Howdy, strangers. Specter7 here. I wanted to dedicate this chapter to my little brother, who has always wanted me to dedicate something to him XD Your welcome lil' bro.
Hey, and Christmas is right around the corner! I wish all of my followers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year ;)
May the manda be with you.
The New Mand'alor: Chapter 13: Finding Bo-Katan
"People only bring up your past when they are intimidated by your present."
-Unknown
Sabine dreamed of Daalor again.
Ketsu was there too, and the three of them were in the Imperial Academy's lush courtyard sitting of one of the many picnic benches strewn out along the grassy area. Sabine was watching a set of bluebirds flitter across the sky when Daalor spoke.
"I've been thinking," he was saying.
Next to Sabine, Ketsu shoved him good-naturely. "That's never a good sign."
"Self-ironing uniform," Daalor continued. "It unwrinkles itself throughout the day so that your clothes are never creased." He looked past Ketsu to Sabine. "Whad'ya think? Can you invent that?"
"I only invent good ideas," Sabine said matter-of-factly.
"Exactly! So when can I expect this?" Daalor was twisting himself to look down at his crumpled uniform, which Sabine expected had laid in a heap on the floor before he put it on that morning. "'Cause, as you can see, I'm quite desperate."
Ketsu snorted. "Quite."
The two began to talk and Sabine looked down at the plate of food in her lap. The Academy's cafeteria issued some of the blandest pile of mashed potatoes that she'd ever tasted. Maybe I should invent something to help those guys out, Sabine thought, only half-kidding. She half-heartedly licked some of the white gunk off her spoon. A little seasoning wouldn't kill anyone.
Sabine glanced over at Ketsu and Daalor, who were sitting to her right. They were chatting and Sabine watched Ketsu playfully kick his feet and then throw her head back with a laugh even though Daalor's joke wasn't that funny.
Sabine rolled her eyes and made gagging sounds. At thirteen-years-old, she hadn't been plagued with the intense attraction Ketsu had for Daalor. The lovebirds were both sixteen and made goo-goo eyes at each other every five minutes.
Love, Sabine thought to herself. Disgusting.
"When I get older," Sabine announced, "I'm never liking someone."
Daalor and Ketsu turned to her. "What makes you say that?" Daalor asked. He seemed genuinely curious while Ketsu arched a thick brow disbelievingly.
Sabine thumped her chest and straightened in an attempt to imitate her stoic mother. "Because," she said in a feigned deep voice, "Mandalorians are strong; hardcore. And love makes you weak. Vulnerable. I'll never love someone."
Daalor smiled at her endearingly but Ketsu snorted. "Good luck with that," she muttered.
Sundari, Mandalore. 0600 hours.
The dream faded and Sabine woke with a start. For a moment, she had a hard time remembering where she was. She wasn't in her dorm room at the Imperial Academy. No... that had been years ago. She wasn't on the Ghost, or even the Mesh'la A'den.
Sabine looked around the small hotel room. Kor's huddled form was curled in a dark corner while Luc was splayed out on the floor, using a bundle of towels as a pillow. There was no sunlight that leaked through the drab gray drapes, which meant it was still early morning. Sabine's lips felt chapped from the fan that spun lazily on the ceiling and her legs shifted under the thin sheets, sore from all the walking the day before. Her left hand was slick with sweat while her right was frigid from being above the covers.
Sabine frowned blearily and looked to her left. A different hand was holding that one, a hand much larger than hers with scarred knuckles from years of living on the streets.
Sabine leaned farther up to see who the hand was attached to. Ezra was next to her bed, slumped against the frame and cradling her hand like it was the most delicate thing in the world. He was still asleep and every feather-soft exhale landed on the back of her hand, making her shiver.
It was too early in the morning to know whether or not to react, or to even know what the proper reaction was. Sabine blinked. She felt surprisingly indifferent. Whenever she'd gone to bed the night before, Ezra had been curled up on the carpet, cocooned in spare hotel towels. Sabine had offered him her blanket, but he had refused. And now he was next to her bed and had fallen asleep holding her hand.
Separation anxiety much? Sabine thought wryly. She quietly slid the sheets back and slipped off the side of the bed to sit next to him. He was still knocked out; oblivious to the world.
