Akaanir [ah-KAH-neer]- Fight

The closer they came to the planet the more tense Jango became. He knew that there was a high chance Roz was still alive, Montross would want to kill her in front of him. Just like with Jaster.

He didn't want to think about it. Roz was the first person he had really come to trust after everything that had happened on Galidraan. She was like family. Had accepted him as he was, bad attitude and all. And when he had shown up with a traumatized six year old boy, a former slave no less, she had been there to help him get his shit together.

A hand landed on his arm and he turned to look down into bright blue eyes. "Buir, let's meditate." He wanted to protest but Anakin looked so serious and concerned that he couldn't say no.

"Alright, ad."

Sitting in the hold on their usual cushions he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the air slowly fill his lungs and expand his chest. He held the breath for a moment and released it just as slowly. "In, two, three, four, five, six. Hold. Out, two, three, four, five, six."

After a couple of minutes he opened his eyes, feeling a little more settled than before, and looked down at his son. The boy was watching him quietly, his body more still than Jango had ever seen before.

"What's wrong, An'ika?"

Anakin chewed on his bottom lip for a long moment before he finally spoke. "I'm scared." There was a faint tremble in his body, even as he tried to force himself to be still. "I'm scared Auntie Roz isn't going to be okay, and that you're going to leave me… just like mom did." Suddenly he slumped forward, as if holding it in had been the only thing keeping him upright. "Am I a hut'uun?"

Jango twitched, his second hand coming up to rest on the boy's hair. "No, An'ika, you are not a coward. Young and reckless, too stubborn by half, but no coward. Cowardice is not a lack of fear. Cowardice is turning away from doing the right thing, turning your back on your aliit and your duties. If anyone deserves to be called a hut'uun… it's me."

"What? No way!" The boy denied vehemently, eyes sharp. "You're not a coward, buir, I know you're not!"

"An'ika. I ran away from my duties for a long time. I turned my back on my people. It was cowardice." He shook his head. "I'm going to make it right." He promised. "But first we need to save your ba'vodu."

Anakin's eyes were slightly red from unshed tears but he nodded bravely. Jango pulled him closer for a quick hug before letting him go.

"Let's make a plan, together. Montross has hurt our family enough. We're not going to let him win this time."

Wiping his face on his sleeve Jango's son looked up at him, eyes shining fiercely and a feral grin on his face.

Montross wasn't going to know what hit him.

[***]

The moment they got close to the planet Montross sent a set of coordinates for a landing site. Gritting his teeth Jango followed the coordinates to a secluded landing pad. Setting the ship down he motioned for Anakin to get ready.

Sticking to the shadows inside the ship Anakin trailed behind him, light on his feet after his years as a slave and later training with the Haat'ade. Neither of them trusted Montross not to hurt Roz and Anakin had made a very compelling argument for why he should be allowed to help.

Walking down the ramp he stopped once his feet hit dirt. "I'm here, Montross! Come out and face me like a Mando'ad!"

"Well, well, well, look who it is." Came a familiar and much hated voice. "The little runt, all grown up." Stepping out from behind a tree, one arm around Roz's neck and a blaster aimed at her head with the other, was the man who had betrayed Jaster. "Why I remember-"

"I'm not here to reminisce." He growled through clenched teeth. "Let her go, now!"

The amused look dropped from Montross' face. "I don't take orders from you, welp." He pressed the blaster harder against Roz's head. "You ruined my chances of becoming Mand'alor, had me exiled, and for what? Jaster was too sentimental, he would never have brought glory to the Mando'ade."

"So you contacted me, what, twenty years later for revenge?" He scoffed as he walked closer, putting some distance between himself and the ship. "Using the same kind of cowardly tricks as before. But you're right. I shouldn't have exiled you." He said evenly. "I should have executed you."

Montross chuckled and slowly pulled the blaster away from Roz's head, holding the muzzle toward the sky. "You should have. But you didn't. A mistake that will cost-"

As the man was speaking his arm suddenly jerked away from Roz, as if a great force had ripped his arm away from the wounded Toydarian. But Roz didn't fall to the ground when she was released, no, she was pulled toward Jango who quickly pulled her out of the air and turned his back on Montross. The blaster shots pinged against his beskar'gam as Montross yelled with fury behind him.

