Chapter 46 – Return to Mandalore
Sabine was not pleased, not pleased at all. As she piloted the Ghost, she went over her conversation with Hera and Kanan, fuming on the inside. Her planet was in danger and the two people she saw as parental figures were not there. Hera wouldn't explain why they wouldn't come. She could feel Ezra looking at her with those ever patient and understanding eyes, as he sat in the co-pilot's chair. She avoided his gaze though.
As the cockpit opened, another source of her worry and frustration entered – Tarre. This was the first time, she or anyone of the Ghost crew had seen him angry and seen him loose control. Needless to say, it was terrifying enough. He had still not answered her question completely, about who that sack of bantha dung was, and his answer 'That thing is an old wound', wasn't enough for her. She saw him gesturing her and Ezra to follow him to the common area. As she turned around and got up, she saw that Tarre's arm – his cybernetic arm, had suddenly caught on fire. Ezra must have noticed this as he quickly said, "Tarre your arm is on fire."
Tarre stopped, looked at his arm, focused and the flames subsided. He winced as he moved his neck. The two young adults noticed that as well and Ezra asked, "Tarre what happened to your neck?"
There was no reply, Tarre was ignoring their question. As they entered the common area, they saw Ahsoka, Zeb, Chopper, Balthazar and Satine Kryze waiting for them. The latter had returned from a diplomatic mission to Onderon. Chopper had informed her that the Ghost crew was going to Mandalore. As she had gotten aboard the Ghost, she asked about the full details of the mission and was filled in by Zeb.
Balthazar inserted a data disk in Chopper, who then activated it, showing a hologram of a giant similar to the one in the transmission.
"This is a frost giant. Over 20 feet in height, impervious to your blasters, flame throwers, explosives. They may be susceptible to lightsabres. They are also holding your people as prisoners. We will need to be extra cautious, when approaching them.", Balthazar said. Tarre then said something to him in sign language, which to the others dismay was not interpreted by Balthazar. Balthazar then groaned, "Are you crazy?"
"What? What did you say?", Satine asked.
"He wants me to get your people off planet, without using ships.", Balthazar said, he then looked at Tarre and said, "They can't exactly travel through hyperspace without ships."
Tarre grimaced and spoke, extremely slowly, with a very hoarse voice as if each word was causing him a lot of pain, "Balthazar I don't have time for your stupidity. Check your mould."
"Wow, you sound like a broken protocol droid.", Chopper beeped. He was then silenced by Zeb hitting on his dome and saying, "Shut it you rust bucket."
"Care to fill us in, Tarre.", Sabine said.
Tarre began signing and Balthazar said, "Oh right", with his hand on his mould. He then faced the others and said, "As we were leaving, Bor gave me ingredients for a long-range teleportation spell. Now, according to Tarre's plan, we will rescue your people, take them to that Temple-Outpost I was in and teleport them off planet from there. Meanwhile, Tarre will keep that thing busy and rescue your sister."
"There is one major flaw in that plan. We Mandalorians are proud, our people will not leave their home. You should know that.", Satine spoke, looking at Tarre.
"What good is pride, when everyone is dead. Convince them. They will return, once the planet is rid of those invaders.", Tarre spoke again, equally slowly and hoarsely. His speech impairment was raising many concerns amongst them.
Tarre then turned to Balthazar, signed something to him, to which Balthazar nodded. He then went to his and Thor's quarters onboard the Ghost to meditate.
"Alright, put anything and everything you consider as a weapon on the table.", Balthazar said breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Why?", they all asked.
"I am going to enchant them, provide an extra boost, so that it can hurt those frost giants. I will also enchant this ship to provide the same effects.", Balthazar answered. All of them then reluctantly placed their weapons – lightsabres, blasters, bo-rifle, vambraces, detonators and jetpacks. Chopper even extended his manipulators and stunner, and placed them on the table. Zeb and Ezra looked at the little murder droid with a look that said 'Really'.
Balthazar then raised his hand, but before he could do anything Ahsoka asked, "Balthazar, what exactly happened to Tarre's neck?"
This piqued everyone's interest, Balthazar looked uncomfortable with this question. He then sighed, "You wouldn't believe me.", avoiding their gaze.
