Chapter 9
7 BBY — Sundari
El-Nadan turned her head. They were seated in the back corner of a covered cafe, open to the street. Cassian purposefully moved what promised to be a tense meeting to a public, and more relaxed location. Plus, it was better for someone like his brother to be out in the open and acting normally. Recently the ISB had been tracking Warrior movement, but not yet actively following them.
Cassian shifted to look where she was staring and saw his brother walking up to them through the crowd. Mando in his weathered blue armor, walking purposefully and scanning the crowd, was causing people to stare. This plaza in the capital dome city of Sundari was on the lower levels, so it was not very busy, but there were virtually no Warriors in this part of the city, and the ones who were there mostly had their helmets off. Mando was attracting the wrong type of attention.
El sighed with her lower register voice, "He's never even told you his Clan, has he?"
Cassian frowned as he crossed his arms and unconsciously stroked his mustache, "He literally asked to call me 'brother' just two days ago. Before then it wouldn't have been appropriate."
El turned back to Cassian and narrowed her deep green eyes which set off her angular, face like jewels, "Well, this is about to get interesting."
Cassian lifted his brow. El obviously knew of his brother, or at least his Clan.
Din's scanner had found them in a corner slightly obscured from the plaza. Cassian was talking with a woman with long dark hair, she had turned away just as Din had started a facial scan. Cassian stood up as Din walked up next to them. Din's scan of Cassian was reassuring, he looked strong and was moving well.
"I trust your mission was successful," Cassian gave him a half smile and held out his forearm.
Din took Cassian's arm and nodded, and that was enough to cause El to raise her eyebrows.
"So you're the Vod who shot my young friend here — three times," El smile — but there was danger in her eyes.
Din finally turned to look at her, but still did not speak. She knew he was finally completing his facial scan that she had purposefully avoided as he walked up. Now she allowed him to check the records of Mandalore and find out pretty quickly that she was someone worth actually talking to, despite her Imperial Academy jacket, which she wore unzipped with disdain.
Cassian gestured toward El, "Brother, this is —"
"—Lady El-Nadan of Clan Eldar," Din said in a flat voice.
Cassian looked from one to the other, then back at Din, "You two — know each other?"
Din did not reply.
El laughed and shook her head and her cascading hair, "No, we've not met."
Then she leaned forward slightly and narrowed her eyes at Din's visor, "By the colorful armor and sigil, I can see you are Death Watch. Your carriage and rank betrays your general age — younger — so I can guess you are an up and coming member of Clan Viszla. Your height and size indicate you are not Paz, so I'm guessing you are one of the first five Foundlings. You are male so you're most likely the one who completed the Training early — and therefore — the presumptive heir of the Clan, as Paz will likely rule the House. That is — unless Gar Saxon makes good on his threat to usurp the House of Viszla."
She stood up and she was only about four inches shorter than the top of his helmet. Din squared his shoulders as she held him in an icy glare, "You are part of the problem." Then she turned back to Cassian, "He cannot help us — he is too close to the target."
Din turned back to Cassian and growled, "Why am I here?"
Cassian was still digesting and memorizing all of the information about his brother that he had never known before. Cassian had no idea whom he had befriended. And with this information Cassian also realized that his brother was actually far too close to the target — it was in his family.
"Lady El is the leader of the Citizen Resistance — and has some information about the phobium shipments. And she has learned the ISB is targeting a man who is a supporter of Bo-Katan. And he is — as Lady El has just informed us — your adopted father."
Din took a half step back. Then he looked sharply back at El and said menacingly, "Tell me what you know."
El scoffed, "Don't even try to intimidate me, Viszla, I've grown up with your kind of bullies my whole life!"
"We are soldiers! I work with your Uncle!" Din shot back.
"MANDOS!" Cassian put up his hands as they turned toward him, eyes still blazing. Cassian sighed, "Listen, I am not here to negotiate between the Warriors and the rest of Mandalorian society. We have a common goal here, to stop the removal of the Beskar and Phobium from your system and the Rebellion would like to keep your leaders alive — all of them. Mandalore needs BOTH of you. It's time to work together. Okay?"
