Chapter 23

Imperial Supercommandos

SPACE

Rebel Corvette

Aboard the bridge, of one of the rebellions blue and white corvettes, aboard the bridge Ahkilleon was typing in transmission codes, "How long is this going to take?" Zeb asked him as Ahkilleon kept working "Considering how Chopper's last transmission led the Empire to Agamar, I think you'd all like it if our next transmission wasn't intercepted." Ahkilleon said as he stepped back.

"There, it's done." Ahkilleon said the bridge had all rebel personnel except for Sabine and Chopper there, in addition Ahkilleon and Turok were there as the Militia representatives. A hologram started to take shape and the image of the blue clad Militia Admiral Trench. Hera tensed up seeing him and Sato shared his distaste for the cybernetic Harch.

The Admiral clicked otu his mandibles "Greetings my rebel friends click-click-click, and to you Captain Tano click-click-click, keeping well I hope?" he clicked out.

Hera looked over to Zeb, "Go get Sabine and our 'Guest'." Hera told him.

"On it." Zeb said walking out.

Ahkilleon smiled at the old mans harry face and red eyes, "I am well Admiral, thank you. I give you Commander Sato leader of Phoenix Squadron." Ahkilleon gesturing to the human, Jun stepped forward standing up straight in his orange uniform with his commander pauldrons on.

"Admiral Trench." Sato greeted back.

"Commander, click-click your squadrons assistance. These past rotations have been most click-click-click beneficial to the Militia cause." Trench said, nodding his head in respect.

Jun didn't share the feeling of respect, "This alliance is one of necessity Admiral, we can drop any formalities."

"If you wish click-click-click." Trench said "My dear Captain Tano has told us that you have lost contact with the so-called click-click-click Protectors of Concord Dawn, click-click-click."

Trench continued, "The route through that system click-click-click is important to the Militia as well click-click-click, do yo suspect a trap?" Trench asked them.

"Rebel leadership does, but we will handle it." Sato said.

Admiral Trench stroked his organic mandible his ands bristling over the white and gray hair, "If the Protectors click-click-click are indeed planning treachery click-click-click, we will assist in eradicating click-click-click the threat."

"Your assistance is not required, Admiral and we didn't ask." Hera said to him hands on her hips.

Trench chuckled "Hmhm click-click-click, my apologies it was more of a click-click-click friendly warning really."

"What does he mean?" Hera asked Ahkilleon and Turok.

Turok answered "Perhaps now is not the best time Admiral?"

"Agreed, click-click-click, keep me apprised of the situation and my boy click-click." he turned to Ahkilleon "Do come home some time click-click-click, I miss our holo chess matches click-click-click."

Zeb returned and the transmission ended with Sabine and the rebel guest a ceratin Mandalorian prisoner named Fenn Rau, red haired with strong features blue eyes wearing a grey prisoner suit with his hand scuffed. Trench

"We've lost communications with the Mandalorian base on Concord Dawn." Hera told the two mandos, and Sato added "Rebel leaders are concerned your Protectors are setting a trap for us."

Fenn scoffed at the mere thought of it "Impossible. My men are loyal to my word. Your safe passage through our system is secure."

"Yeah sure that is until someone else offers a better deal." Turok said folding his arms over his chest.

Fenn Rau looked at him, "Glassy eye, one cyberntic limb, wrinkly scales you must be the so called 'Immortal Dragon' Turok Skell?"

"Guilty." Turok replied.

"Shall we test that name lizard?" Rau growled at him, Turok bared his fangs in a toothy grin smiling, "Enough." Ahkilleon told the two of them.

Rau didn't concede but he did ignore Turok "If you've lost communication, something's happened."

"I'll go check it out." Sabine said "I should go with you, they're my men. I can talk to them." Rau said turning to Sabine.

Zeb scratched the back of his furry head "Wait. Isn't he our prisoner?"

"More like a cranky guest." Kanan explained after all he and Sabine, with Ahkilleon had captured him.

Hera thought it over "He can go, but he stays in binders, take Ezra and Chopper. Do a recon sweep of their base, then come right back, you are not to land or engage." Hera said "And try not to wreck the Phantom II, we just got that thing."

"Understood." Ezra said in confirmation, Ahkilleon drummed his fingers on the table "Commander Syndulla, I should go too, Admiral Trench trusts me if I give him word that Protectors are not a threat he'll believe it."

