Greetings, Specter7 here. So we jump into things right from the get-go here so ya better prepare yourself. Also, I'm not totally content on the way the chapter turned out BUT I'm posting it anyway because YOLO!

Also, we've only got a couple short weeks until Rebels ends forever :_( Yet although the show may end my fanfics will not! *raises fist victoriously* Read and...

May the manda be with you.

The New Mand'alor: Chapter 11: Eyes of a Jedi

"A Jedi shall not know anger. Nor hatred. Nor love."

-Jedi proverb

Ezra gave Sabine a lopsided grin as she stood before the crowd of Mandalorians. She seemed shocked as the Mandos around him chanted a war cry, their throaty yells bouncing off the courtyard's metal walls. It was in Mando'a, so Ezra only knew bits and pieces, but he could tell it was important. Something about following the Mand'alor.

Ezra felt something unshakable, something strong, turn inside him. It made him smile uncontrollably and made his heart sing.

It was pride.

The good kind of pride, the kind that made Ezra feel centered. He was proud of Sabine for making it this far, for leading her people. He knew it had taken an absurd amount of strength for her to get where she was, and Ezra couldn't be prouder.

The sea of Mandalorians parted for their new Mand'alor as she walked down the steps, her crimson cape sweeping out behind her.

"How'd you do?" Ezra asked Sabine.

She shrugged slightly with a glance over her shoulder. "I don't know," she said uncertainly. "Good, I think. I mean, I got Torian to pledge allegiance along with the two other clan leaders."

Ezra shot her a look. It wasn't like Sabine to be this modest. "I'd say that qualifies as 'good,'" he pointed out.

She's probably still unconvinced she'd make a good leader for her people, Ezra reasoned. I don't see what's her hold up though. Sabine's a genius; she's an excellent fighter, a great shot, and a bunch of other stuff. What more should a Mandalorian leader have?

Sabine looked into the distant absently. "I guess so," she said distractedly.

Ezra was about to ask what was on her mind, when he felt a soft tingle in the back of his neck. It had been there since they had landed on Dxun, and Ezra had tried without success to ignore it.

The tingle was entrancing—tantalizing, even. It swirled around him in an intoxicating storm, trying to provoke raw emotions out of him.

The dark side, Ezra thought bleakley. Why couldn't it just leave him alone? But no, it insisted on bullying him, trying to seduce him to its primitive ways. Every little thing set out Ezra off now. Anytime Luc would say something stupid, Ezra could hardly stop himself from slamming a fist into his kriffing jaw. He would get so angry with the guy; Ezra would have to step away, not trusting his own emotions.

And now, as he stood in front of Sabine, the dark side pushed at the edges of his mind, beseeching him to indulge on what flitted at the back of his head.

Sabine.

The word floated around and Ezra found himself mouthing her name, the dark side influence twisting his emotions into something… raw. Powerful. Basic, yet entrancing at the same time.

It was love.

Ezra reared back, as if he'd been slapped. And if Sabine had slapped him then and there, he would have probably had less of a reaction than what he realized.

Love. He… he loved her?

In a way, Ezra already knew he did. He had known Sabine for years and she was his very best friend, his closest confidant. Ezra had already known that, but what he felt… it was real love.

Ezra blinked and seemed to look at Sabine in a different set of eyes. He noticed the little things about her, the way she was biting her lip… she always did that when she was nervous.

"You okay, Ezra?" Sabine asked with a tilt of her head.

He hardly heard her. Ezra noticed how her dyed white hair had begun to disappear at the roots, being replaced with Sabine's natural dark brown hair. They had been away from the Ghost for too long for her to recolor her hair again.

And Ezra liked it just like that. It was… a little quirk, a slight imperfection that made her all the more perfect. Sabine's beautiful, tan, olive-skinned face was… gorgeous. Gorgeous really, outmatched only by her amber-brown eyes.

How could I not have realized this before now? Ezra asked himself. She's… beautiful. A knockout.

Suddenly, Ezra was a lovesick, fourteen year old boy from Lothal again. It was as if he was transported back to those times, where he would constantly try to flirt with her, unable to convey his attraction to Sabine in any other way.

