Well you voted for it and winning by a complete landslide. Idea 2 it is :)
Black sun ship
Leia, R2 and Proxy sat in the cockpit of The Rouge Shadow waiting for Ezra to appear, they had no idea where he was and Leia was starting to worry. And apart from a handful of prisoners running across the hanger the ship was empty. Hondo said his goodbyes after he left the hanger and took one of the ships that the black sun captured over the years along with a handful of other slaves. Leia looked out the windows and looked up at the roof of the hanger and saw the two turrets that would wreck this but thankfully they were among the many things that R2 disabled when he was in the control room.
R2 was plugged into the Shadow using its technology to hack into the cruiser's cameras trying to find Ezra with no look so far "do not worry Leia" Proxy said standing behind her "I assure you my master can handle anything that comes is way" he said reassuringly which did bring a smile on her face.
Beep Beep Beep Beep R2 said suddenly.
"I found him"
Leia quickly spun around and looked right at the droid with wide eye's "well? Where is he" she asked franticly.
R2 to twisted the hack tool that was in the ship and something started to play on the holotable that rested in-between the pilots and co-pilot chairs. Leia's eye's widened as she saw Ezra hold some woman close to his chest "R2, what's happening?" Leia asked.
R2 twisted the hack tool and sound started to appear from the holo, from a camera that looked like it rested in the top corner of a cell. Like the one she was in before "it's me mum. It's Ezra"
"Ezra?" Leia heard her say and her eyes started to water. This was heart breaking.
"your Ezra"
"my beautiful boy"
Leia raised her hand over her mouth as she sat down unable to not cry at what was happening. The last time she saw Ezra, he just found out that her parents where dead. Some imperial dog must have sold them to slavers for a quick profit, disgusting. Leia was crying to herself as she watched what she knew was going to be a son and mothers final goodbye.
"I love you to mum. You can get some rest now mum. I love you" she heard Ezra say and she knew what happened when his mum's head fell back but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw next. Leia's jaw dropped as she saw Ezra literary crush the life out of someone without mercy or remorse and run after the rest. Leia was unable to speak for the next couple of minutes as she processed what just happened. Sure, she's seen Ezra kill before but that was something else entirely. The way he killed that man, it wasn't self-defense, it wasn't to protect someone else. It was... rage.
Leia was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of one of the large hanger doors opening and one man crawl away from Ezra who was walking towards him with a single saber ignited, the other rested on his belt. Leia's eyes widened as she saw the bloody and beaten man trying to get away from Ezra put his legs where bleeding badly and he was unable to use them. Leia knew what he was going to do and she needed to believe that he could show mercy. She got up and ran out the ship to get to him before it is too late.
"please..." The man begged as he turned on his back to look right into the yellow eyes of Ezra "I promise I had nothing to do with what happened to that slave" he said.
"but you didn't stop what the others did. DID YOU" Ezra yelled as picked the man up with the force and started to choke him.
"Ezra!" Leia yelled as she ran past the floating man and walked right up to Ezra and looked right into his yellow eye's "stop, this isn't you" Leia says as she rests her hand on Ezra's chest.
"you don't know me" Ezra growled at her as he continued to choke him.
"yeah, your right" Leia accepted "a lot of stuff as happened to you in the past two years but I know right now, you're doing this because your angry but Ezra, look at me" Leia said as she placed her hand on Ezra's cheek and turning his head to look right at her "but you can't create a rebellion if you can't show mercy because a rebellion needs to be better than what they plan to overthrow otherwise there's no point. Please, prove to me and yourself that you can be strong enough to rise above what the empire would do right now because this is it, this is exactly what they empire would do. Please just let it go" she asked as Ezra looked back and forth between her and the man he was ready to kill.
Ezra looked back at Leia and let out a sigh as his eyes turned back to their normal blue. Instead of choking him he threw him back through the door and into the sirens of the ship. Leia let out relived breath as she looked back at Ezra and remembered what just happened to him only minutes prior "I'm so sorry" she said as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest.
Ezra let out a long breath as he copied her and wrapped his arms around her while looking back through the door and seeing the guard limp away from them.
On the Rogue shadow R2 had finished just finished downloading the footage from Ezra's mothers cell and using the ships transmitter to send it to Bail Organa's ship.
