Author's Note

A piece for my Sith Legacy series, exploring the next generation of my original stories. These stories explore what happens to my characters after their stories from Star Wars, The Old Republic and the tales of their children. Enjoy and feel free to review!

Mando'ade - "Children of Mandalore" in Mando'a


The rakghouls were slobbering and grunting over their latest kill, an Imperial soldier who'd gotten too close to a nest. Usually rakghoul victims got bitten and were able to get away but this nest had been especially active and the lone soldier didn't have a chance. Their teeth and claws had torn away the hard pieces of armor and reduced the body to a shredded heap. Suddenly the head of one of the mutated humanoids exploded silently causing the others to start and raise from their kill. They watched the body of their cohort collapse, then two more heads exploded. The remaining rakghouls looked around but unable to pinpoint the cause of the sudden decapitation of the others scattered in several directions.

"All these years, you think they'd have done something about this infestation by now," At the Tey'naan's words Ji turned from the sight of his rifle to look at the Zabrak. His brother had teamed them up hoping her calm nature might rub off on him. Sorry it backfired Artus, the brash Mando thought with a grin, it'd been noted that Tey'naan had started following his almost reckless lead like their team-mate Demtrin, both acknowledging that he got results.

They were surveying Taris for trouble spots from their blind in a large tree, keeping an eye on both the Republic and Imperial outposts. But while standing guard Ji had been using the local rakghoul infestation as target practice. That's me, he thought still grinning as his bright blue eyes flashed, Jicoln Cadera, Rakghoul Exterminator. He crept back down behind his sight, looking for more of the plagued abominations to take out.

"Who'd you think would take care of it, Tey?" he shrugged as he swiped his shaggy brown hair from his face, "The Imps and Pubs waste more time fighting each other than doing any real good." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shudder, an uncharacteristic move for the normally stoic Zabrak.

"Is it true there're even bigger ones than those out there?" she asked and Demtrin let out a soft snort of derision.

"Yeah, supposedly," his deep voice rumbled as his teeth flashed in his dark-brown face, "But if you believe that, you can start believing that Imps and Pubs will get along." The three of them shared a light chuckle at the impossible idea and Ji went back to focusing on his targets. Those factions, he thought shaking his head, at least Mandalorians had a code of honor to fall back on, even when they were blasters-for-hire for the Empire.

He raked his shaggy hair out of his eyes again, it may have been shorn almost to the scalp on the sides but he'd kept the top long and despite being crushed by his helmet most days, it usually sprung free in spikey locks as soon as it was free. Time for a trim, right Ma? He smiled again thinking of his mother, a sweet-talking semi-retired bounty hunter. It was hard to believe the same woman who'd tucked him in at night and sung him to sleep had won the title 'Grand Champion of the Great Hunt'. He and his older brother Artus were hoping to compete for the title one day, but the war had forced them to put the needs of their clan above their own desires.

"Ji," Demtrin's deep voice broke through his thoughts, "Something's going on at the Imp outpost." Ji moved to Dem's side of the wide elevated blind. Shielding his eyes he could see a commotion at the camp and several soldiers milling about the Colonel's tent. They parted as one came through pulling a slight figure by the arm.

Ji grabbed his macrobinoculars and focused on the figure. It was a young woman, dressed in black. Her garment had a hood but it was currently down, revealing her silver hair. He increased the focus and saw she had a determined but serene look on her face, as if the soldiers slavering around her weren't worth her focus. The soldier pulled her into the tent and Ji's stomach lurched in distaste at the swarm of soldiers hovering outside.

"Dem, we still got a comm in the Colonel's tent?" Dem nodded at Ji's brisk tone, "Bring it up, I want to hear what's going on." Dem got the frequency of the comm they had planted in the Imperial's quarters and turned up the receiver so all three could hear.

"… one skulking around, Sir," they heard the thick Ziost accent say, "Not sure what she's looking for and she won't say."

"Hurumph," Ji had listened in on the enough interactions in that tent to recognize the Colonel's stuffy voice, "No telling with these Pubs, she could be a spy, maybe just someone who'd wandered off the beaten path. Care to fill us in girl."

"My business is my own Colonel. It'd be prudent to let me go." Ji smiled at the prisoner's soft regal voice and her immediate outspokenness. Bu'nas'a, he thought in admiration, the girl's got guts.

"Ecch, just another Pub," the Colonel's voice droned, "Sergeant, send her on the next transport to the Toxic Lake Garrison. We'll let the Sith interrogate her."

