"Commander, we've reached the system, but the camp hasn't responded to our comms." The soldier's voice came out with a rough metallic edge as he spoke through the blue and grey helmet. His expression was hidden, but his tone clearly suggested him nervousness.
Bo-Katan Kryze, commander of the Death Watch unit that she currently travelled with, turned her attention to the soldiers that had approached he with the situation. Still needing more clarity from the unhelpful update, she spoke with a harsh tone. "What do you mean they haven't responded? We're expected, are we not?"
"Yes, Commander," the soldier answered, "Captain Jex was informed days ago. The comm lines are up. He's just not answering."
"Land the ships!" This was the last straw. Bo-Katan knew full well that Jex had a history of denying or delaying orders and causing problems for any leader that he disagreed with. More often than not, that meant her. Nonetheless, she wasn't past the idea of forcing his submission to her authority. If Vizsla hadn't vouched for that rat, she thought, I'd have his head. "We have a job to do."
The soldier knew that there was one response to a direct order, regardless of the situation, order, or commanding officer. "Yes, sir!" He wasted no more time before conveying the order to the pilots and signalling for the escort to land on the habitable moon where the training camp was established.
The ships landed on the edge of the camp, receiving no trouble from the units on the surface. Regardless of whether or not Jex respected their comms, they were expected and recognized as an authoritative presence. Bo-Katan was at the heart of the command, having been sent by the leader of Death Watch himself to evaluate and recruit the best of the best from the camp, bring them back with her to prepare them for the fight to come soon.
An agreeable and unwilling Captain Jex stood waiting as Bo-Katan and a few of her personally selected officers left the ships. "Welcome," he gritted out through a false smile, "I trust you didn't have trouble finding the camp." It was obvious what his comment meant. Long ago, Jex's failures because of his arrogance and ambition got him sent here. He loathed the demotion from a real leader to a captain that was set aside to train cadets that he saw as children. He failed and wound up trapped on a moon in the middle of an overlooked, backwater system. His comment only stated his grievance in polite terms.
"Let's just get this over with."
"If we're taking so much of your valuable time," Jex suggested with a sneering smile, "Then perhaps you could leave the troop selection to me. After all, I am still this unit's captain. I know-"
As he spoke, Bo-Katan simply walked past him with, her small selection of soldiers following along behind her. "Since you know your men so well, I trust you'll have the best of them ready for inspection within the hour." She didn't have to face Jex to know that he was still listening to her as she walked away.
"As you wish," he grumbled out.
Since Teran had started training Nadine three years ago, he was the only one that ever seemed to notice the true potential that she had. Captain Jex and the other older soldiers never saw it. Teran and Nadine passed by them day to day, ignored and written off as young and irrelevant compared to the older cadets. They were always blind to what they didn't want to acknowledge; this girl was proving to be a true Mandalorian. He had spent years trying to prove himself to Death Watch, only succeeding in staying under his brother's heel. Now, he had a new ally to train to fight alongside him and help him move forward with his plan. In this, he was succeeding beyond any expectations that he held. This girl, Nadine, had proved to be raging fire of spirit, hungrily waiting for her own turn to prove herself.
At first, Nadine's training seemed bleak. She worked long, hard days in the worst sort of environment, provided by the moon's harsh climate and the less that friendly demeanor of those that she lived with. The work and hopelessness would have worn down anyone with less spirit, but she only pushed herself harder. With every passing day, Nadine's hopeful vision of a peaceful home faded away. There was no more neutral Mandalore. Soon enough, war would reach her home system as it had reached so many others. The only real way to help her people now, in her mind, was to fight for them. In the meantime, she would grow in the shadow of her captors, waiting for just the right moment.
Teran watched as the three armor clad fighters formed around the girl in the center of the circle that they had established. Equipped with close range combat weapons, they fought boldly and with skill; however, in turn they each hit the ground, barely managing to stand again. Teran had already known that none of them had been a match for Nadine. He hoped that all together, they could challenge the girl. No such luck. She moved with a speed and dexterity that never ceased to fascinate him. The others remained on the ground, as Nadine stood expectantly over them, looking to Teran for her next instruction.
Now, his success stared him down, visor to visor. The cold, expressionless black helmet that mirrored his scrutiny pleased him. The armor had been the final reward for her progress. The black and red plating resembled that worn by his own house. While proficient in many weapons, she needed something custom to her strongest skill set. With the armor, Teran had given her the retractable, electric vibrostaff. From when he had tossed her a stick to this very day, her use of a staff or blade was like an extension of her own self. Now she stood unmatched with those weapons, leaving no mercenary at the settlement able to best her hand to hand. She was, plain and simply, a natural. "Nadine," he called to her, "Follow me. We have a few things to discuss."