Over the time, Ezra had shown this… this narrow-minded love to her in other ways. When he had stopped flirting with her, they become good friends. And it was the little stuff Ezra did for Sabine that Ezra realized that that love had really never gone away.

It had simply changed form.

And now, the dark side sent tingling shivers down his spine at the thought. Kanan had always taught him that the dark side was evil, that if fueled by emotion, it would consume Ezra.

But if the dark side had shed light on his relationship with Sabine… then maybe it wasn't as bad as Kanan had ranted.

"Ezra," Sabine said sternly.

As if snapping out of trance, Ezra stumbled back. What just happened…?

Sabine stepped closer and they backed away from the crowd of Mandalorians, out of earshot. "Ezra what's wrong?" she asked quietly. "You look terrible."

And you look wonderful.

Ezra shook his head violently, running a shaky hand through his hair. What's wrong with me? He thought desperately. His mind was going crazy, racing to places Ezra didn't want it to go.

"We need to leave," he whispered. Ezra gulped forcibly, swallowing something bitter.

"Is it the dark side?" Sabine asked and got even closer to him.

Ezra knew their close proximity was out of concern on her part, but he stumbled away. The dark side was all around him, urging him to not pull away.

"Sabine," he choked, "this place… it's dangerous. I-I can't think straight. We need to leave. We need to leave now."

Ezra watched as Sabine's concerned face nodded quickly. "Okay," she said. "I'll get Arc and the others together and we'll go."

Ezra nodded mutely, not trusting himself to follow her. He watched her walk away and closed his eyes tight.

Coward! Something angry screamed at Ezra. Weakling! Are you so feeble as to not pursue her?

"Not like this," Ezra whispered.

Your Jedi training makes you weak, the voice spat. You want power, don't you? How can you protect her and not pursue it?

Ezra froze as fear gripped his heart. It's right. How could he ever have hopes of a life with Sabine… if he wasn't strong enough?

No, Ezra thought despairingly, beating on the outside of his head. Not again. I can't feel this again.

Ezra had gone through his bout of dark side influence. He didn't want to go through that again. Ezra had been using the Sith holocron, under the dark side's sway half a year ago. He didn't—couldn't—suffer the same consequences as before.

It's this place, Ezra thought. If this really was the burial spot of a Sith… than it's no wonder Dxun's a dark side hotspot.

Be that as it may, something vicious hissed, making Ezra stiffen. This moon has simply exposed what was always there, Ezra.

Your true feelings.

"It's twisted," Ezra countered shakily. "It's not completely true."

But… not completely false either?

Ezra swallowed and began to walk away. His footsteps became faster until he was running, running back to the crowd of Mandalorians.

You can't outrun me! The voice shouted from far away in his mind. I will always be closer than your next breath…

Ezra sucked in a huge gulp of air as he plunged into the sea of Mandalorians. Finally that nagging, sinister presence left his mind as the Mandos surrounded him.

Ezra tried to navigate among the huge crowd but ended up elbowing at least eight angry-looking Mandalorians, not all human. Ezra stood on his tiptoes, trying to find anyone, any familiar face. Anything to anchor him to the real world and away from the swirling waters of the dark side. Spotting Arc and the others, he jogged up to them.

"Where've you been?" Luc asked, seeming mildly curious.

Ezra wrinkled his nose as his hands twitched. "Nowhere," he muttered.

He watched as Arc took off her helmet, shaking out her dark brown hair. "Kid," Arc began, "you ready? Bean said she wanted everyone loaded up in ten."

"Wait," Luc said suddenly, "we're leaving? Already? We just got here like a couple hours ago!"

Ezra clenched his teeth in aggravation. "You got a problem with that?"

Arc ignored him and shrugged to Luc. "Bean's the boss. If she says we're going, we're going." Arc motioned for the small band of Mandos to follow her and they made their way to a line of speeders near the edge of the stronghold. Ezra was about to follow them, more than ready to get off this planet, when the Force sent a shiver of warning. It wasn't life-threatening but something… something…

"You're leaving."

