Chapter Eight: A New Dawn
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Hey everyone,
I hope you are enjoying this tale I am weaving. Last time, a whole bunch of stuff from Barriss, and Sidious got incarcerated in the Temple and we learned about Tarre Vizsla and all that stuff.
This Time, Mandalore again, as we need Satine back in power. Enjoy.
As the sun rose over the capital city of Sundari, two sisters of Clan Kryze watched as it symbolized a new dawn for them. A new dawn for the Duchess being a warrior, and not a staunch pacifist. A new dawn for the Warrior to fight for Peace. Above all, it was a new dawn for them to be sisters again. As light fell on them, it was obvious that both of them had been crying a bit, out of joy that they had each other again, after they were nearly estranged permanently the other day.
Korkie came out onto the balcony with a cup of Caf. "Morning Auntie Satine, Aunt Bo-Katan."
"Morning, kid," Bo-Katan greeted. "You didn't bring us any Caf?"
"I didn't know you were up when I made it, and I don't know how you guys take it," Korkie said.
"Black for me," Bo-Katan said, It was how she had to get used to drinking it while in exile.
"Light for me, Korkie," Satine said. Korkie went and made more Caf for them, and brought it to them.
"Thanks, Korkie," Satine said as he sat down near them.
"So what is the plan?" Korkie asked, with everything that has been going on the past few days, he was a bit lost and needed his Aunts to give him some guidance, considering the former staunch pacifist is taking up her warrior mantle.
"It's time to take the palace back, and make Almec answer for his betrayal," Bo-Katan said, determined to finish this war now.
"Bo, we are supposed to be resting for a few days before we can don our armor again," Satine reminded her of Dr. Zaz's orders.
"I don't expect it to be heavily guarded, but Almec should be there, considering Maul made him Prime Minister again, so he has to be there to keep up appearances." Bo took a sip of her Caf and took out her comlink. Activating it, she called Ursa. "Ursa, report."
"Lady Bo-Katan, it is good to hear your voice. The new civil war is nearly over, the renegades under Saxon have fled for the wastes. We chased them out during the night, and we have set a guard on the entrances to the city, for now. The surrender of Kast and the rest of the Owls coming back to the fold, really turned the tide," Ursa told her.
"Good, where is Axe?" Bo-Katan asked, a bit concerned.
"Overseeing the watch," Ursa answered.
"Alright, I need you to do some recon of the palace, need to know guard patrols, need to know if Almec is in. We are taking it back today," she ordered.
"Milady, do you not need to rest after the battle the other day?" Ursa asked, concerned.
"I can rest when I am dead," she said and then realized the look Satine was giving her. "I will rest later, if all goes well, it should not be heavily guarded."
"Ursa, send word to whoever is overseeing the prisons. I need my Royal Guard, what's left of it. Tell them that I order them to aid you, and to wait for our signal." Satine ordered, with the now reformed True Mandalorians spread out to keep watch over the edges of Sundari, they would need back up.
"On it, Lady Satine. We will be waiting for you and I will relay back once we have performed," Ursa cut the connection.
"Rest when you're dead?" Satine's voice turned hard.
"Force of habit, dear sister," Bo-Katan said, a bit sheepish.
Satine shook her head and sighed, "I need you alive right now, Bo."
"Yes Satine, I know. We can rest when you are the recognized ruler of Mandalore again. All we have to do is take the Palace, and have Almec recant the crime he laid on your head." Bo was fired up now, hoping that Satine would agree to it.
"Alright, against our doctor's orders, we will take the palace back," Satine conceded to Bo.
"On another point," Bo turned to Korkie, "we need to get you fitted for your armor. Sis, do you think Father's armor would fit him if reforged, considering our brother's armor couldn't be salvaged?" Their brother's armor was destroyed during the Mandalorian Civil War, as he fought alongside Jango Fett.
"Probably, it is in storage. The Great Forge is still burning, but hasn't made beskar armor lately," Satine said. She had the forge repurposed to serve the needs of peace.
"Deal with that later, where is the armor?" Bo asked.