Nadine followed the instruction silently, walking along beside him. She waited for him to begin speaking, but his hesitation was clear to her. "You're going to tell me that the war is getting worse so we're running out of time, aren't you?" Her observations weren't always complete or perfect, but they rarely strayed from the general mark.
"You're getting faster," Teran noted thoughtfully, avoiding her question for now. He stopped walking and turned to look at her. She looked so different than she did when she was first brought into the camp, he realized. Now, she was taller and walked with more strength. Even though she was still young, she'd learned so much and come so far. From studying every circuit and power cell of every weapon to how to use all of them with a notable and terrible efficiency, he could see that her training had gone farther than he could have ever taken it. This was second nature to her, but, again, she was still young. "And you're right. I've been doing what I can to patch through messages that are being sent to the captains in the compound. The Duchess is trying to convince the Republic Senate to not send military aid to Mandalore. If she can't do that, then the fighting will happen faster than I thought. I know you wanted to play the long game on this, but we're out of time."
Nadine's thoughts went right to her mother. She was still alive and fighting to help the people the best way she knew how. It was welcome news, despite the dark circumstances. "She's only trying to keep her people safe from the war. But...if she fails and the Republic gets involved, won't that force Death Watch into action? Fast?" As she took off her helmet, the concern on her face was clear to see.
Teran let out a deep sigh and removed his own helmet, tucking it under his arm. "It would. That's just the problem." He turned and pointed at the new ships that had come in that day. "You see those? That's the way out of here. Governor Vizsla is sending for more soldiers. There's going to be a real fight, and I'm going to be there for it."
Nadine looked at the ships, an idea forming in her mind. "So, whoever they pick goes on that ship to go fight? How is it done? How do they choose who to take?"
Teran knew that look on Nadine's face, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop her from thinking. This girl was far too clever to stop scheming. He just went on to explain it. "It's a process. See, the captains all pick the best cadets from the compound. They usually pick the oldest, because they've had the most training. The chosen soldiers go to get inspected and tested. If they pass, they go on to join an active cell of Death Watch and get off this blasted rock forever."
"How are they tested?" Nadine asked, eyes still fixed on the ships.
"Why do you need to know?" Teran scoffed, "Only the ones who are picked are going to go find that out. You're too young. Not to mention still a captive. The only way you're getting out of here is by breaking the rules, not following the traditions." He crossed his arms and followed her gaze to the ships.
Nadine looked to Teran now, raising an eyebrow at him. "You said it was your way off, right?"
"Hey, now," he defended, holding his hands open in front of him in a gesture of surrender, "I'm not backing out. We had a deal that you were going to help me if I trained you. If I can get picked, then I have a chance at negotiating with the higher-ups for you. No one has come for you yet and we've finished the deal that Jex struck to take you. You're not good to keep prisoner. If I become a real soldier than I'll convince them to let you go and let you help us fight. We'll do it the right way."
Nadine shook her head. "No, Teran. If you tell them the truth - that it doesn't pay to keep me here - then I'll become a loose end. I can get by on my own, because we're both getting out of here. We'll never convince them that I can fight, so I'll show them!" She took a deep breath and nodded. "We need to get selected!"
Teran turned to walk away, gesturing for Nadine to follow. "Look, runt...I know you're really good at coming up with insane plans, but you can't get selected. I'm in my brother's unit, allowing me a chance to compete, and you're not even supposed to have access to armor! I'll get killed if Jex finds out you're trying to win!"
Following alongside Teran again, Nadine smirked. "That's just it, Teran! You're brilliant. I can make this work."
"I just said not to do that! How did you get the opposite from what I said? Were you even listening to me?"
Stepping out in front of Teran, Nadine put a hand on his chest to stop him from walking. "You told me how I was going to get selected. I'm not." Taking her hand, she patted the helmet under her arm. "But they won't know that. They don't have to know who I am to see what I can do. Nadine Kryze isn't even supposed to be here, much less supposed to be able to fight like the Mando'a. I just won't be her."
"You're a raving lunatic," Teran laughed, "That will never work. This idea is actually getting worse!"
"What do you tell the others when I train with them? I know for sure they don't know it's me. What is it that you tell them, then?" Nadine knew the answer, but wanted to prove her point.
"I just tell them you're from clan Feyah," Teran reminded her, "They're so scattered that no one could tell whether it was true or not. As long as they don't see your face and recognize you, Nadine is all but forgotten. As far as these other cadets are concerned, you've been Adiline Feyah for over a year." He stopped for a moment, as if recalculating her odds of making the plan work. "That still doesn't mean you'll get picked. Even if you were Feyah. So, for the last time, I'm telling you: Don't do this! Stay outta trouble, keep your head down, and I'll come back for you." He walked on toward his bunk at the edge of the compound housing.
