Chapter: 67 The Anna-lorian

"One person's loss is another government's collateral damage."

Militant mistrust! Faith in the Republic falters as the Clone Wars lengthen and cause greater casualties. Whispers in the Inner Rim speak of Republic spies venturing to neutral worlds and carrying out the Chancellor's bidding. Anti-Jedi sentiment and rhetoric are reaching all time highs. For a galaxy supposedly being rescued by the Republic, the situation seems further divided. With tensions rising across the stars, Outer Rim worlds like Tatooine appear to be the only wastelands free of such conflict...


Without a proper transport, traveling across Tatooine's harsh landscape was a death sentence in every direction. Between sweltering sands and unforgiving suns, the planet's deserts claimed thousands of lives each year. For weary travelers experiencing the dreadful planet for the first time, it wasn't uncommon to hear the distant call of banthas on the horizon. Such a deep and resonating utterance could grant a sense of solace...if they were banthas...and not something far more sinister.

A colossal, oblong silhouette drifted across the scorching dunes. The ear-splitting hum of a three-chambered repulsorlift engine sent womp rats scurrying into their burrows. A pair of fiery red sails gleamed in the sunlight and propelled the massive craft onward. This hulking sail barge was majestic in its own right as it glided over the Dune Sea. Under the shade of its sails, a crew of Niktos were toiling away to keep the barge operational. A one-eyed crew member spouted off in Huttese and informing the barge's overseer of the latest happenings.

With a dip of its sails and shift of its thrusters, the sail barge descended towards a jagged ravine. It hovered just above the dusty canyons where the bones of fallen animals lay buried in sand. As the barge drifted into a craggy gorge, several silhouettes shifted within its darkened crevasses. The slim, battered tips of cycler rifles slowly emerged from the shadows as their wielders took aim. By the time a Nikto crewman noticed a muzzle flash between the rocks, a dreadful slug had already pierced his chest.

The shot caused the rest of the crew to scatter as a multitude of gunshots rang out across the gorge. Bodies struck the deck as sizzling, metallic slugs launched from high-powered rifles. One of the Niktos tried to make it to the sail barge's deck gun, but he was sniped off of the railing. The overseer ordered his crew to take evasive action as they maximized the barge's thrusters. Invasive projectiles bombarded the craft's thick hull while decimating those on the top deck. The overseer's pink eyes widened as he peered from his command chamber. He flashed a sharp-toothed grimace as one of the assailants shot out a repulsorlift chamber. The engine's container caught fire and the raucous roars of their attackers could be heard amidst the flames. It was a guttural and animalistic sound which those on Tattooine were all too familiar with.

The Tusken Raiders raised their rifles and chanted over the sinking sail barge. They descended from the cliffs like robed insects poised to finish off their prey. With masks to simulate hollow eyes and gaping maws, the Sand People were as unfeeling as they were daunting. They shot at the transport, even as it still skidded into the jagged gorge.

Surviving Niktos scrambled to find their blasters and took up defensive positions. Their leader stayed down and watched with widened eyes as the Tusken Raiders swarmed over. Niktos were a bold species, which made them suitable for the galaxy's most heinous tasks. It also made them most likely to get killed first. As they rose to open fire, they were quickly gunned down by the surging Tusken Raiders. Their ferocious roars echoed throughout the ravine as the overseer hid himself. His long-nailed fingers trembled as he braced for a gruesome demise.

One of the Tusken Raiders sprung up to the downed sail barge. He was about to smash his way in when he heard the painful howls of his brethren. Alarmed, the Tusken's head snapped to the higher cliffs. By the time he and the others had looked over, a brief flash of green had left two of their men dead. The Tusken Raiders paused and looked upon the sizzling corpses of their fallen comrades. Another screech sounded as the light flickered elsewhere. Tuskens fired, trying to shoot the mysterious light. The war party shifted away from the sail barge and focused on hunting such an odd phenomena.

An eerie wind whistled throughout the gorge and the Tuskens bunched together. Cycler rifles shook in their hands while others clung to deadly Gaffi sticks. In that instant, an unseen energy took hold of a single Tusken Raider. He flailed repeatedly, screeching as he was suddenly lifted off of the ground. His fellow Tuskens watched in shock as he was dragged and suspended in front of a cave. Before anyone could reach him, a green beam of plasma pulsed through his chest and sizzled out of his back. While this alone sent some of the Tuskens running, the rest fled when they saw a pair of cyan eyes glowing from within the cave.

As the war party cleared out, the ominous assailant deactivated her lightsaber. The Tusken Raider's body fell at her feet and she descended towards the stranded sail barge. Its overseer flinched and backed away when she dropped down to his level. He held up a hand to protect himself, but she merely took it to help him up.

"Basic?" Jee asked. The helmeted Rodian tilted her head impatiently and clarified. "Galactic Basic...do you speak it?"

The pale-skinned Twi'lek slowly nodded. "Yes," he growled. "Wh-...who are you?"

"Right now?" Jee quipped. "I'm you're only chance of getting home alive. My trick will only spook those Sand People for so long. They'll be back in greater numbers. How many other survivors are there?"

The Twi'lek peered over at his fallen crewmen. "Just me," he grumbled.

"Good," Jee scoffed. "I only have one spare seat anyway."

The sound of Jee's speeder bike whirred throughout the gorge and out onto the dunes. "You look familiar!" the Twi'lek yelled over the howling sands and roaring engine. "You're the Bug, aren't you?"

"What gave it away?" Jee snarked. "How much further to your boss?"

"Just beyond this gully," he directed. Jee accelerated onward and passed the gully until they reached a wide stretch of flatland. She brought the speeder bike to a screeching halt and peered at an illustrious structure. "Why'd you stop?" the Twi'lek asked as the engine idled.

Jee glared at the domed building and slowly turned to him. "Jabba's Palace? You live with Jabba the kriffing Hutt?"

"I am his majordomo," the Twi'lek explained with a nod. "Bib Fortuna."

"Of course you are," Jee muttered under her breath and drove on. As she neared the palace, the familiar stretch of sand leading towards it took her back to a darker time. She recalled standing at an impasse alongside Cad Bane and Aurra Sing. They'd offered her a job for Jabba, which she'd openly refused. Although much time had past, Jee sincerely hoped she wouldn't run into the likes of Aurra Sing. As she glanced back at Bib Fortuna, she wondered if saving Jabba's majordomo would come with any perks.

Upon arriving at the palace gates, a pair of hulking Gamorreans lumbered over. The porcine brutes clutched their axes and snorted until they noticed the majordomo. "She's with me," Fortuna said. He nodded to Jee and beckoned her to enter the palace's ominously dark corridors. Despite the hauntingly grim aesthetics, the palace was remarkably cool in contrast to Tatooine's blazing sands. The heavy silence of its shadowy halls was soon replaced by the upbeat tunes of a jazzy band.

Fortuna led Jee into a crowded and malodorous audience chamber. While an assortment of bizarre individuals could be seen mingling and drinking their lives away, all focus was on Jabba the Hutt. The thickly-scaled, wide-eyed slug gorged himself atop his throne. Another hapless, squirming creature fell victim to Jabba's cavernous maw while his tail quivered with delight. His amber-hued, reptilian eyes widened at the sight of Bib Fortuna. Jee was grateful to have been wearing a helmet. She grimaced as Jabba's slobbery tongue came flailing out with his boisterous jeer. The Hutt flailed his stubby arms as if going off on a tirade.