One hour later
Ezra sat lying on his bed in The Rouge Shadow as he tried to process everything that just happened. He found his mother, she was one of the few things that he remembered about his past but what worried him is that ever since he started on this mission he started to get flashes of people that he doesn't recognize but at the same time they felt familiar. Like he cared very deeply for them but he didn't know why.
He closed his eyes and started to picture it. A Jedi with green eyes and a blue Lightsaber that split in two. A green Twi'lek that he has never met but he just knew that she was loving and kind. A Lasat that was merciless yet kind but he didn't know why he knew that, everyone says that the Lasat are extinct but he knew that, that wasn't true and he had no reason to think that. And someone that had the strongest memory that brings up the most powerful emotions. A Mandalorian with blue hair and green on the edges. She had brown eyes and carried two blasters, with mainly pink armor. He didn't know why but everywhere he pictured her, his heart began to beat faster.
He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of his cabin door opening. Ezra looked up and saw Leia with a sad smile on her face "hey" she said as she leaned on the side of the doorway with her arms crossed.
Ezra sat up and sat on the edge of his bed "hi" he said returning the same sad smile "are you ok?" He asked.
"I should be asking you that?" She said walking over to him.
"you don't need to worry about me" Ezra said plainly as Leia sat next to him "it's my job to worry about you" he said as he placed his hand on top of hers.
"sorry Ezra but I can't turn off my caring nature" she said as cupped his cheek "I have to admit, for a moment there I didn't think you would let the man go"
"for a moment neither did I but thank you, for calming me down" Ezra said as he looked back into her eyes and tilted his head to rest it in her hand.
"well we all have are moments of darkness where are rage stops us from thinking clearly. Is there anything else I can do to help?" she asked. Without waiting a second Ezra crashed his lips onto hers. After the first second it took for Leia to get over the shock of what Ezra did she happily returned the kiss. Ezra's hands moved down her sides and Leia let out a Yelp of pleasure as Ezra planted his hands on Leia's butt and lifted her up of the edge of the bed. Leia wrapped her legs around Ezra's waist as he walked over to the pillows. Ezra planted Leia firmly on the bed and ripped his shirt off. Leia happily doing the same with her own clothes.
The Ghost
The crew of the ghost and there two guests sat in the cockpit of the ghost awaiting their arrival to Mandalore. Hera announced that they would arrive within the next ten minutes and wanted everyone to be there, next to the com incase anyone, Mandalorians or imperials alike where to become hostile towards them. Ketsu incase Mandalorians, Fenn for imperials "so what is the plan when we get there?" Zeb asked sitting in his usual spot.
"We're going to the center of attention on Mandalore" Kanan said turning his seat to face everyone else "according to Bail, Leia's mission was to potentially get the Mandalorians aid in case a large scale rebellion was created. If Ezra is with Leia then the most likely scenario is that..."
"is that Ezra and Leia are going to try to do the exact same thing" Hera said finishing Kanan's sentence for him.
"wait but Ezra can't do that" Sabine informed the crew "if this Maul guy is in charge then he and only he can allow a alliance with anyone and according to Kanan he doesn't seem like that kind of a guy"
"she's right" Ketsu said "from what I've seen Mauls not likely to allie with anyone, so the only way he could get Mandalores help..."
"would be to win the darksaber in a trial by combat" Fenn said "but a trail could not be allowed while a war rages on the homeworld of Mandalore. Ezra would have to stop the imperial attack to even be allowed a chance against Maul"
"and even then" Kestu continued "he has to beat Maul. I saw Maul cut down some of Mandalore's strongest fighters within seconds of the dual starting"
"after everything we've seen Ezra do, he should be strong enough to beat him and he has the force. Just Like Maul, there should be no unfair advantages" Kanan said trying his best to give the crew some comfort.
"so where is the center of attention on Mandalore?" Zeb asked.
"Mandalore's capital city Keldabe" Hera informed "From what Bail and Sato could tell us, the most Mandalorian activity is there so we assume that's where Maul is" she finished.
"but once we get there how exactly are we going to find this Ezra. Keldabe's a brity big place" Fenn said.