Cassian ended with both hands out toward them, they both looked at him and then glared back at each other.
"I said, OKAY?" Cassian repeated.
El sat gracefully back down to show she was the more gracious of the two. Din looked back at Cassian, shook his head and sighed as he sat across from El. Then Cassian sat down between them.
"Alright then, it's not a peace treaty, but no blaster fire is good," Cassian nodded.
"Talk to Viszla about blasters — and fighters," El hissed.
"Why don't you — talk about the ISB's interest in my father," Din said through gritted teeth.
El frowned, "I'm sure your records in your helmet readout show, I'm a professor at the Academy. I teach engineering and design. Specifically energy engineering. Before the Empire showed up I was working on projects to harness the energy of the Mandalorian sun to expand our detoxification of the surface of Mandalore, and biological energy engineering from terraforming," El's eyes softened for the first time since Din had arrived, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the sadness in her eyes affected him more than he expected. He straightened his back and hardened his frown in response to that shared emotion.
"When the Empire arrived, I was reassigned, to teach energy systems on ships and in weapons arrays. Very practical knowledge for the young minds of Mandalore, wouldn't you say?" El rolled her eyes.
"I'm not a weapons designer, but I'm part of the module that teaches the students how to develop and power their own new weapons technology. And, of course, they are interested in weapons that can be built from our planet's resources — like Beskar and Phobium," El frowned.
"I get communications about what resources can be dedicated to the students, depending on what their designs require. The communications seem to be coming from a lower level ISB officer. He obviously has the menial tasks, hates his job, and is not quite as intelligent as most in the ISB," El lifted a brow.
"Two days ago I received a forwarded communication that was the end of a chain of messages. The end that I got included the date of delivery of a small amount of Phobium for my electrical engineering students. The beginning of that chain, however, included a conversation about Mandalorians who have been directly or indirectly responsible for disrupting the movement of the Phobium. And a plan to eliminate a leader to encourage them to cease their efforts — " El folded her hands in front of her face, and then whispered, "— General Sarin Viszla," she lifted her eyes up to pierce Din's visor.
Din could not take the intensity of her gaze and looked away. "When? And where?"
El laughed, "Hey, Hero Complex! It's not that simple! He's just a listed target. We need to get the General to help us to expose the Empire's plan and jar the public out of complacency to start a rebellion here on Mandalore!"
Din turned to look accusingly at Cassian, then back at El, "You want to get more civilians killed? Then go start a rebellion! You have no idea what war really looks like, My Lady!"
El stood up again, "You forget, I know you because I'm the same age as you. My father is dead from the Clone Wars, and you know my uncle because you trained with his daughter — who is now dead. And I'm glad they are both dead because if my father saw me working in an Imperial Academy so that I could survive and keep the children of this world safe, he would weep for this planet — and all of us still here."
Din felt her dig her claws into his still healing wounds, but he also keenly he felt her anger and pain because it was justified. He did not want to relate to her or care about her because of how broadly she blamed the Warriors — but he did understand her.
"Wait — " Din said before she could turn to leave.
She turned back to Din and he was silent for a few seconds, considering his words before he spoke again.
"The General wants to incite a rebellion on Mandalore as well. He and I have argued about it. I am completely against it. But I know that if you tell him of this plot against him, he will definitely want to help you."
Din looked up at El, "You called me part of the problem. But our society's conflict is the problem. And just because I'm a Warrior doesn't mean I want to start a war." Then Din shook his head, "I do want to help you, but how can you, or the General, or I, ever explain this to Ra-Velis?"
El's expression softened toward Din for the first time. She had to admit she had not thought she might have to face Sarin's wife. Her self-righteous fire for revolution suddenly dimmed. Din at least felt better about her character with that slight contrition.