Jee tried to make out his Huttese, but it was far too guttural to understand. Whatever Jabba was saying, he was certainly upset. Fortuna tried to placate him and cowered several times. Jee's heart sank when the Twi'lek suddenly gestured to her. Jabba's eyes slowly listed towards Jee. Crusty mounds of fragmented gook clumped together as he briefly blinked his eyes. Jabba spoke to her and a maroon-plated protocol droid translated. "Although he is angered over the loss of his barge, the mighty Jabba is grateful for the safe return of his majordomo."

"I was just doing my part," Jee huffed. "Tatooine's a dangerous place."

Jabba smirked as the droid kept translating for him. "Interesting words coming from a bounty hunter."

"Oh I'm not a bounty hunter," Jee intoned. "Not anymore."

"That is a shame," the droid said. "The mighty Jabba could've made you a handsome offer. You've clearly proven yourself skilled enough." Bib Fortuna added his own comment in Huttese and Jabba subtly nodded. The great Hutt offered his input and the droid translated. "His excellency wishes to offer the 'Bug' the role of bodyguard instead. You would be well-compensated to keep high-priority personnel safe."

"I don't kill for money anymore," Jee retorted.

Jabba raised a scaly brow and murmured in his native tongue. "He says that as a bodyguard, anyone you'd kill would've been seeking trouble on their own accord."

Jee glanced at Bib Fortuna as he brandished a toothy grin. She craned her neck towards the droid and nodded. "Tell Jabba that he's got himself a new bodyguard then," she affirmed.


Far on the fringes of the Western Reaches, the winds howled across another desert planet. Sands tussled atop wide stretches of sun-scorched badlands. Isolated from the galaxy and desolate in its own right, Jakku was the perfect place for someone to hide.

A pile of metallic scrap lay protruding from the sands and glistening in the sun. Its distant twinkle caught the eye of a feathered scavenger from the clouds above as a wild steelpecker descended. The scraggly, mangy bird landed atop the metal spoils. Its beady, black eyes narrowed on the scrap at its feet. After clucking briefly, the steelpecker was true to its name and lunged at the pile. Its sharp, broad beak clanged against the metals as it feasted upon them. With each bold peck, the scavenger became less aware of its surroundings. As it gorged itself on metals, a scarlet muzzle flash flickered in the distance. By the time its sound reached the steelpecker's ears, so too had a laser. Its disheveled, scorched feathers spewed through the air as the creature fell dead.

Far off on a nearby ridge, Bry Clayton lowered his sniper rifle. A delighted smirk crept across his mustachioed face as he observed his kill from afar. He was about to descend and collect it when a shuffling caught his attention. Clayton glanced behind him and prepared to lunge. His nostrils flared until he noticed Meduza standing behind him. "You should know better than to sneak up on me when I'm hunting," Clayton grumbled.

Meduza scoffed. "And you should know better than to be firing at wildlife when we're trying to lay low."

"No one's out here," Clayton defended. "That was the point of coming to Jakku."

"Well we might be leaving soon," Meduza considered. "Come on."

"Let me at least get my kill."

"No time," Meduza intoned and Clayton sneered. "The boss has called a meeting. Says it's urgent."

Clayton rolled his eyes and reluctantly joined her. They slid down a rocky slope and entered a secret enclave. Makeshift tunnels led the way to a hidden, power cell-lit bunker. As the duo entered, the rest of Crimson Dawn's high-ranking members could be seen gathered together. The elderly Tremaine rolled her eyes as her daughters griped. "I hate Jakku!" Stasia whined. "It's too hot."

"Mother!" Drizelle added. "When are we going home?"

"For the love of-" Diaval griped. The black-feathered Avinarian jabbed a wing towards the teens while complaining to Hades. "Will someone shut those brats up?"

"Quiet," Tremaine ordered her daughters nonchalantly. "Both of you." Stasia and Drizelle pouted while their blonde slave catered to their needs. Once she was done with them, the dehydrated servant went around pouring drinks for the rest of Crimson Dawn.

"I must say, Tremaine." Meduza remarked. "Where did you find such an obedient slave?"

"I have my ways," Tremaine boasted.

"What's your name, girl?" Meduza asked the teen. Her temper was quickly aggravated when the slave didn't respond. "Answer me!"

The blonde nearly spilled her pitcher entirely. She swallowed hard and uttered, "C-...Cinderella, ma'am."

Meduza flashed a devilish smirk. "Well, Cinderella. I wish we had a thousand more just like you."

"Hush," Cruella intoned. "He's here." She gestured to the doorway as Dryden Vos entered. He looked exceptionally angered as blood circulated through his facial markings.

Dryden pursed his lips and sucked his teeth. With a steadily clenched fist, he exhaled and murmured, "Polis Massa." His underlings looked to one another with bewildered eyes. He stared down each of them as if searching for some kind of giveaway in their expressions.

Meduza was the first to respond as she asked. "What about it?"

"A Republic Special Weapons facility was attacked by unknown hostiles," Dryden explained. "While all intel was secured, the word is that a single scientist was taken. Dr. Nila Morzetti."

"Um...okay?" Meduza blurted. "So?"

Clayton furrowed his brows and leaned towards her. "He's insinuating that one of us took her, dear," he muttered.

Dryden smirked and waved a finger at Clayton. "You've always been smarter than you've let on, captain," he said. "That's what makes you so deadly. That's what makes all of you so dangerous. You're all powerful and each have contacts scattered across the stars. But if one of you took this scientist to gain some kind of...advantage, I need to know."

"As brilliant as that would've been," Hades said. "It wasn't me." Clayton and Cruella shook their heads in denial as well.

"I've had my hands full with these two," Tremaine denied while her daughters scoffed.

"If Trandoshans weren't involved, I didn't do it," Meduza quipped.

All eyes fell to Diaval as he cawed. "What? I've been out of contact with Mistress Maleficent since we went into hiding. I doubt she'd do this without telling me first though."

"That leaves Facilier," Dryden muttered. "Whom none of us have seen since Carlac."

"What if it wasn't one of us?" Meduza considered. "There are other syndicates out there?"

"Any of which would have a daunting advantage over us if they had a Republic weapons specialist in their possession," Dryden dictated. "Crimson Dawn must remain a threat to other organizations."

"Respectfully-" Clayton began. "-we're not very threatening while hiding out in the desert."

"That's why this exile is over," Dryden affirmed. "We're going to slither our way back into the galaxy with a new objective. Spread out and find this Dr. Morzetti by any and all means. If we get our hands on an asset like that, who knows what power we could wield?" A grim thought crossed Dryden's mind as his eye twitched. "And if we can't have Dr. Morzetti...no one can. If no option of recovery presents itself, terminate her."

"So...we're leaving Jakku then?" Meduza inquired as Dryden impatiently nodded. "Brilliant. I don't know why anyone would ever want to come back here."

As the members dispersed to collect their belongings, Clayton felt a firm hand grip his forearm. "Captain," Cruella beckoned. "Might I have a word?" She pulled him aside as he leaned closer. "Now's our chance to get the business up and running again," she whispered.

