Chapter Eighteen
"Everyone in position?" Killian asked over the radio, wincing as another round of pain rushed through his body.
"I'm here," came Dani's voice.
"All set," replied Ben softly.
"Good to go," Aola replied.
"Let's hope this plan of yours works," Alexander replied testily, "We've only got one shot at this."
"I forgot that; thanks for reminding me," Killian replied mockingly as he shook his head; due to his injuries, the others had relegated him to strictly an observatory role in the upcoming rescue mission, and understandably Killian was annoyed over it.
"Someone has to remind you that you're human," Aola retorted, "Since you keep forgetting."
Killian sighed wearily at his sister's barb and was about to utter a retort of his own when another bout of pain ran through him, making him bite his tongue to keep from crying out.
"Okay, Ben, start the fire, then fall back like we discussed," Killian replied once he could speak again.
"Roger that," Ben said quickly, the radio falling silent a second later,
"I hope this works, cousin," Alexander's voice called out,
"It has to," Killian replied, "Or we lose our people to the Republic."
As the silence stretched on, Killian couldn't help but feel a hint of worry worm through his core; the plan was a straightforward one that he had read about in his history class back on Earth and seeing as how no one in this galaxy had ever even heard of Earth, they shouldn't know what it was that he was planning to do, hopefully anyway.
The plan was based on traps that he had read about that had been used by the Indian tribes during the French & Indian War; Ben would create a fire, making the Republic commandos and perhaps even a Jedi or two investigate. Once there, Dani, Ben, and Alexander would open fire on the troops, keeping them trapped under a continuous barrage of attacks. At the same time, Aola would use her ability to keep hidden to sneak aboard the Republic ship and rescue the Mandalorians who were being held prisoner aboard the Republic ship. Then, Ben, Dani, and Alexander would fall back if necessary, making the Republic troops follow them, thereby keeping them from returning to the ship and capturing Aola. Killian had tried to argue that Aola on her own couldn't possibly pull off such a dangerous mission, but he had been almost immediately told that he was not allowed to go due to his injuries, much to his annoyance, which was why Killian was currently looking at the Republic's ship through a pair of binoculars as he sat in an extremely high tree.
"Fire's set," Ben's voice called out over the radio, making Killian spin on his branch to see where Ben was supposed to be; as planned, Killian saw a trail of smoke begin to flow over the trees. Gradually, the smoke grew until it seemed as though Ben had set the woods on fire instead of creating a small campfire, as they had discussed.
"Holy crap, Ben!" Killian said as he watched the smoke grow larger, "Did you set the whole damn woods on fire?"
"Agreed," Dani's voice called out, "I know we need to make them come to us, but don't you think this is a bit overkill?"
"Hey, don't blame me!" Ben retorted, "You told me to create a fire; I created one!"
"A campfire, you idiot!" Aola shot back, "They're gonna know something's up when they see the size of that!"
"Maybe not..." Killian said slowly as he watched through his binoculars as the Republic commandos began to point at the smoke; suddenly, one of the soldiers ran into the ship. A few moments later, Killian saw the three Jedi step out of the ship, all looking in the direction of the smoke.
For a few agonizing moments, Killian worried that the Republic soldiers wouldn't go for it; those fears were soon put to rest as the Bothan Jedi turned and said something to the soldiers around the ship before hurrying off with the Togruta Jedi and half a dozen commandos following close behind, leaving far less to guard the ship than had been before.
"Alright, guys," Killian called out from his perch, "You got two Jedi, the Bothan and the Togruta, and half a dozen troops inbound, be ready."
"What about the third Jedi?" Dani asked,
"I'm guessing they left her here with the remaining troops to guard the ship," Killian answered back, "Still think you can do this alone, Aola?"
"Easy as stealing candy from a baby," Aola answered, making Killian grimace in annoyance at his sister's arrogant attitude.
