Birth of a Warrior

Chapter 4

AN: This is my longest chapter yet. Still short by many standards, but I'm enjoying learning the fine art of writing (ori'vor'e, Cinlat). It's much more dialogue heavy, and introduces many themes that will play out in my full SW story.

Mando'a words:

Cyare: Beloved, popular. Used as a term of endearment.

Vod: Bro

Lek: Yeah. Short for Elek, which means "yes."

Resol'nare: Coming-of-age trial

Buir: mother/father

Shebs: Backside

Ba'vodu: Uncle

Nayc: No (negative answer)

Ba'buir: Grandfather

Ad: son

Verd: warrior

Manda: the collective soul of past Mandalorians. The closest thing to a deity and afterlife in modern Mando culture.

Shabla: screwed up (impolite)

Brycis and Torian had often argued over what the second-most dangerous thing they had ever faced was. Brycis believed it to be Darth Tormen, a Sith Lord who tried to manipulate Brycis into assassinating the previous Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. Torian disagreed, claiming it had to be the massive Krayt dragon they hunted on Tatooine. The beast had put up a seven hour fight before finally falling. However, there was no disagreement as to what held the title of the most dangerous, and it was standing before them.

"YOU SAID THAT YOU'D STAY CLOSE!" The meter-and-a-half bundle of raw fury roared at her husband and his best friend. "YOU SAID THERE WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING IN THE TRIAL NEAR THE SIZE OF THAT CREATURE!"

"In my defense, Torian said that," Brycis pleaded, desperate to turn aside Mako's wrath, even if it meant redirecting it to his best friend. It didn't work.

"I don't care what he said," Mako replied, glaring. "You should have jumped in the moment that thing attacked my son."

"But, cyare…" Brycis began.

"I don't want to hear it," Mako cut him off coldly. Just then, she heard a gasp came from the medbay. "My kids need me." She spun around and left the two relieved men, tiny feet echoing with impressive force.

"Thanks, Vod," Torian whispered sarcastically.

"You did say that you had killed everything that they'd have too much trouble handling," Brycis retorted, crossing his arms.

"I thought I did," Torian replied as he headed towards the cockpit. "I spent last week combing that forest for the biggest ones. That monster must have gotten through."

"You don't say," Brycis answered wryly, following him. "Fortunately, they'll be okay. It was only a concussion, a few cracked ribs, and a dislocated shoulder, along with various assorted bruises. Builds character. Speaking of which, those boys have been in the med-bay for half of yesterday and all day today. Mako's gonna make them soft."

"Lek," Torian agreed, nodding.

"Would you like to join them?" Mako's dangerously cheerful voice called out. That shut both of them up.

"What are you doing, Kad?" Corbin questioned as Kadral got off his cot and walked to the medbay's computer.

"Just… checking something," Kadral deflected as he attempted to type with his non-immobilized hand.

"Checking what?" Corbin pressed. Kadral was silent for a few moments before answering.

"My midichlorian counts. Something happened during that last fight. Records say I have a below-average level, but, Buir is such a great slicer, I don't trust that. I want to see the real ones while she's "discussing" our hunt. By the sound of things, I should have plenty of time." He scrolled down and clicked open a file. Immediately, his eyes widened. "Stang, those are high," he gasped.

"Let me see," Corbin said as he walked up to lean over Kadral's shoulder. "Those are your numbers? Remind me not to mess with you ever again…"

"Would you like to join them?" Mako's voice came from close by.

"Haar'chak," he muttered, mentally kicking himself for his earlier gasp and hammering the back button.

"What are you doing?" Mako's asked sternly from the doorway.

"N-Nothing," was Kadral's lame reply as he spun around to face her, unbalancing Corbin, who had been leaning on the back rest.

"Wait a minute," Mako said as her eyes narrowed further. Her shoulders suddenly slumped. "You saw it. You saw your numbers."

"Yeah," Kadral answered her. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want anyone else to find out," Mako explained. "You know the Imperial law. I didn't want them to take you. The Mandalorians are allied with the Sith, but we have several fundamental differences. The Sith have no honor; no respect for anyone not Force-sensitive." The words came out with a seer.

