Ch15 - The Rescue
Cruiser Beviin, Hyperspace, 2 BBY
"We got these guys in an escape pod," Nico told Hera as they met in the Beviin's airlocks. Stepping out from behind him, Kallus gave the Twi'lek a small wave. Next in was Thalia Grace, who had made her own escape from the Chimera when she realised that Kallus was on his way out.
"Good to have you guys here," Hera smiled. "You already know my crew - Kanan, Zeb, Ezra and my droid Chopper. Sabine's somewhere around here, though I think she's a little more important around here than we are.
"Right behind you," Sabine's voice called, and the Mandalorian threw herself into her comrades' arms, shaking Thalia, Nico and Kallus' hands when she noticed them. "Let's get to the mess deck. They're debriefing in ten minutes. I think Sato and Dodonna are going to show up on the Holotable too."
Nico followed her through the cruiser's halls, a smirk fixing itself to his face as he took in the explosion of colour that each corridor seemed to be. Most of the paintings were blue, in the colours of Clan Tritonis, but as they approached the Mess, they could see reds, blues, yellows, blacks and greens as each of the clans of the Resistance was represented by its own banner.
They were greeted by raucous cheers and applause by the Mandalorian warriors as they entered the Mess Hall, drinks raised in their honour and shouts of praise made to honour their sacrifice and valour in battle.
"A battle well fought, Captain Syndulla," a heavily armoured warrior told her, removing his helmet to reveal a weathered face. "Triton of House Tritonis, at your service."
"Does that ever get confusing?" Ezra joked, causing Hera to sigh. A couple of the Tritonis warriors started to snicker as she shook her head in dismay.
"He named his daughter Triteia too," a voice interjected, and the Ghost's crew turned to see a girl, a few years Sabine's junior in armour of her own. "Triteia Tritonis. It's a pleasure to meet cousin Sabine's friends. That cruiser of yours is wicked, Captain S."
"As impressive as the Captain's ship is, daughter, I'd remind you that she is a ranking officer of the Rebellion," Triton chastised, drawing a shrug from his daughter, and further snickers from the surrounding Mandalorians. Sabine slung an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.
"I'll give you a tour someday kiddo," she said, before turning to the room at large.
"Warriors of Mandalore," she called. "I introduce to you the crew of the Ghost under the leadership of Captain Syndulla, and the Jetii Shadow Order under the Mastership of General di Angelo. Each of them has taught me lessons that proved crucial in the restoration of Mandalorian might."
Together, the room rose and saluted. To Hera, it spoke volumes. The Mandalorians and Jedi had been enemies for thousands of years, the two sides having come to brutal battle in the past. Now, though, Sabine had brought them together, for better or for worse.
"You got started without us?" a new voice asked, and had it not possessed the same weariness that her own did after a battle so long, she would have assumed that it was some kind of politician's. The armour and face, though, were familiar. "Captain Syndulla, it's a pleasure. Nico, it's been a hell of a while. Manda above, you've even brought friends!"
Cruiser Beviin, Hyperspace, 2 BBY
Percy took no shortage of joy in seeing the shocked faces of most of the Ghost's crew as he walked in. Of course, he had fought against them all at Vader's side as they attempted to escape Lothal, then convinced them of his true intentions on the wreckage of Rau's camp on Concord Dawn.
He also knew full well that Nico and his Jedi had convinced them well of his death when it had been faked on Krownest, all those months ago to conceal his defection.
Even better was seeing Nico once more. They'd fought side by side for years in the Clone War, and then finally once more over Atollon, no matter how desperate the circumstances. What struck him immediately were the differences between the young boy he'd first met, and the grown Jedi Master who now stood, grinning, before him.
"Well played," Percy said, holding out a hand that Nico shook firmly.
"It was a bad situation. We survived, and that's what counts. A lot didn't."
"You shattered an Imperial army."
"You shattered an Imperial Warfleet."
Percy stopped, smiled, and the pair hugged.
"Kid, you grew up," he chuckled.
"Like you were ancient before the war yourself," the Umbaran shot back. "Kriff, it's been a while, huh?"
"You still got my shuttle?"
"Of course I've still got your shuttle," the Jedi chuckled. "Took some effort to sneak it around, but you'll like what we did with it."