This moment was the most uncomfortable Cassian had ever seen his Mandalorian friend — ever. If Sarin was his adopted father, then Ra-Velis was clearly his adopted mother. Cassian knew that only his new position as a brother of the Clan allowed him access to this information. His head was swimming with so much new information he could barely comprehend all of the dynamics of Mandalorian society that were demonstrated by these two.
"So Warriors do care about something more than wars?" El said gently.
Din looked up at her, "Strength, honor, loyalty to death."
El frowned, "You do realize that Creed is not just for the Warriors? It applies to all of Mandalore. We just interpret strength as mental and spiritual. Honor in our daily lives. Loyalty to all of Mandalore and what it stands for, and that is something that all Mandalorians would die for. The Warriors are not more noble than the rest of us."
Din stood up, "And the Warriors do not wear the armor to intimidate or bully Mandalorians. The armor is for our enemies to fear."
El nodded, "I know some in my family would agree."
Cassian stood with his lips turning up in a lopsided smile, "So, we have an accord?"
Din continued to stare at El-Nadan as he spoke to Cassian, "Bring her to Concordia in three days. That will give me time to clear their schedules. And keep it — quiet."
Din turned to Cassian, and Cassian nodded. Din took one more look at El, but she was looking at Cassian with wide and triumphant eyes, and then Din quickly turned to leave. He did not look back but said over his shoulder, "I believe you have a call to make, Cassian?"
Cassian, waved to El, and hurried along behind Din. However, he noted how his friend's shoulders twitched and his hands clenched as he walked. Lady El-Nadan had gotten to him in a way Cassian had not expected. And now he was worried.
"Hey, you okay?" Cassian struggled to keep up with Din.
"No," Din said roughly.
Din did not elaborate, so they said nothing more all the way back to the transport the Verd'ika had waiting for them. Cassian was about four strides behind Din, and Din stopped suddenly when he noticed Cassian struggling.
"Sorry, vod —" Din waited for Cassian to catch up and then walked beside him the last few steps.
Cassian boarded the transport, sat back and wiped sweat from his brow, then looked over at Din. "You gonna tell me what that was all about?" Cassian raised his brows.
Din looked back at Cassian for a moment before replying, "You familiar with her Clan at all?"
Cassian shrugged, "Only by name, and general historical terms."
Din nodded, "They are a Clan divided among the Warriors and civilians, like Clan Kryze, the Duchess versus Bo-Katan. Lady El's father championed the civilian side of the Clan and her uncle continued the Warrior tradition. As you have noticed there is — tension."
Cassian wobbled his head in confirmation.
Din paused again, "I knew Lady El's cousin, her uncle's daughter. We were in the Training together, and we served together. I was there the day she died."
Cassian suddenly sat up, "You were close?"
Din looked back at Cassian, but did not reply.
Cassian wiped his face, "Oh."
Din continued, "I can't choose a side here, I'll present the Mandalorian Resistance's position, but I'm going to argue both sides because if we do this — I don't believe my father will survive."
11 BBY — NEAR CONCORD DAWN SYSTEM
Din had recently been promoted to Alor`uus and was still under Paz's command. Din was honing his already impressive flying skills, and was conducting training drills in a Kom'rk-class fighter. At Ops was his favorite flight partner, another Alor`uus called Lady Alenna, of Clan Eldar.
"You know the record is coming up right? You'd better haul ass if you're going to have a chance at those bragging rights. And you also know that your brother never came even close to this record?"
Din laughed, "You think I'm doing this to show up my brother? This is your grand plan and bragging rights Alor`uus! I'm just the Nerfherder flying at your command! I'm doing this for you!"
She laughed back at him, "I know that in Clan Viszla there is nothing but competition! You don't fool me!"
Din swung the ship around the asteroid belt and then wove in and out of the oncoming debris.
"Heading point five-oh-eight is the next target!" Alenna called out.
"Confirmed," Din yelled out as he banked hard to pull the nose of the fighter up to the correct heading.
"You're burning fuel, pilot," Paz's voice came over the coms.
Din laughed because he knew Paz was right, "I'm just following commands, Sir!"