Sabine hid a smile and swept a lock of black hair out of his closed eyes. If only he could always look this peaceful.
I'll never love anyone, Sabine had said all those years ago. Her dream had been a memory, one she had almost forgotten about until now. Sabine's hand paused on Ezra's temple. And for some reason, she kept it there. Another broken promise, Sabine thought to herself. I've loved too much. Since the moment I said that, I've loved too much.
There was a shuffling sound and Sabine's head darted up to see Luc standing only a few feet away. She started and her heart skipped a beat.
"Geez," she huffed, putting a hand over her heart. "You scared me. How long have you been standing there?" Sabine suddenly wondered if she'd been thinking aloud and if Luc had heard her.
Luc said nothing. She could just barely make out the glint of his blue eyes flashing as his gaze dropped from her to Ezra. Sabine still had her hand on his face and she jerked it back self-consciously.
"We should get moving," Luc said eventually. He looked away.
Weirdo, Sabine thought to him. What I do and how I feel is my own business. I don't have to act defensive for it.
Sabine lifted her chin. "Good. Let's go."
Luc woke Kor while Sabine shook Ezra. Within the next twenty minutes, they had dressed and eaten the breakfast that the hotel served and were out on the streets to look for Bo-Katan.
Sabine shielded her face from the fabricated sunlight that beat down inside Sundari's biodome. I hope we can find this lady soon, she thought to herself. 'Cause if not, this is going to be a long, long day.
Eleven days later: Sundari, Mandalore. 1300 hours.
Impossible.
Sabine knew it would be hard to find Bo-Katan out of 3 million people, but she never would have known it would be impossible.
"Two weeks," she heard Ezra growl. "It's been two weeks since we started this wild mynock chase and we still can't find her."
Kor had taken them to every safe house, every contact, every source of intelligence that he could possibly come up with and it had proven futile. Now, they were walking the busied streets to manda-knew-where with Kor in the lead. He had taken the setback in stride but Sabine could tell he was beginning to panic. How long would they search for Bo-Katan before they gave up?
"It's been a week and a half, Ezra" Kor corrected from up ahead. "And patience is a virtue. You have to understand that my aunt has been hiding herself for decades; it's no wonder we're having such difficulty locating her."
Sabine gritted her teeth. Patience wasn't exactly a prominent part of her character. "Kor," Sabine hissed through her teeth, "do we even know Arc was right about Bo-Katan being in Sundari?"
It was Luc who answered her. "Arc has plenty of informants who are sympathetic to the Death Watch," he said, "and Bo-Katan Kryze is one of them. That lady has been leading acts of rebellion in this city for years, now." Luc paused. "She's here, Sabine."
Kor sent Luc a glare. "Mand'alor," he said pointedly, "is right, though. No one outside of Sundari has seen my aunt since the Clone Wars. She might as well be a ghost story to everyone else."
"Would you pick a side already?" Ezra snapped. The Sundari heat was getting to everyone. "Is Bo-Katan here or not, Kor?"
Sabine wasn't listening anymore. Something Kor had said gave her an idea. "Outside of Sundari," she breathed. "What… What about inside?"
Luc frowned. "What'd you mean?"
But Sabine's mind was already way ahead. "These people," she said quickly, "all of them, have seen Bo-Katan at one point or another. If she's been acting out against the Empire, she's had to have made herself known. That's what Fenn Rau said, right?"
"So?"
"So, we go along with Bo-Katan's game. She's rebelling against the Empire, so we beat her to it. If we find out where she attacks next, we can have the opportunity to talk with her when we meet. We could recruit her. Kor, what's the next big Imperial celebration?"
The older man seemed slightly confused. "I… heard there was a new batch of cadets graduating from the Imperial Academy in two days."
Sabine swallowed hard. The Imperial Academy on Mandalore. Of course, it just had to be there. Her old school. She steeled her nerves, saying, "That's Bo-Katan's next target. And with luck, ours too."
Two days later: Sundari, Mandalore: 1600 hours.
Sabine pulled the hood of her blue cloak over her head so that her face was covered in shadows. She was in a large crowd of New Mandalorians, trying to blend in with the mob of happy people.
They were shoving her around, everyone jostling for a good spot before the ceremony started. On cue, a drumline cadence started up and the crowd cheered.
