Mandalorians, a warrior people bound by honor and trained since early childhood to be mighty warriors. All are trained, all become warriors. Not all of the clans follow the same codes and rules, some fight for the sake of fighting while some hold to strong codes of honor. Clan Ordo one of the mightiest of the Mandalorian clans, during the second Jedi Civil War around 4000 BBY Clan Ordo was led by Canderous Ordo a mighty and respected veteran of the Mandalorian War. He fought beside Revan against Darth Malak then beside the Jedi Exile in her fight against the Sith. Canderous swore his clan's loyalty to the Jedi and for almost four thousand years they laid in wait to be called into action by the Jedi Council, they had been forgotten by the Jedi until the Clone War when Mandalore Rejax Reaver bade an audience with the Jedi Council.
Rejax Reaver entered the council chamber two days after the start of the Clone War. He was young for a Mandalore, barely older than twenty years. He was a couple inches taller than six feet with a medium full muscle build, light tanned skin, black crew cut hair, and dark gray eyes. He wore dark chrome colored Mandalorian Neo Crusader armor, no helmet, and his weapons had been left with the receptionist. He kneeled before the council facing Jedi Masters Yoda and Mace Windu. "Masters of the Jedi Order, I am Rejax Reaver, Mandalore of Clan Ordo. Thank you for allowing this meeting in such a turbulent time."
"Large words for a Mandalorian." Master Shaak Ti commented.
Yoda noted that Rejax ignored the insulting comment.
"Why do you come before the Jedi Council?" Mace asked.
"I come before the council because you are at war and need warriors." Rejax answered.
"We have soldiers under our command, loyal soldiers; we do not need mercenaries that sell their services to the highest bidder." Ki-Adi-Mundi commented.
Rejax rose to his feet to address the entire council. "With respect Master Mundi, Clan Ordo is not a mercenary group. We have a sworn allegiance to the Jedi Order; we have spent four thousand years waiting for the Jedi to call us to service. We have watched from the shadows of the galaxy. Two hundred twelve Jedi were at the battle at Geonosis two days ago, one hundred seventy-eight died there. If the Order had called Clan Ordo to action that battle would have been over sooner with fewer losses." He raised his voice slightly adding more feeling to his next words. "Our basilisks would have rained down on that planet, our ships would have shattered the lines, our forces would have turned those droids into melting piles of worthless slag."
"Negotiation is the Jedi way, not war." Yoda said.
"We understand this, Jedi prefer peace to war. Those of Clan Ordo respect that, but Master Yoda you must have seen the warning signs. The heavy shroud of the Dark Side was felt by the Force-Sensitives of Clan Ordo. The Sith revealed themselves at Naboo and in many other places across the galaxy, if you believe that you clones can battle the Sith as 'efficiently' as they handled the CIS droids, then I will walk away now and wait for the next war, if the Order still exists." Rejax replied.
"Are you saying you believe your soldiers can fight Sith in close combat?" Shaak Ti asked.
"I'm not saying that I 'believe' my 'warriors' can, I'm saying they can and have fought Sith in close quarters combat and have walked away victorious." Rejax answered. "I myself have the light sabers of ten Sith I killed myself in close quarters combat. For four thousand years Clan Ordo has trained to perfection, striving to be the mightiest of the clans, we despise the Sith and have worked hard to be their bane. Strong minds, great strength, and skills honed to perfection. We spend our lives from the time we can walk bathed in combat, at the age of thirteen a Mandalorian enters his or her first real battle to survive, whether it is hunting a dangerous predator or taking part in a full scale battle. It is what Mandalorians live to do, are bred to do, born to do."
"You have emphasized your point Mandalore Reaver; the council will consider your offer." Mace said. "Is there a way we can contact you?"
"I will leave my contact information with the secretary." Rejax said, bowed, and then walked out.
Once Rejax had left the room the Masters were able to speak without him hearing their words.
"Mandalorians cannot be trusted with any mission of the Republic." Shaak Ti said.
"Forget, Master Shaak Ti, the clones are Mandalorians, trained in the Mandalorian ways of combat they are." Yoda replied.
"The clones were designed to be obedient to the Jedi; these Mandalorians are not bond by that." Ki-Adi-Mundi said.
"I sensed no deception from him." Mace said. "I believe Rejax can be trusted. He claimed his warriors could fight Sith and they despised the Sith. He knows that the Sith control the CIS, he will not join them."
"He said it himself, the warriors of his clan have strong minds, he could be working for Dooku against the Republic." Shaak Ti replied.
A female Jedi Knight entered the Council Chamber. An echani woman with long braided white hair and silver eyes. She stood just above five and a half feet with a wiry frame and light skin. Her Jedi robes had seen combat recently. "Forgive the intrusion masters, but I must give my report in person to the council before I submit the paper work."
"Speak, Moira." Yoda said.
"Masters I have just returned from Dantooine where I engaged CIS forces, they overwhelmed my troops in astounding numbers and aggressiveness. I have few clones left and most of them are in bacta tanks. My troops and I were saved by a small platoon of Mandalorians, even with my remaining troops we were outnumbered five to one. The Mandalorians fought and defeated the CIS units; they were more skilled warriors than anything I had seen before. They even gave my troops and me a ride back to Coruscant, the lieutenant leading the team said she could not idly sit by and watch a Jedi murdered. She contacted her Mandalore after getting me and the clones to her transport and he told her to bring us to Coruscant where he would meet her. Of my seven hundred troops, twelve remain. The mission was barely a success."
"Mandalorians?" Shaak Ti asked.
"Yes Master Shaak Ti, Mandalorians. People I did not expect to see." Moira answered.
"On the move, Clan Ordo is." Yoda commented.
"Yes, the lieutenant said she was from Clan Ordo." Moira replied.
"I am truly beginning to question the Mandalore's words." Shaak Ti commented.
"We shall see." Mace commented. "We should give them a chance to prove their Mandalore's words."
Throughout the war Rejax and his clan proved their worth to the Jedi time and again. It was discovered in the archives that Canderous Ordo had sworn his clan's loyalty to the Jedi Order, the Order had forgotten about the vow. Jedi Knight Moira requested that she only have members of Clan Ordo at her side, it was granted. Rejax himself accompanied the young Knight. In the waning days of the Clone War Rejax found himself drawn closer to Moira.