Alenna snorted behind him and called out, "Fourteen seconds...thirteen...twelve..."
There was a sudden chime that echoed in the cockpit as they passed the target and succeeded in setting a new record.
There was screaming in the cockpit, over the coms and celebration by all.
Alenna knocked Din's helmet and he laughed but tried to focus on keeping his controls in line.
"Well done, Alor`uus Eldar. Come back to the ship, Alor`uus Viszla," Paz said, his voice smiling over the coms.
"Copy that, Sir," Din laughed as he adjusted his engine output, and then realized that one engine was overheating.
Alenna had also just seen the gauge readout, "I'm picking up —"
"Got it," Din said quickly, flipping two switches for reduced fuel flow and adjusted the engine coolant.
"Pilot, you're off your heading, what's wrong?" Paz said, concerned.
"Sir, we burned out the temperature control, and now we have a warped —" suddenly the attitude control completely failed, Din had to pull up on the stick, and the coms went out as their radio and half the ancillary systems lost power when the circuits burned from the spiraling engine heat.
Alenna was working to keep the first engine in good order while Din struggled to balance the loss of the second engine.
"Reducing output! I'm gonna try to even out the power so you can regain control!" She called out.
"Copy!" Din yelled back. He barely managed to regain directional control in time to avoid another drifting planetoid, but then soon realized that he was caught in the planetoid's gravitational field.
"I'm gonna try to use the gravity of the planetoid!" Din said with clenched teeth.
"Make sure you succeed because I don't want to crash into it!" Alenna yelled, gripping her safety harness.
Din felt the sweat dripping down his neck and running down his nose, and realized a moment later that the gravitational pull was going to overpower the ship, which was at barely fifty percent output. They were not going to crash into it, but they were going to crash on it.
"Alenna —" Din said in a tone that she knew only too well.
"I know —" She replied, "Brace yourself!"
The ship bounced and spun across the surface of the rocky planetoid over a kilometer before finally coming to a stop on an embankment which halted the uncontrolled skid.
Alenna picked herself up off the floor, her left side ached where she hit the console, and her ankle was twisted but not broken.
"Alor`uus! Alor`uus! DIN! Wake up!" Alenna said but Din was still senseless in a heap on the floor. His harness had also broken but only on one side so he had flipped out of his chair and slammed into the bulkhead.
Alenna tried to check the external damage sensors on her console to make sure they had atmospheric control, but the systems were still powerless. She stood up and realized her ankle was not going to support her full weight, so she hopped over to the med locker. She opened the door and swore loudly. Because they were in a training ship, there were only two oxygen support packs, but one had been crushed in the crash.
She grabbed the MedScanner and the one working oxygen support pack.
Din was moaning as she scanned him, he had a broken right collar bone and broken right arm where he tried to catch himself after his harness failed. He was also concussed, and not making any sense yet, except for moans when she tried to move him. He was twice her size so she only turned him onto his back.
She magneclamped the oxygen support to his chest plate, and then set the collar around his neck and clamped that to his helmet. She knew this was the opposite of the protocol to protect your air first, but she could not leave him without support while she investigated the ship. So far she detected no change in the air quality, so she set about restoring power so they would not freeze to death, and so she could get a message to the command ship.
Alenna switched on her helmet light and moved into the hold where the main panel was and found that the hold was pressurized but the panel was sparking and she removed the bulkhead to reveal the main wires were also compromised just to the left of the panel. They were going to have to wait for a rescue.
Alenna started to feel the ache in her left side that she had been ignoring was now getting progressively worse, and she realized she had assumed the ankle was her worst injury and did not scan herself. She limped back into the command deck and went back to check on Din and retrieve the scanner.
"You with me yet, Din? Can you hear me?" Alenna asked as she reached for the scanner, but then cried out as she stretched to grab it because the growing pain had suddenly worsened to a stabbing pain, and she almost vomited.
Din moaned but did not respond.