"we find Maul. Once we do we will find Ezra and Leia eventually" Kanan finished as the ghost left hyperspace looking right at Mandalore.
"oh my stars" Hera said as they looked at Mandalore and saw a fleet of star destroyers above the planet, which by itself looked like half of it was on fire.
"it wasn't this bad when I left" Ketsu said breathlessly as her hand went over her mouth.
"how can the rest of the Galaxy not know about this" Sabine asked as her eye's began to water at the sight of her homeworld.
"the empire must be covering it up until they have control" Zeb said as the com started to beep.
"someone's hailing us" Hera said as she answered the com.
"ibic cuyir Bo Katan be Kyr'am Ner juha kak" (this is Bo Katan of Death Watch identify yourself) someone said but they could tell from the language that it was someone on Mandalore which was the better of the two. But annoyingly only Sabine, Ketsu and Fenn new what they were saying.
"yeah I better respond. I'm the one likely to draw the least amount of danger" Kestu said as the ghost crew shot her a glance of confusion "I'm the only Mandalorian who isn't a known imperial or traitor" she said pointing to Sabine and Fenn. That did make sense but what stuck out for Kanan was that she pointed at Sabine and said traitor. This was the piece of information about Sabine's past, she's never spoken about it before.
Hera nodded and gestured at the com. Ketsu stepped forward and pressed her hand on the com button "ibic cuyir Ketsu be dusr Nadutr halyr sarsalr at rusur o'r" (this is Ketsu of house Wren requesting permission to land in Keldabe air space)she said sounding official and professional.
The crew waited eagerly and nervously for a response, if this failed then there job was going to be a lot harder with both parties looking for them instead one "motir teg. gar kapr srugana ti gar rusur aya'na halyr tec rusur" (understood. You may proceed with your landing expect inspection upon landing)the voice said and Sabine, Fenn and Kestu both breathed a sigh of relief.
"where good to land" Kestu said giving confirmation to for Hera, Kanan and Zeb to let out a held in breath they didn't even know they had and Hear headed straight for Keldabe and eagerly waiting to seeing Ezra again.
"wait, where getting another message" Hera said as a holo of Bail Organa appeared "senator, this signal could be easily traced this close to star destroyers. What could be so important?" Hera asked as she noticed the saddened expression on his face "what's wrong?" She asked.
"I just received a message from my daughter's astromech R2 and I believe it's something you need to see" Bail said as he let out a heavy breath "after seeing this I admit I may have judged Ezra to hestily" he said as the holo changed from Bail to the recording of Ezra holding a woman in his arms.
"what is this?" Sabine asked as she leaned in to get a better look.
"it's me mum. It's Ezra" they all heard Ezra say.
"what" Hera said quietly as she saw what was taking place "Kanan I thought you said that you and Ezra found out his parents were dead"
"we did" he simply said.
"Ezra" Ezra's mum said as they saw her cup Ezra's cheek. This was just breaking Sabine, like she just wanted to find Ezra and hold onto him. To make him feel better as well as her.
"your Ezra" even Kestu and Fenn found this hard to watch, the first thing they did was study her wounds. She lost to much blood, they knew she wasn't going to last much longer.
"my beautiful boy" Hera's eye's started to water at what she was hearing. She loved Ezra like her own son and seeing him say goodbye to his actual mother he didn't deserve to have this type of pain in his life, he didn't deserve any of this she thought to herself as a tear came down her cheek.
The whole crew was watching what Ezra has just been through none of them handling it well. Hera and Sabine where in tears with even Kestu's eye's starting to water by the time the recording was coming to an end "this is what I felt before" Kanan said coming to a realization "that's why Ezra was in pain" he finished as the crew saw a guard approach Ezra.
The crew expected for Ezra to kill the guard that came up behind him but they could never have expected what he did next. Their eye's all widened and their jaws dropped as they saw the darker side of what Ezra had become "oh god" Hera choked as she closed her and looked away unable to handle the sight of Ezra crushing a man into the size of a fist.
"we need to find him before he drifts to far away" Kanan said, he didn't see what everyone else saw but he heard it just fine and by the sound of it. Ezra did something terrible.