Rau cocked a brow looking Ahkilleon over noting how his armor was different from the rebels. Hera thought it over, Kanan gave her a reassuring nod not for the mission sake, but for another deeper connection "Alright, but Sabine is in charge of this mission."

"Understood." Ahkilleon said.

Later the rebels, Ahkilleon and Rau were piled into the Phantom II, Sabine had given the sheathipede a new paint job a stark pale coat that matched the Ghost blue orange accents to note them as phoenix squadron with a bright orange sun with a bird flying through it on it's upper fin. "I like the new paint job." Ahkilleon said in the copilot seat.

Behind them Ezra was trying not to stare at Fenn Rau who was looking straight at him. Up in the cockpit Sabine kept flying through hyperspace. "Well it's better than all your Militia's blue and gray, what are you guys going to the office?" She asked.

"So, you joined this so-called Militia I've heard about?" Rau asked him.

Ahkilleon glanced back but didn't indulge the old pilot, "You and her have more in common then you realize."

"He always talk this much?" Ahkilleon asked.

"On good days." Sabine said as they flew out of hyperspace to Concord Dawn, the shattered world made Ezra get out of his seat looking at it in awe, "What happened?"

"The Mandalorians have endured wars since before the formation of the Republic. Just as we'll endure the Empire and your Rebellion." Rau said as Ezra got up and walked forward.

"Too bad our people can't stop fighting each other." Sabine said as Ezra came up between the two seats "I don't get the whole Mandalorian thing-" "Ezra, watch him!

"What?" Ezra spun around and saw Fenn holding his blaster and shot him with the stun setting Ezra went out cold and then Fau shot Sabine, before Ahkilleon launched out of his seat tackling Fenn Rau off his feet and into the ships wall. Rau raised the blaster and shot Ahkilleon in the chest but all that got him was Ahkilleon smashing his forehead into Raus.

He threw Rau across the room and in the chaos Rau had managed to snag the keycard off of Ezra's belt and undo his binders, "That was a stun blast at full charge, how?"

"Let's just say I've built something of an immunity." Ahkilleon said, raising a finger at him "Now put those binders back on."

Rau got to his feet "Make me yourself, or are you going to use your Jedi magic on me, sorcerer?"

Ahkilleon looked at Rau, he had no weapon, no armor and Ahkilleon had both of those and more, he had the force, but he also had pride. Smiling, Ahkilleon unclipped his lightsabers and dropped them he unclipped his bracers and took off his armor letting them clatter to the floor. Rau smiled back teeth gritted, he rolled his neck popping the stiff joints "Don't think being locked up in a cell will make me any weak-" Ahkilleon came at him with a punch so fast Rau barely had time to dodge it.

Rau came at him with a right hook and Ahkilleon took the blow before he hit Rau in the gut, he then grabbed him by his jumpsuit and through him into the wall. Rau recovered and blocked the next couple punches. Then burst off the wall with a knee into Ahkilleon's chest, he caught Rau and they tumbled to the ground. Shaking the whole ship as they wrestled. All while Chopper whirled and screeched for the violence to continue laughing at the puny humans fighting for its entertainment. "You could have at least shot the droid first?" Ahkilleon asked as Rau had him in a headlock.

"After I pop your head like a grape I will-"

BLAM

They heard a loud blaster shot and looked to see Sabine waking up rubbing her head her blaster in her hand, "That… is enough testosterone for today…" Sabine growled pointing the blaster at both of them.

Rau held his hands up and Ahkilleon got to his feet "I could have taken-" "No, shut up." Sabine snapped at Ahkilleon. "And Rau, really?" she asked.

"I need to know what happened to my men, and you've kept me prisoner for so long. What was I supposed to do, or did you forget something about loyalty?"

"Hmmm who's royalty?" Ezra asked as he sat up.

Sabine looked at Rau and saw the determination in his eyes "Hera told us to recon, not to land, but if it means that much to you Rau?" Sabine holstered her blaster and Ezra looked at her wide eyed "What after he attacked us?" Ezra asked.

"Ezra, it's my decision, I'll take responsibility." she said as she headed to her seat she looked back at Rau, who got up and walked past Ezra and Ahkilleon "We'll finish our discussion after this, takisir." The last word was in Mandalorian.