Alenna scanned herself — and then almost dropped the scanner. Her breathing quickened and she reached for the MedKit and dug around to find the medic's data pad manual, and looked up the words on the scanner, then she lowered the data pad.
Alenna unclasped her chest plate and then cut open her flight suit and could see with the flashlight that she had a massive bruise over her left torso from the impact with the console. The scanner was telling her she had a significant intra-abdominal bleed from a ruptured spleen.
"Din — DIN — buddy — you gotta wake up for me. We've got a situation here," Alenna picked up the scanner and scanned Din again to make sure he was going to last a few hours at least, and the same results came up, concussion, broken bones, mild systemic shock, but stable.
"Alenna — Alenna," Din was starting to come to his senses.
"Din — you have to listen to me, I'm hurt and we don't have a way to contact the ship. Our ship is intact, but we have no power, so it's going to get freezing cold here soon. I'm going to get the portable heater, and blankets for us."
Alenna now found even using her core to stand caused her to cry out in pain, and the pain was moving beyond her left side and now was down in her pelvis as the bleed increased. It took every ounce of her strength to pull the heater out of the locker and drag it to the command deck, the blankets were light field blankets and were not as heavy but every movement was now painful. When she returned for the last time with the blankets and survival packs, she got so dizzy she fell down, and the pain in her abdomen was so intense she almost vomited again.
Alenna leaned back against the bulkhead and tried to catch her breath and clear the stars from her vision. The heater was starting to warm up the compartment and that helped a little, but she was now fighting a coldness that seemed to be in her core.
"Din — you there, man?" She said weakly.
Din mumbled, "Alenna — you — ok?"
Tears leaked out of her eyes, "No, I'm not okay, Din."
Din turned his head and grunted when his clavicle and arm complained, "Umph — oh — arm, shoulder! And my head. Alenna — where you hurt?"
"I have internal bleeding, Din. It's bad. I can't fix it," Alenna could hear her voice getting weaker.
Din took a few moments to process what she was saying, "Wha — what? You're bleeding —?"
"Internally, Din, I need an internal cauterizer and a vascular specialist. We are dark and can't call for help. I'm going to bleed out before the ship finds us," more tears fell as she explained to Din's concussed mind what was going to happen.
Din forced himself to sit up and screamed out in pain, but folded his arm across his abdomen so he could support it enough to turn and face Alenna.
"Al — Alenna — what are you — ?"
"Din, listen to me — you are a giant pain in the ass, but you are talented beyond reckoning, and you have to listen to me very carefully: this was not your fault," Alenna shook her head.
Din stared at her, and suddenly he realized she was saying goodbye. "No — NO — Alenna, wait —"
"DIN — this was NOT your fault!" Alenna cried.
Din slid himself along the floor closer to her, and then turned on his helmet light so he could see her better, "Alenna — you're going to be fine — Paz will be here soon!"
Alenna shook her head and found that the dizziness was getting worse.
"Paz barely had a heading on us before we lost contact and then you tried to slingshot us. He has no idea where we are in the asteroid field, and he's in a ship too big to come search for us. They will have to form a rescue party of small ships with limited scanners — it will take hours. You have rations, you have a heater that will last a month. You'll be — fine," Alenna sobbed.
Din reached out with his good arm and put a hand on her shoulder, and then leaned forward to touch his helmet to hers.
"Alenna — Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum," Din whispered.
"I know, Din. I love you too. I hated you for years, but I have really grown to respect you, and you have grown up a lot since the Training. You've been an amazing flight partner — and a better friend than I could have asked for — or ever knew that I needed! And I could have done this for the rest of — my life," Alenna faded slightly, and Din grabbed her shoulder as she slid away from him.
"Alenna!" Din cried, he put his arm around her shoulders and supported her head so she could see him.
"It's okay — Din — this was NOT your fault. It was an accident. Clan Eldar will see the reports and they — will understand," Alenna said weakly.
"Please — not like this — not for nothing," Din wept, clinging to her.
