Writer's notes - heading off on TDY shortly. I'm going to try and write this simultaneously with 'Fires'. I decided to link this story with my female Revan. As Son Kenshin inspired many of the characters and the setting, I'm dedicating it to him. I am taking some artistic liberties for dramatic purposes.

Atton Rand makes his appearance.

Plans and Secrets

Malachor System – Malachor V – Serphants – Day 1 – Hour of the Dragon (0845 Local Time)

The Mandalorian warrior and bodyguard of the Chief, Vako of the Clan Serphants, moved to a vantage point within the hall to observe the Ordo men who had come to the war council. His animosity toward the Ordo ran deep since the Battle of Althir in which his father had been sacrificed upon the altar of victory. Since then, Vako had seen the rise of the Clan Ordo in the esteem of the Mandalore and he hated the machinations of their leader, Canderous.

"How unbecoming of a warrior," he muttered under his breath.

He watched the men of the other clan, looking for signs of untrustworthiness, sure that he would find evidence to present to his clan chief. His eyes bore holes of contempt into the other Mandalorians until the footfalls of a friend interrupted his loathing.

"Vako, the final conflict is coming. The battle will be glorious," said a short, pale man dressed in blue armor.

The tall Vako nodded offhandedly and then looked down at his smaller friend. "Seja, it will be glorious indeed. As long as I live to see the Ordo destroyed, I shall die in peace at Revan's hand."

Seja brushed his dark hair away from his pristine, angelic face…a face so unlike those of the Mandalorians. "Ah yes, the Ordo. Do not worry, my friend. I may have something of interest to you. We shall meet later on this matter."

Serphants let a smile escape from his lips. "I have always trusted you, Seja. What you lack in stature, you more than make up for in loyalty and bravery."

"We will see the end of the Ordo…and Mandalore willing, Revan herself. Malachor will be her death trap."

Seja patted his taller friend on the back and continued on his way. He left the warrior's compound and strode into the city streets that were nearly deserted with the exception of anti air batteries and surface to air missile sites that were being constructed in key positions. The final battle would indeed be glorious.

The small man then turned a corner and flicked the switch on a low-power, scrambled frequency transmitter. An encrypted signal had been sent.

Hundreds of meters away, a man in a merchants robe sat on a park bench in plain sight. His commlink chimed, letting him know of an incoming message. His dark eyebrows rose over his thin, boyish face and he pressed the receive button to download the message into his datapad.

The man then threw breadcrumbs to the crowd of unsuspecting birds gathered at his feet…unsuspecting and unaware of the coming cataclysm to their world. He then glanced down at the message.

Jaq, here is the second installment of my information. Our leader should find this most enlightening. I am fully trusted in the inner circle so delivering the final installment should prove to be simple. Be at location 47 at the appropriate time. I will expect you to extract me at that time.

S

Atton "Jaq" Rand then perused the data to find Mandalorian defensive satellite positions, control codes, and Basilisk Droid sensor frequencies. The information would save thousands of Republic lives in the invasion. Now, it was only a matter of getting the information to Revan.

Atton stood and threw the rest of his breadcrumbs to the birds and walked away, unaware that a pair of eyes observed him as well.

The Council of War – The Hour of the Basilisk – 0900

"We must take the fight to the enemy!" called Canderous, striking his fist on the podium as he addressed the War Council of Mandalore. Always aggressive, the leader of the Ordo invariably advocated attack.

Nearby, Ergeron and Kelborn cried out his approval of the offensive.

"Revan has matched us at every turn! Our last assault was annihilated. We must consolidate our defense," retorted the Chief of the Serphants.

Canderous flared his nostrils and shook his fist at his rival. "Only cowards and old women hide behind their satellites and droids!" he yelled. "Do you not remember how the Republic trembled under our attacks?"

Serphants growled like a feral animal. "Do you not recall my being there…with you and the Mandalore at every battle…every campaign. I have fought and bled and slain with each and every one of you." He then turned to the Mandalore.

"Sire, our ability to carry an offensive has been eroded. The quality of our pilots and warriors has diminished with every lost battle. Few of us now remain who cross the border of the Republic with you. In contrast, the quality and power of Revan's forces grows by the day. She has shaken off the yoke of weak Senate and no one can contest her strategy. She has assembled a command team that none can compare with. Malak, Admiral Saul Karath, General Mai-Lyn T'sing…they are always five steps ahead of us."

Again, Canderous, Ergeron, and Kelborn rose in fury. "Defeatist garbage! Take your seat, Serphants!" shouted Ordo, towering above his fellows.

"I will not be silenced," answered Serphants. "The fate of our people is at stake. If I do not speak, the Mandalorians may be no more. Every day, more of Revan's spies and assassins rob us of our strength and of our sight…and we do nothing to stop it."

"We are warriors! What do we have need of spies for?" Kelborn added with contempt.

"Enough…." spoke the Mandalore. He looked shrunken…tired, despite the imposing armor encasing his form. His bravado failed to change the reality that the end of the Mandalorians was at hand. "Canderous…you are my right hand. Plan the offensive…this is the way of Mandalore."

Canderous nodded with a smirk toward Serphants. "As I was saying, the Republic will come at us as follows: Admiral Karath will lead a screening force to pin down our Basilisks while Malak leads the invasion force. We can expect General T'sing to lead the ground assault. We must be careful with her, unlike other Republic generals, she is unconcerned with casualties when meeting her objectives."

As Canderous continued to outline his plan of attack, Serphants lowered his head darkly. "We are doomed," he whispered to himself. "Revan herself will stand on Malachor within a week."