I forgot to mention that the Rebels characters and all that belong to Disney. My mistake, Mickey Mouse.


Chapter Two

"The Iron Blockade of the Anoat Sector has finally broken after a major breakthrough made possible by a group of freedom fighters. With the sector now free, officials meet to discuss who will represent the thriving world of Bespin in the New Republic Senate —"

Caleb shuts the HoloNews broadcast off with a frown. He sets the datapad aside on his lone table in the corner of one of Sundari's most popular cantinas and leans back in his seat.

All of these New Republic broadcasts made it seem like the galaxy was finally restoring itself and everything was just great.

Everything wasn't great. At least, not on Mandalore.

The Shriek-Hawk's Nest wasn't particularly busy today; the main room was quiet and the bar was the most inhabited location. The latter was normal, the former not so much.

Apparently, a group of people had been arrested after trying to make contact outside of the system. That was enough for their Imperial rulers to imprison them for the rest of their lives, while doing forced labor. Wherever that may be.

If the resistance was still around, I'd sign up in a heartbeat …

Unfortunately, the Mandalorian Resistance had been wiped out about as fast as it had been created. The leaders had been executed publicly, while the others were just gone. If they were in the prisons, no one knew.

It's not like anyone would help them. Caleb had clashed with the Imperial stormtroopers walking around months ago, but he'd given up. The troopers kept coming, and his partner had been captured. He never saw her again. The Imperial broadcasts were true, he believed that.

Anyone who defies the Empire is to be executed for treason.

This Empire was about as bad as the last one. The last Empire had taken his father away from him; this one took the only friend he had left.

What concerned him was how fast the Empire had showed up and taken control. It was a year back when the Star Destroyers appeared, and then stormtroopers had assaulted the only government building in the city. Then they'd started setting up checkpoints with walkers and somehow, TIE fighters were flying patrols even inside the bio dome.

It's like they've been planning this since Endor …

Caleb pushes the thought aside. Even if that were the case, he couldn't warn the New Republic. And that brought up a new issue. What had the Republic done to help them? Basically nothing. There were reports that guessed what had become of Mandalore, but no one acted.

So no. Caleb decided to sit and do nothing, just as the Republic had. Let the Empire take over again … maybe a new rebellion would form, and then it would all start over.

Four years ago, he wouldn't have said that. Four years ago, he wouldn't have had to even deal with it. He'd be back on the Ghost, with Kanan and Hera and Zeb and —

Drop it … it's not like you'll see them again anyway. You ran away; they've probably forgotten about you by now.

Somehow he doubts that. Kanan may be blind, but he wasn't forgetful …

A chuckle snaps him out of his thoughts. Caleb glances up from the table to see a plain clothed, middle aged man with a thick beard. A pair of mechanic goggles rested on the man's forehead.

"Drowning your sorrows again, kid?"

Caleb eyes the bottle in his right hand and narrows his brown eyes. He'd developed a drinking problem ever since his partner had left, but he wasn't worried about it. Not that there was anything to worry about anymore anyway.

"I'm seventeen … and quit calling me 'kid'." Caleb's gaze meets the man's, eyes still narrowed. "And you're here too, Rys. Who comes to a cantina and doesn't drink?"

A toothy grin appears on Rys Baric's face as he takes a seat across from Caleb. "I've never known someone who just takes up permanent residence in a cantina … and I definitely thought it wouldn't be you, Wren."

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go … neither do you." Caleb lazily gestures to the ceiling, referring to the Imperial blockade.

"Well …" Rys reaches out and pulls the bottle of ne'tra gal ale out of Caleb's hand. He sets it out of the teen's reach. "I make the most of my opportunities. You and your old girl used to, but now —"

"Don't bring Kirra up again." Caleb's look is stony, and he points at the man for emphasis, even though he can't see.

"— but now you're slacking. When's the last time you even ate?"

Caleb frowns. Since when did he care?

The question itself puzzles him. He honestly doesn't have an answer.

Rys takes it seriously. "Force, kid. Are you even taking jobs anymore?"

Caleb shakes his head. He'd stopped with the bounty hunting a month ago.

Rys sighs. "Look … I'd give you credits if I could. But as you can see, us Mandalorians aren't exactly rich —"

The table vibrates as Caleb's datapad lights up. The curious teen grabs the device and sets it between them, and Caleb examines the alert.

"All able-bodied citizens of Sundari are required to assist in the search for this traitor of the Empire."

Beneath the message was a picture, apparently taken right before a probe droid was blasted to bits. A green skinned Twi'lek was facing the camera, blaster in hand and aimed.

Below that, it continued.

"Last seen moving through the Market District. Responsible for the deaths of six loyal stormtroopers and the destruction of an Imperial transport. Considered armed and dangerous."

What came next made Caleb's eyes widen in surprise.

"Upon capture, transfer to the Central Imperial Complex for a reward of 10,000 credits."

The two Mandalorians remain silent as Caleb looks the datapad over. Had he read it correctly?

"What does it say?"

Caleb doesn't look at Rys as he explains. "It's a bounty … with a ten thousand credit reward."

Ten thousand credits? I … I would have enough food for years!

When Caleb looks up from the datapad screen, he sees Rys' misty eyes are wide.

"Well, kid, there's your chance. You could probably just bribe Imperials who wanted to arrest you with that much money."

There was a spot at the bottom of the message where a name could be typed in. Whoever sent it in first had the responsibility, until they failed. It amazed him that no one else had claimed the bounty yet.

With a quick move of his fingers, it was done.

Rys nods. "There we go. Now get a move on. They'll be gone, or someone else will have the bright idea to take that bounty from you."

Caleb glances at the helmet that sat on the table, on the edge next to the wall. It was painted black, with blue streaks mixed in. The same as the armor he wore.

He grabs the helmet and quickly exits the cantina, making sure to thank Rys.

The HUD comes to life as soon as it slides into place, and he finds himself smiling.

Caleb Wren was back in the game, for the final time.


The HoloNews broadcast is a reference to the mobile game, Uprising. And for those of you who didn't notice, Baric (one of the many OCs in this story) has something in common with a member of the Ghost crew. If you didn't catch it, then it'll be explained in the next chapter.