"I wasn't going to let you be raised by those monsters. You're my son, and I am not sharing you. You'll be an adult in a few days, and then you can do what you will. I was planning on telling you after you passed your resol'nare, and leaving the choice of whether or not to go to Korriban up to you. I- I hope," she stammered as tears started welling in her eyes, "You'll stay a little longer. Thirteen years is too short of a time." Kadral took a moment to process the information, then stood up and threw his arms around his mom. Mako immediately returned his embrace.

"Don't worry," he reassured her, "I've got a lot more to do before I even think of going to that hell-hole of a planet." With that, he let go, allowing Mako to wipe her eyes.

"That means so much to me," she sniffled, still a bit choked up. "Anyway, you've still got this evening and tomorrow to finalize your plans for this mission." She suddenly smiled, "I can't wait. I've always wanted to go to an Alderaanian ball…"

"Wait-" Kadral interjected suspiciously. "I thought it was just Corb and I going."

"Oh no," Mako replied with a giggle. "They'd never let two boys in by themselves. That's why I whipped up some invitations for me, your father, and Torian, too."

"Oh boy…" Corbin muttered. "I knew you had a reason for backing my idea."

"Yep, Bryc and I are going dress shopping in a few hours. Oh, I'm so excited."

"Let us have a moment of silence for your poor buir," Corbin quipped.

"Shut it, you," Mako said, slapping her surrogate son on the shoulder. Corbin cringed at the contact. "Oops, I forgot about that shoulder. I'm so sorry," she winced as she walked out of the room and headed toward the cockpit.

"I thought you had the big bruise on your right shoulder, not your left," Kadral accusinged.

"She didn't need to know that," Corbin grinned as he waggled his eyebrows. Kadral simply rolled his eyes.

"Alright boys, you've spent enough time on your shebs," Brycis announced two hours later.

"But, Ba'vodu, Mako said we could stay in here the rest of the evening," Corbin complained to his honorary uncle.

"That she did," Brycis agreed with a sadistic smile, "until I pointed out to her that you still have to try on your fancy suits. We're Mandalorians: if one of us suffers, we all suffer."

"Is it still too late to switch back to storming the guards?" Kadral asked.

"Yes. Yes it is," Brycis replied as he hit the switch leaning the beds up. Both boys winced as the movement aggravated their wounded ribs. "Corbin, could you leave me and Kad'ika alone for a moment?"

"Sure," came the reply. It took a few moments for Corbin to get on his feet, but after Corbin shakily left the room, the Great Hunt champion turned to his son.

"Mako told me you know."

"About the fact I'm Force sensitive? Yeah."

"What got you curious?" Brycis asked as he sat down on Corbin's vacated cot.

"I- I used the Force," Kadral said in a way that sounded like he still couldn't believe what happened. "The tiger was about to finish Corbin, my rifle was far away, and I was terrified. Then it just… sort of… flew. To me. I don't know what I did, I just did it. I'm surprised I'm Force sensitive; don't you and buir have a really low midichlorian count?"

"Mako does," Brycis answered after a moment. "Mine is actually a bit higher than yours."

"Wait," Kadral said incredulously. "You're Force-sensitive? I guess that explains why you're such a great warrior."

"Nayc," Brycis answered him with a small smile. "I can't tap into the Force at all. Can't hear it, touch it, anything. According to a Voss mystic, someone did something to keep me from using the Force. The mystic thought it was my father. I don't know much about who he was, other than the fact that he was a slave who was bred with my mother. He somehow became a Sith lord and freed us, though I remember little about him. I just remember he had blonde hair and was with a Togruta. He must have done something to suppress my Force capabilities while he was relocating my mom and me. Whatever he did apparently didn't carry on to you."

"You've never talked about Ba'buir. Now I know why," Kadral stated slowly, still considering what he'd heard. "Do you ever get mad at him for doing that?"

"Not really. There have been times I wished I could use the Force. Riaca's death was one of them," Brycis sighed, referring to Torian's wife. Then, his voice became lighter. "But, I realize that, had he not suppressed my Force powers, I likely would have been picked up by the Sith or Jedi. Then, I'd never have met the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, or the greatest friend," he pointed out with a smile. "You're different, ad. You're about to become a Mandalorian verd. If you choose to develop your Force skills, I have faith that whoever trains you won't change who you are. You will always be Mandalorian. And you will always be my ad."