Sabine stood on her tiptoes to see a small group of cadets march forward on the stage wearing immaculate black and red uniforms—the Imperial Academy's colors. They were straight-faced and solemn teens; not much older than herself.
Sabine realized that the cadets seemed a little older than her, and she even recognized a few of them. This… she thought slowly, this would have been my graduating class! If I hadn't skipped grades, I mean.
Before Sabine had defected from the Empire, she had been scheduled to graduate two years ahead of the standard time. After all, she had been forwarded to the Academy she was only twelve, even though Imperial protocol was fifteen. But Sabine had been the star student in her old school; top of her language class, weapons engineering, and several others.
Sabine swallowed. She remembered all the glares she had gotten when she had been at the Academy. So many cadets had hated her for being at the top of class in everything she did. Sabine had been the youngest kid there, yet had the highest grades.
Thank the manda I don't have to go through that stuff anymore, she thought to herself. Even Mandalorian cadets can be dishonorable to their fellow classmates.
And they sure as kriff had.
...
...
...
Sabine walked quickly through the narrow Imperial, gripping her backpack tight. If she walked fast enough, maybe she wouldn't be cornered today-
"Well, well, if it isn't Cadet Perfect," a voice growled with evil amusement.
I spoke too soon, Sabine thought dryly. "I don't have time for this," she snapped to the group of older cadets that had begun to surround her.
"Let me guess," another sneered. "You have to go and study again."
Sabine narrowed her eyes. "I'm not the one who should be studying. Due to your little escapade last night, Syler, your grades have dropped to a D minus. Lack of sleep, I'm assuming?"
The small crowd of cadets oohed and Sabine rolled her eyes. Di'kuts. A bunch of di'kuts, all of them.
She started to move away, when Syler stepped in front of her "How'd you figure that out?" he growled.
Sabine smirked. Syler was about as discreet as a lumering bantha. It didn't take a genius to notice him slipping out of his dorm room at midnight and then being half-asleep when he went to take his Level Five Exams.
"None of your business," she said instead. "Now move."
But the bigger teen didn't. "You know," he said, bending down closer to her. "I think you cheated. I think you hacked into the Academy's system to find that out. After all, who scored highest in the espionage test we had last week?"
Sabine slowly narrowed her eyes. Did he dare insult— "Did you just insult my honor?" she demanded.
The other cadets around them took a step back. They knew what was coming.
Syler's nostrils flared and Sabine could see the wheels turning in his head. Did he want to do this? Insulting another Mandalorian's honor was nasty business and Sabine was at the top of their self-defense class.
But before he could answer, someone stepped in between the two.
"Syler," a boy said, "you don't want to do this." Sabine had never seen him before. He was a gangly teen, looking about fifteen, with disheveled long hair that fell below his shoulders. Strong jaw. Deep-set blue eyes. Fresh face still round with youth—a new cadet.
Syler seemed adamant. "I'm not scared of a little girl."
"You know good and well Sabine Wren is only twelve-years-old," the boy said sternly. "And although she may be ready to prove her honor, is it in any way noble for you to fight someone so young, seven years younger than yourself?"
"Careful," Sabine muttered under her breath. "I don't know if Syler can count that high."
Syler started forward. "What did you just say—?"
The boy stepped in between them. "Syler." His voice had a solemn tone to it. This wasn't going to end pretty unless someone back down.
Finally, Syler turned away. "Watch yourself, man. You and Cadet Perfect both. You're putting a nail in your coffin, siding with her."
The crowd of cadets followed Syler's lead and shuffled along with a lot of grumbling and sidelong looks.
"Buzzkill," one muttered to the boy who had helped Sabine.
"…No fun."
"Don't expect to be hanging out with us anymore."
"Yeah," they all agreed sporadically.
Sabine watched the cadets leave until it was just her and the gangly boy.
"You know," she said, hiking a hand on her hip, "I had everything completely under control."
The boy gave her a toothy smile. He looked too happy for Sabine's liking. "Don't worry," he said. "I didn't do it for a fiery little thing like you."
That made Sabine pause. "Then… why did you stick up for me like that?"
He sighed, plopping on the ground, his back against the wall. Sabine hesitantly joined him, crossing her legs. "Because…" he said slowly, "well, for the principle of it. He's nineteen. You shouldn't have to fight him."