Sabine looked out the front window and saw Keldabe as they descended through the clouds. It was a lot to take in at first, it looked like a war zone. Fires and explosions everywhere a crashed star destroyer on the ground in the distance and two more in the sky above the city "this is not going to be fun" Sabine to herself but loud enough for everyone else to hear.
Kanan's head quickly turned to the right of the window looking out over the city "what is it?" Hera asked as they approached the landing platform.
"it's Ezra" Kanan said as he felt Ezra getting closer through the force "he's here"
The Rogue Shadow
Ezra's body shifted as it laid on his bed, surprisingly Ezra felt much better than he did a couple of hours ago. Which he had to admit is completely because of Leia, speaking of. He opened his eye's and looked down to the source of pressure on his chest, he smiled as he looked down and saw the sleepy head of Leia as she rested peacefully practically wrapped around him. Ezra was more than comfortable with the idea of staying in this exact position forever but he knew that wouldn't happen. Though that doesn't mean that he can't stay here until she wakes up at least and that might be a couple of hours but he wasn't that lucky "master, we are going up on Mandalore" he heard Proxy say on the intercom.
Ezra groaned as he heard the message from his friend "ok, I'm coming Proxy" Ezra said as he slowly slid himself out from under Leia and gently placed her back down on the bed. Ezra stood up and put on a pair of pants but leaving his exposed upper body as it was, they weren't landing just yet he didn't have a reason to get fully dressed. He looked back a Leia and smiled before he walked closer to her and pulled up the covers over her back and kissed the top of her head tenderly.
Ezra left his room and started towards the cock-pit. He entered to the sight of Proxy in the co-pilot chair and R2 behind him "ok guys how we doing?" He asked as he sat in the pilots chair.
Beep, Beep, Beep R2 said
"where is princess Leia?"
"she still sleeping" Ezra simply said as he looked out the window "how long until we arrive?" He asked but before Proxy could answer the ship left hyperspace right in front of a fleet of star destroyers "Proxy, activate the cloaking system" Ezra as fast as he could as he starred the ship away from the destroyer.
"yes master" Proxy said as he did as instructed and in the nick of time too.
"Proxy, what fleet is this" Ezra asked as he looked down to the planet of Mandalore.
"that is the seventh fleet, which is under the command of..."
"Grand Admiral Thrawn" Leia said as she entered the cock-pit.
"you know him?" Ezra asked curiosity.
"I've met him once or twice. And as much as I hate to say it, he brilliant at what he does" she said as she walked behind Ezra's chair and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek in the process "Hi" she said with a smile.
"hey" he said as he turned his head and kissed her again on the lips "actually, it's a good thing Thrawn's here"
"oh, and why is that?" She asked.
"well I had my own run in with him a while back. Back when I er... well didn't know what to do with myself and let's just say he owes me a favor" Ezra lied. He didn't owe Thrawn anything but it was an easy thing to come up with and might be convenient if he needs his help in case things don't go so easily down on the planet.
"so what's the plan?" she asked as she stood next to him.
"well, if we need the Mandalorians to join are rebellion. Then we need to find the one in charge and get there help, whoever they are" Ezra said as they entered the planet's atmosphere.
"Maul" Leia simply said.
Ezra and Proxy both turned to look at her, Ezra with a shocked expression and even though it is hard to tell Proxy had one too "Maul, as in the red guy with the lightsaber" Ezra said and Leia shortly nodded.
"you know him?" She asked with a confused face.
"yeah I had a run in with him a while back I don't really remember it but Proxy made me very familiar with him during my training" Ezra said as the ship dropped down through the clouds "well, it seems both sides have been busy" Ezra said as they saw the wreckage of Keldabe "ok, if you were looking for Mauls help then you must know where he is" he said looking at Leia "where we heading" he finished but Ezra quickly turned his head looking right out of the window and into the distance.
"what?" Leia asked.
"nothing, I just felt something... familiar" Ezra said struggling to find the right word "anyway, we need a contingency in place incase Maul doesn't want to join. After everything we've been through, where not leaving without Mandalorian aid. Leia you were coming here so you must know how it works here"
"well" Leia said as she stroked her chin "by Mandalorian custom, if you can beat Maul in a trial by combat then you can take the legendary Darksaber as your own and you can rule all of Mandalore, no one can oppose your rule unless they beat you in a trial by combat" she finished.