Ahkilleon picked up his armor and fitted it back on "Ni'll shukur gar troan, projor ca'nara." he replied in Mando'a.

Rau snickered "Careful, I may start to like you."

The Phantom II flew down to Concord Dawn's third moon the same one Kanan, Sabine and Ahkilleon had captured Rau off off, they flew over the canyons and rivers of the moon and saw smoke rising from the camp, "No" Rau whispered as they found the Protectors of Concord Dawn were gone, their camp was a heaping pile of ruined buildings and destroyed starships.

"Your men weren't laying a trap, they were ambushed." Sabine said.

They flew down closer and landed the ship, Rau got up first and ran out before he stopped standing up straight and shutting his eyes "The Empire?" Ezra asked.

"Not the Empire, other Mandalorians." Rau growled. "Precision detonations, laser strikes from above. Definitely a surprise attack by another clan."

"I don't get it." Ezra asked them "Why would Mandalorians attack Mandalorians?

Sabine looked over at him as she hid her disgrace under her helmet "It's complicated." she said as they followed Rau into the ruins, "Not really." Ahkilleon muttered.

"Oh yeah I forgot, history nerd here?" Ezra said looking at Ahkilleon "Maybe if you studied history as much as coming up with fake names, you'd know that Mandolorians and Jedi-" "Stop it both of you." Sabine snapped at them, "They may not have been rebels but these were my people too." She said as Rau walked over to a blood stained helmet of a protector, he knelt down and picked it up.

Sabine came up to his somberly helmet off and said "Look, Rau-" "This is all your fault! If I'd been here instead of locked away by you and your rebels, I could have prevented this." Rau yelled at Sabine storming to her rage in his blue eyes when Ahkilleon got between them like a tiger his own green eyes dark. Rau locked with them the fight between them still fresh in their blood but this time Ahkilleon had his hands on his lightsabers ready to not hold back.

"We didn't mean for this to happen, you know that." Sabine said as she gestured to the destruction and death "They were my people, too."

Rau stepped away "Don't talk to me about your people, what do you know of loyalty?" he said, Sabine pushed past the safety of Ahkilleon to follow Rau.

"I am not your enemy, Rau." Sabine said "None of this makes any sense."Which of the clans has the power to do this? Who would want to? The Protectors are loyal to the throne, they recruit the best warriors from within all the clans." Sabine said as Ezra got a signal from chopper.

He looked into the distance and spotted something with a blinking red light "Chopper's picking up a signal from over there." A probe droid of some kind rising to send a signal, the rebels held out their blasters "It's Imperial. It's trying to transmit." the droid wobbled around in the air as it blasted at them.

Ezra and Ahkilleon reached out with the force to grab it "Got it. I got it!" Sabine said shooting it full of yellow laser holes.

"Think it got a signal out?" Ezra said "Well, we're either fine, or a few Star Destroyers are on their way. You wanna wait and see?"

Ezra nodded in agreement quickly heading to the ship "Good point. We're leaving."

Rau stormed off and Sabine called to him with Ahkilleon still holding his saber hilts on his chest ""We have to go."

"I have no intention of leaving, and certainly not with you." he said snickering at the idea of it "The Empire could be on their way right now, I've dealt with them before, and I'll deal with them again. But now, of course, I have the location of your rebel base as a bargaining chip. It's no less than you deserve after causing all this." Rau said, turning to walk again, Sabine drew her blaster and pointed it right at his back "I can't let you do that."

Ahkilleon didn't say a word but Ezra quickly objected "Sabine, wait."

"Last chance, Rau." Sabine said, "Whats that in the distance?" Ahkilleon asked pointing out to to see seven dots heading toward them and growing fast.

"The Empire? Already?" Sabine asked.

Ezra looked out at them too "What are those, flying stormtroopers?"

"Worse. They're traitors,Mandalorians who serve the Empire." Rau said behind them.

Sabine turned them "Guys, run." she said everyone fled around the burned buildings as they heard the imperial mando's land, behind them they could hear one of the traitors order his men to "Spread out." they hid behind some cover Ezra darting behind some crates while the rest of them fled the opposite way. Footsteps echoed from where they'd been and the same voice said "Stay alert. They're around here somewhere."

