The Legacy of House Ordo

by Sage1988

Five souls from Earth survive its end and find themselves in a different galaxy, Harry finds himself born into House Ordo one of the most powerful Mandalorian Houses. As the chaos of the Clone Wars spreads how will he and the others fair?

31. Chapter 31 The Rakata Discovery

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Star Wars.

Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter! My new work hours are taking a lot of time but I will try to update both stories once a month.

I would like to ask a question though, what do you think the orange lightsaber colour means? I have read a bunch of different things about it but not much firm answers. I had a thought on using them, maybe not in this story but another I was working on when I just hit a wall. So, what do you think they mean?

I did add one think to Mandalorian Society, those called a lord or a lady are effectively a family that serves an already established one. A landed family that serves a more powerful one.

Review Responses from the Last Chapter…

dan . lew . upg, Rio47, qwertyuiop123214685, DeathCrawler, 13thsephiroth, Jebest4781,fresh prince1, Hadrian . Caeser, DeluxeHipster1945, tf330129, Bia1230, maiseuhlol = Thank you! :)

Blaze1992 = The swords? I might do but probably not. The Ogami as you will see are dangerous enough. There must be balance.

Joe02 = Cheers! It is difficult to keep track at times but I have a system and so far, its coped. Cal's first mission and Merrin? Well, just look and see. Ara's quest brings something very useful but it is not a weapon. Neville and Hannah can have a planet any time they want but so far are content on Reijar.

raw666 = I know, maybe it depends on how much influence he has. There might be an appearance later in the story. Rebel One? Maybe. Assault Frigate, probably. New Imperial classes? Oh yes.

red demon161 = Indeed, Ahsoka going to her home world has a point though that becomes important in a future chapter. Haron will get some time with his children in this chapter.

mr1980rivera = Thank you! Your support means a great deal to me! It keeps me going when I struggle and so thank you again for your kind words.

HowlnMadHowie = Awesome work on those omakes! Barriss? She is due to make an appearance, like you said she has been laying low and for an important reason.

Okami Princess = Interesting point, the Mandalorian Warriors might become a handful if peace ever dawns and sports might a good idea too. If I do that, I will credit you for giving me the idea! Still not all Mandalorians are warriors. They are merchants, designers, builders and more.

frankieu = Indeed, they can hold it. They have the power to do so and the Empire will have something else to think about in Chapter 32. The Ogami are dangerous as you see in this chapter.

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark = Indeed, I never understood why when it is so useful we never really see it again. The Rakata device? Well, it is not meant for war.

Callum Runchman = Thank you! There might be a lot of resistance but bear in mind a lot of it isn't invading the Empire and fairly loose in terms of organisation. Given the Empire's size and resources they can replace losses pretty fast like the USA in World War 2 who brought their enormous industrial might into it and changed the course of the war. The Rakata, it isn't the Star Forge or something like that, the Kwa? Probably not. Canon characters and Legends characters will make appearances, one is mentioned in this chapter.

savitarsurffer = Glad to hear you like it! I hoped people would, Allara is still a teenager and has known them since they were born so she would see them like siblings but this chapter she gets out a little on her own. Indeed, right now even the Rift Alliance can't really afford to invade the Empire, stretching yourself too thin is just asking for trouble. Thrawn is planned, he will come and I have ideas for him.

DarthEmrys = Cheers! I am happy to hear that you all enjoyed it, but one thing I have to say is that the Mandalorians aren't strong enough to take over the Empire and even the whole Rift Alliance working together probably wouldn't manage it against an organised Empire. Sorry to disappoint though but the Rakata device is not the Star Forge.

More Review Responses at the end of the chapter…

Warning - Child death

14 BBY - 986 ARR…

Warning - Mentions of Child Death.

Chapter 31 - The Rakata Discovery

Alpinn, Vultrix Sector…Two Days Later…

The team that had discovered the cave was still standing guard over it and major armoured units had been put in place to guard it. None of them understood just what was so important about this ancient computer buried underground but when the team from Reijar came, things only got more confusing.

The team was made up of some of the most important scientists in Mandalorian Space including Professor Mors but the one leading it, was Countess Deera Ordo herself! The Mandalore's own sister was leading the team that had come to analyse it and they had brought a number of specially programmed Protocol Droids programmed with the Rakatan language. Not to mention they saw the protection details was made up of a Special Operations team, with their distinctive dragon breathing fire markings on the helmets.

Clearly whatever this was, it was far more important that they had realised especially when they were given orders not to speak about what they had seen. They left to carry on with their other duties.

- x -

Deera watched them go, eager to get to work on whatever it was they had discovered here. A Rakata site especially one still working was a rare find and this one was different to the ones that had been discovered before.

"Right, access the controls I want to see what data they had here. Everyone else keep an eye out, the Rakata defended their monuments so it might still have some defences around. Stay alert." She warned them, knowing if the terminal still worked that then droids or other defences might still too.

"Fascinating, tens of thousands of years old and it still works! I have never seen technology as robust anywhere other than Iokath." Professor Mors said with excitement as he accessed the terminal and Deera wished she had Zara with her but her wife had stayed home with their daughter this time. Zara knew how to keep the excitable scientist on task.

"Professor, we need to know what we have here." Deera tried to remind him but the Professor just waved her off, making her sigh with exasperation, knowing this was going to take hours.

As he with the assistance of the droids and other scientists went to work Deera was supposed to join them but she couldn't help but feel in the force that something wasn't right. She was on edge and couldn't stay still, pacing around the room as she looked for whatever it was that was dangerous here.

Then as the first hour passed and they delved deeper into the data the rocks that littered the cavern began to move, the sounds were slight and easily missed at first but then Deera felt the tiny oscillations of energy that was being created, nothing that lived and couldn't consciously be sensed through the force but the energy could be.

She saw the rocks moving and called out to the others quickly as she reached for her lightsaber.

"WE'VE GOT COMPANY! PROTECT THE SCIENTISTS!" She called out and everyone looked up shocked but the Special Operations Group moved around the scientists while deploying their protective force fields.

Deera saw the odd and positively ancient droids emerging from the ground where they had been disguised as rocks. She ignited her lightsaber, the thin yellow blade emerging and those watching were about to learn that while she was primarily a countess and one of the greatest minds, she was also a fully trained Akaan.

The droids began to shoot the moment they had extricated themselves from the ground but Deera easily deflected the bolts away before charging the droids, her arms moving at speeds even droids would struggle to match as she deflected the bolts away from herself and closed in on the enemy.

Jumping she cleaved the heads of three of the droids off as she sailed over head and then backhanded a fourth with her beskar gauntlet, the force amplifying her strength so the droid's casing was caved in by the hit and then destroyed by the spin kick she delivered just after.

The remaining droids approached unafraid and she reached out with her hand, letting loose a blast of pure white coloured lightning that struck the old and flimsy looking droids. They shuddered violently as they were hit and struggled to stay upright but the sheer power of the lightning fried their already ancient circuits and pushed them backward and over into a heap.

When they were nearly all dealt with Deera pivoted round and beheaded the last droid that had been trying to come up behind her with a single effortless strike.

The Special Operations Team and the scientists all looked at her with awe while she deactivated her lightsaber and turned to them.

"Found anything?" She asked them sternly and her sheer presence made Professor Mors tell her with excitement.

"The data is hard to translate and decode but it seems to indicate the existence of a previously unknown Rakata space station, one radically different to those encountered before." Mors told her and Deera was immediately intrigued as the stations that had been discovered in the past were incredibly powerful and dangerous.

How would this one be any different? She pondered before they got ready to transport the terminal back to core Mandalorian territory along with the all-important data to be properly analysed to discover just what they had discovered.

---

Mandalore, Mandalorian Space…986 ARR…

The new enormous shipyard held by House Kryze was hard at work, ever since its opening it had been working to refit and build fresh ships for the Mandalorian Fleet.

The Lucrehulks had just finished their major refit where they had completely overhauled the enormous ships, replaced the old hyperdrives with new faster models, improved the main reactor and energy transfer systems, replaced all the existing weapons with new and improved versions while adding brand new ones not to mention increased internal protection for the critical areas like the reactors. s

The ships had been improved in every way possible and would serve the Mandalorian Fleet well as either huge cargo ships or battleships or as fighter carriers.

Korkie looked at just one section of the enormous structure, the large drydocks where ships both big and small were being constructed or refitted. Bo-Katan stood with him impressed at the large-scale operation that was taking place before them. The enormous Lucrehulks and the Aden class warships with the smaller ships all here being worked on. In two berths they could see the future rival to the Aden taking shape, the Keldabe class battleships were being assembled at long last after some significant alterations and improvements had been made to the design.

Next to it the first Aggressor-class Cruiser was taking shape, the framework now being assembled, another potential weapon in their arsenal.

Korkie disliked all this war but now saw there was little choice, if they didn't fight the Empire would conquer and enslave them it was as simple as that. Pacifism worked fine in peace but when faced with an enemy not afraid to slaughter and destroy to get what they wanted, pacifism was useless and a way just to make people feel better about themselves. Nothing would change and people would be exploited, tortured and killed but they at least would not dirty their own hands to stop it.

Perhaps the old saying was true Korkie thought to himself, if you want peace, then prepare for war.

At his side Bo-Katan was actually feeling very proud of what they had built here, not just the shipyard that was bring a major boom to the economy of Mandalore but the ships that would defend them and make Mandalore a force to be reckoned with in the galaxy again.

It was everything she had hoped for, safety and security for her people. That they had expanded their territory for the first time in thousands of years and brought about fifty planets into their space was only better.

It was a great time to be Mandalorian she thought, knowing her feelings were shared by many people across their space. Some of the inhabited new worlds had resisted but those voices were few and many had actually embraced it. Glad of the benefits that they could bring and unlike the Empire they had much greater freedom.

---

Across the galaxy the reaction to the Mandalorians conquering an adjacent sector was worrying to many people especially the Imperials. The speed with which they had both repulsed the invasion and retaliated had scared many and the galaxy which already was nervous of them due to their prowess as warriors and one of the few groups capable of resisting the Empire, now feared them.

But the distraction and shifting of military forces to reinforce the border to prevent other Imperial territories from falling to them as well would have big implications and advanced the timeline of a certain race plotting in the shadows, giving them the perfect time to strike.