"Remember, don't make your move until the others open fire," Killian said softly, "We need to make sure they don't circle back to their ship before you and the prisoners are free."
"We've been over this plan a dozen times," Aola replied in exasperation, "I know what I'm doing!"
"Then take it seriously!" Killian growled back, "If you're caught, you'll end up in a Republic prison; what part of that don't you get!"
Silence met his words, and for several minutes, Killian feared Aola would not answer; then, at last, Aola's voice came out of the radio, soft yet firm,
"I won't let you down, little brother."
"I'm not the little brother," Killian mumbled to himself as he watched the Jedi and troops run into the woods toward the smoke.
For a few tense moments, Killian sat on the branch waiting as he stared at the Republic ship obsessively; after what felt like an eternity, the sound of weapons firing and shouting echoed throughout the forest, originating from the direction of the smoke.
"Get your ass moving, Aola!" Dani's voice called out from the radio, the sound of battle echoing behind her.
"On it!" Aola shouted back,
"Scratch two Republic troopers off the board," Ben said with a laugh over the radio as Killian watched the ship; the sound of battle had caused several soldiers to run out of the ship, and Killian found himself holding his breath as he watched them shift from foot to foot as though deciding whether or not to go help their friends.
So focused were the Republic commandos on the forest in front of them that they missed the small pink Twi'lek that had snuck around behind them and slipped into their ship a moment later.
"I'm in," Aola's voice whispered over the radio,
"Good," Killian replied, "Just be careful; there's still one Jedi unaccounted for. Alexander, what's your status?"
"We're falling back deeper into the forest," Alexander replied, "We'll try to keep them away from the ship for as long as possible, but hurry up!"
"You get that, Aola?" Killian asked,
"Roger that," Aola called back before the radio went dead silent, and all Killian could do was watch with bated breath.
"I must admit, it was a well-thought-out plan," A voice close to Killian said with amusement, making Killian's blood freeze in his veins, "But it looks like this game is finally played out."
Slowly, Killian lowered his binoculars and turned to where the voice had come from; standing on a branch and leaning back into the tree across from him with her arms crossed over her chest and an amused look on her face, stood Satele Shan.
"I don't suppose you would just let me and my friends rescue our people, would you?" Killian joked, trying to hide how terrified he was; as he was now, he had no illusions that Satele Shan would have no problem capturing him effortlessly.
Satele stared at Killian with a raised brow for a moment before looking at the ship in the distance. The distance between them was only about fifty feet at best, but Killian knew she could jump that easily; as such, Killian prepared himself to jump from the tree if necessary, hoping the fall wouldn't kill him.
"I could be persuaded to do that," Satele replied, making Killian's mouth drop open comically, "If you were to answer some questions of mine, that is."
"What kind of questions?" Killian asked, suspicion evident in his voice, "I won't betray the Mandalore or my people if that's what you're going to ask me to do!"
"You needn't worry, Killian Farr," Satele said with a smile as she turned back to face him, "My questions concern you and you alone."
Unable to help himself, Killian swallowed his nervousness and asked in a shaky voice,
"How did you find me up here? We've got to be at least fifty feet in the air, and yet I didn't even hear you climb up!"
Satele couldn't help but laugh at that, and Killian smiled at the sound despite his fear; it was an enjoyable sound to his ears, despite the current situation.
"You're very good at hiding yourself, Killian," Satele replied with a smile, "But not that good; I sensed you the moment you climbed up here."
"Then, why didn't the other two?" Killian asked in bemusement, narrowing his eyes as Satele shrugged at his question.
"I don't know; perhaps they just weren't looking hard enough for you,"
"Or perhaps you're just better than them at sensing force energies," Killian replied, remembering the stories he had read about Satele Shan back on Earth.
"Hmm, perhaps..." Satele replied with another shrug, "But enough about me. It's you that I wish to know more about, and if you want your sister to escape unencumbered, you will do well to answer honestly."