Peeking out of cover they were wearing different armor from stormtroopers, garbed in white bodygloves with armor over their torsos and shoulders, a set of bracers with thigh guards and boots all white, except for their leader wearing a striking red helmet and chest piece. Their helmets had black visors with a line running down the center resembling the classic mandalorian T shaped visor. They were about to come up on Sabine, Rau and Ahkilleon when Ezra popped out of cover shooting at the leader and missing "Get him." the leader barked at his white armored men.

"Come on." Sabine said as the men chased Ezra into the ruins of Rau's base, "No." Rau told her "His sacrifice saved us. Don't waste it."

Sabine looked to Ahkilleon who shrugged "We don't know how many of them there are, if this is the full force our just a scouting party?"

"We have to help him." Sabine argued, "Think, Sabine, our only advantage is that they don't know about you yet."

Sabine growled out "You still have his lightsaber."

"That might just save his life." Rau told her "Come, I know a place where we'll be safe and where we can watch them." they said as they saw Ezra being taken away by the Imperial mandalorians.

After they were far from the base climbing the ridge line Ahkilleon asked "So who are these Mandalorians?"

"They call themselves the Imperial Supercommandos." Rau told him.

He rolled his eyes "That's not pretentious at all."

"Well from what I heard Imperial special forces was taken." Rau said as they came up to a cliffside to lookout at the whole base. They saw Ezra being pushed into one of the few buildings left standing followed by Chopper being escorted by one of the supercommandos.

"We're going back." Sabine said to the two of them "For Bridger? Pawns are meant to be sacrificed." Rau told her.

"Okay. One, he's not a pawn. Two, Ezra can take care of himself." "But the Phantom has our base coordinates on board, we cannot let the Empire get their hands on that.

"You think I actually care about him or your rebels? To think the Protectors fell to these traitors." Rau said as he looked at them with his own helmet, the same one with the blood stain on them.

Sabine looked through her scope "The leader... He looked familiar?"

"He should. He's Clan Vizsla, like you." "His name is Gar Saxon. He wanted to be our ruler, but he had no honor." Rau said.

"That's why the Empire put him in charge." Sabine said before he told her "You think you're any better than him? Everything that's happened here is because of you rebels."

Ahkilleon shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Got something to say boy?"

"Only if you call me boy one more time will I finish what you started back on the ship?" Ahkilleon said toward him.

Sabine groaned "Okay, look, you two may not like it, but right now, we need each other. Help me get the ship, get Ezra, and then we'll all get out of here together. Deal?" She asked them.

Rau grumbled "You want to get yourself killed

trying to rescue your friend? Be my guest, all I care about is making Saxon and his traitors pay." he said as he also saw reason "But now is not the time for that.

"Well, I'm not after revenge, just my friends." she said as she looked at their numbers "I count five escorting the base, that makes six including Saxon." she said as she started to think of a plan "We need to find a way to get Ezra out, a distraction." she said looking at the two men behind her.

Rau rolled his eyes "You could walk in like you own the place like last time?" Rau suggested.

"Hmmm." she thought "You're not seriously considering doing that, they'll gun you down for what you did."

"Not me." She looked at Ahkilleon "Me?" he asked.

"You're a angsty teenager with anger issues and two lightsabers, how are you not a distraction?" Sabine asked him, Ahkilleon opened his mouth to object but nothing came out, "Roger, roger I'll give the Sabine touch." he said as he moved down into the base. Rau and Sabine watched Ahkilleon sneak back into the base before he made his way to a nearby fuel tanker, he unscrewed the tank cap and let it pour out when the pool was large enough Ahkilleon looked up at Sabine and gave a wink before he ignited his lightsaber to spark the fuel.

It sparked and lit up into the stream of fuel into the tank exploding, the Supercommando's came running to the explosion, the other mandos slid down the cliff and into the base, Rau switched his frequency to find the sources "Hmm friends of yours?" Gar's voice came out

"What, no I'm here alone?" Ezra said.

"I believe you've run out of lies-" Gar said and Rau turned to Sabine "Set frequency to 337."

Back at the explosion, Ahkilleon was waiting for the Suppercommando's to come find him, five of them came up in their white armor and saw him, he took out his other saber and held them up arms wide "Who dies first?" he asked.