Alenna laughed quietly, "Din — I had a great time, and I'll look out for you from the universe, I promise," Alenna whispered, and then she slumped back and lost consciousness.
"Alenna! Alenna!" Din hugged her to him and then realized the MedScanner was next to her and he laid her against his chest and scanned her again.
The scanner confirmed everything she had told him, and it showed him that her cardiac output was minimal because the majority of her blood volume was now in her abdomen, and she was still bleeding internally.
Din dropped the MedScanner. He let his tears flow even though they were pooling at the bottom of the oxygen skirt that was keeping the oxygen flow in his helmet consistent. He turned on his helmet vitals scanner, and the sound of Alenna's heart beat in his helmet lulled him as it slowed. He laid back against the bulkhead and laid Alenna onto his chest and held her with his good arm.
Finally, after about ten more minutes, her heart stopped. And Din cried alone, in the dark.
Concordia
Jirlia walked up behind Din in the family compound on Concordia. She paused, what she had planned to say seemed so trite.
Din turned around to see that she had grown almost two feet, and now stood six inches taller than him.
"Hi Jirl'ika. I see that Buir was right, the 'ika is really no longer accurate," Din said sadly.
"Din — I'm so sorry. Ra said that you —"
Din shook his head, "Stop," Din whispered.
Jirlia hesitated, "Just because you were not partners, doesn't mean that your feelings mean nothing, Din."
Din did not respond.
"Paz says he is leaving the fighters, and going to serve with Bo-Katan's Protectors?" Jirlia said.
Din nodded but said nothing. Paz felt responsible as well, and he would not hear Din's protests. Paz also told Din he needed to let go of controlling Din's fate. Din could not refute that assertion.
Din started to turn away from Jirlia, so she reached out and took one of Din's hands and held it between hers, "Paz is not deserting you, he's trying to let you go."
Din nodded, "I know, vod."
"How long are you home?" Jirlia said quietly.
"Until Ra sees that I'm fit to return to duty," Din said flatly.
Jirlia sighed, "Din you're more like Ra than you realize. Paz is more like Sarin, of course, but you — it's like you're Ra's exact copy. So do yourself a favor, spend some time with her."
Din could not believe that he had never thought of it before. He did worship Sarin, like everyone else, and tried to emulate his every move, but Ra was the one he went to when he needed to talk, and to learn anything about himself. Din really liked the idea that he could be a leader like Ra.
Din resolved in that moment to aid Ra-Velis, that would be his new mission.
Din nodded to Jirlia, "I will, vod."
7 BBY — Concordia
The Verd'ika set down the ship at the base and Cassian pulled his weapon out of the locker and checked it before holstering it.
"Wow, wait, why are you bringing a weapon?" El put her hands up.
Cassian looked back at her and zipped up his jacket, "Because when a Warrior checks you for weapons, it's rude not to have one to give up."
El could not suppress a small grin, but her brows came down again, "Cassian, what are you worried about?"
Cassian avoided her eyes for a moment, then looked back at her with raised brows, "Just do me a favor, don't antagonize his father — or his mother, okay?"
El's brows came even closer together, "Really?"
Cassian nodded, "And while you're at it, be nice to him too."
El was now frowning. "Cassian, I'm not —"
Cassian put up a hand, "I know, that's why I'm asking you — please — be kind."
El opened her mouth again, but decided it was best not to finish her thought. She zipped up her jacket against the cold and followed Cassian outside.
Din was there to meet them. The base was very utilitarian, but Cassian could not help but notice that because the Concordians had been there for so long that there was a familiar element of Mandalorian architecture.
Cassian gave his brother a quick salute, and then handed his blaster to the base Verd'ika. El-Nadan was recognized as a citizen, and assumed to not be carrying a weapon.
Din nodded to the Verd'ika who saluted and left to go catalog and store Cassian's blaster. Din then turned to walk ahead of Cassian and El.
"Are they amenable to hearing out our plan?" Cassian said tensely.
Din nodded but did not speak.
"Are YOU going to hear out our plan?" El said with a slight edge.