"well that's good to know" Ezra said as he saw a small landing platform that was unguarded.
"but, you can't challenge him while the planet is under siege" Leia said as Ezra turned to look at her.
"then it looks like I'm going to have to call in that favor" Ezra said as he and Proxy stood up "Proxy, contact Thrawn" Ezra ordered.
"yes master" Proxy said as he walked into the center of the cockpit.
"hey Leia" Ezra said as he gently grabbed Leia's arm and moved her to the side of the room "whatever happens. Whatever I say, just with it" Ezra said as he looked into Leia's eye's.
"ok" she simply said as Ezra leaned in a gave her a quick kiss.
"master, he's here" Proxy said. Ezra stepped forward and a holographic image of Thrawn appeared around Proxy's body.
"Grand Admiral" Ezra said as he bowed his head respectfully.
"Starkiller" Thrawn said with just as much respect "to what do I owe this pleasure"
"I believe we can help each other in ending this siege quickly" Ezra said.
"you have my attention" Thrawn said.
"your familiar with Mandalore's current leader?" Ezra assumed and Thrawn nodded "I believe I can end his rule but to do so I require your help" he stated.
"well given the Mandalorians incredible resilience to are attack, that would be most useful. How would I be able to assist you?" He asked.
"well I assume you are familiar with Mandalorian customs regarding a trial by combat?" Ezra asked already knowing the answer considering how brilliant Thrawn is.
"ah, you seek to overthrow Maul but you cannot while my attack is in place" Thrawn said as he connected the dots of what Ezra was trying to do. He stopped for a moment and stroked his chin considering his options "very well Starkiller. You have not failed yet so I have no reason to doubt you, have your droid send me a signal and I will make it perfectly clear that my attack has stopped"
"thank you very much, Grand Admiral" Ezra said as he bowed his head respectfully yet again and Thrawn did the same as the hologram faded and Proxy was back to his usual self "ok guys, let go to work" Ezra finished as the ships ramp lowered.
The Ghost
The crew noticed as the landed that a squad of Mandalorians that appeared in front of the ship with their weapons drawn and had their armor painted red "home, sweet home" Sabine said as the ship came to a sudden stop on the landing pad "as welcoming as ever" she said to herself as Hera headed for the door, the rest of the crew following her.
Hera stepped out of the ramp first and was immediately met with the barrels of blasters from her Mandalorian hosts. Ketsu stepped out in front of her revealing herself. The men and woman all lowered their weapons and the rest of the crew stepped out behind her.
Sabine, Fenn and Ketsu immediately recognized Bo Katan. Former lieutenant to Pre vizsla but what Sabine was confused by was that she was here at all. The last time Maul was in charge she committed treason and tried to kill him are thing really that bad she thought to herself as Ketsu approached her.
"you must have a dam good reason for being here Kestu" Bo said menacingly "and why you brought outsiders here"
"I do" she said as Fenn stepped forward.
"we have reason to believe that the Jedi on Lothal is here" all the Mandalorians around them slightly lowered their blasters and looked at each other in shock. Even Bo's eyes widened at the news. Of course they saw the footage from Lothal, it was biggest display of power by a single person since...well ever. Nobody has ever seen anything like it and no one respects power more than the Mandalorians.
"take them to Mand'alor" she said as she stepped aside and the guards pushed the crew in the direction of the large tower in front of them.
"so I guess Mandalors heard of Ezra" Hera said to Kanan.
"I guess so" he said as they walked through the doors "I can sense him, he's close. Really close" he emphasized as they reached what looked like a large hall and Kanan could feel through the force presence of a familiar Sith.
"over here master Jedi. Just follow the sound of my voice" he heard Maul say from the other side of the room. Kanan couldn't help but scowl in anger and turned his hands into fists as he heard the mock insult.
Maul stood up and walked a few steps forward towards the ghost crew. Sabine looked around the room and saw all the leaders of every house in Mandalore, all together. But what made her heart stop was the sight of her mother and brother on the right side of the room. Hopefully they wouldn't recognize her as long as she kept her helmet on. Sabine quality and slowly stepped to the other side if the crew out of the line of sight of her family "to do I owe this visit. Do you plan to finish what you started master Jedi" Maul said looking at Kanan.