"Sir we have another jedi?" one of the supercommando's reported, "Good a volunteer." Ahkilleon said rushing the Mandalorians, they opened fire and he deflected their shots. One of them got close and Ahkilleon slammed his lightsaber into his chest piece, knocking him to the ground like he'd been hit with a sledgehammer.

He took another stance, "That armor may protect you from energy weapons, but let's see how that holds up to blunt force trauma?"

Back in his interrogation with Ezra "You don't say, you know, I planned to strike this base and destroy these defiant Protectors for some time, missing Fenn Rau was disappointing." he said as Ahkilleon deflected the incoming blaster fire, another Mandalorain attacked him from behind and he braced himself for the lightsaber strike blocking with his two gauntlets, Ahkilleon noticed the gap in his armor and swung his legs out knocking the Mandalorian off the ground and in the air he sliced down through his exposed lower torso cutting him in half.

"But his absence did make the destruction of his men easier. I have been waiting for Rau to return. I only allowed rebel ships to move through Concord Dawn to lure him back, but now, I have you." Gar said while Rau and Sabine got into position. "And I think you know exactly where Rau is! And you will take me to him."

Rau stopped as they got closer to the building, the sound of fighting echoing in the distance "He was going to kill us anyway." Rau grumbled.

"Rau, I'm sorry." Sabine said.

"Had you and your Jedi not captured me, I'd be dead alongside my men, executed by the Empire."

"A truce, then, for now?" Sabine asked him.

Rau nodded "You get your friend, I'll secure our ship."

They split up, Sabine snuck up to the last supercommando who was guarding the door and knocked him out with a stun shot behind the head, she caught him before he could hit the ground making a noise. She laid him out and turned him over taking off his jetpack "Been wanting one of these."

She got ready to go in and heard Gar interrogating Ezra "

"Where is he?" Gar barked " don't know?" Ezra snapped.

Sabine took out two smoke bombs and rolled them inside before they exploded, filling the room with smoke, blinding Gar and Ezra "I can't see - Where's my helmet?" Gar barked.

"Get up! Come on!" Sabine snapped, appearing in front of Ezra pulling him out of the room "What took you so long?" Ezra asked, dragging him out of the room.

"I was using strategy. It takes longer." Sabine told him as they ran out, shey heard the explosions from behind the rubble of the base before Ahkilleon leapt out from behind a wall to join them, "This makes us even for when we first met." Ahkilleon told Ezra and Sabine.

"Rau should already be in the ship." Sabine told them. Ezra saw the Phantom taking off but not heading for them but open sky "He's in the ship, all right." he said as Sabine gave him back his lightsaber, they saw the Phantom II flying higher and higher, shrinking in the distance.

"How's strategy working out for us now?" Ezra asked her, to which Sabine replied "Not so great."

They heard a shout from behind "Sabine Wren." Gar and his men came up from behind surrounding them, some of them had scorch marks on their armor courtesy of Ahkilleon "I don't know you." Sabine said.

"Well, I know you and all about how you've joined the Phoenix Squadron. I also know that your mother is looking for you." Gar said his helmet on.

"Don't believe him." Ezra told her "Sabine never told you about her family? Well. She lies as well as you, boy. Her own mother stands with me and the Empire now." Gar said to the three of them, he then noticed Ahkilleon lightsabers drawn "Unlike when she stood with jedi?"

"I doubt you gave her much choice, traitor." Sabine said back with digsut in her voice "She came around herself after you abandoned the Imperial Academy. Your cowardice shamed your family's name and standing. Had you honored your commitment, you could be wearing this armor now." Gar growled at her.

Sabine shrugged pistols aimed at him "Sorry, Saxon. I like a little more color."

"You think yourself a loyalist? The Empire will make Mandalore stronger than ever before. You should see the glory I've won in waging war against this Militia rabble." he said confident.

"The only one who's gotten stronger under the Empire is you." Sabine hissed.

Rau lowered his blaster replying "Out of respect for your family, I'll give you a choice. Give me Fenn Rau and swear allegiance, or you and your friend die."

Sabine thought it over, they were out numbered and surrounded "I yield." "Sabine, don't." Ezra snapped "We have no choice." She said as she placed her helmet on Chopper and whispered "On my mark, send feedback to frequency 337." then she got on her knees, Ezra did the same and then they looked at Ahkilleon who was still standing, "On your knees Jedi."