Sabine frowned. "But," she said, "I could do it."
He looked at her, baffled. "Is that the only thing you've gotten out of this?"
"It's the only thing I've told myself."
He stayed staring at her and Sabine wondered if he thought he made a mistake, sticking up for her. But then his face broke out in a wide smile. His light blue eyes twinkled.
"Y'know," he announced, "I think we're gonna be great friends." He had to be at least three years older than her but he smiled enduringly. He seemed to like smiling. "I'm Cadet LS-916. But you can call me Daalor.
"Daalor Ordo."
...
...
...
Sabine blinked hard and was pulled back to reality. Hey, she remembered Syler! By the manda it had been years since she'd even thought about the guy.
And Daalor.
Well, Sabine happened to think about her almost-big-brother often these days. She had stood in the very place she was standing now, in the Imperial Academy's courtyard, laughing and eating lunch with him and Ketsu. Those had been better days. And when Daalor had stood up to Syler and his gang, that had been the first time Sabine had met the guy. From that moment on, they had become instant friends. It wasn't long after that until their paths crossed Ketsu and the three had formed a small family.
Sabine looked sideways, noticing Ezra in the outskirts of the crowd. He was keeping an eye out for Bo-Katan in the graduation ceremony.
Sabine smiled unconsciously. Back what had seemed like a lifetime ago, Ezra had reminded Sabine of Daalor. As the boy's Jedi training progressed, Sabine had began to see something she hadn't seen in him before. Ezra had become selfless, noble, and caring-just like Daalor had been. He wasn't gloomy, like Sabine had expected for someone who had lived on the streets his whole life. Ezra had become happy. Genuinely happy.
And overtime, when he had gave her that lopsided grin, Sabine couldn't help thinking of Daalor and his enduring smile. Back then, in her Imperial Academy days, Sabine had needed a big brother, and Daalor had filled that spot. And now, in her Rebel days, maybe she needed something more than a brother. Maybe she needed a best friend.
And Ezra has certainly filled that spot, Sabine reflected with a slight smile.
Suddenly, a loud voice burst from the speakers around the crowd, causing Sabine's eyes to dart up.
"WELCOME EVERYONE!" a voice shouted cheerfully. It was the announcer behind the pulpit. He seemed ecstatic to be operating an Imperial cadet graduation ceremony. "The Imperial Academy is thrilled to present Sundari with the newest class of Mandalorian graduates!"
The crowd cheered and whistled.
The announcer smiled but then motioned for them to quiet down. "However," he said seriously, "in all honesty, I cannot think of a better way to serve our Emperor, than to give him the first and best of his troops. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for a new generation of Imperial Supercommandos!"
The crowd roared their approval, yet Sabine stayed silent, pulling her large blue cloak tighter around her body. Bo-Katan had to be arriving any minute now…
"And now," the announcer said humbly, "may I introduce a man of honor and pride for his homeworld… the Imperial Viceroy of Mandalore… GAR SAXON!"
Sabine's heart skipped a beat as her nemesis' name was called out. Gar Saxon? Sabine thought incredulously. He's not supposed to be here!
A red and white armored Supercommando suddenly descended from the air, his jetpack lowering him down to the stage. The crowd roared even louder and Sabine snorted.
"Showoff," she muttered
Gar Saxon took off his helmet and walked to the pulpit, his rough face contorted in a smirk. "Good afternoon, citizens of Mandalore!"
Sabine glared daggers at the man, her arms crossed. Dishonorable Hutt-spawn, she cursed the man mentally. Go suck beskar.
"As the leader of this planet," he said, his voice dripping with fake humility, "it is my duty to see Mandalore's children raised to be Mandalorians. Which is why I am proud to see these children off. However, these cadets are not leaving as children, but as trained and battle-tried men and women of their Emperor!"
Sabine gritted her teeth as the crowd cheered. Seriously? Did Saxon just try to pull the Resol'nare on them? The fifth rule to raise their children to be Mandalorians? The audacity!
Saxon motioned to someone on the stage, and they brought him an opened box. Sabine could just see the gleam of badges from inside its velvety depths.
Gar Saxon cleared his throat and said into the mic, "Daalor Ordo, please step forward."