Killian tore his gaze from Satele back to the ship for a moment; the troops were still standing around the ship, staring into the forest where the echo of battle could still be heard, albeit much further away than before.
As Killian stared at the ship, his mind raced; he could attempt to escape on his own, but the odds were not in his favor, and he had no doubts that if the jump from the branch didn't kill him, then Satele would capture him without any trouble whatsoever.
With a weary sigh, Killian looked back at Satele, who seemed to have guessed what he was thinking and was now wearing an amused grin as she stared at him.
"If it'll keep my people from becoming prisoners, ask your questions..." Killian said softly.
"Very wise choice," Satele replied with a smile, "Many of your people would have chosen belligerence to negotiation."
"Well, I'm not like most of my people," Killian replied with a grin of his own,
"On that, we can agree," Satele replied, "So, let's start with the biggest question of them all. How long have you been able to use the force?"
"About two years now..." Killian replied, earning a surprised look from Satele.
"Not very much time at all," Satele replied softly, "It usually manifests itself much sooner than it has with you. So what were you doing when you used the force for the first time?"
As Killian remembered what he had done the first time he had used his abilities, he couldn't help but be filled with disgust, something that was apparently felt by Satele as she frowned at him slightly.
"I murdered someone the first time I used the force..." Killian replied, making Satele's eyes widen in surprise.
"Explain," Satele said simply, though her gaze seemed to harden as she stared at Killian.
"I was kidnapped by pirates," Killian replied softly, "Kept as a pet for days on end; one day, it just became too much, and I decided to fight back against the pirate who had decided to use me as a punching bag. I...I didn't mean to do what I did...I was just so angry..." Killian's voice had lowered to almost nonexistent by the end, yet somehow Satele still heard him.
"What did you do, Killian?"
"I...I tore the pirate apart," Killian whispered, "Literally."
For a few moments, nothing was said between the two; the only sound was the echo of blasters from the distance, which seemed to be growing further away.
"I can sense the guilt you have for what you did, young one," Satele said softly, "It weighs on you like a chain around your neck."
"It shouldn't," Killian spat back, "He was a pirate! Who knows how many innocent people that bastard probably raped, murdered, and stole from!"
"Indeed," Satele replied, "Who knows how many innocents he hurt..."
"So why do I feel guilty!" Killian nearly shouted, his hands thrown into the air in exasperation.
"Because you are a good person, child," Satele replied with a smile, "The others were very alarmed when they discovered that a Mandalorian could use the force. They fear that a Mandalorian that can use the force will inevitably be drawn to the dark side. Truth be told, I felt the same way, but I wanted to meet with you before I made up my mind about you."
"And?" Killian asked angrily, "What have you decided? Am I the next Dark Lord? Am I destined to be the next monster that Republic children speak of in whispers?!"
"Perhaps, you will someday," Satele replied, making Killian's head shoot up instantly so that he was staring at her with shock, "Not even the very wise can see all ends where the future is concerned."
Those words seemed to take what little energy Killian had left, and he felt himself slump against the tree behind him.
"I don't want to be a monster..." Killian said softly,
"Then don't be," Satele replied, "Our choices are what define us, Killian. Some are given power and cannot help but want more; others decide to use that power to help others who have none. It is our actions that show us who we really are."
"But I'm a Mandalorian!" Killian cried, "We're raised to fight! We're taught that the fire of combat is the greatest thing in the galaxy! So how can one be a good person and still love the thrill of combat?!"
"True, it is a perilous path to tread," Satele said as she lowered herself into a sitting position on the branch, "One misstep can have you tumbling into darkness."
Killian opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted as Satele kept talking,
"But for one who holds their honor above all, one who knows what it means to be at the mercy of monsters and doesn't want others to feel the same way, it's not as difficult as some would think."
"If you're trying to convert me into a Jedi, I'm afraid you're wasting your time," Killian said with a grin that was quickly shared by Satele.
