Here is chapter 9 of the Mandalorian Maverick. The situation on Mandalore continues to develop and what happens next will be very important. Pre Vizsla has been defeated but Death Watch is active only instead they now bow to Padawan Will Vizsla. Mandalorian by birth, trained by a former Mandalorian Death Watch member and instilled with an adjusted view of his culture before being taken in by the Jedi to be trained as a peacekeeper. Quite the paradox but not the first one. Granted, Tarre Vizsla was around during the time of the Great Sith Wars in the Old Republic so things were a bit different. Either way, a new path has been shown to Will and what he decides to do will have ripples going forward. Enjoy!

Also, side note to the user Alina: I don't read Russian or the Cyrillic alphabet so you leaving a thousand reviews in that language is not helpful.

The Mandalorian Maverick: A Mandalorian Maverick?

21BBY: Mandalore

The private shuttle of Duchess Satine Kryze entered the planet's airspace and descended down to the landing platform for the city. The Duchess's bodyguards were waiting along with a dozen of the Mandalorian Guard. When the ship touched down, the Duchess and Obi-wan walked out with Pre Vizsla. He no longer had his armor on, his left arm was restrained to his side and a bacta-patch was placed on the stump where his right shoulder used to be. The Mandalorian guards walked over and took Pre Vizsla into custody before taking him away.

"I understand that you'll want to keep him prisoner here but the situation will get a bit complicated." Obi-wan told her.

"Pre Vizsla is a resident of Mandalore Space and his actions were against my people and my government." Satine reminded him.

"And one of his men attacked a Republic cruiser under his orders. The Republic will want him to stand trial for what he did." Obi-wan reminded her. "Either way, I have to report to the council and inform them of the latest development."

"Development." Satine looked up at the sky. "Are you sure it was a wise choice leaving your Padawan on Concordia with them?"

Obi-wan let out a heavy sigh and looked up at well. "I'm not sure but they bow to him which is its own set of problems now. One thing I can count on is his heart. At the very least, he can keep them occupied. And BD-8 is there to watch over him."

Concordia

Will was standing in his uncle's office at the main processing plant on Concordia. His uncle's armor was piled together next to the display case with his mother's armor. After everything that happened, Obi-wan and the Duchess left back for Mandalore with Will staying behind to monitor things. With his uncle defeated and the Darksaber in his possession, he not only led his clan but he also controlled Death Watch granted he wasn't sure if all of Death Watch would follow a Jedi. And even if they would it didn't mean that Will could stick around or lead them. He reached behind his back and removed the Darksaber from his belt before activating the blade. The unique hum, the black color and white outline of the blade along with its shape was truly unique. It's exactly the kind of weapon a warrior would think to make, not a peacekeeper which made sense.

He felt the distinct vibrations in the handle and gave it a few test swings before moving into a quick kata. Several quick slashes, lunges, and then a downward slash. Will looked at the blade in his hands and felt conflicted. Part of him felt relief, like the feeling one would get after meeting someone you haven't met in a long time. But the other part was doubt and trepidation coming from the enormous weight that came with holding it.

Reclaiming the weapon of his ancestor in a fight against his uncle seemed, at least on the surface, harmless but with it came some responsibilities. The Darksaber became a symbol to the Mandalorian people and his clan after Tarre Vizsla took up the role of Manda'lor. Manda'lor or Mandalore in Galactic basic was the leader of the Mandalorian people and during the times of the Old Republic, Mandalorians followed the Mandalore during times of both peace and conquest. When Tarre Vizsla passed, the Darksaber was seen as a symbol of leadership that could only be won through combat. His mother used to tell him stories of the weapon and its history. Now that he had it, he now had the right to rule his clan, Death Watch and the Mandalorian people.

Leading or as the Jedi council would view it, ruling a clan of Mandalorian warriors that had bad history with the Jedi and the Republic wouldn't be seen in the best light especially since it was against the Jedi Code. Attachment to his past, attachment to the home world of his mother, attachment to the material, attachment to things outside the order wasn't allowed. There were some rare exceptions like Master Ki-Adi-Mundi due to his race's social customs and the low birth rate of males. He was granted an extremely rare exception to be allowed to marry and have children. And there was a tradition amongst Mirialans in the Jedi order to take fellow Mirialans as their Padawans like with Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee. And there was Jedi Master Quinlon Vos but according to Obi-wan, Quinlon was always like that and it was less about his culture and past and more of him being a maverick and bending the rules of the order.

BD-8 let out a soft beep, bringing Will out of his little mental debate and he asked if he was ok.

"Honestly, BD-8…I'm not sure how to feel." Will admitted, looking around at the office. "I mean, a part of me should be amazed that I'm even here. Seeing the culture of my mother and everything that happened. I mean, I even had the legendary weapon of my ancestor, the only other Jedi Mandalorian but now that I have it…I'm not sure where my path will lead me now."

BD-8 walked over and gave him a pat on the leg for encouragement before turning around and activating his holoprojector. Will looked and saw BD-8 was projecting a small image of his mother but it didn't look like any of the images he had seen before. He watched her hologram seem to move so it was a recording.

"BD-8, are you recording? Ok good." His mother seemed to be nervous about something. It was evident on her face as well as her body language as she took a seat on a chair. "Hello, Will. I'm having BD-8 record this now just in case. I don't know what my future looks like but I know what's in store for you and…I thought some recorded words of encouragement would be a good idea. You're six years old now and already I can't be more proud in the young boy you've grown to be but seeing what you did with your mind I know what it means. Imagine my surprise learning that you can be a Jedi. That's something you definitely got from your father…wherever he is. I know I've never told you about him but…he was a kind man. A Jedi of course, someone I definitely tried to kill but when I was in danger and about to die…he risked himself to save me. And despite everything he helped me. He's a good man if not a little old but who knows what would have happened if things were different."

"I wonder how she would feel knowing what's become of Dooku now?" Will muttered.

"I do hope you get to meet him one day. Maybe he can help you with your new…abilities in ways that I can't possibly begin to understand. I'm still going to help you however I can but I'm no longer ignorant to the fact that I won't be around forever and there's a good chance your path will take you places that I never even dreamed of. And I'm sure you'll have questions or come upon situations where you're not sure what to do. All you need to do when that happens is trust your gut and your instincts and know that you will make mistakes. They're just gonna be apart of life and I've made plenty. As long as you learn from the mistakes of the past then whatever you do…I know you'll do amazing things." She smiled at him before the recording ending. BD-8 looked over at Will and previous look of unease had faded. Even if only a little bit, it helped.

There was a knock on the door and in walked one of the former Death Watch Mandalorians who now reported to him. He walked in with his helmet underneath his arm. This was Gar Saxon of Clan Saxon which was one of the clans that followed House Vizsla. Mandalorian society was made up of houses which could be equated in similar fashion to political factions depending on the era of Mandalorian society. Each house consisted of several subclans with one that led it. House Vizsla was led by Clan Vizsla, Will's mother's clan and his and with it was Clan Saxon and Clan Wren. Like how Duchess Satine Kryze was head of House Kryze and the clans that followed but he wasn't sure how much that system stuck around under her rule. Death Watch primarily consisted of House Vizsla clans but with his uncle's capture and his mother's death, he now led the clan.

"Word had been sent out to all of the House and Death Watch. It's members have arrived." Gar told him.

"Thank you." Will replied as BD-8 climbed up his shoulder and he walked out of the room. Waiting in the hall were a few former Death Watch Mandalorians that bent the knee. Will walked down the hallway to the hangar and the Mandalorians fell in line behind him. It didn't matter that he was younger then they were or was a Jedi. He was a member of Clan Vizsla, he beat his uncle in single combat and won the Darksaber fair and square. He was their leader. Will arrived in the hangar to see several dozen Death Watch Mandalorians all in their Beskar armor. Some were painted black and blue like his uncle's was but others had different colors like green, grey, or orange.

In the hangar were five Kom'rk-class fighter/transport ships also known as Gauntlet starfighters designed by Mandalmotors but soon more Gauntlet starfighters flew down and landed in the hangar and those that didn't have space landed outside in the fields. A total of about 13 Gauntlet starfighters arrived but there were also some Corellian style freighters and transport ships which were personalized by their owners like his mother and the Tempest. The ships parked and the occupants walked out and into the hangar where they all gathered. All of them from clans or houses that pledges to Death Watch and if Will had to guess there were about 500 now. Before Saxon put out the call there were probably no more than a hundred just on Concordia. He explained that a lot more were spread out on other planets and laying low per Pre Vizsla's orders. The 500 showed up were the leaders of the various clans, houses, and groups that pledged to Death Watch so not everyone was here.

"What's going on?" One of the Mandalorians asked.

"A change in leadership!" Will shouted, getting on top of a podium so they all could see him. "Thank you all for answering the summons but there are things that you need to know. Pre Vizsla is no longer leader of House Vizsla or of Death Watch."

One female Mandalorian walked forward and removed her helmet. She was maybe a few years older then him with short red hair, bright green eyes, and light-colored skin. She was wearing blue and grey Beskar armor with a unique painting on the helmet of a Night Owl. "What happened and who are you?" She asked.

"I am a Padawan of the Jedi order. My name is Will Vizsla of Clan Vizsla, son of Pio Vizsla, nephew of Pre Vizsla." Will announced to the confusion and anger of some of the Mandalorians there.

"You're no Mandalorian!"

"Outsider!"

"I am Mandalorian by birth! My mother was Mandalorian of Clan Vizsla and a former member of Death Watch before she left for Coruscant! And I am the one who defeated my uncle!" Will held the Darksaber up and activated the blade. That stopped their shouting and got their attention.

"He speaks the truth!" Gar Saxon shouted, stepping forward. "We were there to witness the battle. He won the Darksaber through single combat. He now leads Clan Vizsla."

"BD-8, show them." Will told his droid.

BD-8 nodded and crawled over to a holo-table before plugging in to project his recording of Will's encounter with his uncle and Deathwatch.

Recording

"Governor?" Satine was not expecting that.

"Impressive fight, nephew. My sister trained you well and your time with the Jedi didn't dull your combat sense." Pre Vizsla praised him.

"Not sure how to take that compliment." Will stated.

"Governor Vizsla. What is the meaning of this? Satine asked him.

"I think it's fairly obvious. My nephew and I come from a long and storied clan in Mandalorian history. For generations, our ancestors fought proudly as warriors against the Jedi. We have fought to protect our way of life until the Duchess. Now, you tarnish the very name Mandalorian." Pre Vizsla stated.

"And you working with the Separatists is any better?" Obi-wan asked.