"You'll have to show me around after the debrief," Percy grinned. "C'mon then, General. Time to congratulate your troops."
With the flick of a few buttons, the central table of the briefing room had been turned into a holotable, with the Rebel leaders currently aboard the Beviin surrounding it.
Projected from the table were Commander Sato and General Dodonna, both aboard their own flagships. From Yavin came the holographic likeness of Senator Mon Mothma, from Alderaan Senator Bail Organa. Finally, the likenesses of Ursa Wren and Reyna Tritonis flickered to life, the pair of them having tuned into Beviin's transmission channel from the Mandalorian Resistance's control tent on Krownest.
"To those unknowing within this meeting," Sabine began, speaking up and drawing the attentions of those attending, "I introduce General Niccolo di Angelo of the Shadow Order, and Al'verde Perseus Tritonis of the Mandalorian resistance to the leadership of the Rebellion."
"You were thought dead, Grand Admiral," Mon Mothma said, not bothering to hide the smile on her face. "It is good to have you on our side."
"I no longer hold that rank, nor am I answerable directly to the Rebellion," Percy clarified. "I fall under the jurisdiction of Mandalorian forces, and as such am subject to all legislation regarding them in matters of the Rebel Alliance. That being said, it's definitely good to be able to fight the Empire openly now."
"This battle, then," Organa joined the discussion. "What is the outlook of it? Reports suggest that the 7th has lost the vast majority of its ground assault forces, and reports suggest that many of its ships, including the Chimera, have been sent to various maintenance facilities."
"Sounds about right," Reyna confirmed. "Imperial channels continue to be flooded by communications regarding Medevac and recovery, and it appears as though the two Destroyers put out of action went down and crashed on Atollon. All hands."
There was a collective draw of breath at that revelation. The Mandalorian strategy to disable heavier capital ships than their own had proven fruitful before, but there was a certain gravity to downing a Star Destroyer with all hands that many around the table hadn't considered before.
"Allied casualties are estimated to number at 328, final count pending," Sato rumbled. "The Mandalorian forces took minimal casualties, as did our own ground forces. Thrawn's use of Interdictors to mask our withdrawal, and subsequent trapping of General Dodonna's troops has all but shattered the Messassi group's combat effectiveness."
"I lost five ships," Dodonna nodded. "While we were effective, they've pretty much wiped out the assault force that was going to attempt to retake Lothal. Thrawn's might have lost a lot of men, but he's displaced us from the Lothal Sector entirely, wiped an Alliance Assault group off the table entirely, and even gotten the Empire justification to increase their war effort in the Mandalore sector."
"We'll need to spin it in a way that reflects better, then," Organa concluded. "We escaped against the Empire's best, didn't we?"
"That we did," Percy agreed. "It was a masterfully fought ground battle on the General's part, and save for Thrawn's own foresight in concealing his Interdictors, the initial blockade run might have been successful too. A tactical victory on every count, despite losses sustained in the early stages."
"That's how we'll report it, then," Mon Mothma nodded. "There is no shame in admitting Thrawn's strength, and the arrival of the Mandalorian Task Force is a source of hope for any. I understand that our agreement stands, but if your aid continues to be offered, we will take it with open arms, with the promise of any resources that you request, within reason."
"Well, I'd say that we'll call it off for another day," Percy drawled, "but I notice that the Rebellion has some masters of Infiltration. We've got a VIP that needs extracting from a high security location, preferably without being detected."
"My agents and I are at your disposal," Nico replied instantly. "That isn't a favour from the Rebellion, that's an offer from me."
Percy nodded gratefully, his action mirrored by Reyna, Ursa and Sabine.
Tritonis Stronghold, Krownest, New Kleyman System, 2 BBY
"You aren't dead," Reyna muttered into the crook of Percy's neck as they lay in bed. "Manda, I wanted to be there with you, Perce, just…"
"I know," he reassured. "We all have our jobs, and you did yours perfectly, cyara. All we need to do now is get Alrich back from the nerf herding aruetii who took him. We're so close to peace, Rey. All it's going to take is the last push."
"I know," she muttered. "I'm just worried about what it's going to cost."