"But Dryden wants us to find this scientist," he corrected.

"Oh please," Cruella snarked. "Do you have any idea how long a bantha chase like that will go on for? Trading off and scrounging about while my profits decline? What good is a threat if our credits aren't flowing?"

"I see your point," Clayton mumbled. "So what would you have me do?"

Cruella smirked and caressed his stern face. "What you're best at, darling. Hunt. Bring me the most exotic and pristine creatures this galaxy has to offer. It's time to make some real money again."

Sven steadied himself in an alert position. His thick, yet silky fur shifted with his rippling forearm. The Cevrian's proud antlers were a testament to his species' majestic prowess. His pointy ears twitched as a voice yelled across the temple training room.

"Fire!" Jedi Master Cin Drallig commanded.

Sven, Kristoff, and several other non-Force users pulled their triggers. Bright sparks of blue plasma beamed from their rifles and zipped towards the holotargets downrange. While some holograms depicted B1 battle droids, others resembled their bulkier counterparts. Master Drallig's boots stepped toward Sven as he observed his shots. "Not bad, Cevrian," he remarked. "Perhaps your partner could learn a thing or two from your steady aim."

"Hey," Kristoff chuckled and fired again. "I'm landing some good hits."

Unamused, Cin knelt by Kristoff's position and glowered. "Blasting the same droid repeatedly is a safe choice," he told Kristoff.

"It's the one right in front of me," he insisted.

"If you focus solely on what lays ahead, you will be unable to see the bigger picture," Cin intoned. "Challenge yourself. Hit the others."

Kristoff nodded and fired again. His heart sank when the majority of his shots zipped over the targets' heads. Kristoff didn't even have time to sulk before another set of lasers landed perfect headshots. "Damn, Sven!" he gasped, only to realize it wasn't his friend.

"That furball wishes he could get shots like me," a woman jested. Her deep, bold voice continued to boast as she masterfully blasted targets. Kristoff peered over to his right and observed the skilled trainee. Her braided, russet bun bobbed with her rifle's recoil. She smirked daringly as her piercing green eyes focused on the next target. Her toned, bulky forearms were easily distinguishable through her uniform's form-fitting sleeves.

"Woah," Kristoff uttered. "You're amazing."

"Bjorg!" Cin scolded. "Focus."

"Yes, Master Drallig." Kristoff panicked. "Sorry, Master Drallig." Suddenly, Cin was called to take a sudden call. Kristoff then leaned closer to the woman and muttered, "How do you shoot so well?"

His fellow trainee smirked and said, "Aim small, miss small."

"Wait, what?" Kristoff queried.

"Don't aim at the droid as a whole," she said. "Pick something specific on that clanker. Like the torque motors on its hips or the photoreceptors. Hell, use its designation markings if nothing else. The point is, by aiming for something so intricate...you lessen your chance of missing overall. Aim small-" The woman fired and nailed another perfect headshot. "-miss small."

"Aim small, miss small." Kristoff reiterated and steadied his rifle. He focused on a B1's slanted photoreceptor. Upon staring directly into its eye, he exhaled and pulled the trigger. His laser beamed across the room and skimmed the droid's head. "I'll take it!" he cheered.

"Not bad, blondie," the woman jeered.

He faintly smiled and said, "I'm Kristoff. Kristoff Bjorg."

"The name's Lyn Ferix," she replied. "Where ya from?"

"Sven and I hail from Aren. You?"

Lyn paused between shots. "Born and raised here on Coruscant, baby. Clawed my way out of the undercity and tried to make a name for myself as a top shooter."

"Ever blast something other than droids?" Kristoff asked.

Lyn guffawed. "Blondie, I've been shooting at folks since I was seven. It was the only way to defend the family store from thieves. Have you ever seen the slum districts? The cops don't have your back down there."

Kristoff glowered as memories of 1313 echoed throughout his mind. He thought back to Trace, Rafa, and their benevolent parents. "So what brought you to the temple?" he asked to free himself from such thoughts.

"Opportunity," Lyn explained. "That pageant fiasco might've turned you and your Cevrian buddy into heroes, but the Jedi took some flak for it." She glanced at the masked temple guards watching them and lowered her voice. "Especially after one of them turned out to be corrupt. So the chancellor sets up this new system, promoting opportunities for a chosen few to work alongside the Jedi. My shooting stuck out there and I'm hoping it'll stick out here. Guarding this old place is just a stepping stone," Lyn insisted. "It's a gesture. We're here as a glorified show of faith."

"How do you figure?" Kristoff asked.

Lyn snickered. "Maybe it is true what they say about blondes. Think, Kristoff. Who in their right mind would actually attack the Jedi temple let alone Coruscant? The amount of Jedi protecting this place is stronger than whatever the hell we are. I'm only here because hopefully they'll decide to compensate us if we do well enough."

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Kristoff murmured. "The roof over our heads and food in our stomachs has been free, so I doubt we'll be getting paid."

"That's stupid," Lyn griped. "I might be living it up among Jedi in here, but I've still got family in the undercity. I need money to send them if they're gonna get by. Don't you have any relatives in Aren?" Kristoff's mournful visage said it all as he reminisced on his homeworld. He thought back to his biological parents and then the Trolls who took him in. Pabbie, Bulda, and Cliff's faces haunted the memories of his heart as she hung his head in sorrow. "Your face speaks volumes," Lyn remarked. "Well I bet whoever you left behind would love some hard-earned credits for all of their toil."

"Yeah," Kristoff murmured until a frustrated growl caught his attention. He, Lyn and Sven turned and observed another trainee beside them. The grouchy Duros gritted his sharp teeth and angrily fired towards the targets. His sporadic laser missed stupendously and caught Master Drallig's attention as he returned.

"By the Force," Cin hissed. The master's tone had deepened drastically and had the other trainees pausing. "Surely you can do better than that, Maku." Further flustered, the Duros aimed again and only greatened his margin of misses. "I was promised dutiful and skilled guards."

"I am skilled," Maku intoned. "But I'd shoot a lot better without you yelling at me."

Cin knelt before the Duros and raised his voice. "They'll be far worse things than me on the battlefield, trainee!" he asserted. "And you must be prepared to defend yourself and this temple." Cin composed himself with a deep breath and rose to address the group. "You all are the revival of something the Jedi Order has not seen in thousands of years. The guards of the Temple Security Force were steadfast protectors who watched over these walls alongside the Jedi. During these trying times, there's never been a greater need for your return. I implore you to not take these responsibilities lightly as countless-" Cin's lip quivered before he hardened his resolve. "-lives are at stake," he concluded. Cin looked to his fellow Sentinels and new trainees. "I have just received news that two Jedi have been murdered." The news had Kristoff and Sven worriedly glancing at each other. "And as a master and his apprentice lay dead at our doorstep, I want you to remember that it is them you are striving to defend. Hone your skills and guard these halls so that more Jedi do not fall as they have." Cin glared down at Maku and said, "There are worse things than someone yelling at you." As the Battlemaster departed, he left Kristoff to think over the two Jedi deaths.


As the Legacy drifted calmly through Coruscant's atmosphere, its corridors were anything but tranquil. Admiral Ozwon Shang sped down to the crew as astromechs and mouse droids swerved out of his path. Urgency was written all over his sweaty face as he approached a sealed door. The crimson, makeshift emblem of the Deathchasers was sprayed across its metallic surface.