But others like a newly discovered species on the edge of Wild Space and the Outer Rim had taken note of the event for other reasons, they saw it as a showing of strength, a testament to their power and began to see them as more than just a group of dangerous warriors, but perhaps a potential ally and even a kindred spirit.

- x -

Tsevuka, Newly Discovered Territory…

The Tsevukans were an intelligent and capable if quite ferocious race of warriors in their own right that respected strength. They loved their freedom though as only if you fought where you truly free in their culture. They had little contact with outsiders but had managed to learn basic and with an Imperial Invasion seemingly imminent they had reached out to the Mandalorians, not for help, but to see if they were a true warrior people.

One worth joining themselves too.

So, they had arranged a meeting where both groups would meet and discuss it, not to mention have the opportunity to prove just which group was better.

Which quickly turned into a breakout of random fights followed by considerable drinking and more than a few drunken races on the back of the Kivaroa, the five-metre tall, slick skinned and eight-legged war mounts of the Tsevukan people.

One thing that Mandalorians and Tservuka had in common was they liked to drink, they liked to fight and they loved telling stories often about their own past glories. After a few fights to prove their own skill and plenty of drinking to loosen everyone up they were now getting along fine.

Haron though was still in discussions with the Tsevukan High Chief over his people joining theirs, the High Chief wanted this alliance as it would mean security for his people. Not just in terms of having the protection of being a part of the greatest and best-known group of warriors in the galaxy but also many other benefits too. The aid of the Mandalorians in building up their economy and technology, something they were far behind the rest of the galaxy in.

But it would take a great deal of resources and time to build up the Tsevukans, something they could spare but it was limiting for them and the more they stretched themselves the harder it was to reinforce their own borders.

Something Haron was very aware of, he already had a good amount of personnel and equipment tied up in securing their new territories. He was managing a very detailed hearts and minds campaign over on the planets they now occupied, he was lucky they were largely underdeveloped and sparsely populated because it provided his people with an opportunity to bring these new people in the fold much as they had done with refugees during the Clone Wars.

Rather than merely oppress them like the Empire would, Haron was giving them a better standard of life than they had before in return for their acceptance of their rule. His people were building proper communities, building schools and hospitals for the locals, establishing proper utilities and creating jobs for them and their families. They were helping improve food production and protection from raiders and criminals making it much safer for them.

They were fed, safe and more to the point living a good standard of life, far better than they had before. That wasn't to say there wasn't a fair amount of propaganda to remind the people of that but when people have food on the table, credits in their pocket and can walk the streets safely at night, they tended not to rock the ship. There were some of course that did want to get rid of them, throw them off world and return to the way things used to be. Either a liberal or Imperial loyalist or merely an opportunist but when they had little ammunition for their arguments they didn't get very far. But rather than imprison them which would only make them martyrs his people were intentionally leading them to reveal themselves and those that would support them, people who the Mandalorians could then tear down with a public smear campaign.

It was complicated work but it would hopefully bring these people into the Mandalorians properly and for the long term. The Tsevuka who had weapons that were centuries behind the Empire and the rest of the galaxy to say nothing of the rest of their technology would benefit tremendously from their assistance and they would get another world and its people to swell their ranks.

"My people are eager to make their mark on the galaxy." The High Chief said as he and Haron sat in the tent around the fire pit. "There will be many battles to be fought and my people want to fight them."

"And you want to do it…with us?" Haron said with a grim look on his face, he had already made up his mind about whether or not to accept them into his people. It would take time to get them properly trained and outfitted for the war but they were hundreds of thousands of new warriors joining their army.

That helped in the long term.

The Chief nodded and laughed as he poured some of their ale, it was strong and bitter but acceptable to humans.

"Indeed, my people are warriors but we don't understand the galaxy like you do. We need someone to help us learn and discover what it means to fight against enemies like the Empire, someone to help us grow strong. But we can bring our strength to you as well, fight alongside you." The Chief said, try were much like them as a society so it wouldn't be a huge adjustment for either group.

Haron sighed knowing if he was going to be play the long-term game and ensure his people's strength only grew. So, he took his tankard and gestured to toast which the Chieftain returned, banging their tankards together as was the Tsevuka custom to seal an agreement. The day a world joined the Mandalorians voluntarily, adding a race of formidable warriors to their number and giving them a brand-new front to defend.

---

Contraxia, Outer Rim Territories…

Contraxia was a cold and isolated planet which was covered in snow even if it was nowhere near as dangerous as Hoth which was on the other side of the galaxy.

There were no real attractions here that would make it good to settle and no resources that would attract miners, so that made it the perfect place as it was so isolated for a hidden base. A small town had already quickly been built there and while rustic it was good place for those that wished to hide from the law. One of the first places built though was a brothel named the Iron Lotus which had both droid and organic prostitutes servicing the people that came through.

The Underworld Alliance ever since it had begun to form had been working on creating hidden bases of its own just like this one, giving its members places to run and hide in if they ever needed it. It also had a small shipyard for repairs and shady fences could come here to find new wares and other services to buy and sell.

Business was good right now as smugglers, mercenaries and other criminals all began to sign up to take advantage of their services, the Ravagers were even helping to expand the shipyard as it would allow them to build their own ships. A necessity since their numbers were growing, they had new places to recruit with bases like this and a means to increase their fleet.

Stakar Ogord was standing at the firepit in the bar with about a hundred other people including his wife Aleta and closest friends as they celebrated the Ravagers now numbering hundred clans. Spread across the galaxy they each numbered a couple of hundred strong and had begun to design and build new ships of their own. Granted they were rather rough and unrefined in design and construction and each clan would make alterations of their own so no one ship was identical to another. But it was step in the direct of the Ravagers gaining some real teeth.

The Ravagers though like most of the galaxy was unaware that one of Grand Moff Tarkin's supposed great triumphs was about to become one of the worst miscalculations in the history of the galaxy and would be cursed by generations to come of one of the biggest mistakes in history.

---

Kaldera City, Kaldera Prime…

Kaldera City had been turned into an Imperial stronghold since its conquest by the Empire years prior, they had torn down most of the old buildings and made the Kalderans build new ones that were more comfortable to the Imperials who ran the occupation. Warm comfortable spires for them to live in and barracks for the Stormtroopers, pleasant parks and gardens build for the officers to enjoy and even the families of the occupying forces had joined them here in the nice comfortable and safe city.

All of it built by Kalderan slave labour.

They toiled while the Imperials lived comfortably, they lived in hovels covered in dirt without proper food, water or light. Treated as little more than animals by their Imperial Taskmasters and who spent most time working in the factories and shipyards where they were treated horribly and punished severely for any mistakes or falling behind quotas.

But since they had not had any trouble from the Kalderans since the invasion the Imperials had grown complacent about them, not watching them as closely as they should. The taskmasters even delegated tasks to them to save themselves from work and allowing some of the limited surveillance to be carried out by their own people. Others were allowed to work as servants in the bowels of the Imperial Stronghold, both of which would prove to be fatal mistakes.

The day it started normal, no one sensed anything wrong as people went about their daily lives basking in the notion that everything was right and would always be.

Then as midday came, everything changed in the blink of an eye.

The slave workers in the factories, all suddenly stopped working and picked up their tools, turning towards their Imperial taskmasters and the stormtroopers who were watching them, they screamed out their screeching battle cries and charged at their enemies. The few Imperials present that could shot their blasters at the charging Kalderans, hoping the various automated blasters around the place would stop them but they failed to work as they had allowed the Kalderans to service them.

So of course, they had been sabotaged.

The Kalderans inside the Imperial City meanwhile were no less busy, adding a poison derived from one of the few planets that grew on the planet, one that caused crippling pain in whoever was foolish enough to eat it although it took an hour for them to feel it.

The Kalderans added it to the food supply and water consumed by the Imperials who again foolishly would never let the Kalderans eat the same food they did, making it easy for them to spread the poison while not being affected themselves.

Soon, most of the people in the city were staggering pain if they could move at all and that was when the Kalderans made their move, some threw open the security gates so the rest of their people could flood in and soon began to take their long overdue vengeance on their oppressors.

Using knives, torches, spanners and whatever objects they could find they began to attack the Imperials, beating them violently to death as they screamed and begged for help or mercy that would never come.

A particularly vicious group descended into the daycare, the workers looking up in alarm as a pack of vicious and out of control Kalderans descended on them and their charges while their hitting the alarm did nothing.

The Kalderans now finally after all these years of planning, misery and pain had the upper hand. They had been a peaceful species before the Empire came, pacifists really but the Imperial Invasion had changed all that. Now they had a deep and raw hatred for all lifeforms other than their own.

All other species human or otherwise were animals and dangerous animals that would hurt them, that would kill the Kalderans or enslave them again.

And that was something they would never permit to happen, whatever the cost.

Screams filled the city as the Imperials found themselves on the receiving end of the Kalderans anger and hatred that they themselves had created. No-one would live, not a single Imperial or civilian on Kaldera would live past today. Their bodies were tied together and hung on the walls of the reclaimed city for all to see. Adult and child alike.

The Kalderan Uprising had been a success and for now the galaxy didn't really think much of it, in the increasing chaos of the Galactic Civil War the planet had been forgotten for the moment but soon the Kalderans would emerge and make themselves known on the galactic stage again.

---

Tatooine, the Outer Rim Territories…

Berch Teller was a former Republic loyalist, during the Clone Wars he had helped to train Republic friendly insurgents to fight the Separatists but after the Empire had been founded and Tarkin himself had unleashed the Antar 4 Atrocity which had killed many of those he had trained to fight for the Republic, he had become greatly disillusioned with the Empire.

So, he had planned a major operation of his own, gathering those who he had trained and other loyalists to the Republic that were disgusted by what it had become and eventually built up a significant force of ships and rebels to fight his campaign. But his best piece of luck was when Imperial Rear Admiral Dodd Rancit who himself was an enemy of Tarkin had agreed to assist him in his efforts largely to destroy Tarkin if nothing else.

Eventually the rebels had managed to steal Tarkin's personal starship, the Carrion Spike and launched a series of attacks on Imperial Installations. They had done well too until Rancit had accidentally revealed himself meaning their inside source was lost but he had left them one last target before he was executed.

An Imperial Convoy was passing close to Tatooine and they were ambushing it with their fairly strong fleet. They had assembled a force of former Republic and Separatist ships; Z-95 Headhunters alongside Droid Fighters teamed with Tikier starfighters.

But they had some heavier ships too, apart from the Carrion Spike they had captured EF76 Nebulon-B Escort Frigate and as the command ship a Providence-class Dreadnaught.