Ezra spun around at the foreign voice, only to see the elderly Ordo leader. Ezra gave mental sigh and nodded. "Yes,"

"Why?"

Ezra frowned slightly and glanced at the ground. "There's more worlds to go to," he stammered. "More clans to recruit." As he talked, the Padawan could feel the dark side send a tingle up his spine. Ezra didn't know how much longer he would be able to resist it. We have to leave, he thought impatiently.

Torian Ordo silenced his thoughts by laying the tip of his walking staff on Ezra's chest. "Child," he rumbled, "when you live long enough, you see the same eyes in different people. I recognized your eyes the moment you stepped into my camp."

Ezra's heart stopped. Torian's piercing gaze was fixed on him, as if… af if…

Torian Ordo pressed his staff harder, pushing Ezra back. "Why did you not reveal your identity?" he growled. "Who else knows about you?"

Ezra's mouth was dry. "What are you talking about?" he breathed, his voice hoarse.

"Your eyes are tortured," Torian continued. "As are the eyes of your kind when they visit Dxun."

Ezra was beginning to realize where the old man was going. He slowly backed up but Torian only advanced, keeping the business end of his walking stick level to Ezra's chest.

"You have the eyes of a Jedi," he whispered.

Ezra's eyes were wide and his hands were balled into fists. He knows, Ezra thought in shock. He knows!

Ezra gripped the old man's staff and lowered his voice. "You can't tell anyone," he whispered furiously. "If Arc knew, she'd try to kill me."

Torian Ordo slowly dipped the tip of his walking stick, his lips lifting in the slightest smile. "It's been a while since I've seen your kind," he admitted. "What are you doing here?"

Ezra relaxed slightly. At least Torian didn't seem to want to kill him like Arc did. "I'm with Sabine," he replied. "She needed my help."

Torian seemed amused as he cast a glance over his shoulder at his throne room. "Really?" he said mildly. "Sabine Wren didn't strike me as someone who needed help to make a speech or rally a clan."

Ezra frowned at Torain's inferring tone. "I have to protect her," he growled defensively. "I'm not just gonna let her hop from world to world without me-"

"-Your eyes," Torian interrupted. "I've seen them before, the last time a Jedi visited this place, standing in the same place you were."

Ezra fell silent, waiting for the old man to finish. He seemed to like going off on tangents.

"Four years ago," Torian Ordo continued. "When Arc Wren came to this stronghold and insulted my honor. She brought two Jedi with her."

Ezra paused, not sure his ears had heard him right. "What did you say?"

"A little Jedi and a big one," Torian elaborated. "A master and an apprentice. Arc and those two had the audacity to ask for refuge after the genocide of House Vizsla. I turned them down, of course-but that's besides the point. The little Jedi had your eyes."

Ezra was shocked. "But Arc hates Jedi," he stammered. "S-She killed one…" his voice trailed off. Oh.

Oh.

Torian Ordo looked confused. "No, no," he said, shaking his head. "Arc wouldn't kill the little Jedi; she had your eyes too."

"What do you mean, my eyes?" Ezra snapped, growing impatient.

"She looked at him the same way you look at her," Torian said, pointing his walking stick at a certain crimson cloak-wearing Mand'alor. "In fondness. In fierce protection. And… in something more."

Ezra tracked Sabine as she walked past Mandalorians, shaking hands and saying polite goodbyes. He didn't have to finish Torian's sentence-he already knew what he was going to say. In love.

"Arc fell in love with a Jedi," Ezra breathed, his mind whirling. So why'd she kill one too? She had to have killed a Jedi to get the blonde Padawan braid… there's no other way.

Torian was nonchalant. "You said it, not me," he said with a shrug.

"Ezra!" Arc called from where she sat on a speeder bike. "Come on!"

The young Padawan looked back to Torian. The old man stuck out his hand, and Ezra shook it. "Your secret is safe," Torian promised, his one good eye narrowed with seriousness.

Ezra hesitated, wanting to say something but not knowing what. He opened his mouth to ask more of what Torian knew of Arc's history with the Jedi, when Sabine stepped in between them.

