Mal'dar jumped out of the way of the blast from the junk droid. He sliced off its arm with the lightsaber. The arm hit the ground with a massive clang. The junk droid drew back its other arm and Mal'dar ran at it. He slid between its legs raising the lightsaber as he did, and slicing through the droid's midsection. The droid the ground and Bo-Katan looked at Mal'dar blankly, "Done playing with droids?"
"You have a mission?" he asked.
"I do, but you may not like it," she said.
"Anything is better than this place," he said stepping out of the arena and falling step in step with his cousin.
"We'll see," said Bo-Katan, "We have a diplomatic mission for you".
Mal'dar flinched, "A diplomatic mission?"
"That's what I said isn't it," said Katan tersely. "You know about the other Mandalorians?"
"The New Mandalorians?" asked Mal'dar a disgusted tone in his voice.
"No, we would never negotiate with those cowards," she snapped.
"Then who?" asked Mal'dar.
His cousin looked at him, "There are groups of Mandalorians, and different variations of Mandalorians throughout the galaxy, one calls themselves tribes".
"What's so special about them?" asked Mal'dar inspecting his equipment.
Bo-Katan shrugged, "Not much, they never take off their helmets, a lot of our troops even come from them. But some of our troops are going back to them".
Mal'dar looked up at her sharply and whispered, "We have men deserting?"
Bo-Katan looked around to make sure no one was listening before nodding, "Just three right now but it needs to be dealt with".
"You have a location?" asked Mal'dar.
"Lyvor," she said.
"Never heard of it," said Mal'dar.
"It's a colony planet, far outer rim," she said.
He nodded, "Ok, I'll be on my way".
"See if you can get more of them to join while your there," she said.
Mal'dar nodded and walked off when something touched his shoulder. He spun and it was Bo. "Something else?"
"Yeah," she said, "Your mom knows more about them than I do, and take a different ship we don't need them getting spooked".
Mal'dar nodded and walked towards the ships.
Mal'dar knocked on the door of his childhood home, and his mother opened the door. "Your back," she said a note of surprise in her voice.
"I need your help," said Mal'dar.
"You still work with Death Watch," Sarna stated and shut the door.
Mal'dar sighed and leaned up against the door, "Only to one day regain father's sword".
"Your father would rather you live free, and not as a slave to his killer," said Sarna through the door.
"Buir, please hear me out," said Mal'dar.
The door slid open and his mother stood in the doorway putting on her helmet.
"Where are we going?" asked Mal'dar.
"Away from here," said Sarna flatly.
"Why?" asked Mal'dar cocking his head slightly.
His mother stared at him, and Mal'dar squirmed uncomfortably under her gaze. "Because you are not allowed in my home as long as you serve Pre Vizsla".
Mal'dar flinched and opened his mouth to protest, then he looked at his mother and felt her gaze burning him through her helmet. "Very well," he said with a bow of his head and crushing weight on his shoulder which seeped into his heart.
Mother and son walked along the streets of Concord, each only paying heed to what the other had to say, and none to the city around them. "The Tribe are a strange people, your father and I talked them out of fighting in the civil war," said Sarna.
"I know they don't take off their helmets, anything else I should know?" asked Mal'dar.
"They take off their helmets to eat, and they can around their spouse. They will respect you since you are Mandalorian, but you are not one of them unless you take their oath, which you could do," said Sarna.
"Why me," asked Mal'dar.
"You are Mandalorian, they allow other Mandalorians to join them if they take the oath. They actually offered your father and I the chance to take the oath when we went there," said Sarna looking off into the distance.
"Buir, may I ask you something," said Mal'dar.
Sarna shook herself and looked at her son, "Yes of course".
"Why did you and father try to keep the Kyrze clan neutral during the civil war?" he asked a pleading note entering his voice.
Sarna looked up at the sky with a sigh, "Mandalore had gone to war before, even against itself before, but this was different. Your father knew that in order to survive we had to keep as many people neutral as possible. We managed to keep some of clan Kryze neutral but too many fought. Vizla thought that he lost because we kept some neutral but the Jedi won the war for Satine," she sighed, "Though I hope that brighter days are ahead".
Mal'dar took her hand, "Vor entye buir, may I take the ship?"
Sarna pulled her hands away and promptly threw them in the air, "You always want to take the ship" she looked at him sharply, "Fine, but do not dent it this time".
"I was fourteen!" exclaimed Mal'dar a grin emerging on his face.
Mal'dar activated the Purser-class Enforcement ship, which was named Abik Kyr'am, literally Sky Death though they had always called her Abam. Mal'dar removed his jetpack and set off to the side before taking to the skies. Abam streaked through the air with a pull of lever took off into hyperspace.
Mal'dar walked around the planet of Lyvor, it was certainly a colony planet. It was heavily forested and dotted with only the occasional tiny settlement. Mal'dar landed in one and all eyes followed him as he strode through the streets. He walked up to a shop keeper, an old woman, "Have you seen anyone that looks like me?"
She nodded while trembling.
"Where?" asked Mal'dar.
She stared at him, and blinked.
Mal'dar sighed and tossed her a few credits.
Her hand snatched them up and she pointed to a large, angular building. "There".
"Thank you," said Mal'dar as he strode towards the building. He pressed a button and the front door slid open. Several Mandalorians sat around a fire and were instantly on their feet, three of them wore Death Watch armor.
Those three pulled out blasters and aimed them at Mal'dar who instantly aimed his own at them. "Don't".
They stared at each other for several seconds, the other Mandalorians' hands hover over their blasters.
"Why are you here?" rang out a voice.
Mal'dar slowly moved his gaze from the deserters and to a woman who wore a golden helmet. "I am here to bring these three back to Death Watch".
"Where they would be killed by Pre Vizsla, no they are not going anywhere," said the woman.
"I wasn't asking," said Mal'dar and he activated the lightsaber.
All guns were instantly trained at him, and several of the Mandalorians exchanged scared glances.
"We have no quarrel with you," proclaimed the smith. "You may stay if you put away your weapons".
Mal'dar looked at all the Mandalorians, "I have orders, they deserted, they are cowards".
"They left because their own comrades were gunned down by the man who they called leader," proclaimed the smith.
Mal'dar kept his gaze on her, "And I will be if I return without them".
"Then it appears we have a problem," said the smith.