The convoy however was more heavily protected than they had anticipated with three Imperial-class Star Destroyers having jumped in to join the battle but just as it looked like Berch Tellar might have bitten off more than he could chew, unexpected reinforcements arrived.

Another group of ships dropped out of hyperspace, the Profundity led a small force of Mon Calamari ships that had come to aid Berch Tellar in fighting the Empire, under the command of Admiral Raddus the modified MC75 command ship was aided by a pair of MC40a light cruisers and MC30c frigates flew in to join the battle.

But they weren't the only ones who had taken notice of his stand against the Empire, one Aden-class warship led a number of Mandalorian warships to join the fight. Led in his first official command by Din Djarin.

Din stood on the command deck really nervous, he was in complete command of this taskforce and thousands of people with it. He had to swallow his nerves though and focus on the task at hand.

"Launch fighters and have the Halberds use missiles to harass the gunboats and frigates until the Dreadnaughts can get into position. Then they destroy the convoy escorts. Gunners target the lead star destroyer and the Gladius corvettes screen against Tie Fighters." Din said, doing his best to sound more confident than he felt. "Fighters, begin strafing runs on the Star Destroyers."

The crew though didn't hesitate to obey his orders which only increased the pressure on him as they engaged the enemy.

Nearby Admiral Raddus committed his own forces to the battle, the Profundity was a well-armed warship and began to duel with one of the Star Destroyers on its own while the Aden duelled with another and third carrying Tarkin himself was strafed by the Mandalorian Starfighters.

- x -

Tarkin was infuriated as the Mandalorians and fish people stood to make a fool out of him again, it had taken years to rise in the Empire thanks to those humiliations. Combined with the uprising on Kaldera which would soon be made an example of his position in the Empire had been diminished.

This convoy was on its way to the Death Star Construction site carrying materials and data that could be critical…if it fell into enemy hands.

They couldn't allow the enemy to find out what they were planning, Tarkin decided knowing that the slow and lumbering Star Galleons they used to transport cargo were easily caught and if they managed to get their destination from the navigational computer then the secret would be exposed.

The Death Star while taking shape was currently immobile and they wouldn't be able to move it to a new location. Protecting it was vital…worth the loss of a few ships and their crews he thought and turned to his aide and commander of his personal Star Destroyer

"Captain Vist, turn main batteries on the cargo ships. Obliterate them, leave nothing the rebels can use to find their destination." Tarkin ordered and Vist, his ever-loyal subordinate turned to the gunners.

"Lock Batteries on the cargo ships. Maximum firepower." Vist ordered and it was a testament to how much they feared him that they did exactly as he said without hesitation.

- x -

The Sovereign with its shields still holding turned its enormous turbolaser batteries on the Star Galleons, large bolts of green energy erupted out of them and tore into the unsuspecting cargo ships. They were not built to withstand that kind of firepower and exploded very quickly leaving very little behind.

The Rebels, Mandalorians, Mon Calamari and even most of the Imperials themselves were shocked at this sudden turn of events. So much so that when the Imperials began to withdraw immediately after this, they didn't give chase.

Din was confused, the battle had been going badly for the Imperials or was about too but why be so callous and destroy your own ships?

He had no idea but the Berch Teller and Admiral Raddus were wondering the same thing, there was nothing left on the ships they'd destroyed that could point them in the right direction and Rancit had not told Berch just what the supplies had been destined for before he was killed.

They couldn't help but feel they had missed an opportunity here today and that the Empire was up to something big…bigger than they had thought previous but had no clue as to what.

---

Unknown Desert Planet…

Eeth Koth had left the Jedi Order during the Clone Wars because he had grown disillusioned with the corruption and unfeeling nature of the Order. He had decided to instead join the Church of Ganthic Enlightenment. More than that he had met a woman named Mira and together they had a wonderful daughter together.

But they had a new problem, it seemed that someone had reported them to the Empire in hopes a reward.

Only to be saved by a rather timely intervention.

"Come on Koth! The Imps aren't going to wait around." Quinlan Vos told them as he and his wife boarded Quinlan's ship, his wife carrying their daughter in her arms.

"Of all the Jedi to survive it had to be you Vos." Eeth said with annoyance but it was only half hearted. The man had arrived in time to get him and his family to safety, he had become a part of a network that smuggled Jedi to safety and while he wasn't a member of the order anymore, they had come to his rescue.

"Do we have somewhere safe to go?" Mira asked nervously, knowing she and her family were diving head first into the unknown and it would be years if ever before they could contact anyone they had known.

"Yeah, a safe house has been set up on a special world and there are many others scattered across the galaxy. There are plenty of places." Vos told her to reassure her. Eeth Koth kept quiet as he held his wife and child protectively in his arms, hoping that Vos was right.

---

Reijar, the Ordo System…

Now returned from his diplomatic mission, Haron was meeting with his new council, made up of experts in different fields to make sure he had good advice on things he wasn't an expert on himself. Many of the council were dukes or duchesses merely because they were the most knowledgeable in their different fields.

"Right, I call the first meeting of the council to order." Haron said with a smile, for one of the few occasions they weren't wearing helmets. "I have gathered you all here because I need to know the pulse and flow of our people and our territories regardless of bias. Each of you is entitled to create a team of your own to maintain the best efficiency and results possible. I leave who to recruit up to yourselves of course but it is key that we are all able to work as a team. Some areas will overlap so it is important you all can work together. Many of you know each other already, some do not." Haron said from the head of the table.

"To represent the law, Duke Ijaa Yusagi."

"To maintain war production, Duchess Eliza Kane and Countess Bo-Katan Kryze."

"To handle civilian production, Lady Hannah Longbottom."

"To lead our intelligence network, Duke Yal Takan."

"To lead the way in terms of science and engineering, Countess Deera Ordo and Professor Mors."

"To advise me in terms of military matters, Lord Fenn Rau and Lord Neville Longbottom."

"To maintain our economy, Duke Sel'ban Yarlton."

"To ensure the culture of our people is being maintained, Duke Ge'hark Orius."

"To keep us up to date on the mood and wellbeing of our people, Aran Dochek of Clan Dochek."

"To guide military development in all areas, Duke N'Val."

"To plan the build-up and maintenance of infrastructure, Duchess Ara Ordo."

"The expansion and monitoring of new territories, Duke Sarek Ralmiz."

"To maintain our links to the Underworld, Duchess Katele Ma'Gard."

"To acquire resources when we need them, Count Tei Koth of Zakuul."

"To advise us on matters of the Force, Lady Luna Lovegood."

Haron said all of their names including two newcomers chosen as he had said for their expertise. Count Tei Koth was the new leader of Clan Koth that ruled over Zakuul, who was an expert in different types of mining and resource gathering.

Aran Dochek meanwhile belonged to Clan Dochek who maintained the largest communications network in their space, maintaining links to most worlds and moons so they could easily keep an eye on the general feeling of their people.

Haron listened to each of them report and in all, things were going well. Thankfully their people had always been insular and self-reliant, their improvements to the infrastructure before the war had proven useful in removing the remaining gaps they had.

That was when Yal Takan brought a potential problem.

"Recent intelligence indicates that the Imperials have uncovered a similar Rakata terminal to the one we found last year. According to our sources it displays the same information as the one we found." Yal Takan said grimly.

Haron nodded and asked Deera and the Professor just what they had discovered so far.

"Have you managed to decrypt the data you recovered? We need to know if it's another Star Forge or something else entirely." Haron asked and the Professor was excitedly urging Deera to speak before she smiled and told him.

"No, it's not. Best we can tell, the station this time is dedicated to another purpose. The closest we can translate since there is still a lot of Rakatan terms we don't know is 'life' or 'to give life'. It might be a hospital of some sort who can say." Deera told him with a non-committal shrug and Ara spoke up.

"Then either way it would be better in our hands than the Empire and thanks to us finding the data first, that gives us a head start. I will lead an expedition to find it, guess you have to stay home with the children this time." She said with a smirk, eager to get out there and have some fun herself and let him see what it was like to be left at home all the time.

The others all looked at him, wondering just what he was going to say but he surprised them by saying.

"Understood, just be careful out there. Who knows what the Rakata might have left behind this time." He warned her, worried about the danger but knowing she wasn't going to be moved.

Ara looked over to Hannah who gave her a sneaky grin, Ara returned it and had effectively chosen her second in command right there and then. Both had been left at home too many times when Haron and Neville had gone away to fight, so now it was their turn the pair thought with smugness.

---

Dathomir, Outer Rim Territories…

Cal was unsettled by the planet Dathomir the moment he saw it, something about this place made him feel very uneasy perhaps its unusual connection to force he pondered. It was definitely in the darker shades of grey than the other places he'd been before.

But he was only here to scout out the planet as they had little idea of just how things stood at the moment, since the Imperial Invasion there was little information on the state of things here.

Cal moved through the jungle carefully, making note of all Imperial installations he came across and making detailed notes of their defences, numbers of personnel and apparent purpose. While this planet was something of a backwater the recent expansion of Mandalorian Space had put it within range of their territory and some had become concerned that the Empire might use it as a position to spy on their territory or as a staging base against them.

His mission had been to explore the planet and find out just what was going on, his first solo mission outside Mandalorian Space. He was incredibly nervous but at the same time excited as he started striking out on his own.

Looking at the Imperial Facilities he had been able to identify confirmed it wasn't likely the Empire was planning to use this planet as a staging ground for an invasion at present but he had seen signs of construction of what might be a major observation outpost and that was something command would need to know about Cal thought.

But apart from that there was little else worth noting, the planet seemed to be of little military value but he had noticed that a large number of prisons had been constructed on this planet. Very secure and he noted that too as they had no idea just who might be locked up inside them.

Then as he decided to return to his ship, he saw some ruins nearby that attracted his attention, looking he discovered nothing of much note but he then saw signs of a camp. The fire was still burning so he knew it could not have been abandoned too long ago and his instincts all began to tell him that there was danger somewhere close.

Suddenly there was a distinctive snap hiss coming from his right and Cal's force enhanced instincts saved him from two strange looking red lightsabers. He ignited his own, wondering why he hadn't sensed the Inquisitor before they attacked and thinking he had been foolish to let his guard drop.

But as he locked blades with the mysterious attacker who was surprisingly agile and aggressive in their tactics, he began to realise that they weren't an Inquisitor.

