Chapter Five: Family Matters
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Hello everyone, I am glad that you enjoyed the last four chapters and are looking forward to where we going. This time, still on Mandalore. I promise we will get back to the Jedi soon. Just some important aftermath stuff that has to happen, considering both Sisters have reunited and have tasted combat at each other's side.
I do want to reiterate, that despite the fact that I have posted five chapters close together, do not expect it to happen often. I have a lot of WIPs that I am working on at any one time. So I may disappear for a bit, got some IRL stuff going on as well.
On with the Show:
On their way back to the Palace, both sisters stood in silence. Neither really knew what so say to the other one, given what is between them. Bo-Katan tried to say something, "Satine, I…" she didn't know what to say. Should she apologize first for the coup or should Satine apologize first for exiling her?
"Bo, I am sorry for exiling you. At the time, it seemed like the only course I had, but I was wrong." Satine broke the silence.
"and I am sorry for the coup. It was just what we had to do to achieve the rebirth of our ways," Bo-Katan said.
"Speaking of which, what was going to happen to me anyway?" Satine asked.
"Pre Vizsla would have wanted to execute you eventually. I would have tried to figure something out before he could. I probably would have sent you into exile, like you did to me."
"Well, at least you didn't want me dead," Satine remarked.
"Never, despite our estrangement, you are still my sister," Bo reaffirmed.
Satine realized something, "Dank Ferric, we have to go get Korkie out of the prisons."
"He didn't get captured, he is hiding somewhere. I expect he will make contact with me soon," Bo-Katan assured her sister. "First thing first, is to get these injuries looked at." Her abdomen hurt a lot from the fall earlier. Satine nodded in agreement, as she altered course to the hospital. "Now that you have tasted real combat, how do you feel?" Bo-Katan asked as she leaned on the side rail.
Satine was silent for a moment as the speeder flew toward the palace. Part of her was slightly disgusted with her actions, but the other side enjoyed it. Peace and War were at odds with each other inside her. Perhaps, she could have both sides of the issue as her father believed. When she finally did answer her sister. "Conflicted, my pacifist ideals are telling me that I am a hypocrite and that I should be ashamed."
"And the Warrior side?" Bo's eyebrows raised in question.
"Pleased, and awakened," Satine sighed. She did not know what to do.
"Peace and War, Satine, peace and war," Bo echoed their father's words.
"Peace and war, war and peace," Satine muttered to herself in contemplation.
"I have heard it said that peace is something all true warriors strive for. I don't know how applicable that is to us Mandalorians, but it is something to think about." Bo crossed her arms in thought.
"A peace keeper belongs on the battlefield so as to do their job," something Obi-Wan said to her on the Coronet finally clicked with the Duchess.
"If anyone could handle both sides of the credit chit, it would be you, Satine. You have the drive to fight to end a war, and the resolve to maintain peace." Bo was hoping that Satine would finally give in and let Mandalore's past be reborn where it belonged.
Satine thought long and hard for a moment, when she spoke again it was something that Bo-Katan had longed to hear Satine say. "Mandalore needs to revive its heritage." Bo's lips twitched in satisfaction, it was vindication in her eyes. "Albeit with some changes to temper the damage a reborn Mandalore could unleash."
"How long I have waited to hear you say those words. Had you made that realization years ago, I would have come home, you know." Bo was overjoyed, she won the argument over Satine.
Satine's eyes widened a bit in realization over something. "Which reminds me, about Korkie. He needs to be trained in our ways."
"How old is he?" Bo asked, she had never been too involved in Korkie's life, thanks in part to Satine exiling her.
"Early twenties, he was too young to start when the old ways went out," Satine seemed to regret this as it made her job harder.
"Well better late than never," while they preferred to start training their children young, history showed that as long as you were able to fight, it did not matter how old you were.
"Oh, and Bo, don't think I didn't hear about what happened at Carlac," Satine's voice left no room to think that Bo-Katan was getting out of that conversation.
"You know about that?" Bo-Katan asked, eyes going wide a bit in fear.