"A temporary partnership. They aid me in ridding the Duchess and her weak peace-loving government and in exchange we assist in them in assignments only a true Mandalorian could handle." Pre Vizsla explained.

"Falling into work with the Separatists, especially Dooku is just repeating the mistakes of the past that led us here, Uncle." Will corrected him. "Dooku and the Separatists can't be trusted."

"I don't but he is a means to an end. The Duchess is here now and so is my long lost nephew." Pre Vizsla said with a smile. "At first, I was worried to hear you belonged to the Jedi but seeing you in combat for myself…I can see that your mother trained you well in our ways. Join me, Nephew. Rid Mandalore of that weak, peace-loving fool and rule Mandalore by my side. I know your mother would be proud to see the two of us finish what she and I couldn't all those years ago."

Will looked back at Satine and then at his uncle. "Padawan, don't listen to him." Obi-wan told him.

"Be quiet, Jedi. I know my Nephew's heart. A Mandalorian will never truly be accepted by the Jedi. Your kind have always feared us and with good reason. Our last ancestor who joined the Jedi ruled Mandalore and now, we can do the same." Pre Vizsla held out his hand to welcome his nephew with open arms. "You know what the right choice is, nephew. Your mother understood that."

There was a moment of silence in the quarry as all eyes were on Will to see what his decision would be. Obi-wan and Satine had small looks of worry that he didn't immediately say no to his uncle's offer.

"Your right, she did." He admitted and Pre Vizsla smiled. "And she would not want this."

"You would dishonor her memory?" Pre Vizsla asked in anger.

"No, I will honor her memory as the woman who raised me and taught me everything I know. Yes, she was much like you when she was younger but she had changed during her time on Coruscant. She had time to look back on the things done during the war and many of them haunted her until the very day she died. And seeing what you've done using our clan's symbol breaks my heart as much as it did her." Will held up his necklace to show him their clan's symbol. "This symbol used to feared because we were great warriors and now all we'll be remembered as is terrorists! Warriors fight their opponent head on! Not plant a bomb to kill innocent people and then try to commit suicide and be a martyr! That is not a True Mandalorian, that is a coward!"

Will spoke with complete passion and belief in his words and what he said seemed to struck nerve with some of the Death Watch nearby. "You have no idea of what you speak, nephew. It would seem your time with the Jedi have made you soft as I feared they would." Pre Vizsla spat in disgust.

"No, if anything they have made me stronger because I can see things with an open eye. Can you all not see our cycle of repeated destruction? Centuries of fighting to try and cling to the old ways of being galactic crusaders that were possible when the galaxy was younger but times have changed! The rest of the galaxy has understand that but we're too stubborn and ignorant to change with them and it has cost us! Our planet! Our people! And repeated wars that leave us doing the exact same thing over and over again to where we are right now! I may not agree with the Duchess's view of our people or what she has done but she is not weak to want the best for our people after the centuries if not millenniums of death and misfortune that have plagued us! And I'm not the extremist you are uncle but I will fight for what I believe in and this is wrong! Torr Vizsla was nothing more than a warmonger and sociopath who wanted violence and built Death Watch as such." Will stated. Obi-wan smiled at his padawan's speech as did Satine. She may not agree with it but it was passion filled and unbeknownst to them, it had struck a chord with the Death Watch.

"So be it, Nephew. If that is what you believe then you can die with the Duchess and your master." Pre Vizsla said before he turned and walked away. "Finish them."

The Death Watch raised their blasters to shoot them. Obi-wan stood in front of Satine to protect her and Will was ready to fight with everything he had to stay alive. BD-8 looked around at the numbers and was worried they wouldn't make it out alive. So, he said something to Will in droid speech and offered a possible way out of the situation. Will heard BD-8 and remembered what his mother had taught him and it could work.

"I invoke the Mandalorian right of single Combat!" He announced, stopping the Death Watch from shooting him and caused his uncle to stop and turn around. "I am Will of Clan Vizsla, Son of Pio Vizsla of Mandalore and I challenge you! One warrior to another! And only the strongest will lead our clan!"

"Can he do that?" Obi-wan asked Satine.

"It's our most ancient code. An invocation to settle all disputes via one-on-one combat." She explained as the Death Watch members looked at their leader for his response.

"A last gamble, nephew?" Pre Vizsla wondered.

"Maybe. But I stand by it. If you want to lead Death Watch into another pointless cycle of violence then fine. But I will do everything I can to stop you. It's what my mother would want." Will swore and Pre Vizsla sneered.

"Very well. Defend yourself." Pre Vizsla told him and Will held his saber in front of him. Pre Vizsla took a blade hilt off his shoulder and pressed a button, causing a black-colored blade to come out. He was holding the legendary Darksaber, the lightsaber forged by Tarre Vizsla who was a legendary Jedi Knight of the Old Republic and eventually became Mand'alor of their people. "This lightsaber was stolen from your Jedi temple by our ancestors years ago during the fall of the old Republic. Since then, many Jedi have died upon its blade. If one of our own clan must be the next then so be it. Prepare yourself to join them. For Mandalore!"

Pre Vizsla charged and leapt into the air, bringing the Dark Saber down with an overhead strike that Will blocked before he pushed back. He leaned back and blocked a slash to his right before parrying it to his left and then jumped to avoid a slash to the leg. He blocked his uncle's slash at his leg and then two strikes to his body before backing up to avoid a slash and responded with his own to his side that was blocked. He caught his uncle's arm when he came down with a single overarm slash but then moved his head to avoid the punch from the other arm. He pushed him back and then kicked him in the side before backflipping to avoid a spinning slash to the leg.

Will charged with several quick strikes to the leg and chest that were blocked before he shoulder bumped his uncle to knock him back and swiped at his chest but the Beskar deflected it. Pre Vizsla backed up as Will did a leaping lunge that he parried and then threw out an slash to the head that he ducked and spun around to gain some distance. Pre Vizsla pulled out one of his WESTAR-35 blaster pistols and fired a shot but Will raised his hand and used Force Stasis, freezing him and the blaster bolt just as it was starting to come out of the barrel. Pre Vizsla struggled to move but couldn't and Will struggled to keep the force stasis active before he slashed the blaster out of his uncle's hand. Pre Vizsla came down with a giant overhead swing so Will rolled to the side and back to his feet before bringing his saber down with an overhead swing. Pre Vizsla blocked it and did a leg sweep that was avoided before doing a slash at the right that Will blocked and parried to his left before pushing him back and landing a hook kick to the side of his head that dazed him.

Obi-wan, Satine, and the Death Watch members watched the fight. They saw Pre Vizsla stagger a bit from the kick to the head as he and his nephew paced around one another. Will's breathing was bit a labored as was his uncle but both weren't done yet. "You're getting slow, old man." Will quipped, trying to get keep him off balance and angry. Angry fighters tended to make mistakes.

Pre charged forward and did a spinning slash attack that was blocked and left him open to a knee to the face that knocked him back. Will then kicked the Darksaber out of his hand, making Obi-wan and Satine think this was it over only for Pre Vizsla to slug him in the gut with a right jab. He then grabbed Will's saber arm and kneed him in the stomach before knocking him onto his back with an uppercut. Pre rushed over and picked up the Darksaber before jumping into the air, with his jetpack giving him a boost, to deliver a powerful overhead strike.

Will rolled backwards back to his feet to avoid getting hit and pulled his saber back into his hand to block the quick and powerful slashes to his sides, legs, and head. He blocked a slash to his left and pushed him back before throwing out a spinning hook kick that his uncle ducked and then blocked a lunge to the stomach. That allowed him to close the distance and landed a rising knee strike to the side of the head and knock him back. The Death Watch members watched with intrigue as they saw Pre Vizsla on his back before using his jetpack to get into the air and avoid his nephew's ground stab. He pulled out his remaining blaster pistol and fired a few rounds that Will blocked and dodged before landing back on the ground and doing an overhead slash. He blocked it and parried the blade into the ground, allowing Pre Vizsla to elbow him in the face but Will didn't let that deter him and headbutted him back. He then blocked a slash to his right and backflipped to dodge a spinning slash to his body and landed safely a few feet away. Pre Vizsla fired a few more blaster bolts that Will blocked before using his flamethrower that Will countered with his flamethrower.

When their flame duel was over, Will did another leaping lunge but Pre Vizsla just flew into the air with his jetpack to gain some distance. Will rushed forward to keep up with him as Pre Vizsla threw down some grenades. He jumped to the side to avoid some of them but then Pre Vizsla threw one down next to him and it knocked him onto his back. Obi-wan was worried as he saw Will do a kip-up back to his feet before spitting out some blood in his mouth to continue the fight. He blocked his uncle's slash to his leg, ducked a slash to his head and parried a downward slash before push kicking him back. Pre Vizsla staggered so Will followed that up with a jump spinning hook kick that hit him right in the face and knocked him onto his back. Pre Vizsla got up and took a few deep breaths before quickly firing a pair of razor darts from his gauntlet. Will ducked at the last second, saving his life but they skimmed and cut his right cheek and some of his hair. He wiped some of the blood away and charged forward with several quick slashes, stabs, and lunges that his uncle managed to block but just barely. He blocked his last lunge into a saber lock that Will used to shoulder push him again and knock him back. Pre charged with two slashes to the stomach before throwing out his elbow but Will blocked it with his hand and pushed him back before firing his repulsor which knocked him face first into the dirt. Pre Vizsla got back up as Will charged forward and flipped over him, throwing out several slashes that were blocked before continuing his attack with more powerful swipes and cuts. He blocked his uncle's lunge and countered with a powerful strike to his side that was blocked but knocked him back. Will charged forward so Pre hovered into the air with his jetpack. Knowing what he was going to do, Will jumped into the air and dropkicked his uncle in the stomach and knocked him back to the ground.

Will hit the ground on his back but quicky got back to his feet as his uncle got up and had to remove his damaged jetpack. Everyone watched with intrigue as without the jetpack it made the fight much more even. Pre Vizsla ran at Will, dragging his saber into the dirt and flung it forward into his nephew's face. Will's vision was momentarily obscured, allowing Pre to fire his cable around his legs and tie them up but Will just sliced the cable off. Pre then blasted Will's saber out of his hand and left him defenseless so he charged.

"RAHHH!" Pre Vizsla charged like an animal with the Darksaber held high. Will held his hands in front of him and got ready, managing to catch his uncle's sword arm only to get punched in the face three times. But he took the punches before elbowing his uncle in the jaw and maneuvered his saber arm over his shoulder and bringing it down hard causing him to shout in pain. He then isolated his wrist and knocked the saber out of his hand before throwing him over his shoulder into the ground and kicking him across the face. Will fired his ripcord launcher and caught his uncle's arm before pulling. Pre tried to pull for dominance but Will quickly wrapped the cable around his arm and pulled harder. Pre was pulled forward into Will who put him in a headlock and kneed him in the gut twice before throwing him over his hip to the ground and threw out another punch across the face.