Rejax, Moira, and the two thousand warriors that accompanied savored a great victory over the CIS on Bakura. The warriors sang songs of glory and battle while Moira and Rejax sat by and enjoyed the liveliness.
"How come you never took a wife?" Moira asked and sipped her tea.
Rejax took a sip of coffee. "Never met the right woman. Mandalorians have strict criteria on spouses, normally we find someone within the clan, but sometimes we find someone outside the clan."
"You make it sound like you are browsing for a ship." Moira commented.
"Perhaps it does sound that way." Rejax laughed.
A female Mandalorian warrior dressed head to toe in red Mandalorian armor approached Rejax and Moira with a male human Jedi. "Knight Moira, I am Jedi Master Cullin Bartis. I have been placed in command of this mission by the Jedi Council." The Jedi said standing straight upright and sounding proper.
"Just what we need, an arrogant noble." Rejax commented.
"I beg your pardon." Cullin said in a mildly upset tone.
"It was the arrogance that you show that made the clans want to wipe the floor with the Jedi. We wanted to see if you could live up to that arrogance, and in the end we killed countless Jedi." Rejax replied.
"Are you threatening me?" Cullin asked and a squad of clone troopers stepped up behind him.
"Nice set of bodyguards." Rejax scoffed, he didn't like the clone troopers and he had despised Jango Fett for deciding to increase Mandalorian numbers through clones rather than the old ways. He also saw the clones as weak abominations that only posed as Mandalorians.
"I have brought eighty thousand elite clone troopers with me. How many Mandalorians did you bring?"
"Two thousand warriors." Rejax replied and sipped his coffee, he wasn't impressed and didn't feel he had brought too few.
Cullin laughed. "Knight Moira, I expected more support from your barbarians."
The laughing and singing ceased, the Mandalorian warriors that were sitting stood up. A simple hand gesture from Rejax and the warriors made no other motions. "I brought more than enough warriors for this mission." Moira said. "The Council did not inform me that I would receive back up."
"Perhaps you did not hear me; the Council put me in charge of this mission." Cullin said.
"Eighty thousand troops, the CIS already know you're here." Rejax said. "Thanks for inviting them into our camp."
"Hardly, we were discreet in landing." The clone commander replied.
The female Mandalorian laughed. "We picked you up with ease on passive scan; no doubt the CIS spotted you too."
A male Mandalorian scout decloaked ten feet from Rejax. "Mandalore, the Seps are on the move, they picked up Republic landing crafts on their sensors and tracked them here."
"Snuff the lights, arm up, and let's move." Rejax said and the Mandalorian warriors did so in a timely manner.
In minutes the Mandalorians moved out in a skirmish maneuver. Rejax moved beside Moira, the Jedi Knight had learned a lot about stealth from working with members of the clan. The clones and Cullin didn't use stealth, they were arrogant.
The clone commander answered a comm transmission; Darth Sidious appeared and spoke in a low raspy tone, "Execute Order 66." The commander switched off the small holo receiver, put it away, and signaled the other clones with a nod. Four clones plus the commander aimed their rifles at Cullin and shot him in the back repeatedly until they were sure he was dead. They immediately moved on Moira who had her lightsaber at the ready and deflected the blaster bolts as soon as they started flying at her, they were ignoring the Mandalorians and focused on Moira.
Rejax aimed his rifle at the clone commander, "Do not ignore us!" Rejax yelled and the Mandalorians open fired; they hadn't needed an order from Rejax to lay down fire on the clones, they were all too happy to shoot down the clones.
It took the clones a moment to realize the Mandalorians were a large threat and return fire. The clones were fierce, but the Mandalorians knew how to focus their ferocity into battle prowess, its what made them feared on the battlefield. When the smoke finally cleared no clones were left standing. The CIS marched into the area stepping on and over the corpses of clone troopers and a few Mandalorian warriors. A neimoidian stepped out of a heavily armored command vehicle; he was the officer in command of the CIS on Bakura. "Sir, perimeter sweep has found no survivors." A B-1 droid officer said.
"Intelligence said there was a Mandalorian group working with the Republic, this must be them." The neimoidian officer commented. "It appears they turned on each other."
Rejax, Moira, and five hundred Mandalorian warriors had survived and escaped before the CIS had arrived. They reached the Mandalorian landing crafts and escaped the planet. In orbit the two Mandalorian capitol ships Rejax had brought waited for their return, once docked inside the two vessels left orbit away from the Republic cruisers.
Rejax and Moira marched onto the bridge of the ship they had landed on. "Mandalore, there is a transmission emanating from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant; its calling all Jedi back to Coruscant." A young male twi'lek said as soon as Rejax was four meters in the door.
"What's the word from the senate?" Rejax asked.
"Chancellor Palpatine has declared the Jedi as traitors to the Republic, reformed the Republic into a Galactic Empire, and has declared himself Emperor of the Galaxy." The young Mandalorian answered.
"Its a trap, Palpatine is the Sith Lord we have been looking for." Moira said. "I need to find any Jedi who have survived any attacks from their clone troopers."
"Send out a comm to any actual friends, find any Republic sympathizers." Rejax ordered.
"Right away Mandalore." The young warrior replied and set up a message to be sent out.
Moira managed to make contact with Jedi Masters Yoda and Obi-Won Kenobi, she was instructed to go into exile and disappear. With the Jedi in exile Rejax took his warriors into exile once more to await their recall to service, Moira decided to follow Rejax and Clan Ordo. Not long after following the clan into their exile she discovered her feelings for Rejax, she was in love with him and he was in love with her. They married and Moira gave birth to three strong children: Deecon, Lucia, and Zane. Deecon, the first, took exact physical appearance to Rejax; Lucia, the second, looked just like Moira; and Zane, the last, had black hair like his father, but his eyes were dark blue and his facial structure was sleeker. Deecon showed exceptional promise in the Force at a young age, Lucia showed no signs of Force-sensitivity, and Zane showed only a slight potential for the Force. The children grew under the guidance of both parents and the entire clan, as such was tradition.
