a double airlock to protect a filtered air system that allowed people to remove their respirators if they wished. Only Kaplan had his still on. I had a suspicion that it had more tech than the others.

My HUD scanned the area. It gave a pleasant chime to let me know the air was clean. I switched off my private supply and allowed it to refill. There was a slight taste of mint to the filtered air. Still, it was a nice change from the stored supply.

I settled onto a bunk next to Rain. She gave me a nod in greeting before returning to whatever she had been doing. True to my promise to Anakin, I made contact with my ship. Technically, there was no way I should have been able to have a smooth connection with anything beyond low orbit. The Forge didn't care about that. I could use the key to go to my Warehouse and take a shortcut to my ship if I wanted. Sending a message wasn't an issue in comparison.

A hologram of Anakin appeared floating above the omni-tool on my forearm.

"Kiskin!" Anakin greeted me. "What did you do today? Have you been busy? Did you kill any monsters?"

"Hey, Anakin," I replied finding myself smiling the moment I heard his voice. "I have been busy. There aren't monsters here, just bugs that they call Killik. Those I have killed a lot of."

"Ani," Shmi warned. "You don't need to ask about that."

"Sorry, mom," Anakin said softly.

"Where did you end up?" I asked to move the conversation along.

"Aquator," Shmi answered.

"I don't know that one," I said honestly.

"It's a resort planet," Shmi replied with a soft smile.

"There are beaches!" Anakin chimed it. "And trees! And water! So much water. And it rains!"

I smiled. His unbound energy helped soothe the rough edges of the day.

"How much longer are you going to be?" Anakin asked after he took a breath.

"Four or five days, local time," I replied.

"Ok," Anakin replied. "I'm learning how to swim!"

"That's awesome, kid," I laughed.

"Guess what?" he leaned in and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Ner gai Anakin."

"Jate," I replied with a broad smile.

"Uh," Anakin thought for a moment. "What does that mean?"

"Good job," I said. "You've been practicing."

"Yep," he nodded with a proud smile.

"I need to go," I replied stifling a yawn that snuck up on me. "I'm a tired old man."

"You're not old!" Anakin scoffed.

"Have fun, kid," I said. "Ret'urcye mhi."