Pre Vizsla groaned in pain as he scrambled back to his feet and pulled out his vibro-blade. He put it in his right hand and did some quick thrusts and swipes that Will dodged before doing a slash to his left. Will raised his vambrace to deflect the blow and grabbed his wrist. His uncle threw out a punch that was blocked and then Will punched him across the face before he backhanded him in the jaw. Will then tightened his grip on his uncle's wrist and locked his arm before throwing out another punch and backfist. Pre Vizsla staggered as Will followed that up with three more devastating punches to the face that knocked him to the ground. That allowed him gain leverage on his arm and break his wrist before knocking his vibro-blade away.

"AGH!" Pre Vizsla shouted in pain before he was kicked back. He cradled his broken wrist and crawled away, his men watching their once fearless leader crawl away from his opponent in fear to get back to his feet. That's when Will landed a kick to his face, a punch to his jaw, a spinning elbow to his nose and then brought his face down onto his knee.

Pre Vizsla was knocked on his back in shame. His wrist and nose broken, his face bloody and beaten while his nephew was standing on two feet the victor. Will could feel the adrenaline of the fight still coursing through him as he fought less like a Jedi and more like the Mandalorian his mother trained him as. He stood over his uncle before force pulling the Darksaber into his hand and activating the black colored blade. "Like you said, Nephew…only the strongest…shall rule." Pre Vizsla muttered, managing to get to his knees.

"Padawan, stop!" Obi-wan ordered. "You've beaten him. It's over."

"He's right. Governor Vizsla needs to be arrested and stand trial for what he has done." Satine added and Pre Vizsla let out a pained laugh.

"There's only one way this fight ends. He dies or I do." He muttered. "I can take some solace. I may die…but a stronger Mandalorian will lead our clan. Do it, Nephew."

"Padawan, don't do it. This isn't the Jedi way." Obi-wan reminded him.

"No, it's the Mandalorian way. And no matter what you Jedi have taught him he is one of us. Do it, nephew." Pre Vizsla urged him on as the other Death Watch waited to see what would happened. Will looked down at the Darksaber in his hands, feeling the power course through the blade and into his hand before gazing at his defeated uncle. "Rise up and take my place. Be the better warrior then your mother and I were. End it!"

"Padawan, don't do this! This isn't the Jedi way. You're better than this! He's just baiting you." Obi-wan pleaded.

"You'll never truly be accepted among the Jedi, nephew! You know what you have to do! END IT!" Pre Vizsla shouted and Will raised the sword high above his head.

"Padawan, no!" Obi-wan begged.

"RAHH!" Will brought the saber down with everything he had and sliced through his uncle where the sickening squish sound and sizzle of a lightsaber meeting flesh was heard.

"ARGH!"

Pre Vizsla fell down and cradled his side in pain as his right arm had been cut off at the shoulder. It laid on the ground next to his body and all that remained was a cauterized hole where his arm used to be. Obi-wan and Satine breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Will hadn't killed his uncle. He stood there with the Darksaber in his hand, his breathing heavy and labored from the fight and what he had just done. "You don't get the easy way out, Uncle." He told him.

"I…I knew it. You're too weak." Pre Vizsla said to him.

"I didn't kill you because I'm weak. I didn't kill you because I'm not making you a martyr. No, instead I'm making you an example." Will kicked him across the face, knocking him onto his back and aimed the Darksaber at his face. There he could see the pained and defeated look his uncle had before he looked at the rest of Death Watch.

"Look at your fearless leader now. Defeated and disgraced. He gave you power and led you here resting on past laurels of a time long past. A time where Death Watch felt they were invincible. A time, uncle, where I'm sure that you were taught savagery and that mercy is weakness. I was taught differently. My mother taught me a different lesson…fighting for us on the streets of Coruscant to survive without the protection of her armor. She taught me to learn from the mistakes of the path yet never give up on what makes me who I am. And that is a true warrior. I may not have been raised on Mandalore but I am Mandalorian as she was but she was able to learn unlike you. It has her and the Jedi who taught me it's strength and honor to defend and aid those that can't protect themselves by people who would see to do them harm. People like you. And I'm the one who beat you." Will grabbed his uncle by the chest and pulled him close. "That's why I didn't kill you. I want you to remember this moment. I want to remind you to stay out of my way. In all the years to come in your most private moments…I want you to remember the one man who beat you."

Will then knocked out his uncle with a headbutt and dropped him to the ground. Obi-wan gave his Padawan a nod of approval in showing restraint but he wasn't sure about that little speech. Will force pulled his lightsaber into his hand and hooked it onto his belt before he looked at the Death Watch members standing around. "Now what say you?!" He asked them, waiting for any of them to take a chance and attack him.

No one seemed to move before one of the Death Watch Mandalorians walked forward. Will was ready to fight when he saw the Death Watch Mandalorian take a knee and bow his head. Then, one by one, the rest of the Death Watch Mandalorians walked up and took a knee, bowing in reverence to his victory. He defeated his uncle, the leader of Death Watch. He spared his life but he was victorious and now wielded the Darksaber. By all means, he was their leader.

End of Recording

BD-8 finished projecting the recording and there was a moment of silence as the newcomers let it sink in. Some began to whisper and talk with one another, not expecting this development to occur and some questioned the recording's validity but with Gar Saxon and the other Death Watch Mandalorians vouching for what happened then there was little doubt in the outcome. After witnessing the footage and seeing the Darksaber in Will's hand, more than half of the Mandalorians in attendance stepped forward and bowed their heads but not all.

"NO!" One Mandalorian in blue armor stepped forward in anger, pushing past the ones who knelt. "I will not stand for this! An outsider will not lead us!"

Will observed him and the man was older then him but looked familiar. That's when his gaze caught the signet on his shoulder pauldron and it was the Shriewk-hawk claw of Clan Vizsla. "You're a member of Clan Vizsla?" Will asked him.

"I am Pol Vizsla, cousin of Pre Vizsla." Pol Vizsla stated.

"Cousin?" Will wasn't expecting to meet another member of his family when the girl from before stepped up next to him.

"A Mandalorian born into the clan and knows our history unlike you. Your mother may have been Pre Vizsla's sister but that doesn't mean you will lead us. A jedi will never lead Clan Vizsla." She declared.

"I am Mandalorian by birth and I may not have been raised in this sector but my mother instill all she had to me. Knowledge, history, and training of a real Mandalorian before she passed away." Will informed her. "And lest you forget that it was a Mandalorian Jedi who forged the Darksaber. Tarre Vizsla was a Mandalorian warrior of Clan Vizsla yes but he was also a noble knight of the Jedi order. You may choose to neglect that part of our history but I know it well. He was a Jedi knight, a protector of the Republic and a valiant and noble leader during the New Sith Wars. He stood apart from the rest of his past kin who chose to side with the Sith which led to countless conflicts that ended with them on the losing side. You'd think that after millennium of these conflicts that our people would learn from their mistakes but no. I was not going to stand idly by while my uncle led our clan into another conflict and sully our name through his underhanded tactics. Bombings? Assassinations? Is that what we've been reduced too?"

"What do you know of the Mandalorians?" He heard someone say and out stepped a rather unique looking Mandalorian. He was wearing dark red armor, had a fur cloak on and was wearing a gold Mandalorian helmet. His unique appearance was that of a Mandalorian Armorer, one who fashioned Mandalorian Beskar into armor and weapons. "What do you know of stories told eons past?"

"I know everything. Our people are feared and respected throughout galactic history as mighty warriors even before the formation of the old Republic during the times of the old crusades. Our roots started from the mighty Taung species but spread. We are not a people or a planet but a creed, a creed composed of honor and combat passed through generations and into the young foundlings we encounter. Our ancient ancestors rode the mighty mythosaurs into combat and we expanded back during a time when the galaxy was young through stories told of past Mandalores but those times are long gone." Will told them, putting every ounce of his belief into what he was saying and it was coming through. "Our people were able to expand out into a young galaxy but much time has changed and the galaxy is smaller then it was before. Our ancestors inability to understand that and the obsession with trying to obtain past laurels and foolish grand visions of conquest have led to our repeated destruction and rebuilding. Our constant warfare and relentless campaigns let to infighting as well as conflicts against the Republic and the Jedi so much so that our home planet was devastated."

"Devastation brought upon us by the Jedi!" One Mandalorian shouted.

"I know! I know! And what was our response? We delved into more infighting amongst ourselves and my uncle restarted Death Watch because of the new Mandalorians peaceful government but what he's done is not honorable. Scare tactics and bombing innocent people is not the way of the warrior!" Will shouted and the many murmurs he heard in the crowd agreed with his sentiment. "Untrained assassins use bombs because they lack the skill or fortitude for other means of attack. Terrorists use bombs to instill fear and are looked down upon for being the cowards they are to not have the guts to face their opponents in the eyes. Droids use bombs! Mindless robotic slaves programmed to enforce the will of spinless fools! Are Mandalorians spineless fools now?!"

"NO!" Many Mandalorians shouted in defiance.

"Mandalorians honor the ways of combat. One on one, where nothing more than your own skill is used to determine who wins and who loses. That is the way of those who walk the path of the Mandalore. This is the Way." Will told them.

"This is the way." They replied.

"My uncle was misguided and in his pursuit of his goal, lost sight of what makes us Mandalorians. I didn't agree with his ways or his actions but he and I did share some views." Will stated. "I may have been raised on Coruscant and I am a member of the Jedi order but that doesn't not mean I agree with Duchess Satine's rule of our people."

"You don't?" The female Mandalorian asked him.

"Do I fault her for wanting peace after what she experienced during the Civil war? No. Do I fault her for wanting what's best for her people and trying to make something better for the next generation? No. But do I agree with the way she has done it and its result? No." Will answered. "I was there on Mandalore and what she's done is turn Mandalorian into something completely different. She may be the ruler of the planet but that does not mean she speaks for all Mandalorians and I told her such. Like my uncle she's gone too far to one side and all but abandoned what makes us Mandalorians but my uncle went too far into trying to return us to the old ways that he lost sight of what makes us warriors. Both of them are lost and I may not be able to do anything about what the Duchess has done, I was not going to let my uncle sully Clan Vizsla's name with his war. Which is why I called all of you here. I lead Clan Vizsla now and Death Watch is no more."

