A Zeta-class shuttle was seen heading towards the surface of Mandalore from a Venator-class Star Destroyer. The shuttle headed towards the smoldering remains of Vaton's base and landed right in the middle of it. The ramp was dropped and out came Inquisitor Claieva along with her squad of Purge Troopers.

"…Inquisitor, I shall have the squad fan out and search for any survivors," said the purge trooper squad leader.

"…That will be unnecessary captain," she said, "everyone here is already dead."

Claeiva started walking around the base, examining the bodies.

"And I am going to find out who killed, whom," she said.

"In…quisitor… It seems obvious that it was Mandalorians," said a Purge Trooper.

Claeiva said nothing, she just kept walking around, her eyes scanned every, body that she walked past. Claeiva looked to the far left and saw one of the saber guards lying on the ground, dead.

"…Curious," she murmured as she kept walking.

Claeiva looked around and saw the armor color on a few of the fallen Mandalorian warriors she had seen; still, the inquisitor said nothing as she kept walking. While she was investigating the devastation of the base, there was something that caught Claeiva's eyes. She knelt to examine a stormtrooper who had been killed in combat and examined his wound.

"…Killed with a lightsaber," she thought, "…A precise killing swing…"

Claeiva looked up and eyed the mess hall, then she got up and went to investigate further. Claeiva entered the mess hall and found Keniala on the ground, dead. Claeiva walked over to her and knelt beside her.

"…Inquisitor," said the purge trooper squad leader, "the shadow guard is dead. Along with the other saber guard."

"…I told you, everyone is already dead captain," she said, "…and unfortunately, someone else is dead too…"

Claeiva pulled Keniala's disc saber into her hand.

"Had it just been Clan Zaijen and Clan Cold Blood, this likely would've been quick and boring," she said, "but seeing's how there's not only a dead shadow guard, dead saber guards, and a dead inquisitor…"

Claeiva smiled.

"Well, this actually got a lot more exciting," she said with a giggle.

/\/\/\/\/\

Kayla sighed as she stopped at the command center and let out a heavy sigh. She didn't want to do this… But she felt that it was time. With a deep breath and an exhale, Kayla walked inside and saw Zarayvia was in the middle of checking something. What she was checking on though, Kayla didn't know.

"Mandalore?" she asked, "may I have an audience?"

Zarayvia turned around.

"Kayla, well this is a surprise," she said, "of course, but… Please, there's no need to be so formal. You may call me Zarayvia if you wish."

Kayla walked over to Zarayvia and brought her hands together.

"Um… Zarayvia… I thought I would stop by and tell you… I'm sorry," she said.

Zarayvia raised an eyebrow.

"You're sorry? For what?" she asked as she put a hand on her hip.

"For my prejudice against your people. After Order 66… After learning about how those… Clones were made, I just thought that your people were cold-blooded Jedi killers," said Kayla.

"Well, too be fair, I think the Jedi had it coming after what happened to Malachor V," joked Zarayvia.

"It doesn't matter. The truth is, I only played nice with you guys because I was ordered to by Master Ersanan; but after all the time I spent with your son, I realized that you guys were more than just killers. Your battle-hardened warriors who actually enjoy a good fight, and not just a clan of brutes," said Kayla, "it was wrong of me to assume that all Mandalorians were the same, and I'm sorry."

Zarayvia was quiet for a moment… Only for a moment.

"I don't accept your apology," she said.

That hurt.

"I… I don't understand," said Kayla.

"You're right, you don't," said Zarayvia, "I don't accept your apology because you're not the same girl who fought my son because of a personal grudge."

"You're… Wait, wha?" asked Kayla.

Zarayvia sat down.

"Kayla… I'm going to be honest with you," said Zarayvia, "when Ersanan told me about your disposition towards Mandalorians, I wasn't too keen on joining your order so quickly; but over time, my son had spoken highly of you at least more than once."

Kayla's eyes went wide.

"My son said that while your blind engagement was reckless since he was the first Mandalorian you ever fought, he commended you for your gutsy effort. He says while you have a bit of a temper, he commented on how much of a formidable warrior you are," said Zarayvia, "…you've changed, Kayla, not only have you changed but you managed to earn my son's respect."

Zarayvia stood up and pat her head.

"And now you've earned mine," she said with a smile.

"Thank you, Zarayvia," said Kayla.

Zarayvia went back to her business, and Kayla turned and headed for the door; the young woman froze, seeing Ersanan standing inside of the command center with a smug grin on his face.

"…Uh… I'm not sure how much of that you caught," Kayla said, blushing.

"Oh, I caught all of it," he said with a chuckle.

Kayla looked down and shuffled out of the command center.

"…She's a good kid," said Zarayvia.