Sabine's breath hitched. Did he… Is Daalor…
"No," she whispered. It couldn't be. It couldn't be!
Sabine tore off the hood of her cloak and pushed to the front of the crowd. He was dead, Sabine thought frantically. I left him for dead… he has to be dead! The weapon had misfired on the barrack, electrocuting everyone inside it-including Daalor. It couldn't be true. Unless…
Unless he managed to escape, Sabine thought, a grim certainty began to settle at the pit of her stomach as she moved closer to the stage. I never did see a body.
Like a scene from a nightmare, Daalor was very much non-electrocuted and standing side by side with Gar Saxon. His normally scruffy, light brown hair that the boy had wore long was now short and gelled to the side. The playful twinkle in Daalor's eyes was no longer there. His blue eyes were… cold. Unforgiving. No-nonsense. And now, his broad jaw and chiseled chin looked gaunt and his cheeks sunken in.
"Daalor," Sabine whispered to the man in front of her. "What have they done to you?"
But he couldn't hear her from where he stood proudly on the stage next to Saxon.
"Daalor Ordo," Saxon said formally, picking up a badge from the open box. "I present you, the valedictorian of your class, with this badge as a symbol of your rank among the Empire." Saxon pinned the gleaming piece of metal on Daalor's uniform. "And now," Saxon continued, "Daalor Ordo would like to say a few words."
Sabine fought to swallow as her throat constricted with emotion. Where was her carefree friend she'd once knew? That erect posture hadn't been there four years ago. That somber expression on his face hadn't been there when she'd known him. That vacant… dead look in his empty blue eyes would haunt Sabine.
"I am proud to serve my Emperor," Daalor monotoned. "And even though the years it has taken for me to graduate have been rough, due to… external circumstances—"
Sabine's eyes widened. He's talking about me, she realized. Does he really think I was just a… a hold-up in his graduation plan?
"—I am relieved to finally consider myself a true member of the Imperial Supercommandos," Daalor continued. "I vow to bring peace… justice… and security to my new Empire."
Sabine's breathing was rapid and her heart raced in her chest. How could he say that…? After the Empire had enslaved their people, he was still devoted to them?!
"Par kote bal ijaat be te Emperor!" Daalor shouted in Mando'a. And with his fist raised in the air, his mouth opened in a battle cry, Daalor suddenly froze as a thunderous sound went off.
Sabine's heart stopped and she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a raw scream.
It was a blaster shot.
And it went straight through Daalor's chest.
His body was rigid and for a moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity, no one spoke or even moved. And then Daalor slowly slid off the pulpit, a smoldering hole through the center of his uniform.
"Open fire!" a female's voice screamed suddenly and blasts began to rain down.
Sabine didn't have time for grief as her body moved by pure instinct. She ran, her legs pumping and slid under the stage. Her blue cloak had been torn off in the madness and Sabine caught her breath as her heart pounded in her chest. I hope the others are okay, she thought as she heard lasers ping off the metal stage. Surely everyone who had been up there had been shot. All the graduating cadets on the stage had to have been caught in the crossfire from…
Bo-Katan! Sabine realized. She showed up after all!
Sabine scooted under the stage, hauling her body along. She poked her head out and then quickly rolled and stood, coming face-to-face with an epic battle.
Lasers rained down like water droplets and flying Mandos rocketed everywhere. Sabine quickly spotted Imperial Supercommandos engaged in an aerial firefight with blue and white armored Mandalorians.
Bo-Katan's Nite Owls, Sabine realized. I can't believe she's still commandeering that group!
Sabine turned and looked up on the stage. There were at least six cadets dead, and one of them she recognized. Daalor, Sabine thought, strained. She had to seem him. Just one last time.
Sabine leaped onto the stage and skidded over to Daalor, her throat constricting. She slowly reached out a shaking hand, brushing aside the gel-soaked flick of hair in his face.
The smell of blood tainted the air and Sabine gently picked his head up, her heart aching. Her poor brother. Her fellow Mandalorian. She had spent years laughing with the now not-so-gangly boy. And to die… like this? Serving the Empire?
Suddenly, Daalor stirred.
Sabine nearly jumped out of her skin. He's still alive?!