That declaration led to some indistinct chattering among the Mandalorians present. "What will you do now?" The armorer asked.

"I'm unsure but Death Watch was started by my ancestor Torr Vizsla who slid into his barbarism ways against Jaster Mereel's Supercommando Codex. It should have stayed dead with him and I don't plan on having my clan's sigil be used for the wrong reasons." Will declared only for his cousin Pol Vizsla to step forward.

"And what if we refuse to follow to follow your ways?" He asked so Will jumped down from the podium he was on and everyone backed up to give him some space as he held up the Darksaber.

"Then make a play for the saber if you believe your cause is just." Will tossed the saber onto the ground and looked at them all. "I open this chance to all who seek to claim the Darksaber and challenge my declarations. If you feel strongly enough and think you can…take your chance and strike me down but know I will defend myself."

There was a moment of silence as everyone waited to see if someone would take the chance to try and defeat Will and take the Darksaber. At first no one seemed to do anything, probably having to do with the fact that BD-8's recording of Will's fight with Pre Vizsla showed he wasn't just all talk. He had the skill and training to back it up and given he was a Jedi then he had more than just skill.

Pol Vizsla ended up being the one who took the challenge as he pulled out a pair of WESTAR-35 Blaster pistols and fired at Will who rolled to the side and activated his lightsaber. He blocked and deflected the blaster fire back as everyone backed up and took cover from the stray blaster bolts. Pol charged at Will while he continued shooting before holstering one blaster so he could pick up the Darksaber. He activated the saber and used his jetpack to jump high into the air for a powerful overhead strike but Will just forward up and dropkicked him in the chest.

Will landed on his feet but Pol landed on his back. He groaned in pain and pushed himself back to his feet before pressing a button which detached his jetpack. It sparked and sustained some damage from him landing right on it. Pol fired a few shots from his blaster pistol that Will blocked before he rolled forward and fired his ripcord launcher, which snagged onto the blaster before it was ripped out of his hands. Will then threw his saber at Pol who managed to roll to the side as it spun over his head. Pol got up and activated the shield emitter on his vambrace and charged as Will force pulled his saber back into his hand. He took a defensive approach as Pol swung wildly with the saber with full force. He had the intensity and drive but lacked training as his attacks were off-balance. Will backstepped a swing and parried his saber to the side before striking at his shield and then kicking him back. He then leapt forward with a lunge that Pol managed to deflect to the ground with his shield so Will rolled over Pol's back and slashed him in the side, hitting him in the gap where the armor didn't protect him.

Pol grabbed his side in pain and attempted a thrust only for Will to parry it to the side and land a hook kick to his face that knocked him back. Pol drew his vibro-blade and tried to stab Will in the side but he caught his arm and elbowed him in the neck before knocking the blade away and slashing him in the chest. The beskar armor took the hit but the impact from the strike staggered him, leaving him open to a force push that sent him crashing into a crate. The other Mandalorians watched and saw that Pol was easily outclassed and out skilled by the Mandalorian Jedi. The fight was one-sided since its inception.

"Surrender, cousin. It's over." Will told him but Pol got back to his feet and held the saber up. "I didn't want to kill my uncle and I don't want to kill you."

"Never." Pol declared, fully ready to fight to the death.

"So be it." Will said with a heavy heart as Pol charged. He waited for him to get close and ducked Pol's slash to the head before spinning around his side and slashing him across the waist. Will slid to a stop with his right foot extended out and his saber in front of him with the blade aimed to the side before he deactivated it. Pol's body then slumped to the ground and the Darksaber slipped out of his hand. "Anyone else?"

Then the redheaded female Mandalorian stepped forward. "I'll admit you make a good speech and you have skill but let me show you just how little you know."

"And you are?" Will asked her.

"That is Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze." Gar Saxon told him.

"Kryze?" Will guessed she was from the same clan that Duchess Satine was and they did share a passing resemblance. "Sister?"

"My sister's path is her own to walk as is mine. I believe in restoring Mandalore's heritage while she all but forgets it." Bo-Katan told him.

"And like my uncle, you took it to an absolute by joining my uncle in Death Watch. While your goal is noble…" Will activated his blade and adopted a Soresu stance. "…the cause you signed up for is not. I can show you a better way."

"That is if you're still alive." Bo-Katan put on her helmet and fired a wrist rocket at him. Will raised his hand and froze the rocket mid-air with force stasis before crushing it and tossing it aside. He then fired his wrist rocket and Bo used her jetpack to the dash to the side. She dodged the rocket and charged, firing a barrage from her duel blasters as Will blocked and deflected the blaster fire. She holstered one of her blasters and fired her ripcord launcher at his right wrist, tangling it. She wrestled with him for dominance but Will just yanked her off her feet to him. She fell in front of him but quickly spun on her hand and kicked Will's saber out of his hand but he used the momentum to throw a spinning hook kick that knocked her blasters away. He then punched her in stomach and threw out a left straight to her face which she blocked and punched him in the jaw. Will recovered and took the punch to the gut only to grab her left arm and throw her over his hip to the ground. He axe kicked her in the head which knocked her helmet to the ground before rolling over her back and attaching his grapple cable to her jetpack. He then rolled forward and pulled Bo by her jetpack and slammed her into the ground.

She got back to her feet and detached her jetpack as Will walked forward without his saber, willing to continue this fight without it to prove a point. Bo saw the Darksaber on the ground so she rolled to the side and grabbed it. She activated the blade and charged while Will readied himself. She swung, slashed, and stabbed with the saber only for Will to dodge or used his busker gauntlets to parry the saber to the side. He sidestepped a lunge and elbowed Bo in the helmet before putting her in a clinch and kneeing her in the stomach three times before flipping over her slash at his legs. Will flipped through the air and landed on his feet as Bo used her wrist blaster on her vambraces and shot at him. He ducked and dove to the side to avoid getting shot as Bo closed the distance and attacked.

He managed to grab her wrist that was holding the sword but she punched him in the gut three times. He took the hits before kneeing her in the stomach and then kicking her left leg out so she dropped to one knee. Will then grabbed the arm that was holding the Darksaber and grappled her to the ground before twisting her wrist so she let go. He grabbed the saber and kneed her in the jaw which knocked her helmet off and then put his foot down on her other arm, keeping her from using her vambraces before placing the Darksaber to her neck. He won and had her at his mercy.

"It looks like I'm still alive." Will told her. "Do you yield?"

She gave him a reluctant nod so he deactivated the blade and stood up before holding out his hand. She looked at him before taking it and he helped her back to her feet. He hooked the Darksaber behind his back before force pulling his lightsaber back into his hand. "Anyone else?"

No one stepped forward as they had enough self-awareness to understand that a Jedi Mandalorian had better training and abilities then they did. He defeated Pre Vizsla in single combat and now just killed Pol Vizsla without much effort. He earned the Darksaber. The Mandalorian armorer stepped forward and many wondered if he would attempt to make a play.

"You have proven yourself in the ways of the Mandalore. Single combat is our most honored tradition and you fought with honor against Pre Vizsla. If the Darksaber is own by Creed in battle. It is said one warrior will defeat 20, and the multitudes will fall before it. If, however, it is not won in combat and falls into the hands of the undeserving, it will be a curse unto the nation. Mandalore will be laid to waste and its people scattered to the four winds." The armorer then bowed. "It has been won by creed, by a Mandalorian much like its creator. Tarre Vizsla was both Mandalorian and Jedi, the only one ever accepted. It is then fitting that the Darksaber should come into the hands of his descendant who is both Mandalorian and Jedi. This is the Way."

"This is the way." Everyone repeated.

"This is the way." Will told them. "I understand that this is an unusual circumstance but those are the times now. Please know that just because I wield the Darksaber, it does not meant I will force any of you to follow my orders or join the Republic war effort against the Separatists."

"You will not?" The Armorer wondered.

"No. I will not drag our people into a conflict if they do not wish it. Mandalore Space has remained neutral during the war so I see no reason for that change. I'm still unsure what my role will be here so your paths are your own to walk but know this. Should you find yourselves working for the Confederacy and our paths cross, you will be treated as an enemy. That is my promise." Will told them before he walked away. BD-8 followed him as he walked out of the hangar and into a nearby bathroom where he quickly washed his hands and splashed some water on his face to calm down. "By the force…"

BD-8 gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and Will smiled before he let out some annoyed beeps, telling him he was offended at the droid remark. "Sorry, BD-8."

Will took another moment to himself before he stepped out and saw Gar Saxon waiting for him. "How has my declaration been accepted by everyone?" He wondered.

"It's hard to say but at the very least, you've proven to be worthy of leading. Many are just considering what to do next." Gar told him.

"And you, Gar? You joined my uncle because you believed in Death Watch. What happens now for you?" Will asked him.

"I did join Death Watch, yes. Clan Saxon is a proud clan under House Vizsla with a storied past and I didn't believe in what the Duchess has done to Mandalore. Death Watch and your uncle seemed only natural to follow as we both believed in honoring the old ways through any means possible. That was until I saw you fight and then stand up against your uncle and his methods." Gar Saxon told him with complete honesty in his voice. "It struck a chord with me and the others. You spoke hard truths but you backed them up and defeated your uncle. You lead House Vizsla and Clan Saxon pledges its fealty."

Will nodded in appreciation, unaware that his seemingly insignificant moment of standing up against his uncle would have lasting consequences. That's when he saw Bo-Katan walk over with some of her compatriots. "And you Bo-Katan?" Will asked her as Bo took this moment to size him up again.

"I decided to follow the old ways of Mandalore because I didn't believe in what my sister is doing and it seems that you don't either. And you were the victor of our fight." Bo-Katan said, holding out her hand and he shook it. Guess it was her way of saying she was fine with him. "But what exactly are your plans now?"

"I'm still working on that. I've still yet to go over everything my uncle left behind." Will told her.

"Before that…" The Armorer stepped forward with some Mandalorians pushing a large container behind him. "The new Mandalore must be adorned in his own Beskar'gam as was the old ways and as it should always be."

"We have a forge here that you can use." Gar told the Armorer.

"Good. All that is left is the beskar with which to forge your armor." The Armorer told Will and he realized what this meant for him. There was beskar on Concordia thanks to the mines where they literally mined the metal but as was custom, Mandalorian armor was passed down from generation to generation and he knew just where to find his. Will went into his uncle's office where his mother's armor was as was his uncle's.

"Will this work?" Will asked him and the Armorer nodded.

"Let us begin." The armorer told him.