"For our freedom, Rey?" he asked. "For the freedom of the next twenty generations of Mandalorians? I don't think the cost matters. That might just be priceless."
Mandalorian Resistance Headquarters, Mandalore, 2 BBY
The camp was a flurry of activity, troop transports moving in and out at a frantic rate. Fresh into the central hub were the survivors of the action on Atollon and their Cruiser, the Beviin. Its sister ship, the Haran, had been deployed out on combat duties shortly after it had been announced that Beviin was entering the fray on the Rebels' side; after all, it was impossible that their light cruiser would emerge from any battle entirely unscathed, and as such Mandalorian Resistance Command had elected to maintain their raiding capacity in the Mandalore Sector.
Haran was the centrepiece of a Clan Rook battlegroup, with the Protectors making up for fighter numbers in the absence of the regular Tritonis pilots. All in all, despite no lull in the ongoing fighting, Resistance Command had done a damn fine job as far as Sabine was concerned.
"Alor, good to see you back here," Bo-Katan Kryze greeted. "We've got some news you might like to hear."
"Go for it," Sabine replied, leaning over the rickety wooden table that bore a series of paper maps. The centrepiece was what looked like a fairly remote Imperial prison, and clearly Bo-Katan and her subordinates had been plotting potential attack routes.
"The Jetii work fast," the Kryze Countess admitted, though it was obvious that she didn't like saying it. "The Kel Dor agent they call Theseus reported back today, with information on this prison facility, and he reports that a series of high-profile Imperial Officers were despatched from there yesterday. The data from the ship we captured seems to suggest that we've got him this time."
"My dad?" She asked, not daring to hope.
Bo-Katan nodded. "We're preparing the strike now - Ordo are on the current rotation, but I know that Wren and Tritonis are going to want to get in on this. Kryze are running casevac; we've got the only Kom'rks on the planet right now, except from your own.
"I like it," Sabine nodded. "Tell me the plan on the way. We leave in ten."
Mandalore, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
The Mandalorians worked fast, digging into the sandy terrain of their home planet in the dead of night.
There were some eighty of them involved in all; pilots, medics and warriors. They'd been dropped off some twenty klicks away from their target, a remote Imperial detention facility. With their heavy support unable to go any further without being detected, they'd been forced to make the distance up on foot, staying low in the darkness and relying on thermal imaging in their helmets' internal systems to save themselves from using light in the dead of the Mandalorian night.
They had small consolation in the fact that their position had been carefully handpicked by one of the best surveillance agents in the Rebellion.
The Jedi Agent Theseus, or Master Pel Kin as he was known to those close enough to him, had been watching this particular site for weeks, unseen and miraculously with in-depth information on those within.
Now, after a couple of hours of fitful rest, it was the Kel Dor man who was briefing them on their objective.
"The prison has four layers above ground, up to eight below," he informed them. "Heavy anti-air defence in the form of manned guns, and watches on the gates. They're reinforced in wartime with up to a whole platoon of Four AT-DP walkers, and a full company of Stormtroopers. From watching them, I can fairly comfortably assert that they are demoralised, and of no true concern to warriors of your calibre, Lady Wren."
"How should we hit it, Master?" Ezra Bridger asked, leaning in close to inspect the holographic likeness that the Jedi had built up of the base over time.
"A distracting force mounting an assault from these entrenched positions, while either airmobile or flanking troops breach the wall in a secondary position," the Jedi said confidently. Honestly, Sabine liked it. The trenches were good enough to keep them safe from AT-ATs, so if they managed to draw the Imps out, they were in a pretty good position.
"I'd change that slightly, Agent Theseus," She said. "We're stronger than them on open ground, but anyone can score a lucky hit inside. If we make it obvious that we're preparing for an attack, I'd guess that they'd send patrols out to take a look. If we ambush their patrols, they'll commit in numbers, which means that we can push troops into an even emptier prison."
"I like it," Fenn Rau nodded thoughtfully. "Use jetpacks to land on the roof, fight your way down - make sure every floor's clear before you move on. You've got 'em."
"There's our plan then," Kanan grinned. "Let's go and save a Count."