"Don't be so arrogant," Satele said with a wink, "If I had enough time and resources, I could convert you just fine; thank you very much."
"Aola, you might want to hurry up!" Ben's voice sounded, "I think they know something's up. They're falling back to the ship!"
With a start, Killian jumped to his feet and looked at the ship through the binoculars; it seemed fate was helping his friends for a change as the Mandalorian prisoners suddenly came pouring out of the ship wielding pipes and anything else that had managed to grab, instantly overpowering the unaware guards who had been watching the forest.
"Aola, get them out of there!" Killian called into his radio, "You don't have time for petty revenge!"
As he watched, Aola began shouting something and waving her arms at the prisoners, who seemed content with beating the Republic troops with their weapons instead of trying to escape.
After a few seconds of pointless shouting, Aola finally lost her patience, it seemed, as she bent over and picked up a fallen rifle before firing it into the air, which immediately made the Mandalorians stop fighting and look at her. Killian couldn't hear what was said from the distance, but he could tell that his sister was pissed and, judging by how she was pointing the rifle at the group as a whole, not in the mood for any more disobedience.
With a final shout, Aola pointed at the forest before running in the opposite direction; after a few seconds of indecision, the prisoners ran after her, leaving the clearing empty, save for the unconscious bodies of the Republic troops.
"Guess our conversation is at an end, huh?" Killian said with a slight grin, which quickly fell away as he looked at Satele; she was staring at him as though considering what she should do next. "Unless you still want to capture me, of course, in which case, can we finish this fight on the ground? I'm a big fan of heights."
Satele shook her head in exasperation before jumping across the gap so that she now stood only a few feet from Killian; instinctively, Killian took a step back so that his back was against the tree.
"You are an interesting young man, Killian Farr," Satele said softly, "That is why I am allowing you to escape this one time only. The next time we meet, I will have no choice but to capture you, is that understood?"
Unable to make his mouth work, Killian could only nod his head at the Jedi, who smirked at him for a moment before jumping from the branch and disappearing below.
An instant later, Killian saw movement by the ship and looked into his binoculars to see what was happening; the two Jedi masters had returned, along with half as many Republic soldiers as they had left to investigate with.
As Killian watched the troopers check their fallen friends, he couldn't help but laugh at the temper tantrum that the Togruta Jedi was throwing, which was made worse when one of the troopers came out of the ship, no doubt telling the Jedi that the prisoners had escaped.
From his perch, Killian watched as Satele suddenly appeared and was immediately interrogated by the Togrutan Jedi; Killian couldn't hear what was said, but obviously, the Togrutan didn't like the answers that Satele gave as she backhanded Satele across the face sending her to the ground before the Bothan lunged forward and grabbed her arm, an angry look on his face.
"Killian, we're clear," Dani's voice rang out, "Are you okay? What's happening?"
"Yeah, I'm okay, Dani," Killian answered as he continued to watch the Republic soldiers; it looked as though the Jedi had finally had enough of this planet as the Bothan began ordering the soldiers to get their injured friends onboard the ship.
"It looks like they're leaving," Killian said softly as he watched the last of the troops be helped onto the ship; once the last of the soldiers were on board, the Togrutan Jedi cast one last disgusted look into the forest before spitting on the ground and turning to stalk into the ship.
"Well, don't press your luck," Alexander replied, "Meet us at the rendevous point before they notice you."
"Roger that!" Killian called happily as he put his binoculars away and slowly began to climb down the tree,
"I really hate heights..." Killian mumbled to himself as he slowly made his way down.
XXXX
When Killian finally managed to return to the forest floor, he found Aola waiting for him with an amused look on her face,
"Took you long enough," Aola taunted, "Thought I was going to have to come up after you."
"Shut up," Killian retorted with mock anger, "You try climbing down this monster without breaking your neck!"
"I bet I could do it in half the time," Aola laughed back, jumping out of the way as Killian swatted at her, "Come on, everyone's waiting for you!"
