Chapter 6

Valentine's Day

Author's Note: Thanks RobbieX21, Nina Rand, The Lady Revan, Revan's Pet Duck, LunaticPandora1, and everyone else who has read and enjoyed my story! I appreciate the reviews very much! And a special thanks to Danni Rand--I am honored to be quoted on your homepage!

Kalan took her time walking back through the jungle and returned to the Ebon Hawk very late. She went to Kreia's room, and wasn't surprised to find the old woman awake. "I'm back…"

"Where were you!" Kreia asked, furious.

"Didn't Atton tell you? I was with Mandalore…"

"Atton is useless! Anyway, what were you doing?"

"We went to the camp and he introduced me to some people. He wants to see us there tomorrow at dawn."

"I will make sure we are all awake at that time."

And she did. The next morning everyone started gathering outside of the Ebon Hawk just before dawn to discuss what they would do. They were all waiting on Visas, who wasn't a morning person, and a lot of the others started talking. Kalan saw Atton wandering around near the ship and walked over to him. "I just wanted to tell you that's the last favor I am ever doing for you."

"I made it up to you, didn't I?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I kissed you…"

"If that is your idea of a…"

"Hey, don't get all angry at me! I was just kidding…"

"I did not find that funny. At all."

Kalan stormed off. Atton was smiling. Oh, you know you like me, Kalan, just admit it to yourself…

Kalan stood by herself, waiting, when she heard the HK and Mira arguing. "Living bounty hunters are way more effective," she said.

"Protest: Assassin droids are more intelligent and they eliminate targets more efficiently."

"Assassin droids are only as good as their programming, and…"

"Mimic: I'm Mira and I'm a stupid meatbag!" the HK said, perfectly imitating Mira's voice.

"Hey!" Mira said angrily. "Shut up!"

"You shut up!" the HK said, still in Mira's voice.

"Wait a second," Kalan said, walking over. "You…you're like that other HK droid…you can mimic voices…"

"Statement: Why, yes, Master. I am very good at it, Master."

"I can hear that," Kalan said, narrowing her eyes. "I'm impressed with how well you did Mira, considering this is your first try."

"Clarification: Oh, no, Master, I have already…" the HK stopped suddenly.

"Yes?" Kalan asked. Mira looked confused.

"Er…already stored all of the different pitches and such needed to perfectly imitate such a voice into my memory core, just in case you ever need me to do one for you."

"I see," Kalan said. "You've perfected all of them? Including Mical's?"

"What's going on?" Mira asked.

Suddenly Visas descended from the Ebon Hawk. "I am sorry I am so late…"

"It is all right," Kreia said hastily. "We shall go now…correct?"

"I think everyone should try to come, except the droids," Kalan said, deciding she would finish interrogating the HK later. "Mandalore said they weren't allowed."

"I'd like to stay with the droids, General," Bao-Dur said.

"I'd really rather you came."

"But…"

"Please come."

Bao-Dur sighed. "All right, if you really want me to, General." He whispered orders to the Remote to stay behind and "watch the HK."

"Does everyone else want to go?" Kalan asked. Everyone nodded and nobody else complained. "Okay then. Let's get moving."

When they reached the Mandalorian camp the festivities were already underway. Mandalore greeted them at the entrance. "You're right on time. Follow me."

Mandalore showed them around most of the camp. There were lots of battle rings where crowds had gathered to watch fights that were beginning. Kalan knew that the crew could never get bored here. Mandalore finally stopped at the eating area. Massive tables were lined up with traditional Mandalorian foods, along with a few other delicacies from across the galaxy. Visas immediately ran for a table and started eating.

"The rest of you can watch the fights, if you like," Mandalore said. "I have some work to do."

"I think I'll stay here with Visas," Bao-Dur said, looking depressed. He stalked off to the eating tent and sat down near her.

Kreia slipped into a crowd somewhere without anyone noticing. Atton went off to watch some fights, and Mical went to see some different ones. Mira wandered about, not really knowing what to do, and Kalan followed Mandalore. "Are you going to be fighting soon?" she asked

"Of course," Mandalore said. "But it'll be a few minutes. I'll be fighting at the largest ring. You can come watch me if you want to."