"Yeah, I do. Do you really think I wouldn't keep track of you? You are still my sister, despite our estrangement. Every report of Death Watch's activities made its way to my desk, because I was afraid that it would come to my attention that you had been killed out there."
"Well, it's nice to know you care." Satine looked at her sister with a look of horror at the mention that she did not care.
"Of course I care, just because we have been estranged, doesn't mean I stopped caring about you." Satine was disheartened that Bo-Katan thought that she didn't care about her.
"Though I said that we need to revive our ways, I am adding a few modifications so that we don't become marauders and raiders again," Satine stated firmly.
"I guess I can live with that," Bo was content for now.
"Need to clear my name first, considering Almec laid the death of Vizsla on me," Satine remarked.
"Shouldn't be too hard. Almec will back anyone to save his own skin," Bo-Katan remarked.
As they arrived at the new hospital, they made their way to the emergency room, as that was all that was open that late. Fortunately, there was very few other patients there that night, so they could get a doctor quickly. In a bit of seeming coincidence, the doctor they got was Dr. Zaz. The same one that Satine had worked with to trace the poisoned tea when Padme was visiting.
Upon entering the room, Kryze sisters were in, to say he was shocked was a bit of an understatement. He was one of the first civilians to see Satine in her armor. "Duchess, you're alive, and wearing armor," he trailed off. Bo rolled her eyes. As a man of medicine, Dr. Zaz was a supporter of Satine's pacifist ideals.
"Things have changed, Doctor. However, that is not hear or there right now," Satine said.
"Right, what brings you in at this hour," he asked as he sat behind a terminal.
"For me, at least a dislocated shoulder, and a few burns. As for Bo, a few cracked ribs, and a few burns." Satine told him.
"Mind if I ask who you were fighting?" Zaz asked.
"Oh, just the Supreme Chancellor, who happens to be a powerful Sith Lord," Bo-Katan said, a bit snarky.
Dr. Zaz looked the sisters in confusion and disbelief. "Chancellor Palpatine? A Sith Lord?" Both Kryzes gave the doctor a look that showed that they were serious. "Very well. Get the armor off and we'll get you both some scans done."
Once the scans were done, Dr. Zaz gave his treatment options. "So, there are two options for treatment. Either both of you can wear a brace for a few weeks to recover or a dip in a bacta tank."
Bo was about to protest, as she hated the aftertaste that Bacta left in the mouth, but it was better than being out her armor for a few weeks. As they got ready for the treatment, they had to break disloate Satine's shoulder again to properly set it. At Satine's gasp of pain, Bo nearly tried to find her blasters, but found they were not close enough.
Once the sisters were sedated, breath masks fixed and dunked into the healing liquid. Dr. Zaz left for the night as he had to be back early the next morning. They spent nearly a full day in those tanks. After a day in the tanks, they were taken out.
"Did we miss anything?" Satine asked.
"No, why?" Zaz responded with a question.
"The Jedi took both Palpatine and Maul into custody. Satine wants to make sure she can testify against the Chancellor," Bo-Katan explained.
"Considering what happened amounts to the attempted assassination of the leader of the sovereign system of Mandalore, for both of them," Satine furthered the explanation.
"I see," Dr. Zaz said. Once they were dressed, Dr. Zaz told them what his further instructions were. "I am requiring both of you to rest for a few more days until you are well enough to resume your duties.
Bo opened her mouth to speak, but Satine cut her off. "I will make sure she rests, you have my word." Dr. Zaz then released them. A medical speeder was given to transport Clan Kryze home with their armor and weapons in the hold.
On the way home, Bo-Katan contacted Ursa Wren. "Ursa, report."
"My lady, it is good to hear your voice. I saw your fall." Ursa's voice came back.
"Yeah, I just got out of a bacta tank. Report," Bo repeated.
"Things are going well. After you sent out your call that Maul had been deposed, many of his followers have switched sides and now we have the majority of forces. This war will be over soon," Ursa updated her.
"Good, what about Rook Kast? Gar Saxon?" Bo asked.
"Kast surrendered, Saxon is still at large." Ursa informed her.
"I see. I am leaving you in charge for the next few days as I will be recovering. Don't let Axe get cocky." both of them knew how Axe Wolves could be.