"What do you mean?" Killian asked as they began walking back toward the rendevous point.
"I MEAN that I told everyone that it was your plan that allowed us to save them, and now they want to thank you for it!" Aola said with a smile, which quickly turned into a laugh as she took in Killian's shocked expression.
"Guess you got more in your repertoire than just stories, huh, Bard?"
"Please stop calling me that," Killian groaned,
"I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't," Aola laughed back.
They continued walking for several minutes as Aola kept up her usual manner of laughing at Killian's expense until they finally entered a clearing some distance from the tree that Killian had been scouting in that was filled with people.
As Aola and Killian entered the clearing, nearly everyone turned to face them, and Killian suddenly became nervous about so many people staring at him. Before he had time to think about it, however, the prisoners had jumped to their feet and surrounded him; Killian couldn't help but feel surprised as the prisoners began to thump his back with pats and cheer his name as they told him repeatedly how grateful they were to him for saving them.
As Rebecca, Malcolm's second in command approached him, Killian stepped back out of reflex, only to stop when he saw her heartbroken look.
"I know that we never got along," Rebecca said softly, "But I wanted to say thank you for not abandoning us..."
"Mandalorians do not abandon a fallen comrade," Killian replied back almost at once, not noticing how his words made those around him look at him with a greater show of respect, "I just wish I had been sooner; if I had then perhaps Malcolm would still be..."
Rebecca's head dipped in sorrow at the mention of her fallen teammate, and Killian saw several teardrops run down her cheeks before she quickly wiped them away and looked at him again.
"It wasn't your fault," Rebecca replied, anger lacing her words, "You saved us; that's all that matters."
"So, what do we do now?" An ebony-skinned boy asked,
"Now, we wait for the Jedi and their Republic dogs to leave," Alexander replied loudly, making every head turn to him as he strode forward; Killian couldn't help but wince as he saw the burns that littered Alexander's left arm. "They cannot afford to linger any longer, as our people will be here in perhaps a day or two. When we're sure that they are gone, we will go and retrieve our fallen comrades; they will be returned to Mandalore and buried with honor as they deserve."
Nods of agreement met this, and several of the prisoners growled angrily that the Republic would pay for the deaths of their comrades. At this moment, however, Killian's body decided that he needed more rest, and he promptly collapsed into the arms of those around him. For a moment, no one did anything but stare in worry at the unconscious body of their savior, but once Killian began to snore, the clearing echoed with the sounds of laughter.
XXXX
Just as Alexander predicted, Mandalorian ships landed not far from the clearing the next day, and the survivors went out to meet with them; whatever the Mandalorians might have been expecting, it certainly wasn't the squads shuffling towards the ships as one collective group. Upon hearing what had occurred from Alexander, the warriors immediately took charge and began directing the kids onto the ships as the warriors stood guard from possible attack.
The bodies of the fallen were treated as respectfully as possible, and a medic took over for Aola, throwing Killian's arm over her shoulder as he limped onto the ship; a few moments later, Killian was carefully laid on a surprisingly soft bed and given a shot of something, sending him into the arms of Morpheus.
XXXX
When Killian opened his eyes again, he saw he was lying in his own bed with his mother reading a Datapad not far from him.
"Mom?" Killian said softly, making Terra look up from what she was reading with a relieved expression,
"Killian!" Terra cried happily, enveloping him in her arms, "I'm so glad you're awake!"
"How long have I been out for?" Killian asked when he was finally released from his mother's embrace.
"Nearly four days!" Terra quickly said as she grabbed the chair and pulled it closer before retaking her seat, "And just what in the kriff were you thinking of when you jumped off a cliff?!"
"Aola told you that, huh?" Killian asked with a nervous laugh as Terra glared down at him,
"Yes! And she told me a great many other things too!" Terra thundered, causing Killian to wince as he prepared himself for the tirade his mother appeared to be winding up for.