"Try us.", Zeb said.
"Beheaded.", Balthazar said in a soft voice after a short while, looking at the shock on their faces and knowing why it was so horrifying. He then proceeded with enchanting their weapons and no one spoke another word.
"How? I… I don't understand?", Sabine asked after a while. Ahsoka's knees felt weak and she sat down on the seat, holding her head in her hands. Satine placed a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder and Balthazar looked up from his work.
"Tarre, Fenrir, Bruce and Bendu, the four most powerful of our generation engaged that monster Samhain while the rest of us fought his horde. He let them believe that they could defeat him, only to pull the ground from underneath them. With one single punch he knocked out Fenrir, Bruce and Bendu and one swing of his sword…", Balthazar's own voice cracked up, "If I hadn't seen it happen, I would not have believed it. Samhain then used Tarre against the rest of us."
With this Balthazar got back to his own work. Ahsoka who was still holding her head, was now silently crying, her grief and sadness sensed by Ezra, who himself was in shock like the others. This included Chopper, who was now regretting making that joke at Tarre's expense, knowing that unlike most of the crew, Tarre had always been good to him, like Hera, Ahsoka and Thor. All of this wasn't sensed by Tarre, who was so deep in his meditation, trying to find a mysterious friend.
As they were heading back to the med-bay onboard Home one, Hera was unable to get the look of shock and anger on Sabine's face out from her mind. She was sure that Kanan felt the same way, they were a family and she had chosen to stay instead of trying to help Sabine free her home.
Kanan looked at her and said, "I know this isn't easy, but Bor wouldn't ask for our help if he wasn't completely certain that it would a make a difference." By this time, they had entered the med-bay.
"Will it?", Hera asked in disbelief, "If he couldn't make a difference then, how can we?"
Bor turned around and asked, "Do you trust my judgement?", to both of them while standing in front of Fenrir's bed.
Kanan nodded and Hera sighed, "Yes."
Bor nodded and said, "I can help Fenrir once I am able to get inside his body… as a form of possession you could say."
"What? How can that help him?", Hera asked outraged at this idea.
"I would accelerate his healing from the inside. It would be a temporary possession. Looking from the outside, I can't determine what that foul creature did to Fenrir, just like I am unable to determine what exactly is wrong with Issho. But if I am able to possess him temporarily, I can determine the root cause and act accordingly.", Bor answered patiently, but ever so winced slightly.
"Are you sure about this? Your own wound – it's limiting your ability, isn't it?", Windu asked as he and the other two saw a little bit of blood leaking out of his side.
Bor placed a lowing hand on it to stop the bleeding, "The poison in the creature that bit me will take a few days to completely dissipate. It does limit my ability but not my mind."
Hera was still looking uncertain, but Kanan placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "What do we need to do?"
"I will insert the two of you into Fenrir's mind. You will have to find him… I will be able to guide you from the outside. Once you have found him, you must inform him of what is happening outside and tell him of my plan.", Bor said.
"Wait, why can't you do it yourself?", Hera asked.
"I am an archangel. I have to comply with God's rule – that an angel or archangel cannot forcefully enter or possess someone's mind, they must be willingly invited. The same rule applies for pagans, though it is not that stringent.", Bor answered, "At best I can influence some aspects of his thought, but it would not be of any benefit."
"I have another question – why us?", Kanan asked.
"In the short time that you have known each other, Fenrir has come to see you as family and you share the same feeling. It has formed a bond between each of you, a bond that can now help save his life.", Bor answered.
Hera and Kanan then looked at each other and nodded. Mace Windu then got up and asked Bor, "Will the same method help save her as well?"
Bor shook his head, "No. Hers is a different case. Possession will not do much for her, as I have already identified the root cause of her predicament. She needs to rest for well… a while atleast. If you would like, we can try the method of possession, but it wouldn't have the desired result that you want." Windu nodded slightly.
Bor then turned, "Be wary when you traverse his memories and thoughts. If at any point, you feel yourselves to be in danger or I sense that you are in danger, be assured that I will pull you out immediately." Hera and Kanan nodded at this. They then sat at Fenrir's side, Bor raised his hands and the two of them felt their eyes get heavy eventually falling asleep, resting their heads on the bed.