Mandalore, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
"I've always wanted to fly one of those," Nico looked longingly at the Jai'galaar as Percy conducted his pre-flight checks. The fighter had been improved to its former glory by Tritonis Engineers after the punishment it took over Atollon, its shielding improved and subsystems tuned to Sabine's own preferences.
Today, though, Percy found himself back in his old fighter, providing air cover should the joint Wren-Ordo force require it. Nico had volunteered to come along, with his own fighter from the Clone Wars still in sparkling condition. The pair of them represented all that Resistance Command could spare, beyond the three on-rotation Kryze Kom'rks which were currently being prepared for casualty evacuation in the event of losses, though it was common knowledge that the Gauntlets were hardly weak.
"You could fly it if you were Mandalorian," Percy joked. "I don't think any non-Mandalorian's ever flown one."
The Umbaran hummed, using a wrench to secure the maintenance hatch that he'd just been working on. The tool was discarded back into his toolbox as he walked over to see what Percy was doing with the Jaig.
"Sabine got pretty good with this thing," he said. "Kid's a hell of a pilot, and possibly an even better leader."
"I have you to thank for that," Percy smiled. "I was able to send her messages through Rau, but it was pretty obvious that you'd been working with her on fighter manoeuvres. Kriff, I didn't even know that the Jaig could do some of the stuff she pulls off. You can expect Triteia coming your way for lessons pretty soon. I was hoping she'd turn out as a nice normal warrior, but no, she wants Jedi pilot lessons."
Nico laughed. "Runs in your family, Perce."
"Damn right it does," he chuckled, though he sobered quickly. "Pallas had it too. She beat Triton in a dogfight once, just a few months into her time in the Royal Guard, and Triton's no slouch."
"Another thing for the Empire to answer for," Nico nodded sympathetically. "We'll beat them, Perce. For the future of your people, and for the survival of mine."
A communicator beeped, back under the hasty shelter that had been put up.
The attack had begun.
Mandalore, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
Up and down the line, synced communicators began to go off in unison. Weapons were cocked and final checks were conducted in anticipation of what was to come.
"Tristan, she's all yours," Sabine told her brother with a grin over the comm, the customary distortion of her voice courtesy of her helmet making the words sound crackly and flat.
"Heavy teams, open fire!" the young man ordered, turning to a pair of warriors toting a hefty shoulder-mounted anti-armour missile, up at the top of a nearby hill that overlooked the Imperial position.
With a press of a button on their vambraces, the missile was loosed, careening into the side wall of the Imperial compound. It was guided all the way by integrated systems in the main trench, allowing them to strike the enemy at distance, without even needing to maintain a line of sight.
Off in the distance, they could see the Stormtroopers forming up to mount a defence, white-clad troopers scrambling towards prepared positions.
The next two missiles knocked out the anti-air turrets on the roof of the building, with dust and rubble tumbling down into the inner courtyard.
"Enemy walkers mobilising," Theseus observed, passing Sabine his binoculars. Sure enough, the AT-DP platoon had mounted up faster than anticipated, and advanced over the open ground.
"Let them approach," Sabine replied. "Do not engage until they're right on top of us."
"Roger that Ma'am," the Ordo commander replied, relaying the message to his squads.
Mandalore, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
An explosion in the distance alerted them to the fact that the assault had commenced. Pilots rushed to their craft, launching shortly after and bringing themselves to the agreed rendezvous, some five miles from the ongoing combat. Close enough that their radars provided oversight over the battlefield, but not so far away that they would be showing their hand too early.
"Shadow, this is Lancer," Percy transmitted to Nico, using his personal callsign as a pilot on the Beviin, which was now standardised across Tritonis pilots.
"Send it Lancer," Nico replied.
"Systems are picking up two times Gozanti approaching on defensive vector for Objective."
"Your call, Perce," Nico replied. "Hit 'em hard?"
"Kriff yeah," he replied, turning off the orbit that he'd been maintaining. "Form on my wing, missiles hot."
Mandalore, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
"Spectre 5, this is Lancer 1," Sabine heard over in the comm, throwing herself against the concrete perimeter wall to shield herself from a blast, then taking a knee as she reengaged the Stormtroopers who'd pinned her detachment down. Ezra ignited his lightsaber beside her, ready to make an aggressive push, but she held up a hand to stop him, realising that Percy wouldn't contact her without reason.