"General Dellian?" Shang beckoned and repeatedly knocked on the door. "Seriously?" he whispered when no one responded. "General Dellian!" Impatient, Shang withdrew his admiral's access card and overrode the lock. He entered the room and immediately endured the cacophonous snoring of Anna and her troops. The youngest Dellian was sprawled across a cushion and slumbering away. With one hand dipped in a bucket of popcorn and the other smeared against Speedy's face, she truly was a sight to behold. Her legs were propped up on Blazer's lap while he snored like a belligerent rancor. Meanwhile, Sparx was passed out in the chair beside them while their holodrama marathon continued.

"Are you kidding me?" Shang groaned. The admiral rolled his eyes and gave Anna a nudge. "General Dellian. Wake up!"

"Whuh?" Anna murmured groggily. Her eyes briefly fluttered open as she smiled lackadaisically. "Who?...Oh. Captain Shang. What a pleasant-" Anna yawned and drifted back into slumber. "-surprise."

"It's Admiral Shang," he corrected. "And there is a surprise. The Guardian is here. It just came out of Hyperspace."

"Well," Anna mumbled and tiredly smacked her lips. "Just shoot a missile at it or something."

Shang frustratedly pursed his lips and raised his voice. "For goodness sake, Anna. The Guardian has arrived with new intel. Watcher requests your presence immediately!"

"Watcher!" Anna blurted as her bloodshot eyes flung open. As she bolted upright, she unknowingly smacked Speedy in the face and kicked Blazer off the couch. Her loose, auburn locks blanketed her face while drool trickled down the corner of her lip. "Why didn't you say so?"

"I-" Shang was about to refute before taking a deep breath. "Just...make yourselves presentable. Please?"

"Copy that," Anna mumbled. She tried to wearily salute him and toppled off of the couch. She stepped on Blazer just as he was getting up and the two took a dreadful tumble. Unable to watch anymore, Shang stepped out of the room and left them to gear up.

Speedy's cybernetics were more awake than he was as he slapped his face. "How long did we stay up?" he groaned.

"I don't know," Anna yawned. "But it was totally worth it." She scooped up a piece of popcorn and hurled it at Sparx's face. "Up and at'em, lieutenant!"

The Deathchasers got their acts together and suited up for the briefing. At least the clones had the benefit of hiding their tired faces beneath their helmets. The overhanging fixtures highlighted the dark circles around Anna's eyes as they prepared to board the Guardian. She loosed a lengthy yawn as they stepped onto Watcher's command deck.

"I hope I didn't wake you," Watcher snarked coldly.

"Psh," Anna replied with a wave of her hand. "We've been up for hours." Her boast was met with uncertainty as she groggily stumbled into the holotable. She struck it with a resounding thud and nervously laughed it off. "So...what've you got for us?"

Watcher raised a thin brow at Anna's behavior, but presented her intel anyway. "First of all, I wish to express my condolences."

"Condol-" Anna choked. Watcher's statement awakened her far quicker than a cup of caf ever could. "Um...excuse me?"

Watcher was surprised Anna hadn't heard yet and explained the situation. "For your fellow Jedi. Reports have reached us from the Duluur Sector. An entire Republic unit was massacred on Devaron. A pair of Jedi were among those murdered in the Separatist attack."

Anna's heart sank as she worriedly looked at Blazer. Her mind ran through every Jedi she knew, even if she'd just seen them. "Who were they?" she asked. Watcher projected holograms of an elder Roonan and a familiar, youthful Nautolan. "Wait," Anna realized. "Is that-"

"Jedi General Halsey and Commander Knox," Watcher defined.

Anna shook her head in disbelief. She glanced at her lightsaber, which was forged from the metals of the starship Ethereal. It seemed like only yesterday since she was boarding that vessel alongside Knox and Halsey. To her, they weren't a general and a commander. They were still that stoic master and apprentice heading towards the Corellian Cup. Knox had been called a coward for swimming away during Ventress' attack on Scarif, but who could blame him? Despite what anyone said about him, he'd continued to serve alongside his master. Serve...and die, Anna thought to herself.

"Are you alright?" Blazer inquired and Anna subtly nodded.

"We needed an elite squad to retrieve the bodies," Watcher said. "Your team was unavailable, so I had to contact Delta Squad."

"How'd they go out?" Anna asked. "It had to take more than droids to best those two."

"You are correct," Watcher lamented. "In fact, surveillance footage shows that a single...creature decimated the unit." Anna's brows furrowed as an ominous image projected over the table. It depicted a hulking, armored Zabrak with a harrowing pike in his grip. The footage showed him looming over dead clones and closing in on Master Halsey.

Anna's blood ran cold as she observed Halsey's figure, knowing that those would be his last moments alive. She flared her nostrils and asked, "Where is this monster? Give us a location and the Deathchasers will put an end to him."

"While I admire your enthusiasm-" Watcher said. "-we currently have no leads on this mysterious Zabrak. He vanished as quickly as he appeared. But this thing is not why I called you here." Watcher minimized the projections and pulled up new files. Images of a stern-faced, olive-skinned woman came into view. She toted a badge from the Republic's Special Weapons Program on her uniform. "We've got a ping on Dr. Nila Morzetti."

"About time," Blazer muttered.

A clone officer handed Watcher a datapad as she read over more intel. "Combining recovered footage from Polis Massa with an eyewitness account from Lieutenant Commander Krennic, we've been able to identify the ship which kidnapped Morzetti." Images of a bulky shuttle came into view. "Using the Guardian's tracking systems, we've copied the shuttle's signature and have been probing the galaxy for matches."

"So where does this ping come into play?" Anna queried.

Irked by Anna's impatience, Watcher projected a pale planet atop the table. "Our scanners pinged a shuttle matching that of the insurgents' coming from Sundari, the capital of Mandalore."

"How'd you manage to cross reference scanners to a neutral world?" Sparx couldn't help but ask.

"The Republic has sent spies everywhere, lieutenant," Watcher replied. "Even to neutral worlds. Now one of our hidden scanners on Mandalore captured a signature matching the shuttle and it's our only lead. I need boots on the ground to investigate."

"Why not send Delta Squad again?" Anna grumbled.

"Because I need a Jedi," Watcher confirmed. "Neutral worlds mean a Republic presence wouldn't sit well. Especially after the recent events on Avinaria." Watcher groaned when Anna appeared utterly clueless about her sister's endeavors. "The point is, you'll be alone on this mission. As a Jedi, you have access to neutral worlds and won't arouse much suspicion. Enter Sundari and track down the shuttle's last known location. Find it and save Morzetti."

Anna shrugged while processing all of the intel. "Doesn't seem so bad," she admitted.

"There's one more thing," Watcher added. "Ever since General Kenobi combatted Death Watch terrorists, Mandalore's duchess has enforced a strict, 'no weapons' policy in Sundari."

"Stupid, but I'll manage." Anna quipped.

"You'd better," Watcher intoned. "Now inform your admiral and leave for Mandalore effective immediately. Dismissed." As Anna and her clones departed from the Guardian, she was faced with a haunting realization. She wondered how Shang would react traveling to the planet of his father's killer.