It was a she, that was the first thing Cal noticed and wore red robes that were nothing like the standard Imperial armour the Inquisitors wore.

Cal used the force to push her back but she leapt away with great agility and he was forced chase her, their blades meeting again till he was able to hit her with a stunner in hopes of stopping her but to Cal's surprise she seemed to shake it off.

They separated and then for a moment the fight paused as they looked at each other, judging each other and the mystery attacker seemed to notice something.

"You're Mandalorian." She said seeming surprised as she realised this. Cal with his guard still raised said.

"And you're not an Inquisitor. You're a Nightsister aren't you?" Cal asked and she nodded but both were still keeping their sabers in hand and lit.

"Yes, what are the Mandalorians doing here?" The Nightsister questioned suspiciously. Cal frowned inside his helmet but answered as he didn't see any reason to lie.

"We don't have a lot of information on Dathomir and what's been happening here, when we learned the planet was under Imperial control I was sent as a scout to investigate. What happened and why did you attack me?" Cal asked her forcefully. "My people and the Nightsisters are not enemies."

"You intruded on my camp. I thought you were with the Empire." The Nightsister said with great anger. "They killed my only remaining sister…my teacher, imprisoned most of the other covens. I watched my people be slaughtered. I can't afford to take chances." She told him bitterly.

That struck a chord with Cal who knew that pain all too well, he had been forced to watch as his master and the rest of the Jedi were killed. He had just been lucky to have Trilla and that the Mandalorians had taken them in.

They had healed his wounds and helped him find peace again and instinctively he wanted to help her even though they had been fighting only a moment ago. He could see the pain in her pretty eyes, Cal instantly catching himself as he blushed.

He tried to get himself back to the matter at hand and having been briefed that the Force Witches and Nightsisters of this planet were strong in the force they could be a useful ally if they helped them. Knowing he probably shouldn't though Cal deactivated his lightsaber and took off his helmet.

The Nightsister looked at him astonished, she had been raised to think of males as inferior and yet she could feel the strength of this one. He was strong, perhaps stronger than even he knew but was in balance with the force neither pulling one way or another and he seemed to know some magic as she had seen earlier.

He…intrigued her she thought with a slight fluttering in her chest. She shut down her lightsabers and returned them to her waist before lowering her hood.

"I know what that feels like. When I was younger, I saw my teacher die, along with most of my people. I was just lucky the Mandalorians took me in and finished my training. I am Cal Kestis, Akaan of the Mandalorians."

"Merrin…of the Nightsisters." Merrin said looking at him uneasily. "What is an 'Akaan'? A title?"

"Akaan is the rank I hold in the Mandalorian Force users." Cal said before made an offer to her. "If you want to help your people, you can make an appeal to mine. You can come back to Dathomir with an army at your back to free the rest of your people."

He knew he couldn't promise her anything, that would be up to the dukes and Mandalore if they wanted to back her or not. It was a lot to invest in them but if they were up to engaging in talks with his people and maybe even swapping some techniques with them it might be worth it.

Merrin thought deeply on that, it sounded too good to be true and there would always be some cost.

"And what would you and your people get out of it?" She asked him suspiciously and again he was honest as he didn't see any reason to lie to her.

"My people want allies against the Empire, a people we can trade with and fight alongside. If we can learn something of the force and you perhaps learn something from us too then all the better." Cal said calmly. "The witches of Dathomir are powerful, better they are free as our ally then imprisoned by the Empire who might someday use their power against us. If you can convince my people's leaders to help then then that will be our reason."

Merrin was unsure, she didn't know if she could trust him but with the force, she felt this was perhaps the chance she had been dreaming of to save her people and avenge Asajj.

"And if they refuse…, will I be your prisoner?" She asked him and answered quickly.

"No, of course not. Keep your weapons if that makes you feel more comfortable." Cal told her and Merrin thought deeply before saying.

"I will come with you, if your people will help mine then that is a chance I must take." Merrin said with a look of determination on her face. Cal honestly was hypnotised by her for a moment but shook himself out of it and told her.

"Then we should get going, my ship can take us." Cal told her and with her nod of consent they walked over to where he had concealed his ship for the flight back to Mandalorian Space.

---

Village, Shili…

The group moved through the forest careful not to make any noise as they stalked their prey. They closed on a large beast before a spear sailed through the air and hit it dead on the target, killing it quickly and painlessly.

"Good throw Yul'xe." Nak-il told his son proudly who preened at the attention.

After collecting their prize, they returned to the village where they saw the rest of their community were waiting for them with smiles and proud looks. Nak-il came up to his wife Pav-Ti and kissed her gently before going over to his daughter Ahsoka who was standing next to her a little awkwardly but allowed her father to give her a hug and then kiss her on the head.

She wasn't comfortable with it yet but the feeling of maternal and paternal love that her parents held for her was enough to make her tolerate it. It was like a warm blanket you could wrap yourself in she thought pleasantly, she had gone with the hunting party, she'd stayed and cooked with her mother, she'd explored forest around them.

It was…strange she thought to have somewhere like this, not wanting to call it home yet but a place she liked all the same.

She saw her younger brother looking awkwardly at her, Yul'xe was still uneasy around her…not sure what to make of her and she was just as uncertain about him. But as their father told everyone how great a hunter his son was, she smiled and gave him an encouraging nod which he smiled at.

Later that night after dinner and as the rest of the village rested Ahsoka couldn't sleep, she went to get some fresh air and looked around the now largely sleeping village. It was peaceful here she thought with some contentment, not used to such a thing given how her life had been shaped first by the Clone Wars and then by the fight against the Empire. The idea of not fighting was so strange to her, she still kept her lightsabers close despite not needing them, feeling almost naked without them.

She was disturbed from these thoughts by a disturbance in the force, only a small one but enough to attract her attention. She followed it, not sure what it was but then was wide eyed as she saw just what had made the ripples in the force.

Her little brother was sitting there levitating a ball right before her very eyes.

She smiled as he made the ball hover before him before he noticed she was there, he dropped it in shock but as he scrambled to his feet, Ahsoka smiled reassuringly at him and sat across from him. He sat back down confused before she levitated the ball herself and then slowly passed it to him.

Yul'xe caught it with the force and smiled before passing it back to her, establishing a pattern as they passed it back and forth between them.

Nearby although neither was aware of it, the Village Elder Gantika was watching nearby with a knowing smile on her face, glad the boy had finally found his teacher.

---

Trak'el Sigma, The Unknown Regions…

The Empire's probing into the Unknown Regions for new systems to conquer had finally brought success as new discoveries were made and new worlds revealed.

Trak'el Sigma as it had been designated by the Empire was the sight of a human colony, sometime over the last ten thousand years it had been settled by humans who had either lost their technology or given it up and maintained a fairly primitive existence ever since. There was a good-sized population now reaching early industrialisation under a monarchy that ruled their society. They had little in the way of conflict and lived in reasonable peace.

Until the Empire came.

For people who had only just started discovering the steam powered engine the sight of Tie Bombers and fighters approaching from the sky terrified them, never having seen anything like it. Then when they started firing green lights at them and their buildings below which exploded the real panic started. They screamed and ran for whatever cover they could find as their settlements were bombed back a few epochs of development, then the dropships descended and began to unload Stormtroopers and walkers that joined in attacking the locals.

They had only primitive weapons to defend themselves with and few of them given how peaceful they had been before today. Only some very simple chemically propelled projectile weapons which would have been referred to as guns anywhere else but they had such limited power and the projectiles they fired were so soft that they flattened against Stormtrooper armour harmlessly which they got those using them shot by much more advanced blasters.

The castle where the royal family lived was no exception to the invasion, in fact it was one of the first places hit as the Empire realised its importance.

The king and his queen were defiant, so where the princes and princesses along with their loyal servants who fought hard to defend their home but all fell so quickly it was like a joke. The Imperials laughed as they forced the surviving population into line, it had been so easy they had taken the planet in less than two hours.

The only surviving royal, the youngest daughter was secure in the same castle her family had once ruled, they kept her alive just in case she proved to be a useful puppet and they could always kill her later.

- x -

Aldorax, Expansion Region…

Aldorax was a planet in the Expansion Region of the galaxy, fairly unpleasant to live on but after a recent event had discovered massive new chemical and gas supplies beneath its surface after a massive volcanic eruption.

This made the people happy as it meant they had a source of wealth that would make their planet and themselves so much better off. Workers flocked to the planet in search of work and unfortunately so did the Empire.

Aldorax hadn't been a part of the Republic and until the eruption not judged to be a threat or a useful target with the chaos in other areas of the galaxy but with the facilities on Kaldera lost to them, the Empire was keen to replace it and would use Aldorax to ensure it did.

But instead of Stormtroopers, the Empire sent in their new shock troopers, the Ogami to prove their worth to the Emperor and the Empire as a whole.

The Ogami were slow and lumbering but when they landed, they attacked with great force, their shields and strong bodies allowing them shrug off most blaster shots and it took either a very powerful one or a great many smaller hits to take even a single one down. Combined with the heavy armour of the Imperial Army there was little the planet could do to resist.

The Ogami had a contract with the Empire to conquer this planet and they always completed their contracts so they didn't really care what it took to get the job done. How many people they had to kill or destroy mattered little to them, they were ruthless in their practicality which would serve them well in service to the Empire.

Either way by the end of the day the planet was taken and its resources would serve the Imperial war machine as would those of Trak'el Sigma especially when they had been suitably improved.

---

Sky City, Bespin…

Using an unregistered freighter Anakin and his family had travelled to the cities of Bespin, smaller than the better-known Cloud City, Sky City was built around a Tibanna gas refinery and made a decent profit.

The only reason the Skywalkers had come here was to meet a contact about securing Tibanna gas supplies for Liber8, the city's administrator was apparently willing to slip a small supply to them from their standard output.

Anakin and Padme watched with a smile as while Mace sat quite happily in Padme's lap, Luke and Leia were being hoisted up by Kahr, one in each arm by spun them around making them squeal before all collapsed onto the nearby sofa, all of them laughing. Kahr loved Luke and Leia who adored him right back, he had become the fun uncle to the twins and always had time for them when he wasn't training with Anakin.

He was also a good ear for Padme who was glad to have him around.

Then they were disturbed by the arrival of the administrator who was surprisingly familiar to Anakin. Anakin likewise was also familiar with him.