Mandalore entered a building. Kalan looked around, wondering where the largest ring was, when she saw Mandalore's Number Two approaching her. "It's nice to see you again," the woman said.

"It's nice to see you, too," Kalan replied. "Do you know where the largest ring is?"

"Yes. I can take you there…but first I wanted to tell you something. I'm lucky I found you in all these crowds…"

"What is it?"

"If you were thinking about participating in some of the fights, make sure you're careful. There are some men who have their eyes on you, and I'm pretty sure becoming a wife is not your intention today."

"Thank you for the warning…I'll be very careful."

"Don't worry too much, dear," Number Two said with a smile. "Mandalore likes you. He'll take care of you."

"I know. Your husband is a very…a very honorable man."

"The most honorable Mandalorian there is, and rightly so. Well, Jedi Kalan, I had better be going. The largest ring is just over that way…it's hard to miss. Good luck today!"

"Thank you."

Kalan went off in the direction Number Two had signaled and soon found the largest ring, which was, at the moment, empty. Still, there was a fairly large crowd gathering up around it, and Kalan waited with them, knowing that Mandalore would be there soon. Then she felt somebody tap her on the shoulder from behind. She turned around and faced a Mandalorian soldier. "Jedi," he said, "how would you like to fight in a friendly battle?"

"Sure," Kalan said, smiling.

"You do have a partner, don't you?"

"Uh…" Kalan said nervously, scanning the area. She spotted Atton watching a fight nearby. "Yes, I have a partner."

"Retrieve him and bring him to that ring right there," the Mandalorian said, gesturing to a small one not far away.

"Of course…I'll be right there."

Kalan ran over to Atton. "Come with me," she said.

"Huh?"

"You're going to be my partner."

"Partner?"

"We're going to fight someone together! Come on!"

"Oh…okay…"

Kalan and Atton went over to the ring, where a match was almost over. Two Mandalorians were fighting one another with swords. A sergeant was watching over the battle and an excited teenage girl was standing next to him. One of the Mandalorians hit his opponent very hard, and a few seconds later the opponent dropped his sword. The sergeant raised his arm, signaling the end of the match. The victor walked up to the girl. She bowed in front of him and the two ran off together. The loser walked dejectedly away.

"I wish to fight the Jedi," the Mandalorian Kalan had spoken to said loudly, over the shouts of everyone else's challenges for the next match. Immediately everyone fell silent.

"All right," the ring sergeant said. "You will be next. What type of match is this?"

"A friendly match, with dueling swords and no Jedi powers."

Kalan and Atton both took dueling swords from the sergeant, and so did the Mandalorian and his Number Three. And then the match began.

Apparently it was customary for the losers to drop their swords when they gave up, because that's what the Mandalorian's Number Three did shortly after the match began. The Mandalorian himself was much tougher, but obviously not an accomplished warrior, and Kalan and Atton together hardly had any trouble. The people who had slowly started to gather around cheered.

"The fight is over," the sergeant announced. "The Jedi and her companion are the clear and honorable victors. Because this was a friendly match, there will be no exchanging involved."

The Mandalorian bowed to Kalan. "You fight well, Jedi."

Suddenly Kalan heard loud cheering coming from the next ring. Kalan hurried over, and Atton followed her. "What's going on?"

"Mandalore has just entered the ring," Kalan said with a smile. She was standing on a rise that had been put up so that people in the back could see the fight.

"Who will challenge Mandalore?" the ring sergeant asked in a booming voice.

A heavy silence fell over everyone. Then a Mandalorian entered the ring. "I will!"

There was very loud cheering now. "And which wife will fight with you, Loran?" the sergeant asked.

"My Number One!"

A tall, skinny woman entered the ring and stood next to Loran. The ring sergeant turned to Mandalore. "Who will fight with you?"

"My Number One."

The cheering fell silent. People started whispering as Jana stepped into the ring. She was wearing a black helmet that matched her armor. Loran's Number One wasn't wearing any armor, and Kalan wondered why.