Rejax and Moira raised their children at a Clan Ordo base on Dantooine, the base was disguised as a small farm town with a few landing pads. The Empire entered the town several times searching for rebel operatives, but found nothing even when there were rebel refugees being hidden by the clan. Twenty-five years after the rise of the Empire the town fell under attack, there were no warning signs. The attack was conducted by an Exchange group who was too organized and knew exactly how to hit the Mandalorians.
In the fires that engulf the town Deecon stood next to a male weequay, Deecon was leading the attack. Rejax had returned from a mission near death, he was forced to live in armor to stay alive, just like Darth Vader. Deecon, Rejax' oldest, expected to take his father's place as Mandalore, when Rejax did not step down Deecon stormed off. The weequay standing next to Deecon was an Exchange thug; he was Deecon's second in command. Deecon was dressed in battle worn clothes and held a lightsaber hilt in his right hand. "Revik, recall the men. My point has been made."
"Yes sir." The weequay replied. "FALL BACK TO THE TRANSPORTS!!"
Nearby a young Zane kneeled over Moira's body, tears streaked his eyes as he stared down Deecon with a death glare. Deecon and Revik saw Zane and could not look away. Rage burned in Zane's eyes, his own brother had betrayed the clan and murdered their mother. One word, a name, came from his mouth in a loud booming voice, "REAVER!!" To anyone else Zane yelling his family name would seem odd, but to Deecon it meant Zane was calling him out.
"Another time, brother." Deecon whispered and walked away with Revik right behind him.
Six months after the Mandalorian town burned on Dantooine Zane found himself in his first battle on his thirteenth birthday. He was leading a group of fellow young Mandalorians, all piloting StarViper fighters against Imperial forces in an outer rim conflict. "Phoenix squadron, this is Phoenix Leader, all squad members report in."
"Phoenix two standing by." A male replied.
"Phoenix three standing by." Another male.
"Phoenix four standing by." A female.
"Phoenix five standing by." A male.
"The Imps have five times more fighters than us and three star destroyers with longer range communications jammed, they don't stand a chance. Follow my lead." Zane lead his squad into a precision dogfight against Imperial TIE fighters.
Phoenix squadron was made of young untested Mandalorian warriors, but they proved their worth and superior training against the pilots of the Empire. TIE fighters were faster and more maneuverable than StarVipers, but the young warriors had the intensive training of Clan Ordo and knew the very limitations of the machines they controlled.
The battle raged for over an hour when Imperial reinforcements arrived doubling their numbers. The Mandalorians were outnumbered and the Imperials were moving in to surround them. "All forces fall back and rendezvous at Point Bravo." The Mandalorian commander ordered from the one Keldabe battleship. "Its a trap."
"Phoenix squadron, scatter and I'll see ya'll at the rendezvous point." Zane said pushing his StarViper's engines to their fullest aiming to fly straight past one of the star destroyers. He flew straight along the belly of a star destroyer from bow to stern chased closely by TIE fighters, as he dodged blaster shots from the TIEs he put in hyperspace coordinates for an outer rim system. He activated the hyperdrive engines just as a pair of laser blasts hit the engine area of his fighter. The hyperspace journey was very turbulent, when Zane finally emerged from hyperspace he spiraled into the atmosphere of a forest world and crash landed his fighter on a hilly plain. Zane hand crashed on the forest moon of Endor where the Rebels had destroyed the second Death Star.
The falling ship was spotted by Charal and the remaining Sanyassan marauders. The once powerful Nightsister saw a chance to leave the moon, the marauders saw salvage opportunity. Charal was at the crash site first, but she could do nothing while trapped in the form of a raven. The marauders arrived as Zane crawled out of the fighter's cockpit; the twenty marauders were led by Kervuk. Once Terak's weapon master, Kervuk carried large sword forged from a dense metal not found on the moon.
"Capture him." Kervuk ordered and the marauders moved in on Zane.
Zane was battered and bloodied from the crash, when he saw movement he snapped back into combat mode adrenaline pumping heavily through his system. He slammed his boot into the stomach of the first to reach him, one of the many combat styles taught within Clan Ordo was based strictly on reflexes; it was deadly and there was no discernable pattern to the style, it was an improvised style. Zane was one of the strongest and most skilled in his age group, he had to be as a child of Mandalore. Zane struck hard and fast, waited for openings in his opponents' defenses, the marauders may have been around for decades longer than Zane, but they weren't constantly training or testing their limits. Zane was skilled, but the marauders had numbers. Zane was slammed to the ground on his back with the marauders surrounding him. He felt the metal of a blade beneath back of his hand and quickly felt it up and down for the hilt as the marauders kicked him. He found and grabbed the hilt then swung the blade blindly clipping a marauder in the side. He followed through the attack with roll to the side and used the momentum to get to his feet and fought back harder against the marauders, he was running on nothing but instinct and adrenaline.
Kervuk saw that Zane was worn out, but also saw his determination for survival and readiness to kill to stay alive. "RETREAT!!" Kervuk yelled and the remaining marauders ran away from Zane. Kervuk had lost five warriors to Zane with almost all of the others severely wounded. He had seriously underestimated the young warrior and the cost of his arrogance had been too high.
Once the marauders had gone the adrenaline in Zane's system dissipated and he was overcome with waves of exhaustion. He collapsed against the wrecked star fighter and sleep took him.
On Coruscant a teenage human girl ran through the senate hall dodging security guards and weaved through the crowd. She had stolen some food from a food cart on its way to a council meeting. The girl was five and a half feet tall with long black hair and a thin starved frame. Her skin was paled from poor nutrition and lack of sunlight. Her clothes were tattered, torn, and dirty. She was almost to the door when she slammed face first into Luke Skywalker on his way to the meeting. The girl fell flat on her butt and she lost hold of the loaf of bread. She scurried for the bread as two senate guards grabbed her by her arms and dragged her to her feet. The girl struggled against their hold on her, but in vein.
Luke could feel the Force flowing strongly through the girl; he approached the guards and girl. "What is your name?" He asked the girl.
She stared up at him shocked and confused.
"What is your name?" He repeated softly.