"as much as I would love to throw you down into a dark pit again" Kanan said back causing Maul's anger to spike at him "where here for another reason" he said.
"and what might that be?" Maul asked as he looked as the crew and noticed something strange about the one person of this crew that Maul would like to see "does it have something to do with my apprentice" Maul said as he turned around and walked back to his seat overlooking the hall.
"he's not your apprentice" Sabine spat at Maul as she took a strong step forward causing some guards to rise there weapons to her.
"it's very unwise for a Mandalorian to disrespect their leader like that girl" Maul said as he lifted his hand and pulled Sabine's helmet off her head and into his hand knocking Sabine to her knees in the process.
"Sabine" her mother gasped as she and her brother Tristan took their helmets off to make saw their eye's aren't playing tricks on them.
"mother" Sabine simply said as Hera helped her to her feet "Tristan" she said looking at her brother briefly before glancing back to Maul.
"it would appear we have a family reunion" Maul said rising to his feet "but that will have to wait until later" he finished as he dropped Sabines helmet to the ground "so tell me how is my apprentice" Maul said as he started to circle the crew.
"Like she said Maul, he's not your apprentice" Kanan said but then sighed "and he's not mine either. But he is coming here, one way or the other and when he does he will ask for your help. Not to teach him but to acquire your aid in building a rebellion" he finished as the Maul paused.
"bind them" he said out loud as he walked a few feet in front of the crew.
"wait, what" Hera said as the guards around the room started to close the distance between them.
"I have no interest in joining a rebellion" Maul said as the ghost crew where being but on their knees and there hands being bound behind their backs "there is only one thing I have an interest in, there is only one thing I desire. Bring me the girl" Maul said as he stood just above his throne and pulled his lightsaber from his belt. Tristan looked at what Maul was doing and took a step forward wanting to stop but was held back by his mother.
"Maul, what are you doing?" Hera spat as she struggled against the restraints but to no avel.
"giving you a choice" Maul said as Sabine was brought before Maul on her knees right in front of him "if you do not wish to see her severed head roll across the this Hall's floor, then you will tell me something master Jedi. Where is Obi Wan Kenobi?" Maul asked.
Kanan froze, he didn't even know Kenobi was alive let alone where he was "I don't know" Maul frowned as he activated one side of his saber "NO! I PROMISE I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS" Kanan yelled at Maul "I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS STILL ALIVE!" He yelled again.
"how disappointing" Maul said as he pointed his Saber at Sabine "then I no longer have a reason to keep this traitor alive, do I" Maul said as he looked over to Ursa and Tristan Wren "and she is a traitor, is she not?" He asked. Ursa and Tristan both looked at each other and closed their eye's looking to the ground. Sabine was heartbroken, they still didn't believe her "well then" Maul said as he raised his hands ready for the killing strike.
"NNNNNNOOOOOO" Hera yelled as she struggled as best she could to free herself from her binds but could do nothing.
"aaahhhh" was all that was heard from behind the ghost crew located by the door.
All eye's turned to the door, all looked in shock as the two guards on either side of it where lifted up into the air grasping their throats. The doors opened revealing the lone Jedi from Lothal with his right arm raised "Ezra" Sabine gasped with a smile on her face as Leia, Proxy and R2 all stepped into few.
Ezra took a few steps into the hall and waved his arm causing the two men in the to fly to opposite sides of the hall smashing into the wall as they hit, falling to the ground unconscious "ah, there he is" Maul said as he deactivated his saber and took a step towards Ezra "what brings you here my apprentice" Maul said.
"I am not you apprentice and I never will be. You will never convince me to betray my master" Ezra spat as he took a strong step forward causing everyone in the room, not just the guards but the clan leaders as well to aim their weapons at him. Ezra just waved his hand and all the blasters where pulled out of there grasps and fell onto the ground.
"I challenge you Maul!" Ezra practically yelled as he pointed at Maul "One warrior to another and only the strongest shall rule Mandalore" Ezra said. He overheard everything as he listened from the other side of the door. Including what Maul said about not joining his Rebellion.