"Colonel," Ji heard the accented voice again, "My boys have been here a while. Maybe let them have some fun before we send her out?" The three of them jerked at the rough words and Tey blanched.

"They're not seriously…" she trailed off as Ji gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"Ain't right," he muttered angrily, "No need to treat a prisoner like that." He listened for a response from the Colonel, hoping for the best.

"Who cares about a piece of Pub trash?" the Colonel stated in a bored voice, "Do what you will with it, just make sure there's enough left to interrogate."

Ji stormed to his helmet and grabbed his rifle. "That's it, we just turned into a rescue party," he barked. Dem and Tey looked at him in shock, but automatically grabbed their helmets and weapons as well.

"You know your brother won't be happy about you risking your life for a Pub," the Zabrak scolded, while Ji gave her a charming grin.

"Yeah, Artus will probably have my hide but I can handle him." Pulling his helmet on, he checked his jet pack before turning to his team, "Not a lot of time, usual rescue protocol. You two run distraction, I'll get in and pull her out of there. Let's leave these Imps wondering what happened."

Dem and Tey followed Ji's wiry athletic form as he jumped with practice to the lower branches of the tree their blind was in. They moved swiftly, a team that had worked together for a while and knew each other's movements like their own. They reached the wall of the outpost and using hand signals Ji urged them into position. It looked like they'd gotten there just in the nick of time.

The sergeant had pulled the woman from the Colonel's tent and was leading her to a more secluded area of the post followed by several soldiers. Some were openly rubbing themselves obviously excited by the prospect of their upcoming entertainment and Ji shook his head again. To her credit the young woman still looked calm, raising Ji's opinion of her even further. Most women would be terrified at the idea of what she faced but she didn't look fazed in the least, simply patient as if waiting for something. Just as one started advancing on her Ji signaled Dem and Tey.

The team threw their flash grenades, a sure-fire way to blind the opposition and cause confusion. Many soldiers staggered back, some grasping at their eyes. Hopefully they'll have retina burns, Ji thought viciously. He jetted in, dodging the milling bodies to reach the woman. Stopping in front of her he was immediately taken aback at her large silver eyes. Unsure how she'd react to a helmeted Mandalorian in full armor he laid a gauntlet lightly on her arm.

"Come on missy," he grasped her gently, "We're getting you outta here." She narrowed her eyes looking him directly in the visor but followed his lead as he guided her though the mass of soldiers.

"Who's 'we'?" she asked as Ji pulled her by the waist.

"Me and my team," he replied, "Now hold tight."

He activated his jet-pack, knowing that the burst wouldn't carry two far, but it would at least get them over the outpost wall. They popped over the Imps and Ji watched as they continued reeling from the grenades with satisfaction. Dem's custom jobs, Ji thought, flash with some added oomph. When he touched down Tey and Dem were waiting with the speeders they had pulled from hiding and he hopped on one, motioning for the woman to get on behind him. She gazed at him for an instant before nodding slightly and climbing behind him.

Dem took the lead, navigating through the remnants of wrecked ships and demolished buildings heading back to their small camp while Ji followed. The young woman tightened her grip around him every time he hit a hard turn or made a jump causing him to smile. Always was a sucker for a pretty face, he thought, and was even gladder that Dem was taking a convoluted route to camp. It insured that not only would the woman would have difficulty finding it again, it kept her holding tight to him.

They pulled up to what looked like a mass of vines and Tey climbed off to punch in the code in a panel that made the camouflaged wall slide back, revealing their camp. While Tey dodged the rapidly closing wall Dem and Ji steered their speeders in and settled them to the side. Ji stripped off his helmet, shaking his long bangs from his face and surveyed his surroundings with a smile. The camp was small with just a handful of shelters but camps like this still felt homey to Ji having spent a good portion of his life in similar ones or on his parent's ship.

"Welcome to paradise missy," he gestured around as he assisted the young woman from the speeder. She still looked wary, which he couldn't blame her for, but gave him a tentative smile.

"So this is paradise?" she quipped, "Smaller than I pictured." Ji grinned at her comment. Pretty and a sense of humor, he thought, I'm in trouble.

Before he could answer back a deep voice boomed. "Ji!" He groaned as Artus, the camp leader and his older brother, marched towards him.

"I can explain Artus," Ji spoke in rapid Mando'a trying to cut his brother off, "Happened on a situation." Artus scanned over the young woman and raised his eyebrows above the bright blue eyes that mirrored Ji's.