The opponents drew their own weapons and the fight began at the sergeant's signal. Jana and Loran's Number One went to a different part of the ring from Mandalore and Loran. Jana beat Loran's Number One with one smack from the flat of a longsword. The crowd didn't boo, but Kalan could tell they looked disappointed.

Mandalore eventually defeated Loran, but, unlike Jana, he put on a very good show to excite the crowd. Everyone cheered wildly, and Mandalore bowed to Loran.

"He's good," Atton commented to Kalan, his voice barely audible over the cheers even though he was standing right next to her. "He's really good."

"Of course he is," Kalan said. "He's Mandalore."

"The fight between Mandalore and Loran is over," the sergeant said. "Mandalore is the clear and honorable victor. Loran's Number One is now Mandalore's wife."

Loran's ex-Number One walked over to Mandalore and knelt in front of him. He tapped her on the head and she stood up. She glanced longingly back at Loran before walking off into the crowd.

"I'm going to go talk to her," Kalan announced to Atton. She followed Mandalore's new wife until they were far away from everyone else.

"Hello," Kalan said to her. "Are you all right?"

The woman stopped walking and looked over at Kalan. "All right?" she repeated. "Of course I'm all right. I used to be Loran's Number One. Now I'm Mandalore's Number Twenty-Eight. That's at least a hundred times more honorable. What's not to be all right about?"

Mandalore's Number Twenty-Eight started walking away again. Kalan continued to follow her. "What's wrong with you?" she asked angrily. "Why are you following me?"

"I just wanted to talk to you," Kalan said, concerned.

"Are you going to insult me?"

"No, I…"

"You think you're so special, just because you're a Jedi! Well, I'll tell you, I don't think you're special at all!"

"Look, I wasn't trying to…"

"You think you can just dig yourself into everyone's little problems, don't you? Well, I don't like it! I'm challenging you!"

"What?" Kalan said, alarmed. "I don't want to fight…"

"Yes you do," Number Twenty-Eight said out of the corner of her mouth.

"Uh…why?"

"Because when I lose, I won't be married to Mandalore anymore. I'll go to Bralor, his successor."

"And that's what you want?"

"Yes."

"Then I accept your challenge."

"Let's go!"

--------------------------------------------

Mira wandered around, bored. Then she thought she heard something close behind her. She spun around and saw two Mandalorians following her. They both stopped when she looked at them, and one of them turned and whispered to the other, who nodded.

"What do you two want?" Mira asked.

"You came with the Jedi, right?" one asked.

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

"Mira."

"Mira," the one on the right said. "A good name."

"A beautiful name," the other piped up.

"Goodbye," Mira said. She started walking away, but when she turned around they were still following her. "Yes?" she asked impatiently.

"Oh…we…" the one on the left said, glancing at the other.

"We wanted to know if…" the other started, and then both said nothing.

"If what?"

"If you would watch a fight with us!" the one on the right said, excited at his own idea.

"Forget it."

"Please?"

Mira sighed. "Well, if you're just going to follow me around anyway, I guess I should."

"Come on!" the one on the left said. "We'll watch your Jedi fight!"

"This should be interesting," Mira said to herself.

Mira followed the two young men to one of the rings. There was a huge crowd, and they had to stand on one of the benches to see.

"Mandalore's Number Twenty-Eight has challenged the Jedi," the sergeant said. "There will be no weapons used."

Kalan and Number Twenty-Eight faced each other and bowed. Then, suddenly, Number Twenty-Eight attacked. Kalan fought back, and they both hit each other until finally Number Twenty-Eight stepped back, raising an arm in resignation. The sergeant held up his own arm, and everyone cheered.

"The fight between the Jedi and Mandalore's Number Twenty-Eight is over," the sergeant announced. "The Jedi is the clear and honorable victor. The loser will be passed on to Bralor, and the victor is now a wife of Mandalore."

Mira's jaw dropped. Her Mandalorian admirers cheered as loud as everyone else at the news. "That's a great honor!" one of them said to her.

The crowd parted to let Mandalore walk up to the edge of the ring. Kalan hesitated for a moment, then knelt down in front of him. The crowd cheered wildly at this unexpected show of respect. Mandalore tapped Kalan on the head and she stood.

"You'd better come with me," Mandalore said.