"you cannot challenge him" Bo said strongly as she stood next to Maul "there can be no challenge while War rages on the homeworld"
"oh, of course" Ezra said playing dumb "how could I forget" Ezra said as he pulled out a small device from his belt and pushed a button on It.
There was a moment of silence for a moment before someone could be heard speaking "this is Grand Admiral Thrawn" everyone heard. Ezra looked to his right and out the window to see Thrawn's personal star destroyer flying above them "this is a message to the people of Mandalore, all of my force are going to be standing down for the next hour while a trial by combat is taking place to determine a new leader for your people. Please do not let me interfere with your customs, let the trail comense" the voice stopped and Ezra looked back to Maul.
"what say you?" Ezra asked Maul as all eye's of the hall turned to him.
"so be it" Maul said as he stood strong "move the prisoners" he ordered. The guards around the room walked up and picked the members of the ghost crew and pushed them to the right side of the hall.
Maul stood in the center of the hall and activated both sides of his sabers ready. Ezra was about to do the same "hey" he heard Leia say, he turned around to face her but was met with her hands on his collar. Leia pulled Ezra towards her crashing her lips on his in front of the entire hall. All the eye's widened at the sight. Kanan and Hera could barely believe it, Ezra and Leia. Zeb couldn't help but hold back a smirk at the sight. Fenn couldn't care less but he could see the look of jealousy in Kestu's eyes. Hera looked over her shoulder and saw Sabine, her eyes were watering at the sight. She couldn't believe it, she lost him to her she thought bitterly as she looked at Leia.
Leia quickly pulled back and smiled "kick his ass" she said. Ezra smirked as he looked back at Maul.
Ezra stepped forward and activated his sabers "are you ready my master" Ezra said mockingly.
"always" Maul said and in a fast movement he was inches away from Ezra. He quickly blocked the incoming attack and positioned himself in a Soresu defensive stance much like he did with the inquisitor before blocking an unexpected strong wave of attacks. Ezra even struggled to keep up with Maul and found it hard to block all of his attacks. But Ezra was able to figure out that he used Juyo, just like him. Maul indicated a blade lock with Ezra "ah, I see you are using Soresu to buy yourself time to understand how I fight. Very clever" Maul said as Ezra flipped backwards and started to go on the offensive towards Mauls. Testing his skills in defense, giving Maul quick sharp jabs tests Mauls speed trying to find a weakness he can exploited.
But Ezra did not expect for Maul to deliver a devastating kick to Ezra's stomach forcing him to stagger but lucky for him, he was fast enough to dodge Maul's quick slash but not fast enough to save his weapon as Maul's attack sliced the saber in his right hand. Ezra flipped backwards a couple of feet away from Maul and looked in his hand to see half of his Saber, he simply dropped it to the ground and put a smile on his face. He lost a weapon but he found Maul's weakness. Ezra and Maul started to circle each other walking around the sides of the hall. Ezra's eye's drifted to Maul's feet and moved his hand to his stomach pushing back the pain of at least a broken rib. But he realized that Maul's couldn't have hurt him that badly with a kick at that short of a distance, at least not naturally. Ezra closed his eye's as he walked and reached out with the force, and just listened as Maul walked opposite him. Ezra smiled as he heard a metallic click as his feet hit the ground.
That's his weakness, his legs. Ezra opened his eye's and put his Saber in his right hand. Maul stopped walking as he looked at Ezra up and down. He narrowed his eye's at him, he knew that Ezra had thought of something. Ezra quickly charged at Maul and Maul quickly blocked but Ezra slid himself under Mauls arm and lifted his unarmed hand to the back of Mauls legs and let out a wave of lighting.
Maul screamed in pain as he dropped to his knees, Maul blindly swinged backwards towards where he thought Ezra would be. Ezra saw the strike coming from a mile away and he flipped over the blind swing and sliced through Mauls saber as he flipped over Maul and landed in front of him. Leia and the Ghost crew couldn't help but smile at the move, now that Ezra had found Mauls weakness. He was winning.