"Go for it Lancer," she replied, firing off another suppressing volley as an Ordo squad barrelled through the gap in the wall.
"Enemy reinforcements inbound, we're moving in to cut them off," he said. "Air support ain't a secret anymore."
"Roger that," Sabine replied. "Give 'em hell."
"You got it, Spectre." Another hand movement, and Ezra stormed the compound with three Wren warriors in his wake, guns blazing.
A pair of spacecraft - a Fang and an Aethersprite Interceptor - hurtled overhead, both of them accelerating to combat speed as they went off into the distance. As their radars continued to update the Command System, Sabine spotted the Radar Pings of their targets; a series of Gozanti-Class Transports. Their firepower was pretty ineffective in comparison to the powerful anti-air systems that the Mandalorians had brought, but the tanks and walkers that they were capable of carrying would be a problem, not to mention fresh, actually trained soldiers.
"Spectre, I'm tracking an Imperial Convoy moving North in the direction of Sundari, making thirty klicks an hour. Guaranteed HVT on board, no PID," one of the Jedi agents stated on the system.
"Keep tracking it, Menelaus," Nico instructed. "Establish PID, and then we'll divert resources to your position. Range from Sundari?"
"Around fifteen hours, Master," the Pau'an replied. "Longer if Karn can set up a roadblock fast enough."
"Follow them," Nico instructed, and Sabine nodded to herself as she heard the conversation play out over the net. Fenn Rau was leading troops out of the trench, Kanan and Ezra's lightsabres glowing in the light of dawn. Knowing that she needed to be visible as a leader, she ignited her own blade, firing her jetpack and soaring into the sky.
Mandalore, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
The first ship went down in a ball of flame, the Gozanti transports defenceless against the guns of the pair of starfighters. The AT-AT it bore was crushed beneath its smouldering husk, the ship that followed it making to land immediately in response to the loss of its companion.
The second tank fell from its carrier at some two hundred feet, one of the Walker's knees buckling under the shock of impact, though the crew had some small chance of survival.
The ship itself began to descend, the inexperienced pilots panicking under the sudden contact. They were gunned down in short order, one single troop carrier having been hastily unloaded and already smoking from its overstrained engines.
"They won't like that," Nico noted. "They'll be back."
"No chance," Percy replied. "They don't know the scale of the attack. Comms are down, and even if they try something, we've got agents all over the system. I don't think there's much that can be organised before we're all in strong defensive positions."
"Then the planet's ours in all but name," the Umbaran observed.
"Sundari is all that stands between us and ownership of Mandalore, yeah," Percy agreed. "A lot of Imperial-sympathetic clans are turning their heads, and those who refuse to revert will be stripped of their weapons and status. Those who wish to be reintegrated into society will have to prove their worth."
"A bit extreme?"
"The Empire have just found out what happens when any number of clans unite against the rulership - with how heavily armed each clan is, it doesn't take much at all to do some real damage to the ruling authority. If we can split up dissidents and reintegrate them, then not only do we maintain our way of life, but it makes us appear more friendly to even those who oppose us."
"I'm not here to dictate how your system manages itself Perce, but I'd suggest a conversation or two before you set plans in stone. There's ways of reintegrating everyone, even if they refuse to turn over. It's not the right talk for a battlefield, though."
"Like hell it isn't," Bo-Katan's voice agreed over the comm. "Main complex is ours. Imps surrendered pretty quick after we broke in, their logs all say that Alrich was moved earlier this morning. All lines up with the convoy the Jetii spotted not long ago. A rapid reaction force under Ursa is already en route, Sabine, Rau and Tristan are coming on my transport. Your orders are to form up with us and provide any required air support.
"Roger that Ma'am." Within a moment, the pair of fighters had taken up supporting positions off the wings of the Kryze-marked troop transport, presumably the Countess' own.
"Some wreckage you two left out there," Sabine's voice crackled over the comm.
"We had fun," Percy replied nonchalantly. "They panicked pretty quick; it was almost mercy killing after the first shots were fired."
"Well, if this standard of inexperience is what Torrington thinks is enough to handle our forces, then they've got a whole other thing coming."