The Mandalorian armorer set up cryo-furnace and gravity press along with all the other tools he would using to forge Will's beskar armor. Will stood up straight and held his arms out to the side as BD-8 scanned him from head to toe to get his measurements before plugging into the Armorer's holographic workstation. A holographic image of him appeared and the computer began calculating the right design blueprints giving the Armorer the right information on what to forge.

"The songs of Eons past foretold of the Mythosaur rising up to herald a new age of Mandalore." The Armorer said, putting in the pieces of his mother's and uncle's armor into the cryo-furnace to melt down along with adding in some more beskar alloy. "But that was in legends. You say your path is unclear going forward and that is true. You are young, you are skilled, and you are conflicted."

"I am." Will removed his gauntlet and vambraces and placed them on a small table before he sat down with his legs crossed like he would for meditation. "Two parts of my identity are in conflict with one another."

"The Jedi and the Mandalorian. I imagine Tarre Vizsla felt the same during the times of the Old Republic." The Armorer said, opening up the toolbox that contained the gravity hammer and magnetic tongs he would be using. "You were correct that many of us forget that Tarre Vizsla was as much a Jedi as he was a proud Mandalorian. Stories of his battles are legend and he ascended to the title of Mandalore but like you he was an enigma in his Clan. One of noble mind and spirit at a time when the Mandalorians sided with the Sith in their conquests. You are the only other Mandalorian to join the Jedi and as such, will encounter the same problems he did both external and internal."

"The stories never told how Tarre Vizsla reconciled both halves of his identity." Will said.

"No, they did not." The Armorer pressed a button and the liquid beskar poured into a mold to harden. "Tarre Vizsla's path was his to walk alone. His methods and struggles lost to history. You will no doubt face the same struggles but how you overcome them is up to you. The Path of the Mandalore is marred by trials and crucibles. You either learn from it and grow or die. This is the Way."

"This is the way." Will replied as the Armorer placed the harden beskar plate into the gravity press to make its shape before using a hammer to temper it.

Will closed his eyes and meditated as the Armorer continued forging. He spent his meditation as a moment of self-reflection and hopefully let the force guide him on what to do next. The forging and crafting process took hours but Will sat there in his meditative state as the Armorer not only forged his armor but also had to make him a new helmet and then ensure everything was working. Making Mandalorian armor was an art and could not be rushed.

Line Break xxxxx

The next day…

Mandalore

A Diplomatic Mission. Sent to investigate allegations that Mandalore was joining Count Dooku's Separatists, Obi-wan Kenobi was reunited with the Duchess Satine of Kalevala. While Satine claimed Mandalore's intentions were to remain neutral during the war, an attack on the Capital City led Obi-wan to the discovery of a terrorist organization known as Death Watch.

However, Death Watch leader's Pre Vizsla was defeated and succeeded by his nephew, Will Vizsla of the Jedi order, presenting its own set of problems. Duchess Satine now heads to Coruscant to plead her case against her involvement in the war as the Jedi prepare a defense against her opponents.

Anakin and the Republic forces arrived to escort Duchess Satine to Coruscant to make her case to the Senate. For the moment, Pre Vizsla would remain on Mandalore in prison and if the Galactic Senate wanted him to stand trial in their courts then they'd have to discuss it. Obi-wan, Senator Tal Merrik of Kalevala and Duchess Satine walked to the Coronet, a New Mandalorian luxury liner, transport ship, and diplomatic vessel used by the New Mandalorians. She would heading to Coruscant to personally vouch for her government and inform them that Mandalore had no ill-will towards the Republic and she just wanted to remain neutral. It wouldn't be just her as they would be accompanied by some other senators of the Republic such as Senators Kin Robb of Taris, Tal Merrik, Onaconda Farr of Rodia, and Orn Free Taa of Ryloth. Some were members of the council of neutral systems while others were close friends with the Duchess. Due to the number or Republic Senators, Anakin and Obi-wan would act as security along with a platoon of clone troopers.

"Pre Vizsla remains in captivity but he has not spoken a word except for the occasional slur and or insult. We've learned nothing new. There's no way of learning just how widespread Death Watch really is." Senator Tal Merrik stated.

"It's obvious the Separatists are supporting the Death Watch." Obi-wan stated.

"I disagree. I told you I wanted to stay out of this conflict." The Duchess reminded him.

"I'm merely pointed out what we know. Pre Vizsla sent the Death Watch soldier to attack a Republic ship. The only reason he would do that is if the Separatists ordered him. Given the current situation, I'm afraid that may no longer be possible." Obi-wan told her.

"I thought that you of all people would understand my position on this matter. I will never be a part of this war." Duchess Satine declared before she and her party boarded the ship.

Anakin walked over with Captain Rex, Commander Cody, Rathtar Squad, and a group of clones. "Reporting for escort duty, General." Anakin announced.

"Oh, Anakin. Am I glad to see you." Obi-wan remarked.

"You sound tired." Anakin pointed out and Obi-wan shrugged.

"The peaceful ways of the locals wore me out a bit but there have been some new developments." Obi-wan said when Anakin noticed they were one short.

"Where's your Padawan?" Anakin wondered.

"That is the development. He defeated his uncle and now technically leads Death Watch according to the customs of his people which is its own problem. I had to leave him on Concordia while I settled things here. He was the only one that can keep the Warrior clans in check. Fives, Hevy, Echo, take the Tempest and head up to Concordia while Anakin and I go with the Duchess. Tell him that I want to speak with him immediately and to prepare to meet us." Obi-wan ordered and the three clones nodded before heading to the Tempest. "I'm getting too old for this."

"You're only as old as you feel." Anakin pat Obi-wan on the back and they boarded the Coronet. The ship flew off the planet and once it was cleared it jumped to hyperspace. Rathtar squad boarded the tempest and flew it to Concordia, wondering what was going on and how their commander was doing.

Concordia

Will was in the same meditative position he assumed when the Armorer first began forging, showing a great deal of discipline. He stuck to his meditation but was informed that a lot of the Mandalorian clans had left to return to their home bases. They would honor the command of the New Mandalore and remain neutral. Some would take up work as bounty hunters and mercenaries but if he should request any of their services in combat then they would answer the call.

The Armorer had just about finished forging the armor which was placed into a special tempering crate that bombarded the armor with small heat to ensure the metal was properly tempered, set and the paint would dry which would still take about an hour. One thing that was ready were his gauntlets and vambraces that were given a once over and some maintenance. The armor covering on the gauntlets was touched up and the Armorer put in a new weapon for him called Whistling Birds which were small beskar steel guided munitions which could track onto a multiple targets and be deployed from a launcher. They were called Whistling Birds because when they were fired they made a whistling sound before striking the target. The Armorer inserted the last Whistling Bird into his gauntlet and the small weapons retracted into place.

"Whistling birds are a powerful defense against multiple enemies. Use them sparingly." The Armorer cautioned before placing the extra Whistling Birds into a pouch he could put on his belt. After that, he brought over his mother's JT-12 jetpack. It was the kind of jetpacks that the Mandalorians and other factions with jetpack troops used, capable of short and long distance jumps as well as flight. It also had a launcher on the back that could accommodate a MM9 or a Z-6 anti-vehicle homing missile in its adapter slot.

"You have much skill as a Jedi and as a Mandalorian but training in the Rising Phoenix is needed to master the jetpack." The Armorer placed the jetpack next to the crate where his armor was resting. "When you are ready you should begin your drills. Until you know it, it will not listen to your commands."

"I understand." Will replied.

"All that is left is your signet." The Armorer said and Will had some ideas about a new one for his own armor. Death Watch tainted his clan's sigil so if he was going to wear his armor with pride then he needed to do something so adding in something might work. The Armorer got to work and casted a signet out of beskar before using a splicer to weld it onto his right shoulder pauldron and onto his breastplate on the top right corner. It was the same Shriek-hawk claw but it had now a flowered branch and sword in its grasp. Flowered branch signified a new beginning while the sword symbolizes his role as a defender and warrior. "Your armor is nearing completion. I will inform you when it is ready."

"Thank you." Will got up and decided to finally go through all his uncle's things in his office and learn more about Death Watch's plans and how deep they were involved with the Separatists.

His uncle's files weren't exactly wordy but his past transmission logs helped him fill in the gaps and he started to get the bigger picture. Count Dooku reached out and contacted his uncle to support a Death Watch takeover of Mandalore. He provided the funds and information and in return would not only support a Death Watch governance of Mandalore but would aid them against the Republic. Much like the Mandalorians of old, his uncle went to work for a Sith Lord. His uncle did say Dooku was a means to an end but he was naïve to think that he could outmaneuver Dooku once he no longer needed him. Just another reason that led to his downfall. Will figured that just by numbers alone, Death Watch couldn't take control of Mandalore and its sector by force for very long if the people rose up against them and given that his uncle did bomb a square in the capital then they weren't seen in a favorable light. Something didn't add up and it wasn't until he remembered the Death Watch assassin who attacked one of their ships and how it led him and Obi-wan to Mandalore. Dooku had to be responsible for that. Attacking a Republic ship with a Mandalorian bounty hunter and then the rumors of an armed force on Mandalore brought the Jedi to the planet. Death Watch assassination attempt and then the revelation of Death Watch being active could result in the Republic needing to stage an intervention in Mandalore due to the threat. If things had gone differently and his uncle was still in charge, there's a good chance that the Republic may need to get involved and violate Mandalore's neutrality. Which is exactly Dooku's plan as the Mandalorian people would view the Republic as invaders and if Death Watch arose to fight them then they'd be seen as liberators and heroes. Classic control the narrative and rather cunning.

BD-8 spliced into the communication terminal and found a communication signal with an open line at the end he could contact so Will had him call it. Soon enough a hologram appeared of Count Dooku and Will signaled to BD-8 to begin recording for evidence. "Count Dooku as I live and breathe."

"Ah, Master Kenobi's newest apprentice. It's been a while since we last met." Dooku remarked.

"It has but it seems you and the CIS are still up to no good. Working with Death Watch to overthrow the ruling government of a planet? First Rodia and now Mandalore. How many other planets have you tried to sway to join your cause? Getting worried that the Confederacy is starting to lose the war so you're resorting to underhanded tactics to win?" Will quipped.

"So young and so misguided. Another mindless puppet of the Jedi and the Galactic Republic." Dooku said to him.

"No so much mindless and I'm no one's puppet. Your plan is over, Dooku. Mandalore will never fall to you. I've made sure of that." Will declared.

"Ah, yes. It was your home world. How does it feel knowing that your people can turn against one another so easily?" Dooku questioned with a hint of mockery in his tone.

"Helps when they have a devil on their shoulder but it won't work. Death Watch is done and your plan is over." Will promised only for Dooku to smirk.