Satine stood up and led the other two through the house to their parent's room to a storage cask that she opened to reveal their father's armor, colored in many colors to represent his dedication to his duty to the people, a love of life, a desire to see justice and that he could be relied upon when needed, as well as his Westar-34 blasters. Bo handed the armorweave body glove to Korkie and told him to get this on first, and he left the room to put it on, and came back a few minutes later. "Try it on, Korkie," Satine said. Korkie set his Caf down and began to get the armor on, Bo and Satine had to help him get it on. It fit, not perfectly, but it fit. "Definitely need to get that reforged. Stay behind me and Bo, Korkie. You'll be protected."
"While we wait for Ursa to report, I think it would be wise for Korkie to undergo a bit of training. Particularly with using his Jetpack and the suit's systems," Bo suggested.
"I agree, follow Bo downstairs to the training ground," Satine said.
"Alright, Auntie Satine," Korkie's voice was a bit muffled by the helmet. He followed his other aunt down to the training ground. For the next two hours, Bo trained Korkie in the basics of flight and how to use the built in weapons in the vambraces. The trick was that it could be controlled by the helmet with voice commands, no louder than a whisper.
However, when Ursa called, things shifted real quick. "We have surveyed the palace and have concluded that Almec is there and it is a light guard. Most of which is made up of Mandalorian Guard, very light in the way of actual Super Commandos.
"Then, we take it. Now, muster the Nite Owls and meet me near the main entrance of the Palace. By the end of today, Satine will sit upon her throne again." Bo told her right hand. Ending the call with Ursa, she turned to her sister, "time to suit up." Satine sighed as she was not recovered from the other day, but she did suit up in her pure beskar armor, alongside Bo-Katan.
As they were about ready, Bo did something that neither the other two were expecting. "Hang on a sec, Korkie." The cape bearing the mark of Clan Kryze that hung on Korkie's right shoulder, was taken off by Bo-Katan. She turned to Satine and fastened it to her armor. "You are the head of the Clan, Sister, it is your right to bear this cape on your armor. Also, to show that you are our leader now, considering you and I still need to paint our armor."
"Thanks, Bo," Satine said, not sure how to respond to the fact that she now bore the same cape their father wore. Then, all three Kryzes hopped in Korkie's speeder and headed for the Palace.
Upon reaching the Palace grounds, they met with Ursa and the Nite Owls and the remains of the Royal Guard, now armed with more lethal weapons, as everyone in the palace had committed treason against Duchess Satine, to plan their assault.
"Based on our recon, we should be able to walk right in the front door, meeting light resistance here and here," Ursa informed them, as they looked at a holomap of the palace. Almec should be in the Throne Room."
"Alright, lock and load. We end this today," Bo-Katan ordered, as she put her helmet on.
"Stay behind me, Korkie," Satine said as she put her helmet on and drew her blasters. The assault on the Palace began, as those loyal to Clan Kryze carved a path through the light defenders toward the throne room. Satine herself only provided suppressing fire for the others. They fought their way into the throne room. Bursting their way into the throne room, they found Almec there, with a light amount of guard that easily got gunned down by Nite Owls, and Royal Guard. The Kryze family not needing to fire a single shot in the room.
Almec was garbed in his own family's armor, with a dark green color to it, symbolizing a devotion to duty. Duty to whom, though, was the question. He drew his blaster on them, but it was yanked out of his hands, by Ursa's whipcord. Several other Nite Owls used their Whipcords to tie him up, as Satine wanted him alive.
"It's over, Almec," one of the two Mandos clad in silver said. He recognized the voice as that of Bo-Katan Kryze, from when Maul took power and Bo cried that no outsider would ever rule Mandalore. "Satine will rule Mandalore once more. Darth Maul is gone, Death Watch is no more, the Super Commandos have either been killed, surrendered, or fled for the wastes. You have lost!"
"The Duchess Satine, in the eyes of the people, is a murderer. They will never follow her now," Almec smugly said. Lord Maul had him put the blame for Vizsla's death on Satine's head.