"She's a handful, but you're right, she is a good kid," said Ersanan, "she's got quite the big heart."

The holotable in the command center went off. Zarayvia answered the call as Ersanan approached. The holoprojector revealed a male Revanite Zabrak.

"Master Kagra, good morning," said Ersanan.

"I wish I could say the same thing," said the fellow Revanite Master, "we have a problem Master Ersanan."

Kayla made her way to the mess hall for breakfast, she looked up at the sun for a moment and used her hand to shield her eyes.

"…I still don't understand how they could stand living here," she thought.

Kayla arrived at the mess hall, there she got her breakfast and looked to find a place to sit. Kayla looked around and saw a lot of the Mandalorian warriors talking and getting along with one another. There were a few small spats, but no serious scuffles or fights, save for a bread roll being thrown. Kayla saw Daralec sitting with Orthus and Vaukel, so she decided to join them.

"Hi guys," she said.

"Hey yourself," said Daralec.

"Well, someone seems a lot more chipper than usual," said Vaukel, "did something happen between you and Orthus after the celebration?"

Kayla nearly spat out her mouthful of milk.

"Nah, she was exhausted and ended up crashing in my room," said Orthus, "was she tipsy from tasting ale for the first time? Yes. But we didn't do anything."

Kayla breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip of her milk again.

"Though I will admit, we did cuddle," said Orthus.

Kayla spat out her milk again. She had to change the subject again and quickly.

"So uh, Daralec, I meant to ask you the other night… How uh… How did you end up in the Knights of Revan?" she asked.

She turned to Vaukel.

"Or even better, Vaukel, how did you end up in Clan Cold Blood?" she asked.

Vaukel and Daralec looked at each other.

"…You or me?" asked Vaukel.

"Why don't you go?" asked Daralec, "my story can be saved for another time."

Vaukel shrugged.

"Well… It all started after I escaped-"

"Kayla," interrupted a voice.

Kayla turned and saw Ersanan approach.

"Master?" asked Daralec.

"Oh, Master Ersanan, care to join us?" asked Kayla.

"…What do you know of a Venator-class star destroyer orbiting Mandalore?" asked Ersanan.

Vaukel dropped his fork. Kayla felt her stomach drop out of her ass. What's more, she felt a strange sensation of… Motion sickness, almost.

"Hey Kayla, are you okay?" asked Orthus.

"I sense a presence… I presence I haven't felt since…" she groaned.

Just then, Kayla's eyes went wide.

"…No," she said fearfully.

Outside, Claeiva's shuttle was seen approaching Clan Zaijen's home and landing right in the center of it. Zarayvia and Mandalore's warriors started to gather and see what the commotion was. The black imperial shuttle dropped its ramp and both Claeiva and her troopers marched out.

"What do you think you're doing here, imperial?" asked a Zaijen Mandalorian.

"…If I, were you, Mandalorian, I'd watch your tone," said Claieva.

Kayla, Vaukel, Orthus, Daralec and Ersanan watched from the window. Kayla felt her heart start racing.

"…Claeiva," she whispered.

"You know her?" asked Ersanan.

"Of all of the Inquisitors I've met during my career as an Inquisitor myself… None of them hated me more than Claieva," said Kayla, "that bitch has tried to take my head at least seven times."

Back outside, Zarayvia and Mandalore the Callous were seen coming out to see what the commotion was.

"What's going on here?" asked Zarayvia.

"You crossed the line," Claieva said with a giggle.

The inquisitor pulled out Keniala's disc saber.

"Tell me something, Mandalorian. Do you know what this is?" she asked.

Kayla gasped.

"…It's a lightsaber," said Zarayvia, "but I don't know the model."

"Of course, it's a lightsaber. But this isn't just any old lightsaber. This… Right here… Is a standard issue disc saber. Wielded only by members of the inquisitorius," said Claieva, "and these… members of the inquisitorius, these inquisitors, only have one job… Just one. To hunt down and kill Jedi. We actually had two members stationed here in this system. One on Mandalore and a second that departed for Concordia. They were supposed to have checked in a few days ago… But they've gone silent."

Claieva tossed the disc saber off to the side.

"Now… I've seen your records Zarayvia… I know that you were born a Mandalorian, but you were recruited by the Jedi due to your Force potential… And now here you are," she said, "and I can tell just by sensing your connection to the Force… Your powers have grown weaker over the years. So, I know for a fact… That you couldn't have killed these inquisitors… The new guards? Possibly… But not the inquisitors… Especially since a lot of us were once Jedi."

Kayla gritted her teeth. She started getting antsy.

"Which brings me to the question of the day…" said Claieva.

The inquisitor drew her own disc saber and ignited it, holding the tip of the blade at Zarayvia's neck.