"Time to go," she said and Ezra knew the moment was lost.

Torian nodded to him and then grasped Sabine's forearm and shook it firmly. "Good luck, Mand'alor. May your reign be plentiful and your campaign victorious."

Sabine nodded stiffly and then motioned to Ezra with a tilt of her head. The two said their last goodbyes to Sabine's subjects and then hopped on the speeders. Ezra's mind was a whirl with information as he commandeered the slight speeder, Sabine gripping his side. Arc fell in love with a Jedi, he thought in disbelief as he swerved to avoid a tree in the dense jungle. Ezra could see the Death Watch leader's helmeted head just in front of him as she drove her own speeder. The idea that someone so fearsome, someone who literally spit when the word 'Jedi' was brought up, had actually fallen in love with one was… was ridiculous!

Is it? A whispery voice hissed. Ezra stiffened. Wren fell in love with you, after all.

"Shut up," Ezra growled under his breath.

"What?" Sabine yelled over the wind as their speeder moved.

"Nothing," he recovered quickly. I don't even think she loves me, Ezra told the voice. Not that it matters right now, anyway. We have a job to do remember? Recruit the Mandalorians.

But then Ezra suddenly became aware of the arm clamped around his waist. And the breath that tickled his left ear. And the heat of Sabine's body behind him.

Ever since they had landed on Dxun it was little things like this that kept distracting Ezra. Focus, he told himself, using the Force to calm his nerves. Kanan had told him that he had to keep a close guard on his feelings or they would run rampant like-

Always with Kanan, the voice sneered. Admit it. You're weak without him. Especially in the presence of her.

Ezra stayed silent and tried in vain to simply steer the speeder.

Why do you cave at the thought of her? Why do you refuse to let your true feelings show?

Ezra swallowed and shook his head, trying to ignore the presence of the dark side.

You cannot run from your emotions, Ezra. You still crave power, even now. You can't let her get hurt. Not like you let Kanan and Ahsoka.

"I won't," Ezra breathed.

Without the pursuit of power, how can you do that, then?

Sabine suddenly leaned closer to his ear, making him jump. "We're almost there!" she yelled over the wind. "The Mesh'la A'den is only a couple more klicks up ahead."

Ezra nodded wordlessly, not trusting himself to speak. The voice's question lingered in his mind. How could Ezra hope to protect Sabine is he wasn't powerful enough?

The voice let him think on that. And the question was in his head for the rest of the ride.

Ezra popped his knuckles as he sat in the co-pilot's seat, helping Sabine in the rituals of takeoff. As he absently checked a few buttons, primed the fuel compacter, and glanced at the diagnostic screen, he heard Luc speak.

"So," Luc was saying, "We got Clan Ordo to follow Sabine, along with Clans Cadera and Kelborn. What now?"

No one answered for a moment.

"Maybe we should go to Kalevala," Fenn Rau suggested.

The name sounded familiar and Ezra was pretty sure it was a planet in Mandalorian territory.

"I know a few rebel sympathizers who would be more willing to join you," Rau continued.

"It's the Mand'alor's choice," Kor pointed out, turning to Sabine. "What do you have in mind?"

Ezra swiveled in his seat. He wanted to hear this.

Sabine hesitated. "I've heard of pockets of rebellion on Concordia against the Empire," she said. "And if they hate the Imperials already, that's one step closer to our cause."

Ezra nodded along with the others. It was settled then. As he started to turn back to the console, Arc piped up.

"Not that I disagree," she said carefully, "but I had an idea about our next move."

Ezra watched as Sabine arched an eyebrow. "…Go on," she said cautiously.

Arc inhaled deeply and set her weathered dark green helmet on one of the seats. "Your campaign is considered treachery against the Empire," Arc began. "And I believe that that is the heart of our problems; the Empire."

Luc snorted. "You're just figuring this out?"

"Let me finish," Arc snapped. "And although the Empire occupies most Mandalorian worlds, the core of the problem lies in our capital."

"Sundari," Kor said grimly.