"That means a lot to me, Buir," Karal told his father, looking him in the eye. "I don't know what I'll do after this trial, but I swear that I will never disappoint you or the Manda."

"I'm proud of you," Brycis told him, slapping him on the shoulder. Kadral barely avoided crying out. "And yes," Brycis chuckled, "I know that was bad one."

With that, father and son left to prepare for landing.

Brycis hated shopping for anything that wasn't designed to kill or keep him from being killed. He was fortunate in that his wife was not prone to the activity often, but there was one exception: Mako loved to shop for dresses. Sadly for her, the people who tended to populate events requiring formal wear were almost always snobs, so Mako rarely had an occasion to purchase such finery. However, when she did, it seemed to Brycis that she reverted back to the little girl she never had a chance to be. The change was subtle, but her posture became slightly more relaxed, her smile a little bit different. It was that sight that made the whole ordeal bearable, maybe even enjoyable.

"How does this one look?" Mako asked, twirling around in a sapphire dress.

"You look lovely, Cyare," he replied with a smile.

"Not me, the dress."

"The color looks… off…" he cautiously observed. Mako stared at herself for a few seconds, then nodded her head.

"I think you're right," She agreed as she disappeared into the changing room. Brycis heard rustling, and then a little bit of grunting.

"Need some help in there?" he asked.

"Almost… got it… There," Mako said with a half sigh. She opened the door and Brycis's eyes nearly popped out of his head. She spun around in a tight black dress with a very low neckline and a slit in the side that went up to her waist.

"Kriff that looks amazing," Brycis muttered.

"You like it?," his wife asked with a sultry grin.

"Too much," he gulped, looking around the shop to see if anyone else was looking at them. He noticed Torian paying an abnormal amount of attention to a tuxedo he was examining. "I don't think the mission will go well if I'm too busy staring at you."

"I won't mind," she replied, giving him a quick peck.

"Well I'll mind all those nobles staring at you as well, and last time I minded what a noble was doing, he needed some dental reconstruction. Hang on to it, though. I do want to see you in it again."

"Get a room, you two," Torian called out. Mako blushed and shrunk back into the changing room. When she emerged, she was wearing a forest dress with a more modest cut, though it still showed off her curves. Brycis wasn't a fashionista, but he knew when something looked good.

"It's perfect. Seeing you in that dress reminds me of the painting over there," he told her, gesturing at an elegantly mounted portrait of an Alderaanian sunrise. "It's merely a frame for a woman of exquisite beauty." Mako tried to hold in her laughter, and succeeded for only a few seconds.

"That is the cheesiest thing I've ever heard you say. Where did you hear it?"

"Read it in a book," he replied sheepishly. "But, I meant it from the bottom of my heart."

Mako smiled and gave him a hug, telling him, "I know you do. Now let's make sure those boys haven't done too much damage.

"Whoever designed these shabla things should be court-martialed, shot, and sent to the Hoth front," Kadral muttered, quoting an old war holocomedy to express his dislike towards the rather sharp Alderaanian dress suit he was wearing. "I feel simultaneously naked and claustrophobic in this thing."

"That sounds like an oxymoron if I ever heard one," his father observed with a chuckle.

"I get what he means," Corbin spoke up as he tested the flexibility of his identical clothing. "I have nothing to fight with, but, even if I did, I don't have the freedom of movement to do anything."

"It's not that bad," Torian told his son. Yeah, there's some movement impairment, but it's minimal. Plus, Brycis and I will be bringing your holdout blasters."

"Oh yeah, we should probably give those to you," Kadral noted. He pulled a small holster and some spare power packs from his nearby boot. He smiled with nostalgia at the oh-so familiar feel of the Mith and Swesson Shield in his hands. "Haven't had this as my primary weapon for a few years," he commented.