Bo grabbed Almec by the chest plate, now angry on behalf of both her sister and the man she once admired. "Which is why you will take back the lie you laid on my sister's head, you shamed both people I cared about with that statement." She flicked her helmet toward the other sliver suited warrior. Only then did Almec piece it together that it was the Duchess under that armor.
"I wonder, Satine. How do you think the people will take it that you are hypocritical to every ideal you hold dear, by wearing that armor and shooting your way in here," He taunted her.
"They already are willing to embrace the return of our warrior heritage, thanks to Vizsla. I will merely pick up on where he left off, in my own way," She answered him, part of her hated to admit that she was taking over from Vizsla, but it was true. Just she now has a chance to change things.
"Now, you are going to call a press conference and tell our people the truth about what happened to Pre Vizsla and your hand in it." Bo shoved a blaster into his ribs.
"Alright, I'll do it," Almec agreed, as not to get shot. Bo's intuition on the man was correct. He would do anything to save his own skin.
"Guards, escort Almec to where he needs to go. Keep a close eye on him," Satine ordered. Several of her Royal Guards took Almec by the arms and led him away.
"You didn't need to shove a blaster in his gut, Bo," Satine said to Bo-Katan after Almec was out of the room, a bit disappointed.
"He needed some encouragement. If he knows his neck is on the line, then he will save it, however he can, you know that," Bo countered. Satine rolled her eyes under her helmet, and then ascended to her throne. She took her helmet off as she sat down. Bo and Korkie and several of the Mandos did as well.
"This feels weird," Satine said as she sat on her throne, in regard to the armor she wore. Also to the fact that she just took her palace back by force.
"You'll get used to it. For now though, we need to discuss Almec," Bo-Katan said, already down to the business of solidifying Satine's rule.
"What do you suppose I do?" Satine asked, and she had a few ideas: lock him back up, or try to use him, as he may still have some use to her. However, Bo had a different idea.
"Put him on Trial for crimes against Mandalore, and then execute him," Bo said. Part of her wanted vengeance for the death of Pre Vizsla, despite everything, but the other part was focused on Satine's rule. "If you wish to be the leader of a reborn warrior Mandalore, sister, then you need to set a hard stance on this sort of thing. Otherwise, it will show weakness, and weakness is not something we can afford right now, with the Clone Wars raging." Bo was right, of course. Satine needed to be able to show that she could hold onto power, considering she was deposed recently. Also, if Satine planned for Mandalore to aid the Republic and the Jedi in the War, then they needed to be strong.
However, the idea of executing Almec was not sitting quite right with Satine for multiple reasons. For many years, he had served her well as the Prime Minister of Mandalore. While being justifiable if she sentences him for his crimes, her pacifist ideals that she held dear for so long were telling her this was wrong. "I assume you want me to be the one to kill him?"
"You need to be able to kill, as a Mandalorian Warrior, Satine. Even though, when we intervene in the Clone Wars, we'll be fighting droids, for the most part, there still are the native sector armies to deal with. He has done enough to warrant it," Bo said.
"While I do agree that he has done enough to deserve death, I don't know if I can do it, though." Satine said.
"The one who passes judgment, should be the one to pull the trigger," one of the former Death Watch Members said. It was an ancient Mandalorian proverb about justice and honor.
"True," Satine thought for a minute. She did want to put Almec on trial for what he did, but as for killing him, is something she had to decide quickly.
One hour later
A great crowd of people had gathered outside the palace when the Prime Minister had called for an emergency press conference. There was a great murmur about the crowd, as some had heard the shots in the palace. Almec stood at the podium, Bo and Satine stood with helmets on, as Satine knew she had to be tactical about what she said and did here. Mandos and the Royal Guard stood near, hands on their weapons.
"Silence, please, silence," Almec said, the audio enhancement on the podium allowed his voice to be heard across the crowd. "I come before you all, to confess a lie. What I told you the other day is untrue. Duchess Satine did not murder Pre Vizsla, and he did not reinstate me with his last command. Pre Vizsla was killed in single combat, by the leader of the criminals that attacked us, a Sith Lord by the name of Darth Maul killed Vizsla, and he reinstated me as a puppet to rule in his stead." There was a great murmur among the crowd. "Duchess Satine was wrongfully overthrown in a coup that was perpetrated by the Death Watch to make themselves heroes of the people, by working with these criminals."