"Greetings." Djinn Altis said as he greeted them, mindful of the aides with him as to what he said and Anakin thankfully did the same. Padme and the others didn't know him but they were able to sit down and got to work.

When the aides had finally gone Anakin and Djinn went out to get some fresh air in private and finally have a word.

"Anakin. Good to see you again." Djinn said warmly as they leant against the railing. Anakin smiled with genuine joy that he was alive.

"You too Master Altis. I'm glad you managed to get through alright. And the rest of your followers?" Anakin asked carefully and Djinn nodded.

"They are safe, hidden away where even I don't know. Better that way to keep them safe while I gather any recruits I find. Several force sensitives have gone already and some Jedi younglings I discovered. What about you though? A family…the offer is still open you know." Djinn told him carefully.

Anakin was tempted to get his family and go to wherever Master Altis had hidden the rest of the Altisian Jedi, a place where he and his family could live safely and as themselves but he knew that their place was here, fighting this war. He wasn't happy about Luke and Leia and Mace being here but he was determined to be a part of their lives and not leave them to be raised by others.

"No, I appreciate the offer…but no." Anakin told Djinn who nodded with understanding. Anakin and Djinn then caught up while Anakin was hoping that Allara was doing well on her mission he thought with worry.

---

Yaga Minor, Outer Rim Territories…

The Free Ryloth Movement had recently begun growing in number while Senator Orn Free Taa collaborated with the Empire to oppress their world.

The only problem with having more people was they then needed more weapons and equipment, existing supplies were insufficient and so they had asked Liber8 for help. Kagame had not been able provide anything but he had managed to find them an opportunity to arm themselves. A freighter carrying weapons to the now expanding Yaga Minor Shipyards. The Empire now having lost the facilities of Kaldera wanted to expand here and at Sluis Van.

Given the importance of this Kagame had also sent someone else to help, Allara in her first solo mission.

Allara was leading the mission, a squad of Twi'lek rebels at her side as they skimmed the surface of a nearby gas giant to pick up fuel as they prepared to ambush the freighter. They had a single ion torpedo for the task and so she was the one who would make the shot.

She was nervous as they only had one shot at this and if she missed then the whole mission would be ruined, in fact it might get them into very hot water if the freighter managed to report them to the Empire before they got away. The lives of not only herself but of all the people on board where now in her hands and since she had never really led before or been so far from Anakin it was terrifying but her own determination refused to let her step aside for someone else to do it.

She sat behind the sights of the launcher, primed and ready as they all waited for the critical moment, they were all so tense that none of them would dare to speak.

Then they saw the Star Galleon class freighter appear. It was large with an enormous cargo pod underneath but they had managed to account for this and thankfully since the Empire believed the system secure it had no escort. The ship rose from out of the edges of the gas giant right in its path, surprising the Imperials as it too was a Star Galleon, captured by Liber8 a while ago but this one had no cargo pod which was by design.

Allara at the weapons station took aim, allowing the force to fill her and when the time was right, she felt the push and fired. The torpedo rushed out and hit the Imperial ship hard, covering it in ionic lightning as systems flickered and failed leaving it broken in space.

The Twi'leks all cheered excited when the shot landed and Allara allowed herself to smile at least a little before she reminded them of their task.

"Right, swing the ship round, cutting lasers online, cut that cargo pod free." Allara said quickly as knew they wouldn't have long before the Empire came.

The Twi'lek manning the helm station quickly swung the ship around and they activated the cutting lasers to slice into the Imperial cargo ship and break the locked keeping the cargo pod attached.

As the Twi'lek ship swung around and engaged the tractor beam and pulled the cargo pod free and into their own docking bay where magnetic locks would hold it in place.

But while they were doing this, Allara felt something in the force, a ship was approaching she thought. Looking at the displays she saw an Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor, a Jedi fighter or rather it had been. Allara knew since the ship was so distinctive that no Jedi would use it now, far too much attention would be brought to the pilot.

But the Inquisitors and other force wielders in the Empire still used the class, Allara remembered with a chill running down her spine. Seeing it was going to dock with them before they managed to complete the extraction and jump to hyperspace, Allara gritted her teeth and told the Twi'leks who now saw the ship coming.

"Continue with the operation, this is my fight." Allara told them and without another word she left the flight deck, running down the corridor until she reached the small docking bay where she saw the fighter had docked, the sight of an old Jedi Fighter made her nostalgic for a moment but the sight of an Inquisitor climbing from the cockpit brought her back to the moment and drew her lightsaber in preparation.

The Inquisitor looked over and seemed surprised at her before removing her helmet and shocking Allara.

"Iskat?" Allara said in disbelief, not able to believe that it was her friend was an Inquisitor. They had been friends at the Temple together and Iskat had supervising the Gathering at the same time Allara had taken that trial.

"Allara." Iskat said with surprise, her red skin with blue eyes and brown hair.

"How? How can you be an Inquisitor?" Allara asked her with anger coming to her voice. Iskat scowled before telling her.

"What? You ask me that? Why I want to be on the winning side? To not be hunted and have power in the new order? What possible reason would I have to turn that down?" Iskat said with arrogant dismissal. "I can least walk down the street without a disguise."

"You betrayed the Jedi, Master Vey, who choose you out of a dozen other padawans? Because you want to be 'on the winning side'?" Allara said with disbelief that she would betray everything she believed in for that.

"The Jedi Order failed to protect the galaxy. Master Vey as you call her was a poor teacher, I have learned so much more with the Empire. I have freedom, more freedom than I ever had before. You know you could join us too? Have the same power I do." Iskat said with venom but Allara growing anger and now with her saber ready in hand shot back.

"You are slave Iskat." Allara said with disgust at her foolishness. "Freedom? You mean having every moment of your time monitored and controlled by the Empire. Taught just enough to be useful but never anymore. I can go where I like, when I like with who I like. I am freer than you could ever be Iskat. Master Vey would be so ashamed of you."

That finally triggered Iskat who ignited her red lightsaber and leapt at Allara who was calm as she lit her own, side stepping away and letting Iskat sail past her before throwing her to the side of the landing bay into the wall with the force. Iskat was winded and shocked but more so when she turned and engaged Allara who while younger than her proved much more capable with a lightsaber than she had imagined.

Allara was much more fluid in her movements, going flawlessly from one to the next and deflected all attacks away before applying some of her own that stretched Iskat to the limit. She just couldn't keep up and soon found herself with a saber through the gut.

Iskat stilled, not able to believe how quickly and easily she had been bested by a younger woman but Allara didn't allow herself to wallow, she left the landing bay without a backward glance, depressurised it and blasting Iskat and her ship into space. She held back her own tears, not wanting to think that her friend could be like that and wondered just how it had happened? When had she changed from the driven and happy explorer that she'd been into the power-hungry creature she had become?

She did her best not to think about it, they had a mission to complete and she felt rather than saw the ship make the jump to lightspeed, eager just to return to base and talk with the masters about it.

---

Bogano, Outer Rim Territories...

The grassy world of Bogano was largely undiscovered, most maps didn't feature the planet at all which made it an ideal hiding place, especially of a Jedi.

Cere Junda stepped out of her old master's workshop and wiped the sweat from her brow, she had been working for hours to fix the damaged equipment here without much success. After a few years looking for lost Jedi, she had finally decided to exile herself here in the hope that she might continue her master's work of investigating the Zeffo and uncover their mysteries. There was little else to do here besides exploring the planet's many sinkholes and avoiding the various creatures who lived here. An electronic hum made her smile a little.

"I know BD, another day." Cere said as she looked down at the little droid who had been her master's companion for so many years and now had attached itself to her. She sighed as it was a lonely life living here and she was left with only the company of her own thoughts.

She was haunted by the face of Trilla, Cere still to this day blamed herself for being so careless with her apprentice. She had left her behind and who knows what had happened to her, had she escaped in one of the other ships and finished her training with one of the other Jedi? Had she died at the hands of the Empire or worse been turned into one of their Jedi hunting puppets.

She almost didn't want to know if that was a possibility.

Cere had taken much time to think and realised she had never been an attentive master or really understood Trilla, something she now deeply regreted. She hadn't been ready for a padawan and only her own arrogance had made her think she had been.

However incessant beeping from BD-1 made her come back to the present and she asked him as he chatted excitedly.

"What is it?" She asked him and his excited binary was hard to understand but she managed to hear that someone was coming.

She reached for her lightsaber, just in case the intruder was dangerous but then she heard a familiar voice and felt a very comforting feeling in the force.

"My old apprentice, come out of there and join us! We have much to celebrate."

She could hardly believe it and quickly made her way out of the hole with BD-1 on her shoulder. Emerging she saw to her amazement that Master Cordova stood there smiling at her. He was no ghost or hologram, he looked older but was still very much alive to her shock.

And he was not alone, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was with him! And Kalifa his apprentice although now she stood a Jedi Knight although Cere didn't know that at first.

"Master Junda, so this is where you have been hiding all this time." Master Kenobi said with a smile, welcoming her.

"Masters, I didn't know either of you had survived." Cere said breathlessly and Master Cordova only smiled at her before saying.

"It is better to let others believe that to freely to move about in a galaxy as things stand." Master Cordova said before staring at her a moment and frowning. "Your heart is heavy; much sadness resides there…surrounding your apprentice."

Master Cordova has always been able to see straight through her Cere thought with depression knowing she was going to have to explain about Trilla. But they were interrupted before she could start.

"There will be time for that later, we hoped that we might set up a safehouse here and to recover the holocron. We were just lucky to find Master Cordova." Kalifa said boldly, now a knight she felt more certain of herself.

"Indeed, the list will be very useful in finding those with the force and moving them to safety." Obi-Wan agreed with his former apprentice.

Cere despite herself felt some excitement at the thought of getting involved again despite her previous failure. Master Cordova seeing the need to speak to his apprentice told her gently.

"I am in the process of rebuilding the Jedi Archive and your help would be greatly appreciated my friend. There will be plenty of time for us to talk while others gather the children for the Hidden Path. I know you will tell me what happened with Trilla when you are ready. So, will you join us?" Master Cordova asked but he didn't need to as Cere had already decided to join him before he had even started talking. He was the wisest man she had ever met and if anyone could help her find some solace, it was him.

---

Reijar, Ordo System…

Merrin stood in front of the assembled Mandalorian leaders, all of whom stood there in full armour and none revealing their face to her. It was intimidating as she knew that she needed to enlist their help to save her people from the Empire, she was usually assertive and unafraid regardless of the situation but the fate of her planet hung in the balance so with an encouraging nod from Cal, she made her case.