"Where is the Jedi you are harboring?" she asked.

"There are no Jedi here imperial," said Mandalore, "perhaps your powers of perception are not as strong as a true Sith's."

"Mandalore is right, there are no Jedi on this planet. Why would we protect them after the scars they left on us?" asked Zarayvia.

Claieva laughed.

"Do you take me for a fool? I've seen the records Mandalorian, The Siege of Mandalore. The battle with the Civil War with the Crime Syndicate," she said, "twice, your people have had Jedi support… Do not attempt to put my intellect into question, Mandalorian… Now, where is the Jedi you are harboring?"

Claieva snapped her fingers, and her purge troopers took aim at a few groups of unarmed mandalorian clan members.

"…I'm not asking again," she said darkly.

Mandalore and Zarayvia looked at each other. Claieva raised her hand, preparing to snap her fingers again.

"GAH!" yelped a purge trooper.

Claieva whirled, seeing a blue lightsaber blade get pulled out and go flying into the hand of Vaukel, who came charging in and performed a double kick, knocking down two more purge troopers.

"HERE I AM!" he roared.

Back inside of the mess hall, Kayla started looking around.

"What the hell!? When did he!?" she thought.

Claieva drew and ignited her disc saber, blocking a swing from Vaukel and grinning under her helmet.

"Inquisitor!" barked a purge trooper.

"Stand your ground trooper," said Claieva, "I can handle this Jedi."

Vaukel was shoved back. Claieva assumed a Form II ready stance. Vaukel assumed a Form V ready stance.

"That stance… You're the one who escaped Kayla," said Claieva.

She let out a giggle.

"At last, a chance to earn Lord Vader's favor," she said.

"You're welcome to try," said Vaukel.

Kayla got ready to go help him when Ersanan grabbed her shoulder. Kayla looked back at the Revanite Zabrak and he shook his head. Kayla looked back out the window.

Claieva let out a battle cry and engaged Vaukel. Kayla watched as Vaukel was taking steps back as the inquisitor advanced, delivering swift, precise cuts and slashes, both combatants attacking with one hand around their weapons. Vaukel and Claieva locked blades for a moment, then they broke away and came at each other again, this time, Vaukel had both of his hands around his lightsaber as he delivered two overhead chops to break Claieva's guard and follow it up with a pommel strike to her face to knock her back a few steps.

"Do you know how many inquisitors I've engaged before meeting you and Kayla?" he asked, "at least ten. Don't even ask me how many I killed."

Kayla felt a chill go up her spine. No wonder she was called in to hunt down Vaukel.

"Thank goodness for those private lessons," she thought.

Just then, a thought entered Kayla's head.

Meanwhile, Claieva and Vaukel engaged each other again, the two of them shifted from their respective ready stances as they circled each other before slipping into a steady flow of swings from their blades. The red and blue beams collided with each other as the Jedi and inquisitor slashed, blocked, and dodged each other's attacks, all while circling each other.

Vaukel and Claieva locked their blades for only a brief moment, then they broke away. Vaukel swung at Claieva's left, then her right and ducked and she countered with a sweep and backflipped out of the way of a riposte and buckled down when she unleashed another flurry of blows.

"I can't tell if they're evenly matched… Or if Vaukel's holding back against Claieva," thought Kayla.

Claieva delivered and overhead chop, which Vaukel parried and followed it up with a heel kick to her chest, followed by a spinning overhead chop. Claieva raised her disc saber to block the attack but stumbled back after taking the hit and her disc saber was knocked down low. Vaukel didn't let up, he swung upward, shattering her guard.

"Now!" he thought.

Vaukel gripped his lightsaber in his hands and cut loose, unleashing a burst of attacks on Claieva that put her on the backfoot. The inquisitor found herself gritting her teeth as she struggled to buckle down and weather the Jedi's relentless assault. When Claieva and Vaukel locked blades, the Jedi broke it by kicking Claieva in her right shin, grabbing her and driving his knee into her gut, then grabbing her by the throat and throwing her to the ground.

"Looks like you won't be earning your master's favor after all," Vaukel said as he stalked over to Claieva, slowly twirling his lightsaber in his right hand.

Claieva let out a cough.

"That's… That's what you think," she said slowly as she started to get up.

Suddenly, two purge troopers came up and struck Vaukel in the back with their electrostaffs. The Jedi screamed and dropped his lightsaber before falling to his knees. Kayla gasped and growled, then she took off out the mess hall.

"Kayla wait!" yelled Daralec.

Kayla pulled her lightsabers into her hands as she charged at the two purge troopers from behind. With three swift strikes, Kayla sliced the imperial soldiers across their backs and impaled them both in the chest. Vaukel looked over his shoulder and gasped. Claieva did the same.