"R-Raven." The girl answered.
"Raven." Luke said softly and used the Force to move the loaf of bread so it floated right in front of the teen. "Escort her to my apartment; I will be along after the council meeting."
The guards released Raven and she immediately grabbed hold of the loaf. One of the guards gently nudged her forward and escorted her out of the senate hall.
"She has potential to be a Jedi, I just hope I'm not wrong." Luke whispered then continued on to the council meeting.
Raven was escorted into Luke's Coruscant apartment. One guard remained at the door while the other followed Raven, they agreed to take turns until Skywalker arrived after the meeting. Raven immediately raided Luke's fridge and cupboards for food. She almost ate herself sick before moving on to the bathroom to use Luke's shower, she didn't know how long she had before Luke would either kill her, toss her back onto the streets, or worse. She only knew Skywalker as a leader in the Rebellion and Republic and some kind of sorcerer. The guard remained outside the bathroom while Raven used the shower to clean her dirtied skin and hair. Her body had scattered scars from being abused as a child by her father before she ran away from him, she promised herself it would never happen again.
Luke returned to his apartment in the evening, he stopped a few steps in when he noticed the mess of half eaten food and scattered wrappers in his kitchen.
"It was the first thing she went after, sir." The guard by the door said.
"I shouldn't be surprised." Luke commented softly and stepped further into the apartment.
Raven walked into the living room wearing Luke's bathrobe, it was loose around her starved small frame, she halted when she saw Luke standing in the living room.
"I guess I will have to order out for dinner since you pretty much ate my kitchen." Luke chuckled.
Raven blushed with embarrassment, forgetting she might be Luke's prisoner.
"Thank you for watching her, I'll take it from here." Luke said to the guards.
The guards stood at attention. "Yes, sir." They said in unison and left the apartment.
Luke used his comm system to order food for delivery then started cleaning the mess Raven had made in his kitchen. Raven helped Luke with the cleaning, neither exchanged words. When the food finally arrived Luke and Raven sat at the kitchen table with the food and started eating.
"Do you live alone?" Luke asked to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Yes." Raven answered after swallowing a mouthful of food.
"How long have you been on your own?"
"Seven years."
Luke sensed Raven's pain, something had happened to cause her great emotional pain. "Were either of your parents Force-sensitive?"
"No, why?"
"Because, I can feel the Force flowing strongly through you." Luke studied Raven for a minute.
Raven laughed. "I'm not that lucky."
"Luck has nothing to do with it. The Force guides you, has helped you survive this whole time."
"So, you're saying I can do what you can do?" Raven asked.
"Not yet, but with training, time, and patience you will be able to." Luke answered.
"Would it get me off this planet?"
"Yes."
"Sign me up, I'd do almost anything to leave this planet."
After dinner Luke set Raven up in his guestroom, once Raven had gone to bed Luke sat in his chair. He had refused to train others, training Raven would be a contradiction to his decision to wait. "What do I do? She could make a great Jedi, but to train her would make me a liar." Luke thought about it for a moment. "Perhaps I could just give her guidance and let her discover her powers on her own, no that would be a disaster."
"She needs an instructor, a teacher." Obi-Wan said, appearing near the kitchen.
"I can't teach her, I'm not ready to." Luke replied.
"There are others she can learn under, not Jedi, but people who know the Jedi ways by heart." Obi-wan said.
"Marcus and Pisces, they used to be Jedi Masters, I read about them in my father's journal."
"They might take her in, but do not rely on them alone."
In the morning Luke took Raven to see Han Solo at a landing pad. Han and Chewbacca were working on some kind of problem with the Millennium Falcon.
"Han, I got a passenger for you." Luke yelled.
Han looked down from the top of the Falcon. "Luke, I'm still patching holes from the last passenger you gave me."
"This one is different, she doesn't have enemies like the last one." Luke replied. "I need you to take her to Marcus and Pisces on Gala."
"The last time I carried anything to them for you Pisces nearly tore my ship apart."
"I cleared it with them this time."
"Alright, but if she does it again then you're paying for the repairs."
"Deal."
Former masters Marcus and Pisces were survivors of Order 66 who had been tracked down by Vader at one point. Marcus was a very powerful Force-user and Pisces was a weapon master, together they were a force to be reckoned with, a force that Palpatine dared not challenge after they sent Vader back to him a ragged mess. Jeff Marcus was male Miraluka who made his living on Gala as a top notch doctor, February Pisces was a female twi'lek with white skin and made her living running a cantina. The two masters greeted Raven with welcoming smiles and gave her a room to sleep in. They began her training the morning after her arrival, Raven was trained six days a week with the seventh being her own.
Raven learned quickly under the two masters, her chosen path was of the guardian, a warrior of the Jedi. She took up the double-bladed lightsaber as her weapon. It took her only three years to complete her training under Marcus and Pisces, then she was set loose upon the galaxy as a Jedi Knight. She took orders from Luke and Leia as a type of shadow operative. Her appearance changed with her growth as a person and as a Jedi. She cut her black hair short, her skin gain some color, her scrawny frame remained thin with light sleek muscles, and her eyes sparkled with life and focus. She returned to Coruscant a woman and warrior of the Jedi.
Raven soon began to earn a reputation amongst the covert operation groups of the New Republic. She wasn't much of a pilot, but her close-quarters skills earned her respect from the other groups.
Five years after crashing on the forest moon of Endor Zane continues to walk the forest and plains near Bright Tree village, he had grown to just over six feet. Charal had stayed with Zane acting as a scout and lookout for him. He had also been joined by Wicket the ewok on occasion. Zane and Charal were returning to the forest after a hunt when a gorax emerged from the forest heading straight for them. A gorax was a massive ape-like creature five to seven times Zane's height. It lumbered toward Zane and the warrior drew his vibrosword. "Let's go you overgrown ape." Zane said dropping the deer he had killed on his hunt. Zane had grown to just over six feet, his black hair had grown out to the middle of his back, and he sported an unkempt beard. His clothes were tattered from wearing them for five years.