The Legacy rocketed out of hyperspace with a thunderous roar. The Hammerhead leveled out and began a steady descent towards the vast and mysterious world of Mandalore. Shang squinted while observing the planet's alluring glow from his viewport. Anna stepped up to him and forced a cough. "Whatever you want to say-" the admiral began. "-just say it."

Anna huffed and nodded at his statement. "You alright?" she asked.

"Fine," he replied. "I can separate one terrorist from an entire people, you know. Besides, the man who murdered my father was a Death Watch soldier. Those who govern Mandalore are pacifists seeking to right the wrongs of their warrior past."

Anna scoffed. "How well can that really go for them? How's that 'no weapons' policy gonna fare if an all out war breaks out?"

Shang sighed. "I don't know," he confessed. "But what I do know...is until that day comes, that's a policy you have to abide by."

Anna groaned at his reminder and unclipped her lightsaber. "Sarge," she beckoned as Blazer marched over.

"General?" he inquired.

Although Blazer was wearing his helmet, Anna felt like she could see right through his visor. She stared him down, raised her hilt, and said, "From Kamino to Ilum...we've grown alongside each other. We've taken hits, but have always managed to rise from whatever ashes lay on top of us. You were with me as this blade came into being, so it's only fitting that I trust you with it while I'm down there."

"Anna-" Blazer uttered. He gasped as she placed the Doonium hilt in his gloved hand. "I-...I don't know what to say."

"Just know that I trust you," she affirmed before looking to Sparx and Speedy. "I trust all of you."

The clones nodded to her as Blazer kept her lightsaber secured. The darkness of space transitioned to Mandalore's brightened skies as they descended through the clouds. The Legacy soared over a stretch of barren desert while Shang shook his head. "Take a good long look, everyone," he lectured. "This is the true price of war. Centuries of ceaseless conflict have rendered this planet an unforgiving wasteland."

"I guess that's why you don't keep fighting on the same planet for so long," Sparx remarked.

Speedy shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If our war rages on long enough, the whole galaxy could look like this too."

Distant freighters came into view as the Legacy glided towards an enormous, domed city. Established above the harsh wasteland, this bio-dome served as a testament to both technology and prosperity. Expansive gardens stretched beyond the city's industrial sector. As the Legacy docked outside of the dome, those on the bridge caught glimpses of the capital's thriving interior.

A group of lightly-armored police officers stood watch over the ship as its ramp lowered. They were befuddled enough to see a Republic vessel let alone an Old Republic Hammerhead. The officers furrowed their brows as Anna disembarked on her own. Realizing she hadn't prepared a speech, Anna made one up on the spot.

"Um...greetings," Anna said with a wave of her hand. "On...um...behalf of the Jedi Order! And the Republic, of course. But in a non-invasive...totally keep your neutrality...sort of way." Shang facepalmed from the bridge as Anna continued.

"What brings another Jedi to Mandalore?" an officer asked.

"Well," Anna replied before struggling to think of an answer. "You see...I'm here on behalf of my council. I have reason to believe that there may be a person of interest in your capital. Someone I need to find." Anna cringed as the officers glared at her. "You know...cause they're a person of interest?"

One of the officers held up his vambrace and ran a scanner over her. "She's unarmed," he told his partner. "Whoever it is you're looking for-" the officer continued. "-perhaps Duchess Satine may be of assistance. Besides, she's instructed us to bring all visiting Jedi to the Royal Palace first."

Anna nodded and smirked confidently. Royal Palace? she thought. Duchess? Surely she can help me with my situation.


I wonder if bashing my face into this wall would be enough to kill me, Anna thought as Satine kept talking. The knight stood in the duchess' expansive throne room, shuffling her boots and feigning a smile.

"Mandalore is prospering," Satine proclaimed. "In company with our valorous and peaceful pursuits, I look towards our future with hope."

That's fantastic, Anna thought. Until someone invades.

"The deeply-rooted seeds of corruption are withering away. For my people have chosen truth."

Wonderful.

"Truth," Satine reminisced. She sat back in her throne and ruminated over the word for a moment. "Such a noble concept."

Uhuh...

"But when wielded by righteous hands, even the darkest deceptions must come to light."

Got it.

"Make no mistake, young Jedi." Satine lectured. "No government is free of misdeeds. Not even your Republic."

Here we go...

"But it lifts my spirits to see that members of the Jedi Order still come to observe the goodness of our movement." Satine raised a blonde brow while observing Anna's armor. "Although I must say, you don't look like a Jedi. And it isn't in regards to your lack of a lightsaber either. Your uniform is less...traditional, and appears to be heavily influenced by the very soldiers you lead from world to world."

HOLY KRIFF, SHE'S STILL TALKING?! Anna screamed internally. Elsa and this duchess could probably talk each other's ears off for hours. Her fraudulent grin twitched as she forced a harmonious tone. "Well, I am a general." she said.

The Duchess wasn't amused by Anna's proclamation. "So young, and yet so blinded by a war even your elders don't understand."

Look, lady...Don't come crying to us when Count Dooku and his droid army are tap-dancing over your blown up city because you were to busy planting peace-daises in your Garden of Cringe. Rather than speak her mind, Anna simply nodded as her eyes twitched frustratedly.

"But given your brash appearance-" Satine began. "I'd say you aren't here to observe New Mandalore's progress. So what does bring you to Sundari, general?"

"A potential threat," Anna replied. "My sources have reason to believe that a kidnapped, Republic scientist is in your capital."

Satine squinted suspiciously. "And how did your sources come to such a conclusion?" she inquired.

Kriff. She's on to you. Think, Anna. Think! Say something smart. You can't compromise Republic Intelligence or their hidden scanners for that matter. Don't just freeze, she's staring at you! Say something. "Well...you see," Anna nervously cleared her throat as Satine stared her down. "We...followed it! The ship, I mean. Yeah!" Her tone deepened as she spun her story. "We tracked a shuttle heading here after it kidnapped our scientist. A homing beacon was attached before it got away, pinging it to Sundari!"

"I see," Satine murmured and scratched her pale chin.

Smooth, Anna complimented herself. Move over Master Kenobi. There's a new negotiator in the galaxy.

"And where does this homing beacon of yours lead you?" Satine asked. Anna withdrew a datapad and displayed a scanned location. To anyone else, it'd be impossible to know how the signal was actually received.

"Any idea where this location is?" Anna asked.

"Yes," Satine answered. "That's from our shipyards."

"Excellent," Anna replied and started heading off. "Tell me how to get there and I'll be on my way for-"

"Now hold on just a moment," Satine insisted and Anna winced. She slowly turned as the duchess continued. "I'll give you an escort."

Anna chuckled nervously. "Your grace, that really isn't necessary-"

"Oh I think it is," Satine affirmed. "The last thing I will tolerate is a Jedi roaming Sundari unsupervised and unaccounted for. My police captain will accompany you." Anna was about to refute the duchess' offer but was in no mood for another lecture. She reluctantly accepted and was introduced to several officers.

Anna slouched in the passenger seat of a Buirk'alor class police speeder. She read over the coordinates on her datapad and observed the pinged signature. While maintaining a steady course, the police captain glanced at Anna's device. Patrok Ru-Saxon's steely, blue eyes narrowed on the coordinates as he asked, "How did this homing beacon of yours manage to get such a strong signal?"