Sabine hurriedly pressed two fingers next to his neck, checking for a pulse. It was faint, but definitely there.
He's not dead… He's not dead!
Sabine shook him and patted his face gently. "Daalor," she said urgently. "Daalor, wake up!"
The adult stirred even more, and his eyes flickered open. Big, beautiful, twinkling blue eyes. "S…Sabine?" he mumbled, sounding confused.
She wanted to cry. He still remembers me. Sabine ignored the firefight around her. Her vision was tunneled to the young man she held in her arms. "It's me," Sabine choked. "It's me, Daalor. It's Sabine. I came back."
Daalor stared hard at her, his pupils dilating. "You," he growled, "Sabine Wren… the traitor."
No. No, not him too!
"Daalor," Sabine said, her voice breaking, "no, I'm not. I came back for you! For all of you! I'm going to free Mandalore!"
His face looked pale and unhealthy. Daalor swallowed forcibly. "Lies," he gasped. "Lies. You enslaved us. You killed thousands, billions of people."
Sabine's breaths were shallow as her heart sank. Him too? "The Empire used the weapon. They enslaved our people, not me!"
"You created it," he murmured, his eyes brimming with tears. "I loved you, Sabine! You were like my sister! You saw our people now—you saw the way you've forced them to live. You did that."
She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She looked at him sternly. "It wasn't my fault," she said evenly, "and you don't mean that."
"I do!" Daalor cried, tears streaking his blood-stained face. "I do, I swear I do!"
"You don't," Sabine said slowly. "Don't die like this, Daalor; saying stuff you don't mean. Your word is your bond."
"Don't lecture me," Daalor spat, grabbing at his chest. "I will die like I lived… serving my Emperor."
Sabine narrowed her eyes. She had known him long enough to know that he was about to do something impulsive. He had it written all over his sallow face.
"GAR SAXON!" Daalor cried, moving away from Sabine. "Saxon, I've found a traitor! The traitor, Sabine Wren! She's here! Saxon!"
Sabine jumped away from Daalor and whirled around to see a certain red and white armored Imperial Supercommando hovering in the air.
Sabine locked eyes with Gar Saxon and she slowly straightened. She saw his mouth move as he murmured her name, before yelling the words, "Squad! Forget about the rebels! Focus your fire on… on Sabine Wren!"
Sabine had a split second before lasers erupted around her. And so in that split second, her muscles moving by instinct, she dashed over to Daalor, grabbed him by an arm, and dove behind the pulpit.
The blasts bored holes into the metal around Sabine and pinged off the pulpit she was hiding behind. She could hear Bo-Katan's Nite Owls covering her, returning fire.
Sabine pulled Daalor close behind the pulpit, hiding his body the best she could. "We're in trouble," she murmured to her old friend.
Daalor coughed violently. "No," he gasped, "you're in trouble. Soon I will join my ancestors and become one with the manda. I won't need to feel the shame and pain that you feel."
Sabine frowned, swallowing hard. She was about to snap back something but she realized how close Daalor was to death. I can't insult his memory by arguing with him in his last moments, Sabine reasoned. He doesn't know what he's talking about.
But in the back of her mind, Sabine knew Daalor was fully aware of what he was spatting to her.
She just didn't want to admit it.
"I'm here for you," Sabine said quietly, holding her old friend's hand as his breathing grew labored.
Daalor stared hard at her. "No," choked. "No, little sister. You never were."
Sabine felt as if she was being torn in two. "Daalor, please," she said in a strangled whisper. "Don't talk like this."
Daalor grimaced and the veins in his neck bulged. He was dying. He was dying and she knew it.
Sabine tried hard to ignore the painful gnawing on the inside of her. "See you on the other side, old friend."
Daalor heaved for breath. And as Sabine met his big, beautiful, yet shockingly vacant blue eyes, she knew he meant every word. "No," he managed, gasping between words. "You won't follow me to the manda, Sabine. You are dar'manda. Soulless."
Sabine gripped his clammy hand tight, in one last, desperate attempt to change his mind. "No," she whispered despairingly. "I'm your little sister."
Daalor stared into her eyes, unshed tears glistening. "I swear," he whispered, "I never even knew you."
Sabine reeled as Daalor's chest lifted one last time, and then fell. It didn't move after that.