The gorax moved in on Zane swinging the tree trunk it used as a club down on Zane who rolled toward the monster dodging the attack. Once beneath the gorax Zane sliced the back of one of its calves with his sword. The gorax stumbled a bit then lifted the other foot to step on Zane, but the young warrior was smarter and faster. Zane stabbed his sword up into the bottom of the gorax' foot, but it didn't deter the monstrous foot, he let go of his sword's hilt and barely dodged the foot. The gorax' foot hit the ground jamming the blade further into his foot as well as mangling the weapon. Zane dug a frag grenade our of his bag as the gorax howled in pain and chucked the grenade into the creature's mouth. The explosion completely destroyed the gorax' head. The massive ape fell backwards hitting the ground with a earth shaking thud. Zane sat on the ground with steady breathing.
Charal landed on the toe closest to Zane and cawed. Zane chuckled, "I can't keep doing that, I'm almost out of grenades and the rebels didn't leave anything behind for me to make use out of. I can improvise explosives, equipment, and weapons, but not when there's nothing to improvise with."
'We both need to get off this moon.' Charal thought, 'But, how?'
Deep in the unknown regions there sit's a system untouched by the rest of the Galaxy, a people who had never heard of the Empire. The kitsune, a Force-sensitive humanoid race, who's name translates into Galactic Basic as fox. The kitsune were a spiritual and technologically advanced race governed by a high council of four elders representing the different sects of society: military, social, light walkers, and dark watchers. The overseer of the government was a high priest or priestess, the standing high priest was Karusano Shinomura. He was the eldest of the kitsune at almost two thousand years, more than twice the natural lifespan of the kitsune. He sat with one of his great granddaughters at the high temple of the light walkers high on a forest covered mountain. Time showed on his face, his long white hair encompassed his face, his white Shinto robes rested on his body, and his blind eyes saw through the Force.
Next to the ancient priest was a large fire and in front of him sat one of his great granddaughters. Kryn was a priestess on her way to becoming a high priestess, wise and knowledgeable. She was just over five feet tall with long straight silver hair, light tanned skin, and gentle light blue eyes. Her wiry frame was hidden beneath white Shinto robes. Kryn had been summoned by Karusano, if only it had been under better circumstances. "It is terrible that this should happen to any family, but it has happened to ours and must be dealt with through our family. I have chosen you, because Shin is your twin brother. He has stolen crates of our weapons and the Oracle. He has journeyed beyond our system's borders and past the Ssi-ruuk. You must find him and bring him back to face trial. I feel you will not be alone in this, remember these words: A warrior lost, seeking his place; a guardian broken, searching for mending; a sister sealed, wanting freedom; a killer reluctant, wishing for peace; a scholar forgotten, looking for truth."
Kryn listened intently committing the words to memory. "I will leave at once." Kryn was given a ship her brother, Shin, designed. A small freight ship with no weapons or shields, it was unfinished. Kryn had to fly the ship herself, the military wouldn't provide her with a pilot. Kryn had little experience in flying, she had only ever been a passenger when visiting the other worlds in the kitsune system. She learned the basics of flying and hyperspace travel before leaving her people's system. Her people had once been allies of the Jedi Order, but those days ended long ago when the Jedi did not head a vision warning from a kitsune high priestess, the kitsune broke their ties to the galaxy and retreated into the seclusion of their home system. When the Ssi-ruuk invaded the kitsune system they were unprepared, but fought hard. The kitsune quickly began to advance their scientific and militaristic technology, they eventually drove the Ssi-ruuk from their system and have held them at bay for almost three and a half millennia.
The navigational charts were outdated by four millennia and Kryn had to travel around the outside of Ssi-ruuk territory. She did not know where to start searching for her brother. She would have to start with the first system she came to.
Two months after the fight with the gorax Zane, Wicket, and Charal sat on a cliff eyeing a stag a couple hundred meters away. Zane laid on his stomach with his sniper rifle aimed at the stag. "He's a big one, we will be eating well tonight." Zane said with a smile.
"Good, good." Wicket replied watching the stag through Zane's electro binoculars.
Zane lined up his shot and the stag sprinted away, a moment later an Imperial Lambda-class shuttle passed overhead from the stag's direction. It landed further along the plain. Zane smiled wider, "No one simple lands on the forest moon of Endor. Let's check it out."
Zane and Wicket took a scouting position in a tree line near where the shuttle landed. Zane peered through the scope of his sniper rifle while Wicket continued to use the binoculars. Storm troopers and scout troopers set up a perimeter around the shuttle, once clear a male human Imperial officer and a human female in dark Jedi-like robes walked down the ramp. The woman was a Sith who had been trained by Darth Sidious. "I count twenty stormies, twelve scouts, one officer, and one Sith. My pistol was destroyed in the crash, my vibrosword was mangled by the gorax, and my rifle has five shots left." He set the rifle down and searched through his field bag. "Two stun grenades, two flash bangs, one frag, and a protein bar." He pulled the protein bar from his bag, unwrapped it, and took a bite from it. "They're here for something, just wish I knew what."
The officer set up a folding chair and folding table, set a bottle of alcohol and empty glass on the table, and reclined in the chair. "Why are we on this forsaken moon, again?" The officer asked, he was arrogant and stuck up.
"A vision showed me a powerful opponent here on this moon, I will find and kill him." The Sith woman answered. 'Where is he?'
"They're looking for something or someone, so that gives us time to coordinate a plan of attack." Zane said. "The Sith will be the toughest and stormies shoot like a moisture farmer militia, the officer looks like a rich pansy."
Zane moved discreetly, to avoid detection, to the forest line nearby. He waited for a storm trooper or scout to leave the perimeter to take a leak. He was lucky that the group's sniper scout was the first to leave the perimeter. Zane snuck up behind the trooper and snapped his neck then took his armor and weapons. Any military sniper was equipped with a sniper rifle and a blaster pistol of some sort, Imperial snipers were issued hold-out blaster pistols, small easily hidden weapons.
The armor was a tight fit on Zane, as the trooper was shorter and of a lighter build. "Small ass trooper, this armor barely fits." He put the helmet on, loaded his remaining grenades into the utility belt, and joined the Imperials. 'At least this rifle has a full charge.'