Arc nodded. "Right. So, Sabine, I was thinking… what if you went there? You and half of us. The other half can go recruit the other rebels on Kalevala and Concordia while you're in Sundari and work there from the inside."

"We're splitting up?" Luc asked.

"We would cover more ground," Arc argued. "Besides, Bean won't need all of us to do what I have in mind."

"And what do you have in mind?" Fenn Rau asked suspiciously.

Arc shot him a look before turning to Sabine. "…I have a contact in Sundari," Arc continued hesitantly. "She's been supplying information to me and the Death Watch while we camped out on the other side of Mandalore. I figured the rest of you would meet her and she would brief you on everything that's been happening with the Imps'."

"Who is it?" Ezra asked suddenly, speaking for the first time in their Mandalorian conversation. He didn't really get what was going on, but he remembered Sabine mentioning Sundari before.

Arc seemed to hesitate again before she spoke. And when she did, Ezra watched confusedly as Sabine's eyes widened and Kor leapt out of his seat.

"My contact in Sundari," Arc restated, and the nest words seemed to be forcibly pulled out of her mouth, "…is Lady Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze."

"Auntie Bo?" Kor exclaimed, standing up

Sabine wasn't as ecstatic as the blonde-haired man, but she was just as intrigued. Lady Bo-Katan Kryze was a well-known Mandalorian. The Death Watch second-in-command-turned-freedom-fighter was famous for battling alongside a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi against Darth Maul, when the Zabrak had wanted to rule Mandalore. Although Sabine had never met Bo-Katan, when she was younger, she had always wanted to meet the fabled Mandalorian who had been bold enough to find where her true loyalties lay.

Arc smacked the heel of her hand on her forehead, as if trying to knock some sense into her brain. "Of course," Arc said suddenly. "I nearly forgot you two were related."

But Kor seemed to still be reeling from the information. "One of your informants was my aunt and you never even told me?" he exploded. "I'm your second-in-command, Arc!"

Sabine's cousin tilted her head. "It's not anything personal, Kor," Arc said, seeming confused. "I have to keep my contacts' secrets or it would compromise their identity."

Sabine watched as Luc stepped forward. "Bo-Katan has been living in Sundari for decades," he said, "but we don't have her exact location." Luc shot Arc a look as he added, "Heh. She likes to keep almost as many secrets as you."

"You told him?!" Kor burst, gesturing wildly to Luc.

Sabine didn't speak the whole time, entranced with how open Kor was being with his emotions. Usually, he was closed in and closed off, keeping his opinions to himself. Mentioning "Auntie Bo" must have him strained.

"I found out myself," Luc said before Arc could answer the enraged Mando. "That's besides the point, though. My point is that even if we go to Sundari to rally the Mandalorians there to our side… there's no guarantee we'll find Bo-Katan anytime soon. She's kept her location a secret for years, anonymously striking out against the Empire."

Ezra spoke up. "But isn't Sundari just one city?" he inquired. "How long can it take to find a rebel in there?"

"A whole lot longer than you think," Luc shot back.

Sabine glanced at the blonde Mandalorian, wishing he wasn't so on edge. "Sundari," Sabine began slowly to Ezra, "Is gigantic. It's not just one city. It's the capital of all the Mandalorian worlds. It houses several million people in that one biodome."

Ezra looked surprised. "Oh."

Fenn Rau stood up suddenly. "So," he said with a slight shrug, "it isn't the easiest task. But, if you, Mand'alor, were able to convince someone like Bo-Katan to follow you?"

Sabine swallowed.

Rau simply smiled. "Then who's to say the rest of the citizens in Sundari wouldn't?"

Arc jumped in. "Just my point," she added. "The Empire is the heart of the problem. After all, you're "Mand'alor the Free," Bean. The Empire is what you're freeing us from."

Sabine closed her eyes, trying to focus on what they were saying. "Hold up," she said, massaging her temples. "So, Arc… what you're saying is that you want me to go to Sundari, find Bo-Katan in the middle of millions of people, get the citizens to follow me, and then start an uprising in the heart of Mandalore."

Arc nodded affirmatively.

"Don't forget we're splitting up," Luc added glumly.