Nadine knew the usual drill; he went on to the camp and she had to go stash her armor and change back into the plain clothes of a prisoner before someone recognized her. Instead, however, she placed her helmet back on her head, hoping the the distortion of her voice through it would be enough. She didn't know if this would work, but it was a gut feeling that she just had to follow.
The trials for the cadets went on for hours. Any light the moon had from the neighboring sun faded into an evening glow. Armor was bathed in starlight, giving the warriors an almost ghostly appearance. Each of the captains who ran the training compound had come forward with their best cadets. The cadets were young men and women who had trained for this very opportunity for a long time. However, since the Death Watch demanded the best from their soldiers, only the best of those would be chosen. Losers would remain at the compound, training for their next chance at glory. The final test was long underway. A sparring arena was set up in the center of the training grounds. The arena was circled by cheering and shouting Mando'a, chanting for their pick of the young warriors.
Overlooking the fights, Bo-Katan and Jex watched the fighters with extreme scrutiny. As the losing fighter was thrown to the ground, a mixture of excited and angry cheers erupted among the others, pulling the leaders out of their evaluating thoughts. Bo-Katan crossed her arms and looked at the last cadet standing in front of them. "Well fought. What's your name?"
The cadet removed his helmet and bowed his head slightly in thanks. "I am Teran Jex. I was selected by Captain Jex for the trials."
Bo-Katan looked to Jex, who shrugged and offered a statement. "He's got a rebellious spirit that could stand some breaking down," Jex huffed, "But he's a good fighter and the best sniper you'll ever see."
"Very well. We'll take him," she agreed, turning back to Teran, "Fall in with the others. Let's see how many decent helmets we got, now that we're done with the-"
"Wait!"
Bo-Katan turned sharply to see where the objection came from. A girl cadet had run up and into the center of the arena. "What do you think you're doing, kid?"
"I challenge for the right to be tried!" the girl yelled.
Teran knew in an instant that it was Nadine. His heart leapt into throat in horror as she openly challenged a Death Watch commander. He wanted to stop her or say something. Anything. But, no matter what he said or did, he couldn't stop her now.
Nadine knew that she had not only gotten the Commander's attention but that she also peaked her interest. "Commander, I challenge any warrior you pick to close quarters combat! If I can beat them, you will consider me!"
"If I refuse you, child?" Bo-Katan scoffed.
"Then you are within your rights to do so, Commander," Nadine answered, "After all, I challenge out of place and run the risk of causing great insult to a commanding officer by doing so. By all means, reject the challenge of a child in front of your men!"
The whole of the camp seemed to fall utterly silent when the challenge was called out. No one dared to interrupt or say anything for or against their commander. The insulting offer left little room for rejection now. No one would lose anything but time if it was accepted, but, if Bo-Katan refused now, it was a matter of honor.
"I accept!"
Nadine bowed her head slightly and stepped back further into the arena, drawing her vibrostaff from off of her back. As she saw Bo-Katan and her men turn to discuss a champion for the challenge, Nadine took the moment of near silence to take deep breaths and focus her energy and thoughts entirely on the matter at hand. Her plan, goals, and wants for being off of this moon could even wait. All that mattered is that she won the chance to get off of it first. Without an escape the rest wouldn't matter anyway. She just needed for Adiline Feyah to be chosen. Clear your mind, she told herself, Focus.
She watched as the champion she would face stepped into the arena. It was at that moment that her situation became real. Her opponent, fully clad in scarred, battle worn armor, was far taller than she was and appeared far stronger than anyone else she had ever fought. While fighting this soldier gave her the chance to escape this moon, it also had the chance to have potentially deadly consequences. The man was armed with his own vibrostaff, which, unlike Nadine's was jagged and bladed at the ends. It doesn't matter that he's bigger or stronger, she repeated to herself. All you have to do is be faster!
Jex stepped forward to recite the usual rules of the combat challenge, given to the other cadets. "On our mark, you will fight to disarm and pin your opponent. You will have no help and no weapons other than the single one that you have each chosen. The fight is not for fatalities. It will be to the last man standing,"
"No!" Bo-Katan called out, changing the rules, "Let's see what she's got. Perhaps it will teach her some respect. The fight is to the blood!" She ignored Jex's surprised expression. The goal was to test his cadets, not to maim them, after all. Still, she made no sign of changing her mind. "Ready! For your honor! Fight!"