"Is it? Ah, to be young and so full of false confidence. Until we meet again, young one only I fear it will be a short meeting." Dooku signed off and BD-8 told Will that the signal was cut out meaning he must have scrubbed the communication line from his system so they couldn't contact him again. This was the second time Will had met the Count but this time came with the knowledge that he was his father. When he first learned of the information from Obi-wan he wasn't sure how he would react if he saw Dooku knowing this but it seems like it didn't affect him that much. Time would tell if that would remain as Will's mind was occupied by the Count's last words.

Will wasn't arrogant enough to underestimate his opponent, something instilled in him at an early age. Dooku was skilled, highly trained, one of the best duelists in the Jedi Order and powerful in the force. Guess Will knew where he inherited his prowess with the force and his dueling talent but Dooku was also smart. He had to have a contingency plan incase something like this happened. Will and BD-8 continued looking through his uncle's for any kind of clue but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack full of other needles.

While Will is busy…

Fives piloted the Tempest through space and towards the moon Concordia. He wasn't a pilot but had picked up some things and knew enough to fly the ship from point A to point B if necessary. They flew down to the main mining facility where Master Kenobi said Will would be and saw a bunch of other ships there.

"Wonder what's going on down there." Echo said.

"We're about to find out." Fives piloted the ship down to the hangar and parked it. He, Fives, and Echo walked out of the ship in full gear but left their heavy weapons on the ship. When they stepped out and walked into the hangar their arrival drew the attention of the Mandalorians who were still there.

"I don't like this." Hevy stated, slowly moving his hand to his blaster pistol holstered on his thigh.

"Easy, Hevy. General Kenobi said the Commander was in charge so let's be diplomatic." Fives said as they kept walking when three Mandalorians stepped in their path. "Excuse us."

"What purpose do you clones have on Concordia?" One Mandalorian asked.

"We need to speak with Commander Will Vizsla." Fives told him. "We were told he was here."

"He might be." Another Mandalorian replied.

"It's not that hard of a question. He either is or he isn't." Hevy pointed out.

"That depends on your business with him." The Mandalorian told them.

"We're here on Republic business but rest assured we're not here to cause trouble. His master sent us to find him." Fives said so the Mandalorian nodded to another who went to get him.

"He'll be here in a moment." The Mandalorian replied and Fives nodded when he saw Hevy having some kind of staring contest with another Mandalorian.

"What are you looking at?" Hevy asked him and the Mandalorian pointed at the Shriewk-hawk symbol on his chest armor.

"You shouldn't have that on." The Mandalorian told him. "Do you even know what it means?"

"It's the symbol of Clan Vizsla, our commander's clan. He told us all about it and we painted them on in tribute after he helped train us." Hevy informed him.

"He trained you?" The Mandalorian asked. "Wonder if it did any good."

"Want to find out?" Hevy questioned as both he and the Mandalorian had their hands close to their pistols.

"Stand down! They're with me!" They heard and saw Will walk over. The Mandalorians nodded and relaxed. "Sorry for the situation but things have been a little complicated."

"That seems to be an understatement, sir." Ech told him.

"Anyway, what brings you here?" Will asked.

"Genera Kenobi sent us to assist in anyway we can. He and General Skywalker are escorting Duchess Satine and the senators to Coruscant so you can contact him via his commlink." Fives told him when he heard urgent beeping and saw BD-8 rush over. "Something's got your droid in a frenzy."

"What is it, BD-8?" Will asked and BD-8 projected a hologram recording of a communication between Pre Vizsla and someone else.

"And my man has arrived safely?" Pre Vizsla asked.

"Yes, along with the explosives but some unforeseen obstacles have arrived. Two Jedi have come to Mandalore." The stranger said.

"It doesn't matter. Their presence doesn't change anything. Continue with the plan as instructed." Pre Vizsla ordered.

"Yes, sir." The stranger replied when he finally stepped into view. It was Senator Tal Merrik of Kalevala.

"Senator Tal Merrik?" Gar Saxon was surprised to see him there. "Pre Vizsla did say he had someone working for him on Mandalore but he never said who."

"And it's not just anyone but someone who works right alongside the Duchess." Will then remembered Dooku's warning. His uncle was taken to Mandalore as a prisoner but that would give Senator Merrik the opportunity to talk to him and there's no way he wouldn't pass up a chance to kill the Duchess with him that close. "It's a trojan horse. Fives, was this Senator part of the group that went with Obi-wan and the Duchess to Coruscant?"

"I'm not sure, sir. I didn't get a good look at them." Fives admitted.

"I did. He was one of them. I saw him walk onto the ship with the Duchess before we spoke with the General." Echo answered.

"It's a trap. The Duchess and those Senators are in danger. I need to speak with Obi-wan." Will and the others rushed onto the Tempest and BD-8 plugged into the communications terminal before opening up a communication line to Obi-wan's commlink. "Master, master can you hear me?!"

"Padawa-, is tha…you?"

"Obi-wan, can you hear me?" Will asked but the transmission was cutting in and out. "BD-8, can you clear this up?"

BD-8 tried boosting the signal but that wasn't the problem. There was some kind of local interference on Obi-wan's side that was preventing a clear transmission. "Master, if you can hear me there's a traitor there! Senator Tal Merrik is a traitor!" Will shouted but the signal probably only got part of it. "Master!"

The signal then cut out and BD-8 reported that whatever was interfering with them had cut outbound communication. "Now what, sir?" Fives asked.

"We've got to go and catch up with them. They may have a head start on us but the Tempest is fast. BD-8, calculate their ship's route via the data from Obi-wan's commlink before the signal cut out." Will said and BD-8 nodded before he walked out of the ship. "Any of you up for a mission?"

They nodded and a dozen Mandalorians joined Will on the Tempest including Gar Saxon and Bo-Katan Kryze. The rest would stay behind on Concordia until they got back. Before they could take off, the Armorer came over with a crate. "Your armor is now ready." He told Will.

"Thank you." Will shook his hand and pushed the crate onto the Tempest which quickly flew off Concordia. Once it was clear they jumped to Hyperspace.

"You really think Senator Merrik will be able to kill the Duchess by himself?" Gar Saxon pointed out as Will pushed the crate into the living area where they were sitting.

"By himself? No. But Dooku's smart and won't leave something like this to chance. Taking out the Duchess is a good day for him and the Confederacy but also taking out those other Senators is too big of a chance to leave to just one man. He'll have droid backup waiting but he's not going to be expecting us." Will opened up the crate to see his newly forged armor. "Time for an upgrade."

Will put on some new brown boots that had magnetic soles on the bottom before attaching his beskar greaves on his shins. After securing his thigh guards on his legs he attached the pouch for Whistling Birds along with other useful armaments like explosive, flash, smoke chargers as well as Droid poppers on his Jedi belt which he secured around his waist. He then slipped on his breastplate and cuirass, making sure it was locked into place before slipping on his gloves and then his beskar vambraces. He locked his shoulder pauldrons into place before letting his cape fall down with the end reaching the back of his legs. He looked at the T-shaped visor on his helmet before turning it around and slipping it on.

It was time to get to work.

Line Break xxxxx

Luxury Liner Coronet

The luxury Liner transport ship the Coronet was acting as a diplomatic vessel to transport Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore to Coruscant to speak to the Senate and assure them of her stance on neutrality. With her were several diplomatic guests including Senators Kin Robb of Taris, Onaconda Farr of Rodia, Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, and Tal Merrik of Kalevala. With several Republic Senators, Jedi Obi-wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker accompanied the group as escorts. Things were generally smooth but things did get a little intense between Obi-wan and Satine as they argued pacifism and its place in this war with both stubbornly set on their roles and beliefs.

Obi-wan entered the banquet room where the Senators were having their meal. "I beg your pardon, Senators. Our men are investigating a situation below decks. I respectfully ask you to wait here until it is settled." Obi-wan informed them. He was then invited to the meal and some light conversation was enjoyed when his commlink beeped. "Please excuse me. Anakin, what have you found?"

"There's a large open container and the contents are missing. And I still have two men unaccounted for."

"That's not good. Keep things quest. I'll stay with the Senators." Obi-wan reported when his commlink got another beep. "Hello?"

"Master—Mas—hear—me?"

"Padawan, is that you?" Obi-wan tapped his commlink to try and get a lock on the signal but there was some kind of interference. "Padawan, say again. Can you hear me?"

"Maste—hear-Merr—trai—Mast—"

Obi-wan's commlink cut out after that and he only got a garbled transmission so he contacted Anakin. "Anakin, come in? I suggest you find whatever is going on down there and hurry. Will just tried to reach me but his transmission was cut out. He sounded in a panic."

"All right. I'll keep an eye out."

Obi-wan could feel something was wrong but didn't know what it was so he just had to make sure the Senators were kept safe. Some servants and droids came to clean the table and plates of the current course when Anakin reported back.

"Obi-wan, there's assassin probes down here. One made it up the lift. I'll try and hold off the others here."

"Quickly, secure the lifts!" Obi-wan ordered and the two Mandalorian Protectors in the room rushed to the door as he activated his saber. The spider-like assassin droid knocked the door down and impaled one of the Protectors in the chest with one of its legs before throwing the body into the other, sending both to the ground. The Senators scrambled to the wall as the droid scurried onto the table towards them only for Obi-wan to leap into the air. He landed and then jumped off the droid, slicing off two of its legs before stabbing it in its brain. The droid fell to the ground dead but then the ports on its head released mini-assassin bots which scurried out towards Obi-wan and the Senators.

Obi-wan cut and slashed any assassin bots that got close while Satine pulled out a deactivator blaster and fired a bolt that shut down clusters of the robots. The two got back to back and fought off against the assassin bots. "Do you always carry a deactivator?" Obi-wan asked her, moving his saber into a circular motion to cut through several bots that leapt at him.

"Just because I'm a pacifist doesn't mean I won't defend myself." Satine pointed out.

"Now you sound like a Jedi." Obi-wan quipped as Satine blasted the last one. Obi-wan picked up one of the bots to get a better look. "Just like that swarm of venomites on Draboon, remember?"

"How could I forget? I still have the scar." Satine said.

"Begging your pardon, Duchess. I distinctly remember carrying you to safety." Obi-wan reminded her.

"I meant the scar I got after you fell and dropped me." Satine corrected him.

"Oh, yes."

Some more guards and servants came to clean up the mess as well as the assassin bots when Anakin arrived with the ship's manifest. "One of our four distinguished senators appears to be a traitor." Anakin informed Obi-wan.