Cassian shot her a livid, wide-eyed look and Din continued walking. Cassian made an angry gesture of his arms toward her and mouthed, Apologize to him!
El rolled her eyes and opened her mouth for a few seconds before she mumbled, "Sorry, it's just been a tense couple of days at the Academy. There are a lot of people waiting to hear about the outcome of this meeting at the Mandalorian Resistance."
Din sighed and spoke for the first time, "I know." Then he stopped and turned to look back at El and she looked at him with wide, surprised eyes.
"I've seen the reports of how they are brainwashing the youth. And I understand why you are so desperate to make this the answer to all of the problems. I really do. Just — promise me that you will consider all of the consequences of going down this road. Please."
El blinked, and then took a step towards Din, but thought better of reaching out to touch him. "Listen, I have. I definitely have, and don't think that we are planning to leave you or your parents to fight this battle alone. I'm going to see this through, to the end."
Din stared at her studying her resolve. Then he gave her one nod, "Just make sure you make it to the end."
El's brows came together, but before she could respond he turned away and started walking, "Stop," Din stopped but did not turn around. "Please, don't do this just for me. Don't ask your family to put themselves in harm's way for the memory of my cousin."
Din froze in place, and Cassian stopped breathing. Din turned only his head back toward her, "Trust me, their only concern is what they feel is best for Mandalore."
Then Din continued walking at a slightly faster pace so that El and Cassian had to almost jog to keep up. Cassian spent the rest of the walk staring straight ahead at his friend, watching for any sign of his mental state.
Din led them to a large stone building, stark and cold, but with large rooms, and large murals depicting the ancient days of Mandalorian victories. They turned into a large dining hall with a long table with another of the large murals, and a recurring character holding a long black sword.
Seated at the end of the table was a large male and a tall female Warrior. Their armor was similar to his brother's and they exuded the authority Cassian expected of the parents of the heirs of the Clan and the House.
Cassian watched as his brother moved to stand at attention to the right of his adopted father and mother.
"This is Cassian Andor, of the Rebel Alliance, who I met on Zanbar and who saved my life. And this is Lady El-Nadan of Clan Eldar," Din said with an official tone.
Then Din walked over to Cassian and El, "This is General Sarin Vizsla, and his wife, General Ra-Velis of Clan Kryze."
Cassian then bowed as Din walked back over to stand by his parents.
"Thank you both for permitting us to speak with you," Cassian nodded to both Sarin and Ra-Velis.
Sarin nodded back, "Our son has informed us of the information Lady El-Nadan has found. My question to all of you is how do you expect to expel the Empire without maximum civilian casualties?"
El straightened her shoulders next to Cassian, "We intend to bring the Empire to you — bring them to Concordia. By using General Viszla as the flashpoint, we can draw the fight away from the civilians, and while the Empire is focused on you, we can take back Sundari."
"Not good enough," said a voice at the back of the room. A heavy armored Warrior stepped forward from the shadows and walked over to Sarin and Ra-Velis.
Cassian looked at his friend who took a step back, and let the Warrior stand in front of him. Cassian suddenly recognized the heavy armored Warrior was the brother, who El-Nadan had named Paz Viszla. Paz was there at Cassian's interrogation. Cassian did not know until that moment that it was Paz who had called his brother to save Cassian.
Paz took a moment to look directly at Cassian, but did not address him. He then turned to El-Nadan who seemed suddenly less sure of herself, but she did not back down.
"Paz, if you or Bo-Katan have a better plan, I suggest you make it known," El said with a firm tone.
Cassian looked to Sarin and Ra, but they seemed ready to let Paz, their eldest son, have his say next.
"Lady El-Nadan, I am here to speak for the Mand'alor, and Ra-Velis's cousin. This plan is ill-conceived, and there is too much risk to both General Sarin, and the rest of his family. The Mand'alor has commanded that Clan Vizsla should move underground, and let the ISB lose interest or find another target."