Anna shrugged his question off and said, "How should I know? What do I look like? A service droid?"

Patrok glowered and began his descent. The speeder powered down as they landed in Sundari's shipyards. Warehouses and shipping containers extended across a mile of durasteel platforming. The suspicious men and women of the Mandalorian Guard watched as Anna examined her datapad. A steady series of blips guided her down an elongated alley and towards a sealed warehouse.

As she stepped away from the officers, a voice crackled through her concealed earpiece. While pretending to brush her auburn locks, she discreetly activated the device and whispered, "I'm onsite."

"Well done," Admiral Shang replied. "Keep on your toes. Those insurgents were willing to attack a Republic weapons facility. I wouldn't put it past them to lay some traps."

"Copy that," Anna replied and proceeded onward. "This is it," she told Patrok. "I'd get it open but...you know." Anna gestured to her empty belt. "No weapon policy and all."

The police captain examined the dilapidated and locked down structure. He read over its coded seal and declared, "It says here that the warehouse has been condemned for public health reasons, but it doesn't have a sigil from the Royal Palace. This kind of seal would fool commoners, but not investigators."

"Time to find out what they're hiding," Anna said. "Be aware, there could be a kidnapped person inside so proceed with caution." Patrok nodded and performed a series of swift hand signals. His fellow officers acknowledged his commands and secured the perimeter. While they fanned out, he withdrew a fusion cutter from his belt and targeted the locking mechanism. While he split it open, Anna observed his holstered blaster. "So you're allowed to have a weapon."

"I'm an officer of the law," Patrok said. "My blaster allows me to protect the people of Mandalore."

"Yet you distrust a Jedi like me to carry a lightsaber."

"Jedi?" Patrok quipped and a subtle smirk crept across his fair-skinned lips. "I thought you were a service droid." Anna grumbled at his jest until he severed the seal. Sparks flickered as the locking mechanism clanged against the floor. Rather than reach for his pistol first, Patrok unbuckled his baton and raised it in front of his face. Anna rolled her eyes at the gesture and followed him into the warehouse.

Sundari's natural light shined into the main chamber and highlighted an assortment of battered crates. Anna ran her fingers across one of them and collected a thick layer of dust. Her head snapped towards a second door until another Mandalorian officer entered. She dropped her fusion cutter and reported in. "Back door is clear, captain. No one's here."

"Are you sure that's a homing beacon you've been following?" Patrok asked Anna.

Unwilling to tell him the truth, she doubled down on her lie. "Positive!" Anna blurted and cradled the datapad in her arms.

"Then it's malfunctioned," Patrok deduced. "Because whatever ship you're tracking is long gone and no one is here."

As much as Anna wanted to let her frustration get the better of her, she tried to keep a cool head. Her eyes darted between the crates as an idea crossed her mind. "Well maybe they left clues behind," she said. Anna popped open the nearest lid and peeked inside. The shadowy, vacuous space was as unsettling as it was discouraging. "Kriff," she whispered under her breath and moved on to the next crate. The officers watched as Anna flipped over lid after lid, only to reach the same outcome. "Nothing," she huffed. While she'd tried her best to remain calm, Anna finally blew her fuse. "Damn it!" She furiously kicked a smaller crate over and angrily tugged at her hair. The container toppled towards the sunlit doorway and a peculiar substance caught Anna's eye. "Wait," she muttered and knelt beside the powdery residue. "This could be a lead. Captain, do you have a bag or something? You have everything else on that belt of yours."

Patrok unclipped a recovery vial and handed it to her. Anna then cautiously scooped up a portion of the yellow powder and secured it in the vial. "Please be something important," she urged under her breath. While Anna wasn't as connected to the Force as Elsa was, she still shut her eyes and spoke within. Alright Force, she willed. I know we don't talk much. I know I don't meditate or do any of that fancy stuff...but hey! I've used you to push some baddies ever so efficiently. This being said, I could really use your help now. Things aren't looking the most hopeful now, so please let this powder be significant and not just some rat crap or something. Please, Force. Be with me. Do your stuff! In that instant, a tremendous burst sounded from outside. The shockwave of such a sudden and peculiar explosion had everyone dashing outside. As Anna and the officers emerged from the warehouse, they witnessed the aftermath of a horrid blast. A fiery cloud of smoke billowed out from an office building while civilians screamed and fled for their lives. Hey, Force! Anna snarked within. I said help me, not BLOW PEOPLE UP. What the kriff did you do?

"Investigation's over," Patrok told Anna. "Those people need our help!" He and his fellow officers dashed for the nearest stairs and headed towards the office building. "This is Captain Ru-Saxon," he called in. "We have an explosion in the Shipyard District. Rescue units, please respond!"

As she observed the fiery tragedy, Anna slowly reached for her earpiece. "Dellian!" Shang called in. "What's going on down there?"

Still reeling, Anna responded with an initial series of stutters. "I-...there's...Some kinda of blast. The warehouse was a bust. I scrounged up some evidence but-" Anna huffed. "Look...I gotta help them." She raced up the stairs and caught up with the Mandalorian Guard. Upon reaching the upper plaza, Anna experienced the sheer chaos festering within the blast zone. Ashy streaks stretched from chunks of flaming debris while civilians ran for cover. Screams rang out amidst the smoky air while emergency services scrambled to maintain order. "This is kriffing madness," Anna told herself.

Her eyes widened when a trembling hand emerged from the debris. "Help me!" a man wheezed. He extended his scraped and bloodied palm towards her. "Please!" he begged.

Anna slid to the man's aid and hauled him up by the forearm. "Captain!" she hollered while pulling the civilian to safety. "This man needs medical attention!"

Patrok stumbled through the smoke and retrieved the blast victim from Anna. "We need an ambulance!" he shouted.

Sirens wailed amidst the flames as Anna coughed. "What the hell happened here?" she asked.

"Perhaps a gas leak of some sort," Patrok proposed. "Or an electro-conduit malfunction."

Anna's eyes narrowed as she observed the devastation around her. The even blast radius and decimated streaks reminded her of the sands she'd witnessed on Manaan...or the remains of Chela Tuzi's starship on the HoloNews. Anna's eyes widened as she found the commonality. "It's neither," she realized. "This was a bomb."

Anna peered out across the ravaged area until her gaze focused on a peculiar...chilling sight. A silver-plated helm lay obscured through the distant smoke. A unique, V-shaped emblem was etched atop a plated, T-shaped visor. This slender, armored figure was perched in the shadows and observing its destructive handiwork.

"Hey!" Anna yelled over the flames and jabbed a finger at the stranger. "Up there!"

"A Death Watch warrior?" Patrok gasped. "Here in Sundari?"

The words 'Death Watch' were enough to have Anna reeling. She thought about the encounter Master Mattias had described and recalled what happened to Shang's father. Her hand slowly slid up to her earpiece as she said, "Admiral..."

Anna's cold tone had Shang worried. "What is it, Dellian?" he inquired.

"I have eyes on one of them," she said as the warrior's helmet eerily faced her. "It's the Death Watch."