"I sense it too." The older master said when he heard some cluttering and saw one of the assassin bots was still alive. "It looks like one of our little visitors is still alive. I have an idea on how to expose the turncoat. Return to the hull of the ship. Destroy the last of the assassin droids. I'll find out which of the Senators is the traitor."

One hour later…

The banquet room had been cleaned and refurbished so the Senators could continue their meal with the threat seemingly taken care of. They weren't made aware of any other threat so they assumed things were back to normal. Service droids came by with drinks and more food.

"Duchess, you are not eating." Senator Taa pointed out.

"I have no appetite." She replied.

"Begging your pardon, you must keep up your strength." Senator Taa told her.

"By all means, be my guest, Senator." Satine told him.

"If you insist." He replied when they saw Obi-wan walk in carrying something covered by a cloth. "Ah! Dessert! Excellent!"

"This morsel might prove too much even for the legendary appetite of Orn Free Taa." Obi-wan removed the cloth to show a container holding the last assassin bot. "Enjoy."

Senator Orn Free Taa jumped in shock. "On second thought, it wouldn't agree with me."

"My theory is our little friend will attack the Duchess and anyone who defends her. Anyone, that is, except for the traitor who programmed it." Obi-wan explained as the assassin bot kept jumping at its container to try and attack and fulfill its purpose.

"AH! Take it away! Please!" Senator Taa begged.

"Obi-wan, this line of questioned borders on torture!" Satine expressed her outrage at his actions as he moved around the table and saw the assassin bot attempt to break free when he passed Senator Farr and Senator Kinn Robb.

"Oh, I assure our pacifist Duchess that all is under control. I'm trying to expose a bigger threat. The droid displays unusual hostility toward the honorable Kinn Robb…" Obi-wan remarked as he walked past the Duchess and the bot was equally as active but then it stopped moving when he neared Senator Tal Merrik. "…but it seems to like you, Senator Merrik. Well, Prince?"

"Really, General Kenobi, you're quite clever!" Senator Merrik knocked the container out of his hands and the assassin bot fell onto the table. It quickly scurried across the table towards the Duchess only for Obi-wan to knock it away with a plate. It landed on a protocol droid and short-circuited its system as everyone stood ready to flee. Obi-wan activated his saber as he saw the bot jump onto the table and then land on Senator Farr so he sliced it in half. His distraction gave Senator Merrik the chance to grab Satine from behind and had his blaster pistol aimed at her head. "You're coming with me."

Senator Merrik quickly exited the room with his hostage and blasted the door's control panel to buy him some time as he made his escape. He used his saber to cut the door open which took a bit of time but he did it and then began making his way through the corridors of the ship to try and find the Senator and the Duchess. "Anakin, Tal Merrik is a traitor and he's taken Satine hostage."

"Copy that but I've got problems of my own right now." Anakin reported back, still in the cargo hold of the ship to find the last Assassin droid.

Senator Merrik managed to make it to the bridge of the ship and blasted the ship's captain and the Republic guards stationed there. "You're a monster! A horrid Monster!" Satine cursed him.

"Get used to it." Merrik pulled the ship out of hyperspace and activated the comm channel to call a certain frequency. Soo enough Count Dooku appeared via hologram. "Count Dooku."

"Senator Merrik. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Dooku greeted him and saw Duchess Satine in his grasp. "Hello, Duchess. Pleasure to meet you."

"I have nothing to say to a traitor or you, Dooku." She cursed him.

"I've done as Pre Vizsla instructed and I have the Duchess but I'll need help getting her away." Merrik told him.

"Reinforcements are already on their way." Dooku promised and he was right. Several Droch-class boarding ships flew out of hyperspace. They drilled into the sides of the ship, deploying several dozen B2 super battle droids. The ship was put on high alert so the guards, Clones and Jedi commanders on board rushed to make a defensive perimeter and take out the intruders. Unfortunately, the boarding ships appeared in various sections so the clones had to adopt makeshift firing lines and defensive perimeters. Several Clones were sealed in the banquet room with the Senators while others were with the Mandalorian Protectors engaged in shootouts with the Super battle droids but they had minimal cover.

Obi-wan entered the cockpit and activated his saber to see Senator Merrik holding Satine hostage. "Come in, Kenobi. You're expected." Merrik said.

"Tal Merrik, you're under arrest. Release the Duchess." Obi-wan told him.

"Hmm, I took the precaution of wiring the ship's engine to explode. I press this remote, and we all die." Tal Merrik held up a detonator in confidence. He had the advantage.

"Obi, if you have any respect for me you will not take such risks with so many people's lives at stake." Satine told him.

"Satine…" Obi-wan muttered as Merrik led her away and they left the cockpit.

The Tempest flew out of hyperspace and saw the Coronet being besieged by boarding ships all over. Four more came out of hyperspace to attack but the Tempest flew by and blasted them to pieces. The ship maneuvered around quickly and landed at starboard side of the ship near the emergency airlock before docking on.

The six clones engaged in a firefight with a group of 12 super battle droids by the elevators felt the entire ship rumble. "What was that?"

"Felt like something dock with the ship!" A clone replied, taking a few shots from cover before ducking back. The droids were marching closer and closer when a blue lightsaber flew through the air and cut through the two in the front. The droids slowly turned as the lightsaber spun through the air back to its wielder who leapt forward and caught the blade before activating a blade lightsaber. The assailant cut through a battle droid with a cross slash before sliding forward and cutting another droid in half at the legs and then finished it with a thrust to the face plate. Said assailant was a Mandalorian who quickly leapt off a wall and cut through another droid before spinning and slicing through two more. He side flipped over the remaining five before force pushing them to the ground. More Mandalorians rushed in and blasted them to pieces. The clones relaxed when they saw the droids were dealt with but still on guard with their new arrivals. "Identify yourselves!"

"Stand down, trooper!" Fives ordered as he, Echo, and Fives walked into view with their weapons. "We're friendlies."

"Friendlies, sir?" The clone asked as the Mandalorian wielding the sabers stepped forward so they could get a good look. The Mandalorian deactivated his sabers and removed his helmet to reveal it was Will and they immediately recognized him. "Sorry, sir. Didn't recognize you."

"It's fine." Will assured them as the clones looked at his new armor. It consisted of his new helmet painted light blue and white complete with a macrobinocular T-shaped visor view plate which had a tactical heads-up display, commlink, and attached antenna rangefinder that could be pulled over the view plate to enhance imagery. He had on beskar shoulder pauldrons, gloves, and vambraces that were painted white while his breastplate/cuirass, codpiece, knee-pads, thigh, and shin guards were painted light blue and all worn over his Padawan robes. He had on dark brown boots with magnetic soles, new weapons on his belt, with two lightsabers in his hands and finished the look with a blue cloak. (1) "Status report."

"Several dozen Super Battle Droids throughout the ship on levels 24, 27, and 29." The clone replied.

"Where are the Senators?" Will questioned.

"On floor 29 in the banquet room."

"Then that's where I'm going. Fives, take half these men to floor 24 and clear it up. Hevy, Echo take the rest to floor 27. I'll take the Mandalorians to floor 29." Will ordered.

"Yes, sir." They replied as the clones did as they were ordered. Will put his helmet back on and looked at the Mandalorians.

"Let's go." They nodded and followed his direction.

A group of clones and Mandalorian Protectors were engaged in a heavy fire fight with platoon of Super Battle Droids on floor 27. Anakin raced down the hall and came to their aid, getting in front and blocking the blaster fire when the battle droids began to get gunned down from behind. A heavy barrage of blaster fire tore through them as Anakin and the clones took cover and when the last battle droid went down they saw the reason why. Hevy, Echo, and a squad of clones had ambushed them from behind and took them down fast.

"General, are you all right?" Hevy asked, hefting up his rotary blaster.

"We're fine. Glad you got here in time. I take it the shaking was the Tempest docking into position?" Anakin asked and Echo nodded.

"Yes, sir. The Commander ordered us to help secure the ship. Fives is down on floor 24 with a squad to handle the droid there and the Commander went to floor 29 to protect the Senators." Echo informed him.

"By himself? He's gonna need help." Anakin pointed out.

"Don't worry about that, Sir. He's got it." Hevy replied.

On Floor 29, Super Battle droids marched down the halls attacking and killing any clones that got in the way with 12 guarding the elevators. They heard some beeping and saw someone coming up so they formed up in two lines with their blasters aimed at the door ready to ambush whoever came through. The methodic beep of the elevator counter stopped and the Battle droids raised their blaster arms up when the elevator doors open. Will had both sabers activated as he marched through blocking and deflecting their blaster fire. He slashed the one on the left in half and kicked back the one on his right so he could deflect two blaster bolts into another battle droid. He thrusts his saber to the side to pierce the battle droid he kicked before he slashed through two more in rapid succession. He blocked blaster fire from one and force pushed it back before slashing the blaster arm off of one. It grabbed him by the shoulder but he just stabbed it through the side and tossed it to the ground. He force pulled a battle droid into a cut through the middle and spun around, throwing the Darksaber which spun through the air and cut through another battle droid. He parried several blaster bolts and cut one in half through the middle before he leapt off the wall and destroyed another with a thrust to the faceplate. The last one aimed its blaster arm at him but Will raised his hand and froze it in place with the force. It struggled to move and soon Will clenched fist and the creaking moan of bending metal could be heard as the Super Battle droid was then crushed by the force before throwing it at the last battle droid. It fell to the ground and leaned up only for Will to cut it in half.

He force pulled the Darksaber back into his hand as Bo-Katan and Gar Saxon leaned out into view. They hugged the walls of the elevator while Will made the first attack. He figured there would be a trap waiting so he sprung it. "Nicely done." Gar told him.

"Thanks. Let's move." Will said as they followed.

Elsewhere on the floor, the Clones were blasting at the droids in bottlenecked or flanked corners. That's when a pair of Mandalorians came from behind and blasted the battle droids with their pistols or blaster rifles. One Mandalorian fired a wrist rocket and blew them up while another unsheathed a vibro-blade and slid forward, slicing it's leg off and blasted it in the faceplate.

A group of super battle droids were marching to the banquet room and engaged in a firefight with Clones guarding the outside. The Senators were inside hiding behind the table for protection along with another squad of clones. The Clones outside the room had minimal cover and were suffering some loses when a grenade was thrown at the battle droids and exploded in a plume of smoke. The clones had no idea what was going on when the blaster fire at them stopped. The droids in the smoke began firing in random directions but new blaster fire could be heard. Then they saw a blue lightsaber appear in the smoke, cutting through battle droids until the sound of fighting stopped. The smoke cleared and the clones saw three Mandalorians and a lot of scrapped battle droids. They walked forward and Will removed his helmet so they could see it was him.