The blaster was the first real weapon he had ever owned, given to him by his parents when he was eight. Back then, his whole hand fit on the grip without requiring the extended power packs he now carried. "Here you go," he said as he handed the blaster and spare packs to his father, who tucked them in the back of his belt behind his own blaster pistol, a Kimbus Shadow with so many modifications that it was likely worth as much as a star yacht.

"Remember boys," Brycis said in his "briefing" tone, "You two are acting as brothers: Kaden and Curin Girard. I will be your father, Lord Brian Girard, and my wife is Lady Mariah Girard. Torian will be my personal bodyguard, Tosin Geld. You are to act as nobles until the party slows down. That means no burping," he said, looking pointedly at Corbin, who smiled innocently. "Also, try to avoid any long conversations with people who will be able to describe you." He took a breath. "Any questions?"

"What if someone from House Girard is there?" Kadral asked.

"I've worked with them in the past. The only member who will be there has been handsomely paid to back up our identity," Brycis answered him. "Any other questions?" None were posed, so the group clambered into the expensive speeder they had rented for the op.

After a rather long ride, they pulled up in front of an of an ornate building. Torian handed the key to a valet, and the group approached the guard station.

"You're both carrying three blasters?" a guard asked of Brycis and Torian, who, alongside the two blasters in their belt, also had holdouts in ankle holsters. "Why three?"

"Because four would be ostentatious," Brycis answered, confidently strolling past. Even though they had seen pictures, the sheer magnificence of Alde castle's ballroom stunned Corbin and Kadral. However, their awe was quickly interrupted by an aroma coming from the pa'lot table, which the boys quickly gravitated to. Pa'lots, a style of Alderaanian snacks, were bite sized and designed to be eaten in small quantities throughout a party. Mako's words echoed in their heads, reminding them that it was considered improper to get too much at one time. Her advice was heeded, mostly.

Meanwhile, Mako was trying, unsuccessfully, to dance with her husband.

"Cyare," he whispered, "if they see me try to dance, our cover is blown."

"Come on!" she pleaded, looking up at him with what she considered her "yes" eyes. Unfortunately, this was one time he wouldn't be swayed. He looked away, and his gaze met with a man he remembered quite well. Unfortunately, that man remembered him, too.

"Hold on," Brycis told his wife, and headed to intercept his target.

"Savorin Malfus the Seventh," Brycis said with a grin, clasping the nervous-looking man on the shoulder. "It's been a while, hasn't it. Almost seventeen years, I believe."

"What are you doing here?" Savorin hissed. "This isn't a party for a bantha like you!"

"Now, now," Mako said, slipping to Savorin's other side. "I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson. By the way, your replacement teeth look excellent. You'd have to know you lost them in the first pace to tell that they are fake."

"They do look nice. It'd be a shame if something happened to them again," Brycis commented.

"I will not tolerate threats from the likes of you," Savorin whispered indignantly. "I'm going to get the guards."

"Even after all these years, your sense of entitlement still outweighs your sense of self-preservation," Mako commented with a chuckle.

"Unlike you, I've learned a lot since we've met," Brycis said offhandedly. "Including a set of nerve points I can press that will give you a stroke. Or a heart attack. And the best part is, they look like I'm just shaking your hand or clapping you on the shoulder."

"Please don't hurt me," Savorin Malfus the Seventh begged, his tone turning from impetuous to sniveling in the space of a second.

"I have no reason to do anything to you right now. And I know you won't do anything to change that fact, now won't you?"

"Yes! Yes!" Savorin's head bobbed in agreement so fast that Brycis thought the man might give himself whiplash.

"Then enjoy the party," Mako advised him. After he left, she asked her husband, "When did you learn those pressure points?"

"I don't even think it's possible to do what I said, but let's keep that between you and me," he replied with a smile.

On the opposite side of the room, Corbin meandered around, snacking on a delicious pastry filled with some kind of meat. As he looked around at the people, he noticed a brunette girl about his age standing by herself. With nothing else to do, he walked up to her.

"Su-alutations," he said, barely catching himself from greeting her in Mando'a. "How are you this evening?"

"Uhh… good." she answered a bit distractedly, turning to face him.

"The name's Curin. Curin Girard," he introduced himself, giving a small bow.

"Jaesa Wilsaam," the girl replied.