"My world is not the strongest but we are powerful and do not forget those that fight with us. The power of our magic is great." Merrin said as she started talking to them. "I know we have little to offer but what we can offer is our friendship and our help." She said after describing her world and its problem.

The silence after she had finished was intense and it unnerved her the longer it went on before the one who had a mask over his helmet and had great strength in the force spoke.

"Very well, we will now have to discuss this among ourselves. Leave us." He told her and Cal at her side nodded and replied.

"Yes Mandalore. Come on." Call said and guided Merrin out of the room. Merrin turned to Cal and asked him something to try and take her mind off the meeting that was going to decide the fate of Dathomir and its people was happening on the other side of the door.

"Why do you people all wear your helmets all the time? How do you eat?" She asked him bluntly and Cal smirked although she couldn't see it before telling her.

"It is seen as a sign of weakness to remove our helmet in the presence of an outsider, not in private though so we eat just the same as you do." Cal explained to her but she frowned as she asked him another question.

"Then what about members of your people who aren't warriors? Do they have to wear masks in the presence of outsiders too?"

Cal found himself becoming a bit uncertain as she was asking questions that he hardly even thought about anymore having been a Mandalorian for five years now, he had to think a bit more to answer them properly and in a way that wouldn't invite more deeper probing.

- x -

"The girl's planet offers little and requires much. It would be a waste of our time." Duke Ralmiz said coldly but Duke Korkie had something else to add.

"But her people are exactly the kind of people we need, who have power and hate the Empire. An ally worth the effort." Korkie said, his own sympathy for an oppressed people guiding his opinion on what they should do.

As the dukes all started talking among themselves Haron pondered in silence, Dathomir was a strange world to liberate next but the witches of that planet might be a useful ally for the future not to mention if they captured the sensor array being constructed there it would enable them to spy on several adjacent sectors.

"I believe it is a good opportunity, it would certainly be a cool thing to have rancor war mounts accompanying us into battle." Haron said with a smile at how much that would scare the crap out of Stormtroopers. "But she has yet to finish her training and I would fold them into our territory, giving us another world and with Merrin we have the perfect person to place in charge there. But to do so we will need to make sure she knows our ways and her training is complete. She will train with the Akaan for a year before we mount any kind of operation. It will also allow the Imperials to carry out more work on the monitoring station, expending their resources while we can take over and complete it at our leisure. While I doubt that they will fight as truly part of us it is a good planet to add to our territory." Haron said feeling that in his wife's absence it was his job to see the big picture.

Dathomir might seem useless in most ways but its selling points would be exceptionally useful in the long run. So far, they had only their own force users to draw on and they were few in number, having the Witches of Dathomir would be a key asset in the battles ahead.

- x -

Earth, Wild Space…One Month Later…

The ruins of Hogwarts again were the location of trial, a test for a young girl who wanted to prove herself.

Lelia Ordo, now thirteen years old was already one of the top students of the new order, she had been studying with Luna since she could talk and it showed. She was powerful, she was well trained in the force and magic, fighting hand to hand and with weapons, she could fly better than most of the pilots at the Sky Point Academy as it was known. She had been trained to run the holdings that her siblings had been taking care of for her and even expanded and improved so what she inherited would be far greater than what House Qarl had possessed when her grandfather had died.

She saw the cave ahead of her and the force that was so strong here that she hesitated, she knew nothing of what awaited her inside but knew she had to face it to continue her training.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside, the darkness was intense and she turned her helmet lights on but the beams didn't create much light as she felt the force begin swirl around her.

"Gods it has been annoying, taking care of that brat all these years." A familiar voice said and Lelia looked for the source and saw a light in the distance, she approached it wondering if this was part of the test when she saw her three siblings standing around a campfire. She was surprised and stepped out to join them but then Deera said something that honestly Lelia had never expected to hear from her sister's lips.

"Her holdings are useful but honestly, I have about had it looking after her all these years! I was about ready to pull my hair out." Deera said without even acknowledging her, Lelia was deeply hurt and went over to her sister and pulled her arm to yank her around but Deera wouldn't budge. Lelia got in front of her only for Haron, Deera and Vysa continued to ignore her.

"I mean, she's just so whiny! Can't wait to see the back of her. I mean I have my contacts in the Underworld and now House Kane as part of the extended family. Deera is a genius with mathematics and computers. Haron you've united all the Mandalorian houses and are probably the best military commander in the galaxy. What use is she?" Vysa said with a disgusted look on her face.

Haron and Deera just nodded which broke Lelia's heart, she couldn't believe her siblings would say that! She loved them! Adored them!

But at the same time, she honestly felt they must have always seen her as a burden.

They were all gifted, all had incredible accomplishments to their names.

She did not.

She was no war leader like her brother.

No genius like her sister.

Or have a network of contacts and big heists to her name like her other sister.

She was the runt of the litter, the least capable Lelia thought bitterly, she would never be as useful or as important as them.

Lelia honestly was disgusted at herself, growing up in the shadow of greatness and yet knowing you had no chance of being great yourself.

But at the same time, she was stubborn, her red hair wasn't the only thing that was bright about her. She had a temper to match and immediately she started calling them out even if they didn't seem to even acknowledge she was there.

"I am not useless!" She yelled at them. "I am smart, I'm brave! Vysa didn't even consider herself part of this family! Deera and Haron are hardly ever there! Always running around the galaxy! I am not you and I will find myself and what I am good at!"

The three then all look at her for the first time and smiled warmly which surprised her given how they had been talking about her a moment ago.

"Then you have found your own sense of self-worth. We are proud of you and always have been Lelia." Haron said before he, Deera and Vysa all faded away before eyes.

Lelia was left alone and confused when she noticed a strong glow where the campfire had been a moment ago, looking down she saw a small group of glowing crystals at her feel, she picked them up and held them carefully. Staring at them with awe as she began to realise just what her trial had been.

To believe in herself and not judge her own success by that of her siblings, they had never thought less of her and so neither could she.

But for now, before she discovered just what it was that she was good at she had to make the most of her new gift she thought proudly as she held the crystals in her hand.

---

Reijar, Ordo System…

With Ara and Hannah both away Haron and Neville had found themselves primarily responsible for the children. For Neville this wasn't so unusual as he was home much more often but for Haron who often had to be away from home on business it was very strange.

Still both men loved it immensely as they got to spend time with their children.

Neville was playing football with his two sons, him against both Frank and Alex. He let them win and take a few goals but the important thing to him at least was that his sons were having a good time. He gathered them up in his arms and hugged them both tight before rolling about in the grass laughing all the time till they were dizzy and had to stop to steady themselves.

He cherished such moments as he knew how quickly they could be taken away, making him more determined to protect them and ensure they were safe.

Nearby Haron was likewise enjoying some time with his sons and daughters. They all sat in a circle while Haron told them some fun stories from the Hogwarts days, of course he changed the names so they wouldn't get it was him that the stories were about.

"He reached from the Snitch, balancing himself on the broom like a tight rope only to fall just as he managed to get hold of the snitch." Haron told his excited children about his first Quidditch game. "James stumbled forward and for a moment he thought the snitch had gotten away from him but instead he managed to catch it in his mouth as he fell." Haron told them.

All the children started laughing, thinking it was funny and Haron now older was able to laugh with them.

Markus was nine now, he thought amazement as his son grew so fast, Astoria was seven, Corridan six and the twins Siri and Tyus were three.

His children were growing up, he thought sadly and soon they wouldn't be children any more.

Their training was already underway, Markus and Astoria were already studying with Luna while attending the high-level classes demanded of House Ordo and Corridan was doing the same. The Twins were still a little young but already they were using the advanced learning systems to accelerate their learning.

It still deeply unsettled him how fast they were growing up, he turned away and they seemed to grow and he honestly was haunted by the thought. Before he knew it, they would be flying the nest and having their own adventures and one day having families of their own.

If there was one thing no-one could control it was the passage of time.

It depressed him a lot but he was going to enjoy this time and treasure every moment Haron decided there and then.

A short distance away Deera sat with her daughter Mari, now five years old and Vysa had her little girl Cera in her lap. She was two!

They too were listening and laughing at the stories which Haron loved, having only been an only child in the old world he had never had the experience of having nieces. The closest had been Scorpius Malfoy and he and Draco had hardly been close so had made little impact in his nephew's life.

But he could be here for his nieces now he thought and was about tell them more when he saw two more guests had arrived.

Sabine and Tristan, his seven-year-old niece and five-year-old nephew had arrived for a visit. They both smiled excitedly as they were to see Reijar again and to spend time with their cousins.

Astoria beamed and ran over to Sabine who excitedly started chatting with a girl her own age, something she didn't get to do very often. Tristan meanwhile was very dutiful came to him though and gave his little bow which made Haron smile while the others giggled and he told his nephew.

"Tristan. You are family, and family is always welcome here. I am more your uncle than I am your Mandalore. You need not be so formal around me." Haron reassured him with a smile, glad for once to not be wearing his armour so his nephew could see his sincerity.

"Yes…uncle." Tristan said with a small nervous voice which made Haron sigh as the boy was too dutiful for own good but he put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently before telling the younglings.

"Right how about we head inside as it looks like rain." Haron told them all and while they complained they all did as he said and they all went inside, sitting down to enjoy some holo-programs together. Neville even joined them with his two boys and they all just enjoyed the moment together.

As they watched Haron noticed Sabine was drawing on a pad, he looked at what she was doing and realised she was very advanced for her age. Impressive he thought in amazement as even though he knew little about art he knew talent when he saw it.

"Sabine, have you ever thought of pursing your art, professionally?" He asked her knowing she was probably too young to have thought much about her life career but Sabine smiled and told him.

"I love colours." She told him, being flamboyant in her use of them as if to prove her statement. "Mama says I must focus on other things though, like fighting and science and stuff. For when I lead Clan Wren." She said sounding like she wasn't really excited by the idea.

Haron nodded knowing the pressures that came with running a family and a world all too well and wondered if he and the others hadn't had those pressures what other paths they might have chosen in life. Clan Wren due to the support of House Ordo and House Farr had risen up the ranks in Mandalorian Society and as the eldest child it was expected of Sabine to take it over some day.

And Sabine was gifted, Haron thought knowing she was highly intelligent and resourceful. She would be well accomplished in whatever she decided to do but he wondered if art was her true passion.