"Like how you decided to challenge three Jedi alone!"
"It wasn't really challenging so much as running away..." Killian mumbled softly, gulping nervously a second later as Terra gave him the infamous 'look.'
"Killian, what am I to do with you..." Terra sighed as she shook her head in exasperation, "You nearly give me a heart attack by almost killing yourself, only to then make me more proud of you than I can possibly express by saving your fellow comrades."
"Does that mean that I won't get punished?" Killian asked hopefully, only to grimace as Terra snorted at him,
"Oh, you're still going to be punished for doing something as stupid as challenging three Jedi..."
"I was running away, not challenging!" Killian retorted, only to wince a moment later as pain wracked him,
"Serves you right," Terra said with a smirk as Killian laid back down,
"Hey, I'm in pain!" Killian growled, "Aren't you supposed to be more sympathetic to my plight?!"
"Not when you deserve it," Terra retorted with a wink that made Killian groan, "You'll get no sympathy from me for your idiotic choices."
"Some mom you are," Killian snarked back, sticking his tongue out for emphasis, which only made Terra shake her head and snort at him.
"You should know that all of Mandalore has heard of what happened," Terra said, her demeanor turning serious, "Needless to say, people are not happy about what the Republic did during your rite of passage."
"No, I imagine not," Killian said with barely concealed anger, "Especially since six kids are dead as a result."
"The families came to speak with me while you were unconscious," Terra said softly, "They wished to offer their gratitude to you for bringing their children's bodies back so that they could be buried with honor."
Killian could do nothing but nod as sadness filled him at the thought that those kids needn't have died in the first place; they should have lived to grow into true Mandalorians, but that had been denied them due to the Republic.
"If..." Killian began, only to stop as a sob welled up inside him, "If Alexander and the others hadn't been looking after me, they could have warned the others. They might still be alive if not for me..."
Tears began rolling down Killian's face against his will, and he turned away from his mother in shame, only to feel her arms wrap around him again and force him to sit up so she could hold him.
"Oh, my sweet boy," Terra said softly as she held him tight as he tried to stop the tears, "This is not your fault; it is the Republic's. They chose to shoot down unarmed children when they needn't have done so!"
Pulling away from Killian, Terra cupped his face in her hands as she looked at him, "Never ever believe that you are to blame for their deaths; they are not your burden to carry, understand?"
"I understand, mom," Killian said softly, causing Terra to smile warmly at him before kissing him gently on the head.
"Your father and I are very proud of you and Aola," Terra said with a smile, "What's more, all of Mandalore knows that it was you who formed the plan that allowed Aola to retrieve your captured companions. You and your friends have gained much respect from Mandalore as a whole for outsmarting the Jedi! You should be proud of yourselves; all of Mandalore is, after all.
Killian couldn't help his jaw falling as he took in his mother's words; all of Mandalore had heard what had happened? What's more, Killian and the rest of his squad were being looked upon like heroes for saving their companions from becoming prisoners of the hated Republic! Finally, with a groan of misery, Killian fell back onto his pillow as Terra began to laugh at his situation.
XXXX
A week later, Killian, Aola, Alexander, Ben, and Dani stood stunned on a raised platform surrounded by cheering Mandalorians; gulping down his fear, Killian looked down and saw his parents standing directly in front of the stage and looking up at him with pride which seemed to help, if only a little bit.
"Anyone else feel like throwing up?" Killian asked softly, making the others chuckle lightly,
"Been feeling it since I woke up this morning," Ben replied,
"You and me both," Dani added.
The crowd suddenly went silent, almost as one as Mandalore the Avenger quickly strode up the stair of the platform, flanked by his two guards; but what caught Killian's attention the most was how his uncle's armor seemed to glow with power, as though he were a god.
Slowly Lec reached up and took off his helmet, handing it to one of his guards as he looked out at the crowd, who were all silently waiting to hear what he had to say.