It mattered not how at peace Shang told himself he was. When faced with the knowledge that a Death Watch warrior was present, he felt like a broken cadet again. He relived hearing the news of his father's death from Mattias, and such trauma sparked a fury he'd seldom succumbed to. "Anna..." he asserted, breaking all codes of formality. Officers on the Legacy's command bridge looked to their admiral as he clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and growled the words "Take them."

That was all Anna needed to hear. Her unblinking eyes were like those of a nexu's poised to kill. Despite her adrenaline, Anna's heart sank when she instinctually reached for her belt and found herself lacking a lightsaber. "Kriff!" she cursed as the Mandalorian made a run for it. Her eyes darted to Patrok's holster and she quickly snatched his pistol.

"Hey!" the captain snapped.

"I'll give it back!" Anna assured and chased after the bomber. The terrorist dashed through the smoke and primed her jetpack for takeoff. Without hesitation, Anna took aim and angrily pressed on the trigger. Her heart raced when her finger stopped and she realized the safety was still on. "Son of a-" Recalling Blazer's teachings, she unlatched the safety just below the pistol's sights and fired over a crowd of civilians. What followed was a series of wild and sporadic shots as Anna tried to down the bomber. Anna was hardly aiming, sending bright blue lasers zipping up towards the balcony. Her ensuing blasterfire had people screaming and ducking for cover. "Come on!" Anna urged as her frantic shots kept missing. The bomber dodged the blasts and ignited her jetpack. Whether it was the will of the Force or sheer luck, Anna's final shot managed to strike her target's jetpack. While it wasn't enough to deal explosive damage, the blast caused the jetpack to malfunction and forced the bomber to continue on foot.

"Gotcha!" Anna boasted while dropping the overheated pistol. She leapt to a set of rails and vaulted after her foe. "There's nowhere left to run!" she threatened...only to be awestruck by her findings. Using a wrist-mounted whipcord, the terrorist had already ascended to the adjacent building. "Oh I don't think so," Anna hissed while weighing her options. As she observed the panicking crowds, she noticed an ambulance arriving to treat survivors.

The medical speeder hovered to a stop and its personnel disembarked. Stretchers unfolded and trauma bags unzipped as paramedics went to work. "We need to get these people to Sundari General," the driver ordered. "Now!" His teal eyes widened when the passenger door suddenly opened beside him. His jaw dropped as Anna slid into the passenger's seat.

"I need to borrow this," she said and gestured to the ambulance.

"What?" the paramedic blurted. "Who are you? What are you-"

"The wounded people here will be in good hands, but I can't let this terrorist get away!" Anna snapped. "Now move!" The paramedic gasped as she urgently shoved him.

On the opposite side of the skylane, the Death Watch warrior was continuing her ascent. Passing ships soared across her pitch black visor as she scaled another rooftop. Upon reaching the top, she caught her breath and unclipped her jetpack. The bomber ran her gloved hands across where Anna had shot it and growled. "Dank farrik," she cursed under her breath and tapped on the jetpack's function panel. She tried to recalibrate it for flight when a distinct rumble caught her attention. The Mandalorian turned as a set of flashing lights swayed across her grey helm. Expecting a police speeder, the bomber was dumbfounded to see Anna piloting an ambulance towards her. Anna floored the accelerator while the bomber re-equipped her jetpack.

"Surprise!" Anna shouted and charged her head on. With limited flight experience, the most she could do was accelerate the bulky ambulance towards her target.

While running, the Mandalorian withdrew a blaster carbine and fired at Anna. The Jedi ducked as steaming, yellow lasers smashed through the windscreen and scorched her seat. Still, Anna maximized the thrusters. Medical supplies spewed out of unsealed storage containers while she tried to keep the speeder steady. It dipped into the rooftop, crunching duracrete and leveling the foundation. When Anna tried to pull up, all she did was cause the engines to torch what was left of the building. People fled the flaming edifice as Anna continued to pursue the bomber.

Her foe landed on another rooftop and chose to stand her ground. While her jetpack's flight capabilities were hindered, its other features remained fully operational. As Anna poked her head back up, she watched as the Mandalorian launched a jetpack-mounted missile at her. "Oh for kriff's sake," was all she could murmur before taking evasive action. She could hardly maneuver the craft before the bomber's missile struck its tail end.

Anna tried to level out the flaming ambulance as it spiraled out of control. She gritted her teeth and tugged on the controls while cutting across skylane traffic. Forced to switch directions, Anna's evasive stunt caused a multi-speeder pileup. Vehicles swerved into one another while others smashed through the windows of nearby businesses.

Unable to maneuver the craft any further, Anna had no choice but to jump ship. She kicked open the door and flung herself down to the street level. While Anna tucked and rolled across the duracrete, the rogue ambulance rocketed into a nearby billboard. The ensuing explosion was catastrophic and sent durasteel piping crashing down towards the sidewalk. Mandalorian civilians screamed and leapt for cover as flaming chunks of metal rained from above. Anna shoved past the fleeing bystanders and kept her eyes on the bomber. Her armored target slid off of the roof and dashed into an agricultural zone.


At the Royal Palace, the esteemed Minister Armatan sped his way into Satine's throne room. The royal was taken aback by her elder's grievous visage as he bowed before her. "Duchess," he murmured.

"Armatan," she greeted. "What's going on?"

His light brown mustache quivered as he lifted his balding head. "Something terrible." Satine's eyes widened when she could hear echoes of the chaos from her palace.


"Move!" Anna yelled while barreling through agricultural workers. Her head swiveled as she scanned her environment for the bomber. "Where the hell did you go?" she questioned under her breath. Anna gasped when she caught a glimpse of Mandalorian armor shifting across the upper level. Rather than take the stairs, Anna noticed a pulley system meant for carrying soil. She kicked the latch to dislodge the pulley and gripped the rising wire. As it launched Anna upward, chunks of discarded soil spewed into machinery and scrambled their systems. So much so, that wedged chunks of soil caused an internal meltdown and entire conveyor belts caught flame.

The terrorist dashed for the nearest window until Anna reached her level. Having cut her off, the Jedi raised her fists and prepared to fight. Her stomach dropped when she realized her enemy still had a gun. The Mandalorian raised her rifle as Anna rolled for cover. Yellow lasers scorched the area near Anna's position until the bomber opted to flee.

While workers fled the flaming building from below, the bomber escaped to another rooftop. She was about to check her jetpack calibration when she was ambushed by Captain Ru-Saxon. Patrok swung his baton, only to watch it dent against her beskar steel. The Death Watch warrior countered with a swift jab to Patrok's chest. While he was stunned, she drew her blaster and prepared to fire. Patrok quickly pounced and the two wrestled for her firearm. With a violent fling, she sent Patrok tumbling over the building's ledge. Anna emerged just in time to witness the harrowing situation.

"Help!" Patrok grunted as his fingers grazed the ledge. "I'm slipping!"

Anna's eyes darted between the struggling captain and her fleeing target. Sweat trickled down her forehead as a memory flashed across Anna's mind. When she looked at Patrok, she instead saw Nelani at the Corellian Cup. The young Duros was falling off a ledge and asking for help just as he was. As Anna bit her lip and analyzed her situation, she came to a drastic conclusion. "Just hold on!" she assured Patrok. "Help will come!"