Zane walked into the group unquestioned, it was too easy for him. When night fell the troopers took watch in shifts: three troops, two hour shifts. The officer slept like a log and the Sith woman didn't go to bed until late, right before Zane went on shift. Once on shift, Zane moved quickly to quietly kill the two on shift with him then moved on to the sleeping troopers, hid under the ramp of the shuttle, and waited for the remaining two to wake up and leave the ship. The Sith was the first up just after sunrise to stretch out in preparation, just incase she met with her vision warrior. The officer was up half an hour later with a cup of coffee.
"Wake up and begin perimeter patrols." The officer said kicking on of the dead storm troopers in the leg. When the trooper didn't respond he tapped the armored foot a few more times.
"There is no life in any of them." The Sith woman said searching for traces of an assault. "They were all killed in their sleep. There was a traitor in our midst."
"Wrong." Zane said stepping out from behind the ramp, without the helmet, and put a shot from the sniper rifle in the officer's chest then aimed it at the woman.
Kervuk had noticed the shuttle making its descent and decided to investigate. He stepped onto a hill top over looking where the shuttle had landed and saw Zane standing off with the Sith. "I will have him this time." Kervuk had engaged Zane several times over the last five years and lost more warriors each time until only he remained.
"How long have you been in this unit?" The woman asked.
"Since yesterday, when your sniper went to relieve himself." Zane answered.
"You must be the warrior I am here to kill."
"Try me."
The Sith quickly drew her lightsaber and attacked the rifle cutting barrel. Zane stepped back out of the swing arch and dropped the rifle then immediately rushed within the arch, the close distance made the lightsaber useless and aloud Zane to repeatedly punch the woman's mid ribcage just under her breasts: the repeated strong blows shattered her ribs, pulverized her lungs, and forced shards of bone into her lungs.
Blood dripped from the woman's mouth. "T-the vision showed me…"
"Visions through the Force are rarely complete or thorough. My mother had one of fire and death, she had no idea it was of our home." Zane said.
The Sith woman collapsed to her knees then fell over dead.
Charal cawed a warning, indicating danger and Zane barely dodged an overhand swinging blade of Kervuk. Kervuk made an underhand swing gashing the scout trooper armor, but not enough to pierce it. Zane had fought Kervuk enough times to know the marauder's fighting style, he reacted immediately sparing no movement of energy in some flashy manner; his left fist cracked the marauder's jaw, his right knee knocked the wind from the marauder's lungs through his stomach, and his right arm wrapped around the marauder's neck then snapped it with a sudden jerk. Zane dropped Kervuk's corpse and Charal landed on his shoulder with a soft caw. "Thank you, old friend. If you come with me there won't be much flying room for you on the shuttle."
Charal didn't care, she just wanted off the forest moon, she stayed with Zane.
Zane took his time gathering and moving his things from his hut to the shuttle. With Wicket's help it went faster. The last thing Zane did was gather the weapons and armor of the troopers and the officer's uniform onto the shuttle the burn the bodies. He kept the Sith's lightsaber, he would likely be able to sell it somewhere or trade it for something he would have use for. He said his farewells to the ewoks of Bright Tree village. He sat on top of the shuttle with Wicket and Charal to watch his last sunset on the forest moon of Endor. After the sun set he said his last good-bye to Wicket then took off.
Kryn landed on Nar Shaddaa, her search for Shin was hitting dead end after dead end. Finally she landed on Nar Shaddaa in the red light sector, the kitsune did not have red light districts in their system, she did not know what she was walking into. The first place she entered was a cantina with a few stages and topless females danced on the stages and served drinks. Kryn still wore her priestess robes and upon seeing all of the topless females she turned bright red, turned on her heel, and walked out. Two steps out the door a male rodian ran straight into her from the side and they both tumbled to the ground. The rodian tried to scurry to his feet to continue running until he was forced back onto his stomach with Raven's boot planted on his back.
"Stay down, you have something I want." Raven said, she was dressed all in black: sleek flexible pants, tank top, perfectly fitting gloves, boots, and a trench coat. Attached to her belt hidden beneath the coat was a double-bladed lightsaber gifted to her by Pisces as her Padawan saber.
"I have nothing, nothing at all." The rodian said rapidly.
"Little bug, you have it. Give it up." Raven said and put pressure on the rodian's back.
"Lightsaber, yes, lightsaber. Boss has it in his office." The rodian replied.
"Then you will take me to his office."
"Can't do, guards everywhere. Droids; never sleep, never take breaks."
"Leave them to me."
Kryn climbed to her feet, "Leave him alone."
"This is my business, stay out it." Raven said to Kryn.
"You are hurting him." Kryn said.
"You must be a humanitarian, that kind of attitude won't help you on this world." Raven replied. "His boss has a stolen item that I am here to retrieve."
"Lightsaber, he has a Jedi's lightsaber." The rodian blurted.
From inside her upper robe Kryn pulled out her lightsaber hilt that looked like the hilt of a kitsune katana. "You are searching for something like this?"
Raven glanced at it briefly ready to draw her own. "I'm looking for a specific one and his boss has it." She looked down at the rodian. "You are going to lead me into his office. If he happens to be there then negotiations will be up to me."
"Please, get the Jedi human woman away from me." The rodian said.
"Jedi? You are a Jedi?" Kryn asked.
"Yes." Raven answered. "This thug's boss has another Jedi's lightsaber and its my job to get it back."
"A Jedi should not be treating anyone like this." Kryn said. "You are a guardian of the peace, not a bully."
"I'm on a mission that requires me to be rough with those I'm dealing with if necessary." Raven replied. "This thug has been uncooperative with me and made me chase him down." She looked down at the rodian still beneath her foot. "Take me to your boss."
"Okay, I take you to boss." The rodian said.
Zane had landed in the red light sector of Nar Shaddaa, first thing he did was sell the shuttle and the contents he couldn't carry on his back or in his hands. The Items he decided to keep for himself were the scout armor, Imperial sniper rifle, two E-11 blaster rifles, two knives tucked into his boots, two scout hold-out pistols, the remains of his survival bag, some grenades, protein bars, and the officer's uniform. For the items he was not going to keep he sold at various stores. Once finished he sought out a tavern. He found the Jamba Jav cantina.
