Chapter Ten:
Madness on Mandalore
The sun blazed over the desolate fields of Mandalore, and gleamed through the openings in the domes that covered Sundari and the other Mandalorian cities. An explosion shook the planet's surface to the core, followed by another, and a Mandalorian fighter barreled through the air with its engines smoking before a TIE Fighter swooped in and blasted the ship into oblivion.
Another Mandalorian starfighter entered the picture, and the pilot fired upon a TIE Bomber, taking it out of the ongoing battle between Imperial and Mandalorian forces for supremacy in the air. On the ground below, armored Mandalorians surged forward as they engaged several Stormtrooper battalions head-on.
Gunships bearing the Imperial insignia landed, and a squadron of Death Troopers emerged with their weapons primed. The elite black-armored soldiers attacked a legion of Mandalorian Nite Owls in the vicinity, firing everything that they had.
For the last four years following Gar Saxon's ousting, the people of Mandalore had risen up against their Imperial occupants, despite the efforts of the handful of supremacists who continued to support the Empire, with Bo-Katan valiantly leading the effort to drive off the Imperials.
And yet, Mandalorian efforts to drive away the Empire weren't so easy.
While the rebels had managed to drive away the Imperial occupation force, they still had more battles ahead as the Empire deployed more troops and ships to subjugate Mandalore back under control.
The most recent Imperial wave had arrived just before news of Endor reached Mandalorian ears, before the Imperials cut off their access to galactic news and communication.
In the Sundari City palace, Bo-Katan Kryze observed a hologram showing the unfolding battle that was happening in the city's east side, just a mile from her location. Mandalorian commandos stood guard, determined to protect their leader at all costs.
The Darksaber, gifted to her by Sabine Wren, was by the orange-haired Mandalorian leader's side and well-polished.
"Ma'am, another Imperial cruiser has just entered our airspace." A soldier reported.
"Shoot it down." Bo-Katan ordered.
Another hologram appeared, showing the newly-arrived cruiser, and Mandalore's leader watched as the cannons opened fire. The cruiser went up in a ball of flames and vanished in an explosion.
More holograms showed Star Destroyers looming over the sites where Mandalorians had taken control from Imperial troops recently. Bo-Katan remained unafraid, confident that the carnage would soon end, and Mandalore would be safe from the hand of the Empire. Even then, more and more Imperials were coming, and each wave was more brutal than the last.
Guards scattered as an explosion shook the palace, and the throne room was briefly illuminated by a blaze of fire from outside the window. A commando flew in, knelt before Bo-Katan and said, "A TIE Fighter made a kamikaze run for the palace!"
"Desperate." Bo-Katan remarked, "Lock down the domes, and wipe out every Imperial that is inside the city."
"Yes, ma'am." A Mandalorian soldier saluted and flew outside to carry out his leader's wish.
"Ma'am?" A guard stepped forward, "We're receiving an incoming transmission."
"Who is it from?" Bo-Katan demanded.
"It's... from someone on Coruscant."
Another holo-image made its appearance in front of Bo-Katan, and she locked eyes with a towering cyborg dressed in all-black with a helmet, a cape, an odd device attached to his torso, and black boots.
"Bo-Katan Kryze." Darth Vader intoned, "I am Emperor Darth Vader, and I have been informed of your persistent resistance against the Empire's will. This is your one chance. Surrender, and you will be shown mercy. Your people will be spared, and I will let you remain in power as Mandalore's leader. Resist, and there will be drastic consequences."
"Mandalore will not be controlled." Bo-Katan told Vader firmly, "Darth Maul thought wrong, and so did the Empire under Palpatine, and the Empire under you thinks the same. We will fight until you leave."
Vader stared coldly at the rebellious Mandalorian from across the galaxy. "Neither of you know who you are talking to." The black-clad Emperor growled, "We will rid the galaxy of your culture, just as we rid the galaxy of the Jedi Knights, who defeated your people centuries ago. You know nothing of what I can do..."
A violent explosion shook Sundari, and Bo-Katan heard screams as she turned to see a chunk of the dome smashing a plaza. She quickly saw turbo-lasers raining down upon the city, and more pieces of Sundari's dome exploded away.
When she turned back to look at the holograms, Bo-Katan's heart sank as she saw the image of a massive Imperial fleet with an even larger Star Destroyer firing upon Mandalore's domed cities. In seconds, she was receiving reports that entire swaths of her forces were being wiped out.
"You brought this upon your people." Vader told her as Bo-Katan faced him again.
"Mandalore will survive." Bo-Katan declared, "We aren't alone. The flame of Rebellion burns strong, and the people of the galaxy will rise against your tyranny..."
Before she could continue, Vader held up his hand, and Bo-Katan felt something squeeze her wind pipe. She gasped and clutched at her throat, wincing and groaning. An explosion shattered the windows of the palace, and laser fire ripped into the heart of Sundari from Vader's fleet above.
She couldn't breathe. And she remembered getting a taste of it from Maul, many years ago. Turbo-laser fire and explosions consumed the palace, and Bo-Katan felt the flames engulf her body as the last of her air left her lungs. The wielder of the Darksaber let out a strangled scream, and everything darkened around her.
And the final words to ever reach her ears were from Vader's hologram before it cut out; "Long live the Empire!"