Ahkilleon clenched his fists tight, remembering the words of his Master to never kneel again, "No."

"Pride, not an unusual quality for a Jedi." Gar said under his helmet, Ahkilleon eyed him and the other Mandalorains who all had their carbines aimed at him, they were modified with scopes and butt stocks with extended barrels, unlike the blasters Sabine had.

Still he refused to kneel "Vanity, a usual quality for a Hut'uun."

"You dare mock me in my people's own tongue." Gar growled pointing his blaster at Ahkilleon. "Either you get on your knees right now, or I execute you all."

Ahkilleon smirked "You're as dumb as your armor looks if you think you can kill us?" "Chopper, now!" Sabine snapped and Choppers radio dish blasted out a high pitch at the same frequency as the one all the Mandalorians were on making their ears ring as Sabine stood up she grabbed both boys hands and took off with her jetpack "Hang on!"

They blasted off the ground and Chopper launched himself too, flying off into the distance with Gar shouting "I want those rebels alive!"

Sabine flew them into the narrow winding canyons of Concord Dawn's third moon, Ezra and Ahkilleon holding onto her arms "So what's your strategy for this?"

"Trying…. Not…. you…. Two." she groaned as the weight of both boys were making her loose her grip but she held on with all the might her muscles could spare her, Ahkilleon saw Chopper flying next to them and he swung over letting go of Sabine's arm and landing on the droid straddling.

Chopper let out a series of protestful beeps "Well today you are a speeder bike." he snapped at the droid.

"They must have a ship nearby, Chopper, find it." Sabine said as she used both hands to hold onto Ezra "Make it quick, Chop, her evil cousins are coming." Ezra said as he spotted Gar and five of his Mandalorians flying after them and gaining quick, "They're flying faster than us."

They flew through the canyon dodging blaster fire and thermal detonators that tore apart the rock, "How about a little help?" Sabine asked Ezra who drew his lightsaber, Ahkilleon rode reverse on Chopper taking out both of his lightsabers the two of them deflected the supercommando's fire, Sabine started to lose altitude making Ezra cry out "Too low, too low!" As he skidded across the river that carved the canyon.

Sabine flung two of her own explosives back into a narrow pass hitting the rocks making them explode, stopping Gar and his men from following. "Nice work back there." Ezra said when suddenly two of Gar's lackeys appeared she shot at Sabine hitting her armor making her lose her grip on Ezra. Sabine flung around with her blasters shooting the two Mando's hitting one under the neck and the others jetpack making them both go down

"Sabine!" the padawan yelled out as he fell to the bottom of the canyon, Ahkilleon reached his hand out with the force and pulled Ezra up to him grabbing his arm and hoisting him up onto Chopper.

"What?" Ezra asked.

"Don't get moppy on me." Ahkilleo snapped..

Sabine flew alongside them "Tell me we're close, Chopper?"

Chopper replied and they soon flew out of the canyon to see a corsair-class imperial starship landed on a small plateau "It's just up ahead." they were almost to it when Gar Saxon and the rest of his three men appeared they opened fire on the rebels Chopper's thruster was hit and the two jedi crashed onto the plateau followed by Sabine landing beside them, as they landed. The Supercommando's hit the dirt running and shooting while Gar ordered "Finish the jedi. Wren is mine." Gar shouted.

"Sword and shield!" Ezra shouted.

"What?" Sabine asked.

"We block, you shoot." Ahkilleon told her.

Two of the supercommando's took to the air, Gar and one more of his men stayed on the ground surrounding the rebels, Sabine was in between both boys who protected her with their lightsabers. Blaster bolts flew in and around them as they deflected them "This isn't getting us anywhere." Sabine said before she saw Gar, "Break off!" Ezra said before they did, Ezra attacked the one Mandalorian on the ground, Ahkilleon slammed the other two down with the force, and Sabine charged Gar Saxon engaging him in hand to hand combat.

Ezra cut the first mandalorians blaster in half and tried to swing his lightsaber at him, but the Mando used his jetpack to vault over him, Ezra sliced his lightsaber up and cut the supercommando's pack sending him flying into the gorge below.