"I can see that. She looks like one of your usual 'situations'," Artus groaned as he covered his eyes, then pinned Ji with a sharp look, "You brought a Pub into our camp. I know you don't like those Imps but for now we're allies. You can't be seen bringing one of their enemies here. What will the Colonel say?"

"That Colonel is a weak piece of osi'kyr!" Ji snapped, "They were going to send her off for interrogation, but only after they'd had some 'fun' with her." Artus blinked, then shook his head.

"Calyarnr!" he spat, then looked over at the young woman and sighed, "Trying to save everyone, too much of Ma in you. I still don't want her here, but you did alright. You're responsible for her though. Get her back to the Pub post at first light, you hear?" He clasped Ji on the shoulder and walked off while Ji returned to the young woman whom he'd finally had a chance to look over thoroughly.

Her short black tunic and leggings were tailored to her slim form, flowing over it without constricting her movement. He was surprised again at how clear her silver eyes were, like sunlight reflecting off of polished beskar, and how they stood out when compared to her soft light brown skin. She was looking him over as well, those arresting eyes raking over his carbon scored armor before settling on his face. A flash of sympathy appeared in her eyes, something he'd been getting used to recently. Three parallel scars trailed across his face from his forehead to just below his cheekbone and were still new enough to rage red against his light skin. But he shot her his most winning grin as he walked over to her.

"How did it happen?" she asked, and he nodded at her directness.

"Mama Nexu didn't like me so close to her cubs, got the drop on me," he shook his head depreciatingly, "Shoulda let her defend them from that Chrysfang herself but I wanted to make sure nothing happened to the litter."

"Scars aren't bad," she said as she traced one that trailed down her cheek, "They just mean you were stronger than whatever hurt you." He was stunned for a moment at such wise words coming from someone who looked so young. She looked him up and down again and a smile tickled her mouth. "So this is a habit then, jumping in to the rescue," a chuckle escaped her, "Hope I was less trouble than those cubs."

"Would saying you weren't impress you?" he asked and she shook her head still smiling, "Too bad. No, Artus has a lot of weight on his shoulders but he's got a good heart. I told him what was going on and he agreed I did right by getting you out." She tilted her head in speculation.

"And how did you find out what was going on?" she asked while Ji flushed.

"We, um, bugged the Colonel's tent," he admitted, "Heard every word the Imps said about you." She nodded slowly.

"I thought Mandalorians worked with the Imperials, why would you rescue me?"

Ji shook his head, thinking of the sergeant's words. "The Imps may pay us, but we still have a sense of honor. No honor in what they had in mind for you, missy. Tossing you to the men like nerf meat to a kath hound, not even Pubs deserve that. I'll get you to your base in the morning, for now you can bunk down in my tent." She gave him another wary look and he held up his hands.

"Now I know I'm irresistible, but I'm going to have to trust you to keep your hands to yourself if you're sharing my tent," he teased and was rewarded by a burst of tinkling laughter.

"Well I don't know about irresistible," she replied wryly "But you are something else. I could have handled myself but I appreciate your concern. I'm a Jedi. We assist the Republic, but I'm not a 'Pub'." Ji shook his head dramatically.

"Damn, a Jedi. Knew you were too good to be true. Cute little thing like you had to come with a catch," he thrust out his hand for her to shake it, "Name's Ji, what'd they saddle you with?"

"Master Engels'ky...Angel" she said as she took his hand.

"Angel, huh?" he considered her fine features and silver hair, "Yeah, I see that," Ji motioned for her to follow him, "For your sake and mine we should get back to my tent, that way the others won't think I'm just letting you snoop around. I'll even snatch us some food." All traces of wariness had disappeared from Angel's smile as she beamed at him.

"You sure you can trust me to keep my hands to myself?" she teased, "What if I can't?" He shook his head mock solemnly.

"Just means I'll have to fight you off," he teased back, then switched to his best imitation of the Imperial soldiers he'd listened to on the comm. "Now come Master Engels'kys," he said as he offered his arm, "Allow me to show you to your accommodations." She giggled and her eyes lit up with mischief.

"You sound like a friend of mine when you talk like that Ji," she said as she took his arm, then spoke in a similar accent, "I'd be delighted to accompany you."


Footnotes - Ji got a fleeting mention in another story "I've Got Something For You', a sweet bit of fluff I submitted for the holidays. Now Sinn's boys are all grown up, and Ji seems to have inherited his mother's knack for good-natured trouble.

Oh, and according to the Mando'a translator I found, bu'nas'a = damn, osi'kyr = dung(but more coarse), and calyarnr = bastards.