Patrok's eyes widened in astonishment as Anna abandoned him so she could chase the bomber. His dismay was short-lived as he slipped further down. "No," he winced while trying to hold on. His police armor weighed him down until he ultimately lost his grip. "No!" he yelled and braced for the worst. Before he could plummet several stories, another officer caught his hand.

With a mighty heave, she pulled him up to safety and asked, "Are you alright, sir?" Patrok merely shook his head and glared at the direction Anna had taken off in.

The bomber ran up a flight of stairs and reached a secluded rooftop. A sudden chime on her vambrace brought her solace as she examined the readout.

(JETPACK FLIGHT SYSTEMS STABILIZED)

She was about to fly off when Anna tackled her from behind. The two tussled across the rooftop as Anna tried to put her in a chokehold. Her foe retaliated by trying to burn her with jetpack fumes. Before the flames could spout any further, Anna managed to rip the bomber's jetpack off. The device struck the floor with a thud and allowed Anna to get closer for her chokehold. In that instant, the bomber threw her head back and struck Anna's face with her helmet.

Amidst her disorientation, Anna felt her opponent's armored elbow jab her in the stomach. She stumbled backward, yet returned to attack with double the ferocity. Anna threw a fist just as the Mandalorian kicked upward. She ended up catching the bomber's leg and shoving her back. Riding off of her momentum, the Mandalorian backflipped twice and stared Anna down. She raised her advanced vambraces and briefly fired a set of blaster barrels.

Anna rolled from the wrist-mounted, yellow lasers and rose back to her feet. "I thought you Mandalorians were supposed to have honor," she taunted. The bomber's helmet tilted at her words as Anna urged her to attack. "You don't see me using the Force." Her foe didn't utter a word, but instead lowered her vambraces. She gladly accepted the challenge and furiously stormed up to Anna while cracking her knuckles. The Jedi jeered, "Now we're talking." She threw the first punch, but the Mandalorian caught her fist and pulled her in close. Within seconds, Anna took a right hook to the face and was sent spiraling across the rooftop. She stumbled about as both shock and anger took hold of her. Anna's eyes widened when drops of scarlet blood trickled from her nose.

"You kriffing sleemo!" she cursed in a stuffy tone. Anna lunged again, this time dodging the bomber's first punch and tackling her instead. She pinned her to the ground as her plastoid scraped against the Mandalorian's beskar. Legs flailed and fists flew as they rolled atop the duracrete. Just when the bomber shoved Anna off, she retaliated by kneeing her foe in the gut. Anna's attack was relentless as she repeatedly kneed the Mandalorian between a gap in her armor. Her slate-colored flight suit wrinkled from the blows as Anna didn't let up. Having found the Mandalorian's weakness, she establish a firm grip on her shoulders and kept battering in the same spot. Anna kneed until her thigh and hip started throbbing, forcing her to desist. Refusing to yield, Anna sent an uppercut swinging forward...just as her opponent did the same. The combatants uppercutted each other simultaneously and both went tumbling back.

While Anna took the Mandalorian's fist to her face, she was able to knock off her enemy's helmet. As Anna laid there rubbing her aching chin, she watched the Death Watch helm roll against the roof. Tired, but far from beaten, her foe slowly stood up. She clenched her torso from where Anna had repeatedly kneed her. Her sweaty bob of black hair obscured most of her pale face. As the wind tussled her short tresses, it revealed a daunting gaze. A pair of thin, angular eyes looked to Anna with the utmost intensity. The woman's dark brown pools seethed with rage as a distinct rocketing sounded from above.

Anna glanced up at the mysterious sound as a series of flares flickered in the distance. Once they closed in, she realized that each was actually an armored figure descending via jetpack. A wave of warriors hovered over the bomber's position. While the majority of them wore similar armor to her, the leader of their pack stuck out. Streaks of bright blue contrasted against the white markings on her helm. Once this leader had observed the situation, she jabbed a finger towards Anna and her troops went to work.

"Oh no," Anna muttered and rushed to get back on her feet. Outnumbered and outgunned, all she could do was sprint towards the nearest ledge. The Mandalorians darted after her in an deathly formation. The roar of their advancing jetpacks had her heart racing as they closed in for the kill. Once they were in range, they each fired a jetpack-mounted missile in her direction. "Holy kriff!" Anna screeched as the projectiles darted after her. "Get off the roof, get off the roof...get off the roof!" Anna leapt off just as the missiles struck its edge. Flames and exploded rubble spewed out from behind her while she plummeted through the air.

Anna searched for anything to hold on to until a police speeder glided under her. She slammed against its hood and groaned before slowly turning to the cockpit. Her weary eyes looked upon the stern-faced Patrok. "There's more of them!" she alerted him. "Death Watch is up on the roof and-" Anna's brows furrowed when the craft descended instead of following her directions. "Wait," she blurted. "Didn't you hear me? What are you doing? Why are we going down? Patrok? Patrok!"

As chaos continued amid the rising flames, the Death Watch lieutenant dropped her rangefinder. She scanned her environment and then returned to her soldiers. "We don't have much time, Nite Owls," she said. "Get back to the ship. All of you." While the rest of the warriors acknowledged her orders, the bomber took her time. She slowly recovered her scraped helmet and glared at it. "You were supposed to be in and out," the lieutenant scolded.

"There were complications," the Nite Owl bomber said. "I had to-"

"I don't want to hear excuses! When you're given orders, they should be followed through as such. No complications. I've covered for your recklessness in the past, but Pre Vizsla is not as forgiving." She recovered the bomber's jetpack and angrily helped her refasten it. Now get back to the ship, Mulan."

Mulan sighed and put her helmet back on. "Yes, Lieutenant Bo-Katan."

As the Death Watch assailants fled, the Mandalorian Guard gathered around Patrok's speeder. "What is your problem?" Anna snapped. "Is this about the roof thing? Look, I knew you'd make it and you did."

Fed up with her, Patrok exited the speeder and was accompanied by multiple officers. "Hands behind your back," he said coldly.

"Excuse me?" Anna scoffed.

"You're under arrest," Patrok intoned while withdrawing a pair of binders.

"Are you seriously-" Anna's frustrated eyes observed the encroaching officers. "I was chasing the bomber! They're getting away because you won't let me protect you-"

"Enough!" Patrok snapped and looked her in the eyes. "This is bigger than you or me or anyone standing here. Just stop talking for a moment and look around, dank farrik!" Anna's eyes listed across the cityscape. Fiery clouds of smoke billowed in the distance while the sounds of panic echoed throughout. "The bomber may have initiated one strike against our city, but you have only added to the devastation. So don't you dare mouth off to me about 'protection.' Officers...take her away." Anna gritted her teeth as the police took her into custody. As she was escorted into the back of a police speeder, she observed the nearby civilians. The people of Sundari looked upon her with fearful and spiteful glares. While failure gripped Anna from within, a haunting phrase returned to plague her mind.

"Deliver us from Jedi evil."

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's installment! Thank you for your kindness and support as we continue to reach new heights. As of today, "The Frozen Force" has over 200 reviews and over 19,000 views. With a word count of over 600,000 words, we're only going to keep growing! Maybe we'll hit a million words by the end of this season! As always, it's an absolute pleasure to entertain you all weekly and I look forward to next Friday!

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You

~ Michael