"If you decide one day to pursue it. I will find you a place at any art school you want." Haron offered her and Sabine looked at him excitedly.

"Any?" She asked eagerly and Haron nodded.

"Any. You have a talent; it should be allowed to bloom." He told her and she beamed at him before they both went back to watching the holo.

- x -

Merrin was duelling with Roon, one of the Akaan here and was doing fairly well, her two sabers giving her more angles of attack but not as much strength and Roon was easily keeping up with her. Merrin gritted her teeth as she pressed her attack only for Roon to pull a feint and she felt rather than saw the blade that was now hovering at her neck. She fumed at the loss but ever since Asajj had died she had not been herself. Her frustration frequently got the better of her and she knew she had to find a way around that or it would destroy her. Asajj had told her time and time again how letting her anger control her would take her to a dark place, something she knew herself and had told her about.

"Enough." Luna, the teacher called out bring the bout to an end. "Excellent performance from both of you. Now Roon, you go and handle telekinetic training for the recruits while I talk to Merrin." The blonde-haired human female said, Roon did as she commanded without question surprising Merrin with the authority she had. She was of pleasing dimensions the young girl thought with a slight blush but far more impressive was her considerable knowledge of the force and magic.

She had already learned a great deal from her Merrin thought impressed as the older woman knew much more about those subjects than she had imagined she would. Likewise, though Merrin had imparted some Dathomiri tricks of her own.

Merrin's eyes meanwhile reluctantly looked over and saw Cal who was now duelling with a male of a species she didn't recognise; they were shirtless and despite only being the same age as her Cal was very…well built. His muscles were hard and easy to see and it brought a flush to her cheeks as she struggled not to stare.

"Interested? I know he is interested in you." Luna's voice suddenly said from the side which startled Merrin.

"Lovegood…I." Merrin started saying but Luna just smiled and told her.

"Cal is only really close to Trilla. His adopted sister and former Jedi like him. But with you, it's like he really wants to trust you. He took his helmet off for you within moments of meeting you. He doesn't do that for anyone." Luna said with a knowing look in her eyes.

Merrin was confused, not sure what to make of that comment but couldn't help but feel that warm feeling in her bones as she looked at Cal. He appeared in many of her dreams, her face growing hotter as she remembered some of the more explicit ones.

Luna finally disturbed her from that by handing the girl a gauntlet which Merrin could clearly feel the force flowing through. She examined it and found some kyber crystals in the fingers and the force which was weaved into the gauntlet itself.

"We discovered how to enchant objects and that kyber crystals can act as a natural focus for magic. I will have to look at these 'Dathomiri Blood Stones' to see if they work better with your people's magic. It is a fascinating difference." Luna said with a distracted look in her eyes.

Merrin slipped the gauntlet on and she felt her power being amplified and her control sharpened, that intrigued her, no one to her knowledge had used crystals like this and it was something that her people would be very interested in when she returned.

---

Unregistered System, the Unknown Regions…

The Mandalorian Expeditionary Force dropped out of hyperspace on the edge of the system pointed to by the data they had obtained. On the bridge of the Ferocious, the new Keldabe-class Battleship leading the small fleet Ara Ordo was standing at the display table with Hannah smiling on the other side.

"At last, we're here!" Hannah said after a couple of weeks of trying. Ara smirked.

"Well with no defined hyperspace routes I think we did pretty well to get here in two weeks." Ara told her friend who scoffed.

"Come on, it's a miracle we got here at all. Even you have to admit that." Hannah said with a raised eyebrow and Ara just stared at the display and told her.

"I will admit what I like. Now, full scan. According to the maps the station is here and I want to know just where it is." Ara said to them all. The crew rushing to obey her orders while Hannah shook her head at her friend's stubbornness.

The rest of the fleet took station around them, four Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruisers, 6 Crusader-class Corvettes and 2 Gladius class Heavy Corvettes flew in formation around them.

They waited in silence as the crew scanned the area, looking for the so-called station that was supposed to be here. Even now though they had no idea just what it was supposed to do, whether it was another Star Forge or something else altogether they had no idea.

"Duchess Ordo, we have something." The science officer said from his station. They all looked at him to explain further and he did so. "Energy readings similar to those of the terminal but on a much greater scale on the third planet of the system."

"On the planet." Hannah asked with curiosity and he told her.

"Indeed Lady Longbottom. On the planet in the southern hemisphere on its biggest landmass." He reported.

Ara thought for a moment, clearly whatever it was must be much smaller than the Star Forge if it was on the planet and Ara just hoped it was portable or movable otherwise this might be difficult.

"Set a course, prepare the landing party." Ara ordered and just hoped they didn't regret this.

"Yes Duchess." The crew responded and went about following her orders.

She stared at the screen, still wondering if this was worth the risk they were taking and what exactly had they discovered down there.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity they finally came into orbit and managed to get a closer scan.

"Duchess, we have a large metallic object, circular and over two thousand meters across." The science officer reported.

"Much smaller than the Star Forge. What is it used for though?" Ara asked while Hannah asked a question of her own.

"Surface conditions?" Hannah asked wanting to know if it was safe to send down the landing party.

"Oxygen nitrogen atmosphere, very abundant plant life." The science officer reported with surprise as it was extremely supportive to life down there.

"Deploy the landing party. Advise extreme caution." Ara ordered, not sure what was waiting down there but it was time to find out.

- x -

The new dropship the Mandalorians were using for this mission was designed jointly for troops as well as vehicles, the D77 as it was known was a compact and robust design while being reasonably fast and agile in atmosphere and having sufficient weaponry to act as an aerial support unit for land-based forces.

It flew through the atmosphere towards the strange mass and landed vertically, the back hatch opening and while there would normally have been a Canderous Assault tank in there this time they brought a Basilisk war droid which followed the party out of the ship.

Zara who was leading the mission was sweating under her helmet it was so hot, the temperature regulators needed adjusting she thought with annoyance but pressed on. Makla at her side walked with her and the party, Makla was confused though at what he was feeling.

"I had read the Rakata used the dark side with their stations, but here…I can't sense it. If anything, this feels much more like the light side of the force." Makla said with surprise which likewise confused Zara who frowned and suggested as they arrived at what looked like an airlock of some kind.

"Maybe the Rakata didn't always use the dark side. There is a lot about them we still don't know." Zara said with a shrug.

The airlock thankfully still had power, a testament to Rakatan engineering that it still worked after all this time. They turned on their torches and proceeded into the structure, not sure what was waiting for them inside.

The corridors and interior spaces were more cramped than they had thought they would be due to previous descriptions of other facilities built by the Rakata. There was though no turrets or droids waiting for them which put them somewhat on edge as it was not like the Rakata not to leave some kind of defence behind.

Eventually they managed after hours of walking around to discover a control room with a bank of computers where they started accessing the data, the Basilisk was carrying a special translation device to help access the console and it booted up, allowing them to access the computers and find out just what this facility was meant for.

- x -

In orbit the planet while they waited for the landing party to report in, the air was tense as they wondered more and more as time went on if something had gone wrong down there and a second team was being prepared that was far better armed then the first.

But unfortunately, as Ara was about to dispatch the second team and considered the worst, especially given her sister-in-law was leading it and she didn't want to have to tell Deera that her wife wasn't coming back, they had uninvited guests arrive.

The long-range sensors suddenly triggered an alarm as they picked up new contacts.

"Duchess, an Imperial Fleet has dropped out of hyperspace. They are approaching at high speed." The Sensor officer reported. Ara frowned and asked with a grimace on her face.

"Fleet Composition?" Ara asked and the officer was fast to respond given the situation.

"One Imperial-class Star Destroyer, Three Dreadnaught class Heavy Cruisers, Two Arquitens-class light cruisers and 6 Gozanti-class escort ships." The Officer reported and Ara frowned, technically speaking their two small fleets were about equal but she had a few tricks up her sleeve she thought with gritted teeth.

"All ships launch fighters. Prepare drones and mass driver cannons." Ara ordered.

The gunners prepared themselves, along with the Vipers and X-wings that were launching. The drone control officer sat into his special chair, he had an implant that allowed him to link mentally to the drones' targeting system and guide them with his thoughts, allowing for great accuracy and irregular patterns of attack.

The Drones were based on versions found on Iokath, surrounded in an energy field they could pass through shields and burn through hull plating with ease before exploding inside. They had been added to the Keldabe class to add some significant teeth to the ship after the mass drivers were installed. This would be the first time they had used either in a battle.

"Drones, lock on the star destroyer and fire." Ara ordered and then added. "Have the corvettes screen against Tie Fighters while Gladius class ships use missiles on Gozanti escorts."

"Orders confirmed." The Communication Officer said as she transmitted her commands to the other ships.

- x -

The Imperial class ship was confused at the Mandalorians being here but fairly confident of success as despite being even in terms of power there was no opportunity for ambush.

Then the largest ship in the enemy formation that was about as large as the star destroyer began launching what looked like a swarm of small missiles at them. The Star Destroyer's captain ordered defence systems to intercept but the swarm moved erratically and to their surprise seemed intelligent enough to evade most of their defence systems. He ordered that the shields be increased to full power and was again confident given the missiles were too small to be that powerful.

He was wrong again.

The drones surrounded by their exotic energy field punched through the shields like they weren't even there and straight into the bridge and exploding, killing all there while more suddenly changed direction and went along the hull and underneath the ship, then in through the hanger and exploding.

The explosions tore the ship apart and then to make matters worse they brought their mass driver cannons to bare on the Imperial Dreadnaughts' as they turned to flee, catching them amid ships and even the thick armour did not prevent them from being damaged. Especially when more drones were fired to harass the ships. They did fire their reasonably strong turbolasers at the Crusader class corvettes who were screening the larger ships from Tie Fighters.

The corvette closest to them found itself being hit hard and its shields while good didn't hold out for long under their concentrated fire, shields failing before it was blasted to pieces.

But they didn't live long to celebrate their accomplishment, the improved sublight engines in the Mandalorian Dreadnaughts allowed them to close the distance and bring their own improved turbolasers to bare. Already damaged they were unable to escape especially as the Ferocious managed to add its own heavier turbolasers to the attack.

The Mandalorians took a great deal of pleasure in avenging their fallen brothers and sisters, tearing the ships apart. The Gladius class ships meanwhile used their missiles to destroy the Gozanti escorts which were poorly armed and shielded.