Ahkilleon engaged the two commandos, their armor let his lightsabers bounce off him as they kicked and punched at him, Ahkillen countered like he was fighting two beskar golems. One of them took out a blaster shooting at him, Ahkilleon dodged it but the other kicked him in the chest near the very edge of the plateau when two cannon blasts blasted the mandalorians off their feet and to the ground "Gar Saxon!" The Phantom II flew down from the clouds with Rau in the pilot seat. "Those kids are under my protection."

"Rau!" Gar shouted.

"Go. I'm right behind you." Sabine said tackling Gar to the ground and pummeling with her fists, "You heard the lady." Ahkilleon said grabbing Ezra they ran to the Phantom II and jumped on.

Sabine rolled off of Gar and ran for the ship as it started to take off, Gar jumped to his feet and held up his arm a grappling hook it flew around Sabine like a lasso the wire pressing into her armor. Gar pulled her back "You're not going anywhere, traitor- I'll hand you over to the Empire." He said as Sabine felt the wire go taught around her, she reached for her pistol still holstered and shot through the leather hitting Gar in the breastplate, then shooting his wrist mounted launcher breaking the cable. She untangled herself and leapt into the air turning on her jetpack to fly to the Phantom. Both Ezra and Ahkilleon were there to wave her on, but Gar had recovered, aiming his blaster at Sabine he shot her in the back of her jetpack making her almost fall before both boys caught her pulling her onto the ship.

"They shot my jetpack!" Sabine said as Rau flew them to safety in the Phantom II, when they broke into orbit, Sabine joined Rau in the cockpit "I really thought you left us?"

"I considered it, then I realized you were willing to die for your people, even though they are not Mandalorian. You haven't forgotten our ways, that has earned my respect." Rau said as he flew them to the hyperspace coordinates.

"Don't take this the wrong way, you guys,but Mandalorians are crazy." Ezra said as Ahkilleon sat down on the back bench laying his head up against the wall.

"Crazy enough to join you." Rau said and Sabine's face lit up "Honestly?"

"If you'll have me." Rau asked, Ezra chuckled "I'd rather have you with us than against us."

Sabine smiled at "Welcome to the… family." She said as she plugged in the hyperspace coordinates, her eyes started to grow heavy, "Are you alright?" Rau asked.

Sabine shook her head "I'm fine… just… tired-" Sabine suddenly fell face forward onto the console, "Sabine!" Ezra shouted before she fell from her seat onto the floor, Sabine began to writhe in pain, eyes wide gasping for air, "Don't touch her!" Rau shouted holding back both Ezra and Ahkilleon.

"What is it, what's happening?" Ahkilleon asked as Rau looked her over with his gloved hands, he then noticed the green spray on her chest piece "Gar you sick bastard." Rau growled as he peeled part of her shoulder pauldron back "Gyaah-" Sabine screamed as he peeled it, both Ezra and Ahkilleon's nose scrunched up they saw the armor had a terrible black rot in it steaming and smoking from the fabric of her body glove that had been melted and her skin red and cracked "She's been poisoned?" Ezra asked.

"Not her, the armor, his cable was coated in it." Rau said as he sat back up "I've only ever heard about this in stories, but Gar has poisoned her armor against her."

Ahkilleon looked at Rau then Sabine "How's that even possible it's beskar armor."

"On Mandalore there is a weed, one we thought extinct, its roots have an acidic compound so strong it can chew through raw beskar, refined like the metal it can do even worse… especially to any warrior whose armor is infected, it's called Beskar Bane." he said somberly "Make your peace with her now."

"We have to help her, do it Chopper get us into hyperspace back to base now." Ezra said getting into the pilot seat, Ahkilleon knelt down next to Sabine and he saw her beautiful tan skin start to grow pale, he could see the veins in her face start to blacken eyes growing hazy and dim with every breath a wheeze. "We need to get her to Corto, he can heal her." Ahkilleon said as he pressed his hand to her forehead feeling her burn up.

Rau sighed "I'm afraid not, if the legends are true not even jedi healing magic can stop this."

"Then how do we save her?" Ezra asked.

"You can't, only the Children of the Watch can." Rau said to them as they made the jump to hyperspace, all while Sabine was dying.

MANDO'A Translations

Takisir - insult

Ni'll shukur gar troan, projor ca'nara - I'll break your face, next time.

Hut'uun - Coward