Ezra gave Maul a force push to his chest and he flew through the hall and landed hitting the wall above his throne. All eye's of the court looked at Maul as fell to the ground "you have grown stronger apprentice" Maul said as he stood to face Ezra "yesss" Maul grinned as he walked forward to him "I can smell it on you, the dark side" Maul smiled as he pulled a hit from the back of his belt "so you did take my advice and embrace the darkness. Tell me. How does it feel?" Maul asked as Ezra charged at him again, and again, and again. Maul blocking his attacks and indicated a blade lock "we are more alike than you know" Maul tontited.
"I am nothing like you" Ezra said as both he and Maul pushed there spare hands towards each other letting out a massive force push at each other but neither of them moved both trying to overpower the other with the force. Maul and Ezra both began to show signs of strain in their faces as there hands began to shake and the floor below them began to crack under the weight of the force above it "aaaaaahhhhhh" both Ezra and Maul began to scream as their suddenly touched and both were flown to opposite ends of the room.
Maul on the floor and Ezra hitting the wall "are we not so alike?" Maul said as he picked himself up, looking over to Ezra as he fell off the wall and landed on his knees "both taken by Sith in a helpless state" Maul said as Ezra stood up to face him "both abandoned... by family" Maul said as he looked over to the tied up ghost crew. As much as Kanan and Hera wanted to object to what Maul was saying they couldn't. They didn't try to look for Ezra, not even to find his body. They just took Kanan's word for it that he was dead because he couldn't feel Ezra through the force anymore "and both turned into silent knives to kill quickly and efficiently" Maul finished as Ezra placed his hand onto the wall and glided himself a few feet down it into the middle of the wall as all the clan leaders on that side simply stepped to the other out of the way.
"yeah" Ezra said as he looked up to face Maul "you are right" Ezra admitted as a smile began to form on Maul's face "except for that last part" Ezra said as he stood up straight and strong in front of Maul "your master trained you to be a knife. Mine turned me into something else" he said as he waved his fingers and all the floors and walls around him began to shake "if you're a knife. Then I'm a grenade" Ezra finished as he jumped up into the air and pulled his arms and legs into his chest. For a brief moment Maul could see a force bubble around Ezra's body and as fast as Ezra pulled his arms in legs in he shot them outwards unleashing a massive wave of force energy.
Maul was blown backwards smashing into the far wall, everyone else in the room was pushed on their backs. Even the wall Ezra was pushed up against fell backwards leaving a giant hole in the wall of the hall. Maul's eye's opened and he saw the roof of the hall. He raised to his knees before he saw Ezra standing over him. Ezra stretched both his hands out backwards and reached out with the force, quickly Ezra's Lightsaber flew into his right hand and Maul's Darksaber flew into his left. Ezra frowned as he held both Sabers to either side of Mauls neck.
Leia, the ghost crew and all the eye's of the room where upon Ezra, they had never seen such power before "such... is the way... of the Sith" Maul said admitting defeat and closing his eye's readying himself for the end.
And in one single motion Ezra slid the blades over each in opposite directions across Mauls neck. Everyone's eye's widened as they saw Mauls head roll of his body and Ezra kicking Mauls lifeless body to the ground. Ezra closed his eyes and let out a clam breath, he looked to his left hand and he knew what it meant. Ezra lifted his left hand and pointed his hand upwards "I claim this sword, and my right for place as leader of Mandalore" Ezra said as he looked across the hall to all the terrified eyes of the clan leaders "Any objections?" He asked as he pointed his saber around the room.
One by one, all the clan leaders approached Ezra and kneeled before him. It was done, Ezra had his Mandalorian army.
Ok guys there you have it, I know this took longer than any other chapter but it is also the longest so I guess that evens it out. I would like to give a shout out to 'Omni-Creator Kami of Anime' for the suggestion on how Ezra gets the darksaber because one of his was destroyed and I wanted to give you all a big thank you for sticking with the story so far, anyway there is something I would like to point out.
The next chapter is not going to be a chapter in the story, I am going to be doing a Q&A. So this is how it going to work, you guys have the next 48 hours to ask as many questions as you can. As well as complements, criticisms and suggestions.
And I mean it as many as you want, I will answer and respond to all of them. So long as they are within the next 48 hours. I will have a section for each one of you that asks question that will contain my reply to what you have said. At the end of the Q&A I will give a quick tease for what I am planning for this story.
So 48 hours starting now.