"Today, we are gathered here to recognize five youths who not only passed their Verd'goten magnificently!" Lec shouted, his voice echoing like thunder, "But also to reward them for displaying all the traits that a Mandalorian should possess! Honor, strength, ingenuity, and above all, refusing to abandon a fellow Mandalorian!"
The crowd roared their approval at Lec's words as the kids in question began to blush under the intense scrutiny they were receiving.
"They could have run away and hid when the Jedi and their Republic dogs showed up!" Lec continued, "They had no reason to attempt to save the others! My nephew even had a duel with one of them not long ago; he had no reason to risk his neck to save the boy who had given him such grief!"
Killian bowed his head as Malcolm's face appeared in his mind, an action that did not go unnoticed by the listeners, many of whom nodded at Killian for his show of respect.
"Yet, my nephew and his squad refused to let their fellow trainees be captured and possibly sent to a Republic prison!" Lec shouted with pride, "He kept his head, even after facing down three Jedi and nearly being captured himself, and devised a way to save his companions from the Jedi!"
"Why does everyone think I fought the Jedi?!" Killian mumbled just loud enough for those standing next to him to hear, "I'm not THAT stupid!"
"To be fair, it's not that impressive considering how stupid you ACTUALLY are..." Aola replied with a grin, knowing that Killian couldn't retaliate right now.
"These five have shown themselves to be true Mandalorians!" Lec shouted, "And their bravery and refusal to allow the Republic to capture their companions deserves to be rewarded! As such, I, Mandalore the Avenger, as leader of Mandalore and its people, do hereby proclaim that these warriors be allowed to wear the coveted 'Jai'galaar'la Sur'haii'se' upon their helmets so that all might see that they are warriors of renown and that their courage is beyond question!"
Instantly, the crowd began to cheer in acclamation as the jaws of Killian and the rest of his squad hit the floor.
The 'Jaig Eyes' was a sigil that could only be given by Clan leader to a Mandalorian who had done something exceptional on the battlefield; some Mandalorians could go their whole lives without achieving such an honor, and Killian was being given it before he even had a helmet to put it on! Such an honor was unheard of, and Killian knew the others were just as stunned as he was.
"Tomorrow," Lec continued, causing the crowd to go instantly quiet, "Those who survived the Verd'goten will go to the armorer to be fitted for their armor and will finally be Mandalorian!"
Killian nearly had to cover his ears with his hands as the deafening sound of an interminable number of Mandalorians cheered for him and the rest of his squad; as they continued to cheer, Lec approached Killian and nodded his head in respect.
"Well done, nephew," Lec said, the hint of a smile playing on his lips, "You have brought honor and glory to not only yourself but also to your clan. You should be proud."
"Thank you, uncle," Killian said as he smiled back, "And I am."
Lec nodded again before moving on down the line and saying similar words to each of those standing next to Killian; as Killian gazed out at the crowd of screaming, cheering Mandalorians, he couldn't help but look at his parents.
Both were wearing expressions of extreme pride; Terra even had tears running down her cheeks, which she hastily wiped away, and Killian had to fight not to keep his stoic demeanor. Yet, inside, Killian was happier than he had ever been in his life; soon, he would have his own armor, and he would finally be a Mandalorian.
XXXX
"What color are you going to make yours?" Killian asked Ben as he and the rest of third squad made their way back from the armorer; they'd all spent the entire day having every inch of their bodies measured in preparation for their upcoming armor, and even as tired as they were, they couldn't help but also feel a little excited.
"I think we should all get the same armor," Dani said, making the others turn to her, "Even if we're no longer third squad, we'll still most likely be put together during missions. So we should all get the same color to symbolize that we're still the third squad."
"Not a bad idea," Ben said thoughtfully, "I like it!"
"But what color do we pick?" Alexander asked, "If we're all going to be wearing the same color, then it should be something we can all agree on."