The rodian had led Raven into an ambush at the Jamba Jav cantina, Kryn rushed in when she felt Raven's distress only to be pinned down with Raven behind a tipped over table. "What happened?" Kryn asked.
"That damn thug bug led me into a trap." Raven answered.
One end of the cantina was filled with Exchange thugs firing across the room at the two women, they were guarding the door that led to the back area of the cantina. Revik was the thug leading the defense at the cantina.
"I don't suppose you're carrying a blaster on you?" Raven asked.
"No, just my lightsaber." Kryn answered.
The thugs stopped firing, but stayed ready to open fire the moment one of the two females emerged from behind the table.
Zane walked in shortly after the shooting paused, he walked toward the bar and stopped halfway to the bar. He peered over the tipped over table at the two women then looked to the thugs and noticed Revik. Revik recognized Zane and the memories of fire and death resurfaced in them, fear showed across Revik's face as pure rage burned in Zane's eyes.
"Forget the women, KILL HIM!!" Revik yelled and the thugs open fired on Zane.
Zane stood his ground against the inaccurate fire of the Exchange thugs. He drew the two E-11s and returned fire.
"Who is he?" Kryn asked.
"I don't know, but whether he meant it or not he's helping us. I say we lend him some aid." Raven answered and silence filled the room. She peeked over the table at the dead thugs. "Or he could eliminate them all himself."
Kryn peeked over the table her keen sense of smell picked up the scent of Zane's unwashed clothes. She clasped her hands over her nose in an attempt to mask her nose from the smell.
Zane scanned the room for Revik's body, but the weequay was not amongst the dead.
Raven stepped out from behind the table and stood next to Zane. "You have my thanks, for clearing the thugs from my path."
"I am not here to help you, save your thanks for someone who cares." Zane replied coldly.
Raven and Kryn both felt the presence of the dark side close in on their position as Deecon walked into the room through the door to the back of the cantina. He was dressed in business attire and was smiling. "Well, well. If it isn't Zane, word was you died."
"I'm very much alive, now I'm going to kill you." Zane raised his E-11s and fired on his brother who quickly drew and activated a lightsaber.
Deecon deflected blaster shots and sent some straight back at Zane. Three of the shots hit Zane's chest and sent him backwards into the tipped over table. In reaction Raven drew her lightsaber and activated both ends, the blue blades burned bright.
"Ah, a little Jedi. I've looked forward to fighting one for a long time." Deecon said and spun his lightsaber once.
"You got a chance then." Raven said readying herself in a defensive posture.
Kryn called on the Force to lift several tables and chairs from behind her and Raven and fling them at Deecon who dodged and struck the flying objects. "Let's get him out of here." Kryn said and Raven didn't argue the point.
The two women picked Zane up and carried him out of the cantina, Kryn guided Raven to her ship docked on an open landing pad. They carried Zane up to the top of the ramp and hit the button to raise the ramp, Kryn immediately left Zane with Raven so she could get the ship off of Nar Shaddaa. She frantically pressed buttons and flipped switched trying to start up the engines.
Raven carried Zane to the medbay, laid him on the medical bed then joined Kryn in the cockpit. "How long until the engines warm up?" Raven asked.
"They aren't on, I can't remember what each switch does." Kryn answered.
"You fly this ship and you don't know how to turn it on?"
"I'm not a pilot or soldier, I don't even use this kind of technology on my home world."
"What kind do you use?"
"Medical."
"Alright, you go take care of the scruffy man in the medbay, I'll handle the flight controls." Raven said and shooed Kryn out of the pilot seat then studied the controls of the ship.
Kryn rushed into the medbay where Zane still laid unconscious and Charal was perched on the back of a chair. "Hello, I guess where he goes, you go." Kryn said with a gentle smile and activated the medical scanner to examine Zane. "Well, you have seen some rough times in your life. Looks like you have had some recent breaks that are almost completely healed and the three shots didn't hit anything vital, a quick fix." Kryn focused the Force through her hands and into Zane's body, his injuries and breaks healed in seconds. "You will likely still be hurting when you wake up."
Raven finally figured out how to turn on the kitsune built ship and flew the ship off of Nar Shaddaa. "Now to figure out the navigation system." She looked over the computer screens, all of the text was in the kitsune language. "Wonderful, if I didn't already know where I was I would be lost." She studied the screens trying to figure out what was what.
Kryn joined Raven in the cockpit after double checking Zane's condition. "He will be fine." She announced.
"Great, now help me set the hyperspace route, I can't understand a single character of this language." Raven said.
"Right, its set to my people' s language." Kryn accessed the computer system and changed the language setting to Galactic Basic.
"That's better, thank you." Raven said, found the navigation charts, and plotted a course to Yavin IV. "Course set, bringing ship about." Once in position she eased activated the hyperdrive engines. "We are free and clear in hyperspace." She leaned back and relaxed in the pilot seat.
"Where are we going?" Kryn asked.
"Yavin IV, its the only safe haven I can think of out here." Raven answered.
"What is on Yavin IV?"
"Ancient temples, one of them served as a base for the Rebel Alliance. There is a chance we will find New Republic historians there."
"Jedi temples?"
"Ancient Massassi temples."
"My people have records of the Massassi and the Sith. The witches keep those records in their deep forest temples. The priests keep the records of the Jedi."
"How long have your people been watching the rest of the galaxy?" Raven asked.
"The information we have is from four thousand years ago. The ancestors cut off ties to the rest of the galaxy when the Jedi refused to heed their warnings of impending war." Kryn answered. "They pulled all of our people from the rest of the galaxy. We have been secluded to our system ever since, defending ourselves from the Ssi-ruuk."
"Your people have been fighting the Ssi-ruuk, how long?"
"I don't know, but they have been persistent in their war against the kitsune. We have lost many good people in the war, I often wonder when it will all end, if it will ever end."
"War has to end sometime." Raven commented.
Deecon sat at a table in the Jamba Jav cantina awaiting Revik's return and report. He had just set down his glass of Corellian whiskey when Revik walked in through the front entrance. "Sir, they left in a pure black unregistered and unidentified Dynamic-class light freighter." Revik reported approaching the table.