Bo-Katan stepped forward, and removed her helmet, pushing Almec out of the way. "It is true, what Almec says. Death Watch allied with these criminals to justify our takeover of the planet to restore our culture: The Warrior Ways of Mandalore. I will tell you this, good people, Death Watch is no more. The True Mandalorians of Jaster Mereel are now reborn!" There were cheers from the crowd. More than Bo was expecting, actually. Jaster was looked on favorably as Manda'lor, partially thanks to their father, Adonai Kryze being a True Mandalorian and a good leader of the people. "When Maul took over, I took my loyalists and we broke off. Alongside the Jedi, me and my loyalists defeated Maul to restore planetary rule to the true citizens of Mandalore. To restore the rightful ruler to the throne." She made her segway to introduce Satine. "Here now, is the rightful ruler of Mandalore, who has gotten in touch with her own heritage, my sister, Duchess Satine Kryze." Bo stepped aside to allow Satine to walk forward. There was gasps and shock among the crowd to see her in full armor.
Satine took her helmet off to show her face to the crowd. "My people, for a long time, I tried to give you peace, and I succeeded, but recents events have changed my perception of things. For the longest time, I believed that even extremists could be reasoned with, but I know better now. If we were warriors of old, this whole deal with Death Watch would never have happened. I now realize that the will of the people is to rebuild our ways, and I will allow it, and I will lead it. Mandalore will rise again." There were cheers from the crowd. "I know now what we must do. Mandalore's reborn armies will aid the Republic in the War. We will also be peacekeepers, sent to ensure peace comes to a troubled world and fighting if necessary. A friend of mine once told me that a peacekeeper belongs on the battlefield so that he may do his job. At the time, I thought he was justifying his party's position in the war, but I now see the truth in it. We will go to war, to defend those that cannot defend themselves." Satine continued her speech about her plans to rebuild Mandalore's military might and rebuild the old ways to serve the new times. As she ended her speech, she said the only thing she thought that could end it, "For Mandalore!"
"For Mandalore," the crowd repeated. Satine smiled a bit as she heard the crowd chanting her name. Something caught her attention, it wasn't just her name being chanted, there was something else. Something in the old tongue: Manda'lor, Manda'lor. The title of Ultimate Warrior-King became cries of support for her. She had a suspicion that it was one of Bo's loyalists that started it. She turned and the party went back into the palace.
As Satine ascended the steps to her throne, with Bo and Korkie standing near her, Almec was forced to his knees before the throne. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Prime Minister Almec, you kneel before the Duchess for your crimes against her and the people. How do you plead?" Bo-Katan started. Almec realized what was going on, he was now on trial.
"Not guilty, my actions were to serve the needs of the people, where there was shortages of foodstuffs due to the ongoing state of galactic affairs, with the Republic not supplying us with as much due to our neutrality."
"Children were sick and dying because you cut corners and made a deal with Moogan smugglers that were diluting tea with Slabin!" Satine accused him.
"They assured me that the dosage would be safe for consumption," Almec tried to defend himself.
"I would like to point out the fact that me and my friends found out about your black market efforts and you tried to have us arrested and silenced," Korkie said.
"Not to mention the shock collar and the death of my bodyguards during that incident. You tried to force me to sign a false confession of treason, to cover for your own treason. Speaking of High Treason, lest we forget your part to play in my near assassination. You allied with a Sith Lord to save your own skin, and watched as he was about to impale me on the Darksaber." As Satine said the name of the weapon, Bo patted it on her hip, making Almec a bit afraid. He could not even try to defend himself against it, because Satine was the victim here, as well as the fact that she was the judge and the jury here.
"It was you who encouraged Maul to challenge Vizsla for the right to lead us, and it was you that benefited greatly from the takeover, being restored to your post as Prime Minister." Bo accused him, her voice going cold in anger.