"Kayla?" they asked in unison and with a hint of shock.

"Get away from him you bitch," hissed Kayla.

Claieva ignited her disc saber and let out a scoff.

"Still wanting to duel first and ask questions later," she said, "how like you, pet."

"Kayla, wait!" pleaded Vaukel.

But Claieva ignited her other blade and locked blades with Kayla as she came at her.

"You two!" Claieva barked to the two purge troopers.

The purge troopers activated their electrostaffs and came to assist Claieva. Kayla looked over her shoulder and shoved the inquisitor back, then she blocked an attack from both troopers, jumped over and landed right behind them. Kayla didn't want to waste too much time on the troopers, she wanted to get to Claieva as quickly as possible.

"Stand down troopers," ordered the captain.

Kayla turned and saw the purge trooper captain approach Kayla with an electrostaff in his hand.

"I'll handle this," he said.

Kayla gasped. She recognized that trooper.

"…Jet," she said under her breath.

Jet charged, spun his electrostaff and opened with a sweep. Kayla evaded, via backflip and buckled down as the purge trooper captain assaulted her defenses.

"Jet, what are you doing?" Kayla asked as she and him locked their weapons.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said.

Kayla was shoved back, but she still stayed on the defensive as Jet continued assaulting her defenses, using a combination of spins, thrusts, and sweeps to keep Kayla on her backfoot.

"Don't make me kill you Jet," Kayla grunted as she and him locked weapons again.

"…You won't kill me," he said.

Kayla was shoved back and took a thrust to the gut, the poor girl screamed and dropped her lightsabers, then she was struck by Jet's electrostaff again and fell to her knees.

"The other inquisitors and I knew that Lord Vader made the mistake of treating you… Grooming you like his pet… Like his daughter," Claieva said as she deactivated her disc saber and approached Kayla, "a lot of us were mutilated, tortured, and isolated until we cracked. You? You were just isolated, tortured, injected with hallucinogens until all you craved was Jedi blood… Lord Vader gave you everything you could've ever wanted, he took you to his personal estates, he gave you private lessons, gave you credits so you could get your own ship… And this is how you repay him…"

Kayla slowly looked up at Claieva and gritted her teeth.

"…Go to hell," she hissed.

Claieva ignited her disc saber one more time.

"Tell them who sent you," she said as she assumed the 'executioner' stance.

"Don't!" barked Vaukel.

Claieva slowly looked at Vaukel.

"You said… You said you were looking for the Jedi, right?" Vaukel asked as he slowly stood up, "I'm the one you're looking for… I'll give myself up, let these people go."

Kayla gasped. Claieva laughed.

"Typical… Despite being a member of a fallen order, you'd still rather give yourself up than preserve your own life," she said, "how like you, Jedi."

"Vaukel, no," Kayla said with a shake of her head.

"I told you not to ask me how many inquisitors I've killed. You know how valuable I am," said Vaukel, "take me instead, leave these people out of this, especially Kayla."

Claieva lowered her disc saber.

"Give me one good reason why I should," she said.

Kayla gave Vaukel a slight shake of her head.

"…Well, what would your master say if I were to tell him you found and killed his daughter figure?" he asked with a grin.

Claieva looked at Kayla, then she looked at Vaukel, then she looked back at Kayla and finally back at Vaukel. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Vaukel did have a point; Lord Vader groomed Kayla, she was practically his daughter. Claieva knew that her master was a lot of things, but he was no fool, she killed Kayla, no matter what excuse she came up with he wouldn't buy it. Just then, a bell went off in her head as she recalled what Vaukel said.

"…Alright Jedi," she said as she deactivated her lightsaber, "I'll take you up on your offer."

Claieva snapped her fingers and the purge troopers apprehended him.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, Vaukel no-"

But Kayla was cut off as Jet struck her with his electrostaff again, bringing her down to the ground. Claieva walked over and picked up Vaukel's lightsaber.

"Back to the ship everyone," ordered Claieva.

The purge troopers started to take Vaukel away.

"V-Vaukel…!" Kayla cried out weakly as she reached out to him.

Vaukel looked over his shoulder at Kayla and smiled.

"…Take care of yourself Kayla," he said, "…And happy birthday."

Kayla tried to get up, her hand still reaching out to Vaukel as he was taken aboard the shuttle.

"Vaukel…! Vaukel!" she cried out.

The ramp on the shuttle came up, then the imperial vessel rose and took off towards the star destroyer. Kayla felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest… It was a familiar pain. A pain she had not felt since…

"VAUKEL!" she screamed.

Tears of sadness ran down her face as Kayla slammed her fists into the dirt.

"BIG BROTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!" she screamed.

Author's note: I think we all know what comes next...