"By your will, Lady Bo-Katan. How does Lady Satine Kryze feel about our heritage?" Ursa asked.
Bo-Katan shot a glance at her sister. "Willing to embrace her blood."
"Good, see you soon, my lady." Ursa cut the call.
"In the mean time, you and I can work out our issues. Of which there are quite a few." Satine said. Bo nodded in agreement.
As the medical speeder arrived out side the home of Clan Kryze, the sisters were surprised that there was another speeder parked outside. Immediately on guard, Bo-Katan got the anti-grav chests out of the speeder that held their armor and weapons. She retrieved one Westar-35 for herself and one for Satine.
Upon entering the home, they were relieved to see it was only their nephew, Korkie Kryze. Lowering their blasters, Bo shifted the chests over the side of the living area. "Auntie Satine, Aunt Bo-Katan. I was worried when I hadn't heard from you in a few days." he hugged Satine.
"We just had the fight of our lives and just spent a day in a bacta tank, kid." Bo's voice was a bit sharp.
"So what do we do now?" Korkie asked.
"First, I think we need a drink," Satine said. Bo seconded that notion, "then we need to have a family discussion. After that, we'll see."
"I'll go get us something to drink," Korkie walked away to do that.
"Make it something strong, ale, not wine," Bo called after him. Both sisters sat on opposing couches facing each other, silent for the moment until Korkie came back with three mugs of Kri'gree, a potent, bitter tasting ale, brewed by the Mandalorian people. Bo took a sip and was grateful for the bitter taste of it. "I half expected it to be Black Ale, but this is better." Korkie sat on the same couch as Satine.
"From now on, we do things as a family," Satine said.
"I agree, I'll follow your lead, as you are better suited to lead things than me." Bo took another sip of her drink.
"So, what's the plan?" Korkie asked.
"You want to tell him?" Bo had a smirk on her face. She had won the argument of ideals with Satine, and wanted to see how their nephew, who shared Satine's pacifistic ideals reacted to Satine's change.
"Return to the palace, end the new civil war, and revive Mandalore's warrior ways," Satine said.
Korkie was shocked, to hear his aunt that for so long spoke of peace want to revive the very culture that brought destruction to their homeworld was a surreal thing. "Auntie Satine, are you sure?"
"Recent events have lead me to realize that I was wrong to deny the thing that that makes our people who we are. However, I will be making changes to the old ways to blend both the old ways and philosophies of the New Mandalorians. We will go to war, to ensure peace comes to the galaxy. We will defend those that cannot defend themselves. We will be peacekeepers, Diplomacy will come first, then war. Another thing, both of you, Mandalore's reborn armies will ally with the Republic, not against it." Korkie was relieved with that. Bo had her reservations, but understood why.
"I know there will be those in remnants of Death Watch that will have a problem with that, but we will make them see reason. Right, sister?" Satine leveled the question with Bo-Katan.
"Yes, as long as they get their war, they will be content." Bo sighed. She knew how the members of Death Watch were going to take it, even if she named her loyalists as the reborn True Mandalorians.
"I want you to be my minister of war," Satine named Bo.
"I accept, considering you know barely know anything about conducting war," Bo raise her mug in salute, feeling a bit tipsy already.
"When all is said and done, Korkie, you will need to train to be a warrior," Satine said.
"I understand, Aunt Satine, I will be ready," Korkie told her.
Bo finished her mug, "Well, I am going to go to bed, before I say something I shouldn't." Bo headed to her old room and crashed into her bunk.
"I am going to bed too. Good night, Auntie Satine," Korkie headed to bed too.
Satine was left to think about the path forward. Peace and War, was all she could think about. Finishing her drink, Satine headed to her room too, and went to sleep.
There you have it, everyone. I know it was a bit short, but that is all I had in mind. So, the Clan Kryze is back together, and Satine is planning to revive the warrior ways of her people, tempered by her ideals of peace.
Next time, it will be the return trip to Coruscant for the Jedi and their Sith prisoners and some things will be revealed. Stay tuned.
The Emperor is out. Peace.