"Maul was going to do it anyway, I merely advised him of the ancient rules of Mandalore that the Death Watch would be honor bound to serve if he challenged and won the duel," Almec told her. He switched tact, "Do my years of proper service mean nothing?"
"Your service to Mandalore is noted." Satine had heard enough to be reminded of what he had done. "Prime Minister Almec, I judge you guilty and…" she paused, as she knew there would be no going back if she did this. "I sentence you to death for your crimes." There it was, her mind made up. Now she had to follow through, or else be seen as weak, and her work undone, before it has even begun. Satine stood from her throne, and walked down the steps to where Almec was on his knees. She drew one of her blasters from its holster and held it to his head.
"Do it, Satine," Bo said from her side.
Satine closed her eyes, and thought of all the children that had been sick and dying when she had visited the new hospital with Padme. All the dead children she had to console the families of. Never Again. Her warrior blood was boiling now. She opened her eyes and pulled the trigger. The bolt struck its target, dropping him. Satine lowered her arm and stared at the corpse of her former prime minister. She felt like a massive hypocrite to her ideals. Yes, it had to be done, but it was not in a heat of the moment self defense or justifiable like when she helped against the Sith. Almec was just kneeling in front of her and she shot him in mostly cold blood. It was not murder, it was a legal execution, but still it was conflicting for her.
"You did well, sister," Bo-Katan said from her side. "This will send a message that Mandalore will not suffer traitors and it will show that you can do what is necessary, Satine."
"Yeah," Satine said, a little lost in thought. She placed her blaster back in its holster and went and sat on her throne, hand on her chin, thinking about what she just did. Her warrior blood said that it was right, but her pacifist ideals screamed at her.
"First person you ever killed?" One of the armored Mandos asked her.
"First in a while, and first not in self defense. Not since the Great Clan Wars have I killed someone," she answered. She did have to defend herself once during the Great Clan Wars, despite having two Jedi bodyguards. Obi-Wan hadn't remembered that detail on the Coronet when he had asked about her deactivator pistol.
After a moment of thought, she spoke again. "I need to appoint a new council of Ministers,a s I have no idea what happened to those that sided with the Death Watch, and the others are dead. Since you are here now, Bo-Katan, it's time. I officially name you, Bo, as Minister of War and Defense,'' Satine said. Bo bowed her head a bit in acceptance and fealty.
"No offense, Auntie Satine, but wouldn't appointing Aunt Bo-Katan as Minister of War and Defense be considered a form of corruption as it would be nepotism, wouldn't it?" Korkie asked, as he recalled Ahsoka's lessons on corruption at the Royal Academy of Government.
Satine sighed, "Korkie, while I get what you are getting at, what other option do I have? Who else on this planet could I trust to advise me on the makings of war, then her. Yes, it may come with a bit of a familial bias, but consider the fact that we have been estranged for many years, since you were very young."
"I suppose you have a point, Aunt Bo-Katan may be the only choice for now." Korkie had to agree with Satine's logic. They were interrupted by Satine's comlink going off. Ursa had made sure the off planet comms jamming was shut down earlier.
"Hello?" Satine answered, unsure who would be calling her. To her delight, it was a voice she wanted to hear.
"Satine, I am calling to tell you that the Trial for Palpatine is tomorrow, at Midday GST." The voice belonged to Jedi Master Kenobi.
"Good, as for the New Civil War, things are wrapping up," Satine told him.
"That is good to hear Satine. I will stop by before I return to the front," Kenobi said.
"See you soon, Obi-Wan," Satine ended the call. She leaned back in her throne, looking at the ceiling. There would be some hard work to do ahead to rebuild the armies of Mandalore, for both her and Bo-Katan. First thing first, she needed some food and rest before tomorrow and for the first time in many years, the entire Clan Kryze, being the three of them, sat and had a meal together. It was nice to do some normal family stuff together.
There you have it everyone, chapter eight of this tale.
So, yeah, Almec had it coming. Also, Game of Thrones reference there with that one Mando soldier quote, thought that was a fun idea and it works with Mando Culture.
Next TIme, The Trial of the Century! Stay tuned.
The Emperor is Out. Peace.