With shaky fingers Sabine slowly closed his eyelids. His blue eyes were truly vacant now. His last words rang in her ears. I swear I never even knew you. She had spent three years of her life with Daalor and Ketsu and his dying words were that he never knew her.
It's because he thinks… thought I'm a traitor. Sabine reflected bleakly. The Sabine he knew would never enslave our people. The Sabine Daalor knew made straight As, aced the Level Ten Exams at the Academy, got in trouble for drawing on her desk in class, and was best friends with Ketsu, his crush. The Sabine Daalor knew would never enslave our people. Would never hold the Darksaber, or become the Mand'alor. The Sabine Daalor knew would amount to something. Would become the star student of the Empire.
The Sabine that I am… is a disappointment.
Is a traitor.
Is soulless.
And as Sabine looked down at her "big brother's" pale skin, forever closed eyes, and still chest… she couldn't stop feeling completely and absolutely horrified.
"I can't do this," Sabine choked, closing her eyes. "You were right." She pulled the dead boy closer and buried her face in his uniform. How could she do this? How could she lead her people? The people who knew her best all said the same thing: that she was not fit to lead. There was so much red on Sabine's hands, so much red that every time she tried to clean something she just ended up smearing it.
Sabine suddenly grit her teeth. Pull yourself together, she snapped to herself. You can't control what everyone else will do; whether they'll follow you and if they won't. You messed up, Sabine. So you have to fix it.
Daalor says you enslaved Mandalore? Now you're here to liberate it.
Daalor says you killed billions of your own people? It was the Empire that used your weapon, not you.
Daalor says you're a traitor? Prove your loyalty.
Daalor says you're soulless? Prove just how much of a Mandalorian you are.
Daalor says you're dishonorable and a disgrace to your family? Kriff, who cares what Mom thinks! You've got Hera and Kanan and Zeb and Chopper! You've got Ezra! You don't need your blood family. After all, isn't family more than bloodline?
Sabine straitened, gently laying Daalor's head on the cracked metal stage. "I fix my mistakes," Sabine said aloud. "I'm not going to let Mandalore suffer any longer for something I was responsible for."
Sabine stood up behind the pulpit and stepped out into open area. "Saxon!" she shouted, tired of hiding. "Face me like a Mandalorian!"
The Imperial Viceroy turned at the sound of her voice, training his blaster on her. He began to smirk. "Set weapons to stun, boys," he growled with twisted pleasure. "We need the girl alive."
Sabine gritted her teeth and jutted out her chin defiantly. I'm done running, Sabine thought angrily. I am who I am and I'm sick and tired of apologizing for it.
"Saxon!" Sabine yelled, jabbing her index finger at him. "I'm coming for you! You enslaved my world and I'm going to liberate it!"
Gar Saxon seemed to find the idea amusing. "Really, Wren?" he said, beginning to descend. "You are a wayward child and a traitor. You are no threat to the Empire."
Sabine was still defiant. She knew who she was. And she sure as kriff was a threat. "I'm Mand'alor the Free," Sabine said evenly. "And I will free my homeworld. Do you hear me Saxon? I am coming for you!"
The old man alighted on the stage, his blaster leveled at her. "Not a chance, traitor," he muttered and Sabine watched his finger tighten around the trigger.
Suddenly, a detonator rolled right between Saxon's feet and Sabine's eyes widened. She was already moving as someone cried out, "BOMB!"
Sabine was blown forward from the explosion. She landed on her back, off the stage, on the hard duracrete ground. She wheezed for a moment. Her ears rang and her mouth gasped for air that wasn't there.
A hand with a grip as hard as beskar suddenly clamped onto Sabine's arm and pulled her up. Sabine looked around dizzily to see the fuzzy outline of a female Mandalorian, with a shock of red hair and piercing green eyes.
"C'mon, "Mand'alor the Free,"" Bo-Katan Kryze growled. "We've got a lot to talk about."
Hoped you guys liked this chap! Umm and I'm probably gonna stop writing these A/N at the end of the chapter because I've run out of things to say XD
Y'all know the drill. Follow/Fav if you like the story and are interested to see where we're headed! Reviews are greatly appreciated ^^ Thanks again for your continuous support and patience; seriously, can't stress that enough. You guys are great!
Specter7 out.