Sarin suddenly stood up. He was of equal height and mass to Paz, and only slightly larger at the middle. He took two steps forward and put a hand on Paz's shoulder.
"No. We will not go underground," Sarin said with a deep baritone.
Paz turned, "The Mand'alor has ordered that—"
Ra-Velis stood next to Sarin, "—Bo-Katan is thinking of her cousin, and her cousin's sons and daughters. It is for the greater good that she is hidden from our enemies, until the time comes for her to lead again. Today, it is time for Clan Vizsla to redeem itself in the eyes of the people — to atone for the misguided efforts of Pre Vizsla. It is time for us to fight for her Clan, and for Mandalore."
Din bowed his head slightly, and both Cassian and El felt his pain, but were inspired by Ra and her courage.
Sarin reached down and took Ra's hand, "I am being targeted because the ISB is aware that I own the last known major deposit of Phobium on Gargon," both sons turned to look at their father. They didn't know.
"They are considering their options before they attempt to purchase the land or compensate me for the Phobium. If I do not negotiate they will kill my entire family. Nothing short of an attempted — or successful — assassination will draw the sympathy of the people. If I owned a large cache of Beskar I might garner easier support, especially if I was to donate to the Beskar funds for Foundlings. But this is Phobium. We all know it can only be used for weapons. Lieutenant Cassian, my son tells me you have been working on learning the purpose of the Phobium for years. Do you know what it is being used for?"
Cassian's mouth went dry. "General, the Rebellion intelligence has so far only learned there are multiple projects in different phases of completion, including a new type of tie-fighter and large weapons arrays, including the one investigated by your sons on Geonosis, which could be using the Phobium. But we have one commander who does believe that the Emperor is seeking any and all means to implement a policy of genocide to destroy any civilization who resists Imperial rule."
Din looked up at Cassian, and Cassian's eyes slid over to look at Din and then at El.
Sarin nodded. "Then it is time to take a stand. We will draw them to Gargon. We will announce our intentions. And the citizens will see what we are willing to do in order to prevent fear from ruling the galaxy."
"Gargon?" El shook her head, "No — that's too far away for us to support you. You'll need help — reinforcements, supplies —"
Sarin calmly interrupted, "Any supplies you might bring would be on ships that are easily shot down. No, that would be a suicide run. That risk to your civilian forces us unacceptable. We must be prepared to hold our ground against an Imperial siege until Sundari is safe. And then, we will return to you."
Paz turned to glare at his father, then looked at his mother and walked past her on his way out. El stared at Sarin with her mouth open, but had no words. Din stepped forward to stand next to his father, and Sarin lifted a hand toward Cassian.
"Lieutenant Cassian, thank you for bringing this matter to my son's attention. Please, take Lady El back to Sundari. We will take it from here."
Cassian put up his hands, "Wait wait wait! El must lead the Resistance, but I'm here to help you!"
Sarin shook his head, "This is a Mandalorian affair, Cassian Andor. You have done your duty, and now must return to your Rebel Command. You are fighting the larger battle against the Empire. Mandalore must resolve this matter between us and the ISB."
Cassian was suddenly clenched inside, but it was El who spoke his fears, she looked at Ra-Velis, "Please, I can't leave and let them slaughter you all just for the sake of the cause!"
Ra stepped forward, "There is always hope, Lady El. Rebellions are built on hope. Now go."
Din walked over to Cassian and El, took El gently but firmly by the arm, and then put a hand on Cassian's shoulder and led them to the exit.
"Please, Mando, please, let me help," Cassian said to him desperately.
Din brought them to the door and Cassian turned to try to speak again, but his brother lifted a hand to quiet him.
"Lady El, Cassian —" Din hesitated, but then held out his arm towards Cassian, "Vod."
Cassian reached out and grasped Mando's forearm, and he looked directly back at Cassian, "My name — is Din."
Cassian's heart rate increased, he had waited for five days to hear his brother's full name — and Din was saying good-bye.
"Go, now, please," and Din closed the door quietly behind them.