Fenn Rau spoke again. "I agree with Arc," he said decisively. "Your cousin and I could go to Concordia and rally the Mandalorians there to your cause, while you address the heart of the problem."

Arc looked surprised. "Wait, I'm leaving?"

"It was your idea," Rau said simply. "Plus, if we're to go to Concordia you'll need another ship. And with your record, I doubt Torian Ordo will loan you one without my influence."

Arc twisted her lips and muttered something under her breath. "Well," she said eventually, "I guess Kor could stay with the rest of you to help find Bo-Katan. He is her nephew after all. She would have a better chance of following you if Kor could convince her it would be a good idea."

Sabine thought for a moment longer, before shrugging mentally. Why not? What Arc was suggesting—about going to the heart of the problem—was most likely much more proficient rather than going to Concordia like Sabine had planned.

Sabine stepped to the control panel of the Mesh'la A'den, leaning against it. She looked out of the view port, absently glancing over Dxun's heavily wooded forest, thinking hard.

"Mand'alor?" Kor asked softly.

She glanced over her shoulder at the man, and her mouth moved before she even contemplated the words. "Kor, Luc, Ezra… Buckle up, 'cause we're going to Sundari."

Korkie Kryze's face broke out in a smile, the biggest she'd ever seen on him. Luc looked a bit grumpy, and Ezra looked equally grumpy—probably because they were stuck with each other on another manda knows how long trip.

"Arc," Sabine said, "take the speeders back to Torian's place and see if he'll loan you and Rau a ship. Message me when you get to Concordia."

Arc bit her lip and jiggled the weathered green helmet under her arm. "Alright," she said eventually, and Sabine began finishing up the pre-liftoff rituals. "Just, ah, stay safe in Sundari, okay? By personal experience, I know Bo-Katan can be a bit unforgiving at times."

Sabine frowned at Arc's seemingly light tone and she turned to look at her cousin. Worry was etched all over her face. "...We'll see each other again," Sabine assured her slowly.

She watched as Arc glanced at the ground and Sabine moved to her. "I know," the lean woman mumbled. "I just… I..." Arc seemed to be fighting for what to say. She finally inhaled deeply and briefly closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were back to back to being emotionless. "Take care of yourself," she said briskly.

Sabine gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Always do," she quipped.

Arc hesitated, looking like she wanted to say more, before nodding in a business-like manner. She turned to go and Sabine gave a quick eye-roll, catching her arm. "We'll be fine," she insisted. "Just because you're not hovering over me for a couple days doesn't mean I'm gonna get myself killed. Okay?"

Arc seemed to relax and even managed a quick grin. "'Kay. See ya Bean."

Arc slipped on her hemelt and walked out the Mesh'la A'den. Fenn Rau watched her leave before turning to Sabine and nodding a farewell.

"Make sure she doesn't blow up anything," Sabine told the man and he caught her underlying tone.

Take care of her while I'm gone, was what she meant.

Rau placed a heavy hand on her shoulders. "Mand'alor," he said with teasing regalty. "I am honorbound to your wishes."

Sabine gave him a smile and Rau followed the Death Watch leader out, leaving her with Kor, Luc, and Ezra.

"Alright then," Ezra piped up, turning to the ship's control panel.

Sabine could see the teen's foot tapping impatiently as he prepped for liftoff. She assumed he was still on edge from the dark side influence he said he'd sensed.

Things were moving too fast for Sabine, but still, her hands moved on their own accord as she methodically closed the ship's hatch, checked the compressor, engaged the thrusters, and eased the yoke up.

The freighter wobbled in response, slowly rising above the skyscraper-tall trees. Sabine stared up at Dxun's painted sky, seeing the stars slowly reveal themselves in the evening light. "Bo-Katan Kryze," she whispered. "Here we come."

So the "Contact in Sundari" was Bo-Katan and, as promised, the correct guesser of the contact's identity was awarded with virtual space waffles. Congratulations to GreyWolf93!

Welp that's all for now but if you like the story, give me a fav/follow and tell me what you think in reviews!

Specter7 out.