"How about green?" Killian offered,
"Maybe you've forgotten," Aola said mockingly, "But I'm pink! Green would look horrible on me!"
"Hate to agree, but I don't think green would go well with your skin tone," Dani said, shaking her head at the thought, "Maybe white?"
"White isn't a color that is usually used all that often," Ben said softly, "It's usually meant to represent a fresh start or purity."
"My father's armor is black..." Alexander said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, "Perhaps white would be a good color. It would show that my father and I are opposites. I don't want to follow the same path as him; rather, I want to chart my own."
"I have no problem with white," Killian said after a moment of thought, "Aola?"
"I think white would go well with pink," Aola said with a smile, "Let's do it!"
"White it is then!" Ben said happily as he wrapped his arms around Alexander and Dani's shoulders as the group made their way to the dining hall for dinner, their laughter echoing after them and causing more than one person to stare at them.
XXXX
A week later, just two days after turning fifteen, Killian stood in his new armor with his helmet tucked under his right arm; despite his attempt to control it, a smile was plastered across his face, something that seemed to be shared with nearly every other trainee who was currently standing in front of Buta Kug, hopefully for the last time.
Just as they had agreed, all third squad wore matching white armor; the only difference in their new armor lay on the Jaig Eyes that lay above their helmet's visor.
To help keep track of who was who, they had all agreed to have their Jaig Eyes be a different color. That was why Alexander's Jaig Eyes were bright gold, Dani's were dark red, Ben's were bright blue, Aola's were pink, like her skin tone, and Killian's were black as his uncle's armor.
"I have to admit, I am impressed," Buta said as he stalked up and down the line, glaring at anyone unlucky enough to meet his eyes, "I never would have imagined that so many of you would have survived the Verd'goten!"
Stopping suddenly in front of Killian, Buta glared for a minute before saying in a growl,
"And I would never have imagined you earning the Jaig Eyes, boy. Not very often that someone manages to surprise me; well done, lad."
Killian couldn't help the surprise that showed on his face as Buta extended his hand to Killian; slowly, Killian reached out and grabbed Buta's forearm in the warrior's grip and gave it a firm shake before letting go and letting his arm drop back to his side.
"Thank you, sir." Killian replied, "It was your training that helped me."
"Now, don't get all sappy on me!" Buta growled, "I'm too old for that rubbish!"
"Raise your helmets into the air!" Buta called out as he took his place in front of the trainees again, "And repeat after me!"
Every helmet was raised into the air as the courtyard went dead silent, as though the very air around them knew what was about to happen.
"Strength is Life, for only the strong have the right to rule!" Buta shouted out, and the courtyard suddenly echoed with noise as the trainees shouted the words back to him.
"Honor is life, for with no honor, one may as well be already dead!" Buta shouted again and again, the courtyard echoed as the trainees recited the words.
"Loyalty is life, for without one's clan, one has no purpose!" Buta roared the line as though he were a Rancor.
"Death is life; one should die as they lived!" Buta said the last line much softer, as though they were the most important words, and the trainees copied him.
"This is the way!" Buta roared out, and every person in the courtyard copied him until Killian was sure that the noise would reach all the way to Coruscant.
As one, every trainee placed their helmet onto their head, and Killian actually felt like his face would tear from the smile he was now sporting; all his life, he wanted to be a Mandalorian, and now his dream had finally come true.
Almost as if a mental signal went off in the trainee's heads, they all raised their right fist into the air and shouted as loud as they could,
"THIS IS THE WAY!"
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Author's Note:
I am sorry for how long this chapter took to get out; I can only say that life got in the way, which is why I tried to make this chapter extra long, to make up for how long it's been since I last updated.
The creed I had Buta give the trainees is not the creed of Mandalore, I, unfortunately, couldn't find one from the Old Republic, and I didn't want to use the new one from the tv show.
As always, please review and let me know what I should add, take away, or fix.