"Jedi Padawan Will Vizsla. At ease, troopers." Will told them and the clones relaxed a bit.

"Good to see you, commander." The clone told him and Will nodded. "The Senators are safely inside."

"Good, the ship's nearly secure." Will assured him when they heard metal clanking and four super battle droids marched around a corner, shooting at them. They took cover with one blaster bolt hitting Will in the shoulder but the beskar deflected the hit. He raised his gauntlet and fired three Whistling Birds. The small projectiles flew through the air and pierced through the battle droids, quickly disabling three of them. The fourth lost an arm and a leg but managed to stay upright when it was blasted from the side. Several Mandalorians came in from the corridor along with more clones.

"All droid are dealt with."

"Roger that." Will replied, unlocking the banquet room so he could walk in and inform them of the situation. He walked in and deactivated his saber as the clones relaxed when they saw it was him. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're fine, sir. No one injured." A clone told him.

"Good." Will hooks his saber onto his belt. "Senators, I apologize for what you had to experience but the floor is secure."

"Thank you." Senator Robb said to him but Senators Onaconda Farr and Orn Free Taa recognized their savior.

"Padawan Vizsla, it would seem I have a second reason to thank you for coming to my aid." Senator Farr told him.

"Thank you, Jedi. You have not only helped Ryloth but me as well. Thank you." Senator Taa added

"No thanks, necessary, Senator. I'm just doing my job but had some help." Will gestured to Bo-Katan and Gar Saxon and the Senators thanked them as well. That's when he noticed Duchess Satine wasn't there. "Where's the Duchess?"

"The traitor, Tal Merrik has her. Master Kenobi went in pursuit." Senator Robb informed him so he activated his comm device.

"I need a status report." Will ordered.

"Floor 24 is secure." Fives reported.

"Floor 27 is secure." Echo reported.

"Roger that. Floor 29 is secure but the Duchess and Senator Merrik are still unaccounted for." Will said when BD-8 chimed in. BD-8 was on the ship still and used the Tempest system's to patch into the Coronet and was able to monitor everything via security cameras. He knew exactly where the Senator was. "All available clones, rally on the Senators. I'm going after Merrik.

Will put his helmet back on and rushed away to stop him from leaving. But they weren't the only one as Obi-wan followed Merrik. He still had Satine and the detonator and made his way to one of the boarding ships to escape.

"This is Merrik. Stand by to disengage. Say farewell, Duchess." Merrik mocked.

"Obi-wan, it looks like I may never see you again. I don't know quite how to say this but…I've loved you from the moment you came to my aid all those years ago." Satine confessed and Merrik just rolled his eyes.

"I don't believe this."

"Satine, this is hardly the time or place for…" Obi-wan said when he saw her face. "All right. Had you said the word I would have left the Jedi order."

"That is touching. Truly, it is. But it's making me sick and we really must be going." Merrik stated.

"Ugh, you have the romantic soul of a slug, Merrik." Satine stomped on his foot hard. The momentary distraction was enough for Satine to get free and take his blaster before aiming it at him. "And slugs are so often trod upon."

"Interesting turnabout but even if I do not deliver the duchess alive to the Separatists, I still win. The second I'm away, I'll hit the remote and blow the Coronet to bits." Merrik said.

"I will not allow that." Satine aimed the blaster at him but her hands were shaking.

"What will you do? If you shoot me, you prove yourself a hypocrite to every pacifist ideal you hold dear. And you, Kenobi. You are no stranger to violence. You'd be hailed as a hero by everyone on this ship…almost everyone." Merrik mocked. "Come on, then. Who will strike first and brank themselves a cold-blooded killer?"

He got his answer when a blade lightsaber pierced him from behind and came out through his chest. The detonator fell out of his hands but it was caught and Merrik's body fell to the floor. Their savior was a Mandalorian. Obi-wan was on alert when he saw what happened but then relaxed when he saw the Darksaber and the regular lightsaber hooked onto the Mandalorian's belt. He recognized the design. "Will?"

The Mandalorian removed his helmet so Obi-wan and the Duchess could see it was him. "Sorry for being late, Master. Glad I got here just in time." He replied as the Duchess dropped Merrik's blaster pistol. "All the droids have been dealt with and the other Senators are safe."

"Good work." Obi-wan deactivated his blade and hook his saber onto his belt. "I'm guessing things got complicated since I left you on Concordia.

"That's fair to say. I tried warning you over comms about Senator Merrik but the signal cut out so I came to help." He replied before looking at Satine. "Are you all right, Duchess?"

"I'm fine. Thank you, Padawan." She replied but noticed his armor. "I have to ask about the developments on Concordia."

"Death Watch is no more. I spoke with those involved and made it clear that I'm not following in my uncle's footsteps and after some aggressive negotiations they agreed to my terms. Any and all warriors have agreed to remain neutral in the war. Senator Merrik was the only exception and by the time I discovered his involvement it was too late." He replied.

"Thank you." Satine replied before looking at Obi-wan. "Obi-wan, I…I must get back to the business of diplomacy."

"As you say, Duchess. Some other time." Obi-wan replied and Will raised an eyebrow. Something must have happened between the two. Obi-wan looked at his Padawan and at the new armor he was sporting. Will noticed his gaze and decided to lighten the mood.

"I know, you're jealous. My armor is way better than yours." He joked.

"I suppose in this case you're right." Obi-wan replied as Will looked at his helmet.

"Heck of a way to enjoy being one year older." He quipped. Will was now a year older and whether it was just a weird coincidence or the working of the force he received his armor on the same day. Still the master and apprentice enjoyed the small moment of levity and while no words were said both knew that when they landed on Coruscant, things would get complicated. But for the moment, they enjoyed the moment.

Both were unaware that this moment marked a shift in Will's journey as a Padawan. One door closed and another opened and the path he would take would be his own.

End of Chapter 9

1). Will's armor looks similar to the drawing done by Jake Bartok on his twitter. He did a concept art drawing for Tarre Vizsla and how the Mandalorian Jedi would look so that's the inspiration for Will in his Mandalorian armor. Same Color Scheme minus the crown marks on his helmet and his helmet has a rangefinder antenna.

I hoped you guys liked the chapter. While a lot may not have happened, a lot has been set up and things are going to get more intense and complicated from this point forward. But it's gonna be fun. Happy STAR WARS DAYS and MAY the 4TH be with you. Next time, Will's assuming of the mantle in Mandalorian society has ripples both with the Jedi, the Republic and the war. What kind of ripples? You'll have to wait and find out. Until next time.

Will changes Clan Vizsla's sigil to be a Shriek-hawk claw holding a flowered branch and a sword. In canon, Clan Vizsla did change their sigil to a Flowered branch by the time of the Galactic civil war and it made sense that Will would want to rebuild his clan's image after Death Watch with a new signet so it's still the claw mark but holding a flowered branch and a sword to symbolize a new path as well as a warriors way.

As you can see, Will's appearance and changes with Death Watch have had some ripple effects, especially this early in the Mandalorian Conflicts during the Clone Wars. Two examples of that are Bo-Katan and Gar Saxon. In canon, obviously both characters went down dark paths but I figured with Will's appearance, intervention, and subsequent actions this early on with Death Watch that some things would change. For one, Death Watch is technically disbanded and will be reorganized. Another is certain characters get earlier redemption arcs.

Updates for May: Blue Wolf and Spectacular Spider-man on May 31st.

Will Vizsla, Son of Pio Vizsla, nephew of Pre Vizsla and Mandalorian by birth. Padawan Jedi.

Birthdate: 38BBY-Age 17

Padawan Apprentice to Obi-wan Kenobi, Former Padawan of Ur-Sema Du, Son of Pio Vizsla and Count Dooku. Nephew of Pre Vizsla. Wielder of the Darksaber. Leader of the House Vizsla.

Appearance: Dylan O'Brien from Maze Runner: The Death Cure. With Padawan braid.

Clothing:

Dark blue Padawan robes and combat boots. Combat belt with Cyan Blue lightsaber.

Darksaber hooked on belt behind back.

A black shirt, black jacket, and blue pants (Casual/Undercover)

Ancestral Mandalorian Beskar armored combat gloves and forearm guards with weapons. Necklace with symbol of Clan Vizsla.

Mandalorian Beskar armor complete with helmet, shoulder pauldrons, breastplate/cuirass, kneepads, and shin guards worn over his Padawan robes colored white and light blue.

Personality: Kind, caring, quick-witted and smart. Able to adapt to situations very easily. Prone to quips to distract or enrage his enemies. Can be a bit of a smartass yet humble and works well with others. Extremely proficient in tinkering and building with electronics. Excellent pilot and mechanic. Knowledge in warfare and weapons from extensive self-tutelage at the Jedi Temple and Mandalorian training by Pio Vizsla. When triggered, can be aggressive and unhinged to a point.

Skills and Powers

Force Powers:

Force speed, Force sight, Force empathy, Force Jump, Force Stasis, Force Pull/Push, Force Throw, Force Barrier, Force Repulse, Force Precognition, Animal Bond, Mind Trick, Levitation, Lightsaber throw.

Combat Skills:

Specialized in Form 2 Makashi-Lightsaber-to-Lightsaber combat, Form 3 Soresu-Blaster counter/Defense, Form four Ataru-combines speed, strength, agility, powers, and the force for to aid in movement and combat. Training in Form 6 Niman which includes training in Form 5 Djem So and Shien. Basic Stance is Samurai Chudan or Middle stance

Adept at hand-to-hand combat.

Mandalorian gauntlets with repulsor, grappling line, wrist rockets, flamethrower, laser splicer, retractable wrist/forearm blades, shield projector, built-in communicator, holovid, Whistling Birds.

BD-8 companion droid

Rathtar Squad: Echo (Tech), Hevy (Heavy Weapons), Fives (Second in command)

Leader of Ghost Company of 212st Attack Battalion

The Tempest: A Black and Orange Corellian XS stock light freighter armed with 2 dorsal and 2 port laser batteries with torpedo launchers and modified ion launchers. Built with 2 powerful sub-light engines, heavy armored plating, and a modified/powerful hyperdrive system, making it powerful yet agile and extremely fast. Equipped with a modified stealth system that can bypass almost any scanner. Built-in cloaking system to turn the ship invisible.

XR: Modified and hacked Separatist Probe Droid

Solarboard: Home-built solar powered hover board. Agile, fast, with small twin front blasters and capable of excellent maneuverability.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Star Wars or above-mentioned properties; all rights belong to their owners.