The two light cruisers seeing the situation turn against them went to leave but one of the Mandalorian ships managed to disable the engines of one while the second one panicked as the enemy closed and jumped randomly into hyperspace along an uncharted vector.

"That was stupid." Hannah said as she saw the light cruiser jump to hyperspace, knowing there was no telling where it might end up.

Ara could only nod as they all knew the risk of making an uncalculated jump, looking over she saw the drone officer had passed out from the effort of co-ordinating the drones, some kind of neural overload. That was dangerous she thought and knew they would need to use the drones sparingly till they could correct that issue. A medical team was taking him down to the med bay where hopefully he would recover.

"Duchess! A large contact is coming up from the surface, it's the Rakata structure!" The science officer reported astonished.

Ara and Hannah both shared a look of confusion especially when a familiar voice appeared on the communicator.

"Lifebringer to Ferocious, are you receiving us?" Zara's voice called out and Hannah answered.

"This is Ferocious. Zara, what the hell?" Hannah asked and Zara laughed before explaining.

"Turns out the station is more of a ship. A ship that was built by a faction of the Rakata that used the light side of the force. And they built it to terraform planets, that's why they called it Life Bringer." Zara told them excitedly. "It's hyperspace capable and we can bring it back to our space."

Ara was stunned at the development, glad at least they could move it to a more secure location but still surprised that some Rakata had used the light side of the force. Clearly their society had been more diverse than they had thought but right now she was already thinking of the use she could think of for this station.

So, adventure? Ara thought with a dismissive tone, not that exciting.

---

Mandalorian Scout Ship, On route in Hyperspace…

The Special Operations squad, now known as Krayt Squad after the infamous Krayt Dragons of Tatooine sat down in their seats as they listened to their new director of Special Forces.

"Krayt Squad. Today your mission is extraction." Neville told them sternly. "Target is an Imperial Research Station, two scientists. One wants to defect, the other is dangerous and we want both of them." Neville told them, two holograms appearing briefly in his place. One of a middle-aged human female and the other a male Neimoidian.

"Doctors Ismar Brengle and Drugindi. Doctor Ismar wants to defect; she is an expert in the areas of neurodevelopment and cybernetics. Doctor Drugindi meanwhile a key player in some of the nastiest bio-weapons being developed by the Empire and will resist you. Both have useful Intel so we want them alive. They are currently on a research station that you are on route too, you have been given some additional support this mission. This Akaan Trilla Suduri, she will be an extra set of eyes and ears on this mission." Neville said as his hologram returned.

The squad not keen an interloper looked over to the young woman who had full Mandalorian armour on but unlike them she had a lightsaber at her waist. She didn't remove her helmet so none of them could gauge how they were feeling except for her who could sense their feelings.

She herself was nervous, it was her mission away from Cal and she was working with the super tough Mandalorian Special Forces. They had a reputation for toughness that was beyond any other unit in the military and she was being forcefully put with them against their wishes.

"Right." Neville said sternly. "You know the plan. Proceed." He told them before the hologram faded and that left Trilla alone with the Special Forces warriors who all shared looked before one of them came up to her and told her in no uncertain terms.

"We will not carry you little girl."

Trilla was angered by that statement but she managed to keep her temper under control and told him back.

"And I won't carry you either."

The fact she actually dared to answer back and with their own taunt too stunned them but soon they started chuckling to themselves, amused. Trilla had no idea whether that was a good thing or not but it was something at least.

- x -

The scout ship was modified with a cloaking device for these kinds of missions so it was able to approach the station undetected and then fired a canister into the landing bay before disappearing again.

The canister the moment it went into the landing bay revealed its secret, it unfolded itself into a version of the infamous buzz droid from the Clone Wars. The small droid scuttled into the air duct and then without any hesitation, it exploded released a blast of blue gas straight into the station's air ducts.

The station immediately went into lockdown mode when it detected the gas which was dispersing a virulent if perfectly harmless version of the common cold. The system registered this as a viral outbreak and immediately locked down the station to limit exposure.

The Mandalorian Scout Ship meanwhile was moving around the outer ring of the station which held the science labs, built this way so that if one lab was contaminated it could be ejected from the station. But this also made extracting their targets easier, providing Trilla could find the right lab.

She reached out, letting the force guide her to the right spot while the others impatiently waited but then Trilla felt their targets, a vile mind that cared only for their own ego and another who was desperate to leave.

"There." She said pointing out the spot before the warriors reluctantly decloaked and latched on where she told them. She ignited her viridian blade, the lightsaber having changed colour when she took her trial and plunged it into the station's side. The metal was tough but no match for her lightsaber which let her cut open a hole big enough for her and the warriors fairly quickly.

She pushed the now separated section into the station and leapt forward while the warriors hesitated for a moment, eager to see if she could handle herself.

Stormtroopers that were in the lab which hadn't been planned for but that didn't matter to Trilla who held her lightsaber aloft and leapt over the lab table, delivering a hard kick that broke the receiver's neck with its sheer force before she spun around and killed two more with slashes to the chest from her lightsaber.

The three remaining Stormtroopers started shooting at her but Trilla easily began to deflect their blaster fire away from her as she advanced at a run. The Stormtroopers shot desperately but she cut them all down with a series of slashes to the chest and head.

The troopers now dead she turned to the Neimoidian, Drugindi who was trying to throw some kind of vial at her but she didn't let him finish, seizing his body with the force and making him drop the vial into the biohazard bin.

The female doctor Ismar looked over impressed and did them a favour by injecting him with a sedative that she had prepared. Drugindi looked at her with shock before falling unconscious. Trilla asked.

"Doctor Ismar Brengle?"

"That's me." The woman said nervously and Trilla nodded.

"We are your extraction. Please, we don't have much time." Trilla said while the Krayt Unit had finally decided to emerge and carry the unconscious Drugindi into the ship. Doctor Ismar had a copy of the work they had been doing here and she would brief them when they were safely in Mandalorian Space. Ismar and Trilla both climbed through the hole and sealed the hatch of the scout ship before the ship pulled away, recloaked and left the system with all speed.

"Not bad kid." A member of the unit told Trilla who smiled in triumph at her success, wondering if maybe working with the special forces was something she could do more often.

---

Imperial Palace, Coruscant…

The Emperor was troubled by a vision of late, something was threatening his Empire, stabbing them brutally in his visions of the future but with no idea just how.

The other losses he had sustained didn't register as much as this strange vision and he wondered just what was the source. It was not any of the enemies they had faced so far so he had no real clue as to its identity.

Besides he thought with a cruel smile, he had something else to distract him now.

A girl who had been discovered had a great deal of power in the force and with the right training and conditioning would make a fine spy for him…an assassin and more too.

Her red hair was bright and her green eyes flashed with a strong will that would have to bend carefully but when he was done, he thought with satisfaction she would be a true extension of his will and not fail him as so many of his other servants had. She would be raised to believe that he trusted her alone, that she would be the only hand rather than one of many and he would train her harder than any other.

Mara, he would call her as he looked down at the small girl as he looked at her with a sinister grin as he considered the plans he had for her, Mara Jade.

---

There we are, hope you all enjoyed it and please leave a review to let me know what you thought.

Before everyone gets on my case about droids being invisible through the force that is true but Kreia and the Jedi Exile could sense the energy running through them. In Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2 at Peragus 2 mining facility, check it out.

Contraxia is a planet from the MCU, seen first in Guardians of the Galaxy 2. It is the same planet Yondu met Stakar Ogord for the last time.

Markus is nine, Astoria and Sabine are seven, Corridan six, Tristan is five. Siri and Tyus are three.

The new Mandalorian Shuttle is based on the D77-TC Pelican from Halo, now named the D77.

The Drone weapons on the Keldabe class ships is based on the Ancient drones from Stargate. In this story they are an Iokath weapon the Mandalorians reverse engineered.

More Review Responses…

aesir21 = Glad you liked it!

Cam . Katarn = Mandalore Justice System? That is something that will be discussed later, I looked at what you outlined and that is impressive! The same for the government but we will be starting small.

Guest = Don't worry, Mandalorian Democracy is not going to happen and they won't be joining a Republic.

Night after morning = Thank you for following the story. Magic and the force are essentially the same and to be honest there hasn't been much call for it at the moment. But I will try and change that in the future. Despite my feelings about the Disney canon there are some parts of it that are good so I try to incorporate it. Thank you again for your kind words!

AnimeFan13579 = HK-47 probably could but he doesn't care, remember he isn't exactly the kindest or most thoughtful droid around.

mundanebeast = Indeed, being so big makes you lose focus and become impatient.

Djberneman = Probably not, I only put it in to sort of parallel Anakin's encounter with it as Darth Vader.

Sheploo = Well Revan did, he found the specs from his network and stored them in his vault where the Mandalorians found them. He put a lot of stuff in there including the Null Cannons.

RoyalTwinFangs = Mandalore the Unifier, as he brought them back together properly for the first time in thousands of years.

WhiteElfElder = No not the Star Forge, I did a lot of research on the Rakata and there was something else, two other types of stations they created and it struck me to do something a little different with it.

Boner O'Clock = Perhaps she does but remember her dad was just like her, I think they'll be fine. Ordo/Skywalker? Maybe, maybe not. Not sure about pairing for them yet.

Guest = Infinity Stones? Definitely not, I was just trying to bring some new elements in and it has grown from there.

Seawurm = I love John Wick so when I was looking at underworld references, I just couldn't resist putting it in.

George Cristian810 = I understand your points, the Empire though is using them as cannon fodder and pretty tough cannon fodder at that as you will see. They might be human centric but they are not above using aliens when it benefits them Thrawn for example.

Envy220 = Probably not, sorry it was the organisations I was referring to and since I love Winston, I decided to put him in. Arrowverse? There is a story in the planning stages but not sure about it yet.

That2-one3-girl4 = Great! Awesome to hear you liked it!

Xemenon = No Star Forge sorry! It is partly my own creation and something that is hinted at in the legends canon. You take care too!

Orangeduke38 = Interesting idea.

aurak = Probably a misspelling on my part, well spotted. Booster was one of the figures I chose because he was connected to the Underworld and could be trusted. He might get his special ship.

- x -

Next Chapter - The Mandalorians again face the Empire and engage in a different kind of war with them. Ahsoka must return to action as her family is threatened and makes a dangerous alliance. The Partisans return and the Jedi begin to take notice of their actions. And a dangerous new force appears on the galactic stage.