"That's and old ship design." Deecon commented. "How was its condition?"
"Perfect, from appearance and sound." Revik answered. "Shall I put a bounty on the ship, women, and Reaver?"
"No, Zane will return. He hates me enough to come back and try again." Deecon replied and took a sip of his whiskey. "He will come looking for me." Times have changed Zane, the galaxy is no longer the way it was before. If Lucia was around you would listen to her words and she would tell you that.
Zane's sleep was filled with pain, blood, death, and flames. Seeing his brother brought his memories of that night to the surface. He hated his brother, the traitor of Clan Ordo. Deecon had caused their mother's death, for that he hated Deecon even more, the betrayal was deeper than just the clan. He awakened sometime after the small ship had landed on Yavin IV. He did not know whose ship he was on, nor what planet the ship was on, if it was even on a planet. He knew that he was not restrained, Charal showed no sign of uncomfort, and his weapons and items sat next to the medbay door. "Well, someone was kind to us." He climbed from the bed, his body was sore. He had not slept so much in a long time. He armed himself and put his pack onto his back, he left with the E-11s on his hips and Charal on his shoulder. He walked down the main ramp of Kage Ryu and was greeted by Kryn as she was returning to the ship.
"Oh, good morning." Kryn said to the towering man with a gentle smile.
"Mornin', where are we?" Zane asked, he offered no return smile.
Kryn's smile faultered a little bit, she was slightly intimidated by Zane's mere presence, she felt his anger all to clearly. "Uh, Yavin IV."
"Great. When does the next transport leave?" Zane asked.
"I do not know. I can ask one of the pilots." Kryn offered.
"I'll ask myself." Zane walked around Kryn to the nearest pilot.
"You are welcome." Kryn whispered.
Raven stepped up to Kryn after Zane walked away from her. "Nice to see he's on his feet. How is his mood?"
"I think I just met his good side." Kryn said softly.
"So, he's an ungrateful SOB." Raven commented.
"'SOB'?" Kryn asked.
"Son of a bitch." Raven answered. "Someone with a poor attitude towards others."
"Oh, maybe he's just upset." Kryn pondered in a low voice that Raven could hear.
"I felt his anger back in that cantina, so I'll let it go this time." Raven said.
"It may go deeper than that." Kryn commented. "Beneath the anger is great pain, the anger is just the tip of the iceberg."
"When he wants healing he'll look for it." Raven said. "The commander has granted us haven here."
"That is good to know." Kryn replied. "Are there any transports leaving here soon?"
"No, the commander has all personnel setting up equipment throughout the temple."
"Then he has no way off the planet, since there are no spaceports here." Kyn commented.
"It would seem so. I got some rations from the supply stock, it's the least I can give you for bringing me here."
"I ask for nothing from you, I am happy to help others."
"If there is anything you need, then ask and I will do my best to help you."
"I'm looking for someone, my brother, Shin Shinamura. I have to find him as quickly as possible."
"Let me guess, he's in trouble?"
"He stole some of our people's technology and fled our home system, he must be brought to justice before the council." Tears brimmed Kryn's eyes.
"You want to believe he is innocent, believe he did not commit the crimes he is charged with." Raven said placing a gently hand on Kryn's shoulder.
Kryn started crying as Zane was walking by the two women. "For crying out loud, if you're gonna break up with her don't do it in the open." The warrior said.
"She's not my lover, you insensitive scruffy nerf herder." Raven said with a slightly raised voice.
"Sticks and stones." Zane said.
"We did not have to save you…" Raven started.
Zane closed the short distance between him and Raven and stood toe to toe with the Jedi. "I didn't ask you to save me! I don't need you or anyone to help me!"
Raven had to look up at the Mandalorian, hard to look tough when one had to look up at the person they are trying to look tough toward. "You should show some gratitude to the one who allowed you on her ship and treated your wounds, when she did not have to."
"If you want gratitude then name your price. Credits, a favor?" Zane replied.
"Its not me you should be grateful toward, its not my ship and I did not mend your wounds." Raven said sternly and pointed to Kryn. "She is the one that took you aboard her ship and mended your wounds."
Kryn felt Raven and Zane's emotions flaring, Kryn was still calm and focused allowing her to feel Zane's connection to the Force: he was strong without realizing it, disciplined, and oppressed. She felt his power was oppressed, he was almost completely cut off from the Force, but it was there.
Well, this will likely end in blood being spilt. Charal thought.
"If she wants a 'thank you' then she can ask me herself." Zane said, his face barely two inches from Raven's.
"Have some courtesy to say it without anyone reminding you." Raven growled.
"Raven, its okay. He does not have to say anything." Kryn intervened.
Raven sighed, "Alright."
"Figures, Jedi always back down from a fight." Zane said.
"Excuse me?" Raven said.
"I didn't stutter, Jedi always back down."
"Jedi prefer diplomatic solutions first, fighting is a last resort." Raven tried to keep herself calm.
Charal left Zane's shoulder and landed on Kryn's shoulder. This will end with blood. Charal thought.
"Spoken like a weak pacifist." Zane said.
"I am not weak." Raven had felt weak and defenseless when she was younger, she had no intention of ever having that feeling again.
"'Not weak', Jedi are pacifists and pacifists are weak." Zane pushed the subject, he saw that he was pushing her buttons. Its what he wanted, to push the Jedi to her breaking point.
Raven clenched her fists, her face was red with fury. "I am not weak." She growled and took a wide swing at Zane, in her anger her technique disappeared.
Zane easily blocked Raven's punches and laid her out with a single punch to the right side of her face. "You have promise, Jedi."
Raven kicked the back of Zane's right leg dropping him on his back. Kryn cringed, she had a feeling that the fight was going to get brutal. Both Raven and Zane quickly climbed to their feet and lashed out at one another with each limb. Raven was fast, speed was her weapon, but compared to Zane she was inexperienced and physically weaker. Zane was just a bit slower than Raven, but stronger and his technique had been perfected by four thousand years of Mandalorian warrior training and adaptation of styles from only the finest warrior societies, it is what made the warriors of Clan Ordo so efficient.