"Buir! I got her!" Anakin shouted as he dashed toward them. Once he was in range Jango quickly handed Roz off to his son.

"Get her to the medical bay and lock down the ship, now!" He commanded, pulling his blasters and turning to face the man who betrayed Jaster.

Montross watched them, seething with barely contained rage. But as Jango stepped forward he realized that the man wasn't watching him- he was watching Anakin. "Just like Jaster, picking up strays." The man spat. "Only you've made a huge mistake. That kid is worth a hell of a lot of credits. And here I thought I'd have to track him all the way to Manda'yaim after I killed you."

Jango snarled, aiming his Westars at the threat to his family.

He heard the sound of a jetpack ignite and hurried to join Montross in the air. His shots missed by a hair as Jango collided with him mid-air. Disarming the larger man was tricky and as they both tried to knock the other out of the sky Jango's blasters were knocked out of his hands.

"Buir!" He heard his son and his helmet whipped down to look. The boy was standing there on the ramp, one hand above his head. With a sudden and violent motion his boy clenched his fist and made a tearing motion with his arm. The sound of metal shrieking as it was crushed with incredible force reached his ears and Montross swore as he fell the few feet to the ground.

Dropping to the ground in front of Montross he aimed a feint at the man's face. Montross' arm rose to block and Jango grabbed it, throwing the larger man over his shoulder. When Montross hit the ground Jango aimed a kick toward his head, hoping to knock him out.

Montross rolled to the side and sprang to his feet, glaring death at Jango.

With a snarl Montross charged him, shoulder low to take Jango off balance. Catching the man in a chokehold he tried to hold him there but could feel his boots sliding across the ground as Montross used his momentum to push through the hold.

Jango's foot slipped on loose rocks and they crashed to the ground, Jango's arm still wrapped around Montross' throat. Instinctively he pulled tight, flexing his muscles against his opponent's neck; trying to finish the fight as quickly as possible.

With a grunt of effort Montross pushed his knees beneath him and shoved himself forward, rolling over Jango's body and breaking his hold. Montross rolled to his feet and Jango cursed, twisting over and jumping up before Montross can even turn around to face him once more.

With a rage filled expression the man pulled out a nasty looking hunting knife, heaving for breath. Jango reached for his belt and slid the beskad out of its sheathe. Montross eyed the weapon warily, trying to judge how skilled Jango was with the weapon in his hand. And for good reason. Special weapons were the tools of fools or experts and both could be deadly.

They stood there for a moment, watching each other for any sign of movement, before Montross finally had enough. Charging forward he thrust his right hand toward Jango's face, hoping to catch him off guard. Blocking with his wrist Jango rotated his arm over his opponent's and clenched his arm down, capturing the man's arm and making it impossible for him to stab Jango. As he was capturing Montross arm he raised his sword and thrust it toward the man's neck.

The sword bit into the man's neck and his eyes went wild as Jango's grip strengthened on the handle. Montross threw a punch at his head and he dodged back, releasing the man's arm. As Montross reached up to stem the bleeding of his neck he never saw the way Jango turned the blade in his hand and swung it with all his strength in a downward diagonal sweep.

Blood splattered across the ground and Jango's armor as Montross head was sheared clean off his body, landing nearby with a wet thump.

Standing there, staring down at the body of someone who had aided in the murder of a man he called father, Jango felt nothing but relief.

Finally, his family would be safe.

Buir- Parent
Aliit- Clan/Family
Hut'uun- Coward
Ba'vodu- Aunt/Uncle/Sibling of a parent.
Haat'ade/Haat Mando'ade- True Mandalorians, the Mandalorian faction that followed Jaster Mereel and later Jango Fett.
Mando'ade- Mandalorians, Mandalorian people.
Beskad- Mandalorian iron sword. Jango's sword in particular is shaped like a falchion.