"Hold that thought Percy," Bo-Katan interjected, "I've got eyes on the convoy. All Kryze troopers ready to make the drop; we're going in for a low pass."
"Roger, ready Ma'am," the senior Kryze warrior confirmed on the main comm. "Bay doors prepped and ready for drop on your command."
The Gauntlet accelerated, rolling inverted and pulling downwards, pulling into a dive, with its Interceptor escort following suit. They levelled out a matter of tens of feet above ground, with the force of the repulsors that kept them aloft kicking up plumes of dust from the harsh Mandalorian terrain. Out of the corner of his eye, Percy could see the doors opening, the rail to which sixteen Jet Troopers were clung lowering out of the fuselage and exposing them to the elements.
They levelled with, then overtook the convoy, fire teams of four troopers each leaping onto the hulls of Imperial transports. Stormtroopers were flung from their vehicles as Warriors cleared their way through, cutting down all that stood in their way.
At their head was Sabine Wren, darksaber hacking and slashing away at her foes in the lead vehicle, while a well-placed burst of fire from the gunship sent the escorting speeder bikes hurtling to the ground.
As it turned out, their extraction mission was so brutally efficient that Ursa Wren and her blocking troops a mile down the road wouldn't even see action.
In fact, it felt too easy.
Was that a sign of dissenters within the joint Saxon and Imperial camp, or had the Empire just been given a dramatic wake up call?
Only time would tell.
Imperial Naval Admiralty, Coruscant, Galactic Core, 2 BBY
"Grand Admiral, make your report," Tarkin instructed, gesturing to the seat opposite him. "Be advised that we are still awaiting a number of your fellow members of the Admiralty."
"The Mandalorians have played their hand, Moff Tarkin," Thrawn announced. "Where it was unknown regarding their strength and combat effectiveness, we have now seen their doctrine and warfighting style up close. A war against these brutes will only see them exhausting their own troops and resources as we simply repair what they damage.
They are too lightly armed to win the space battle, and not numerous enough to win the land one. Imperial victory is assured."
"And yet you lost both the Space and Land battles on Atollon," Tarkin noted.
"A… miscalculation," Thrawn replied. The Jedi utilised new strategies; ones which I had not accounted for. They are unpredictable."
"You are employed by the Emperor to defeat our enemies, unpredictable or not."
The Chiss Admiral scowled.
"Perhaps the Mandalorian Resistance should have been better contained," Thrawn argued. "From what I have heard, their senior leadership has already recovered Torrington's captive, and demolished a battalion of his Stormtroopers."
"Perhaps you should consider your own failings before you turn your eyes to others. The resources allocated to your fleet were identical to what Grand Admiral Jackson had to subdue the entirety of the Mon Calamari rebellion. They provided resistance, and yet Jackson won. What prevents you from doing the same to a pathetically small Rebel unit?"
"The Interdictor was designed to render vessels combat ineffective by dragging them out of Hyperspace," Thrawn changed the subject. "It did not work against the Mandalorian Fleet, and as of yet I am unaware as to why."
"It is a product of Mandalorian engineering," Tarkin answered.
"It is a product of Imperial Engineering," Thrawn replied. "Under the oversight of Perseus Jackson, yes, and yet it is wholly Imperial, designed by a man who is now dead, killed by his own clan."
"Then I have no answer to your doubts, Grand Admiral," Tarkin sighed.
There was a knock on the door. Thrawn turned, confused, though Tarkin clearly expected further company.
At the Grand Moff's bidding, a young blond man was let in, his most striking feature besides the rank tabs of a Rear Admiral being the poison-green eyes.
"Admiral Torrington," Tarkin greeted.
"Moff Tarkin," the newly introduced man saluted, then inclined his head in response. "A pleasure to meet you once more."
"Then you are the one who the Mandalorians have slipped past on so many occasions," Thrawn observed.
"And the only one before whom they have sustained any serious losses," the younger man jabbed back. "They ran roughshod over the entire sector until I was posted there, and now they are reduced to a raiding force. All major cities remain within my control, and day by day more Mandalorian sympathisers to our own Imperial cause pass through the Imperial Academy. Surely, Grand Admiral Thrawn, you realise that the only thing that can beat a Mandalorian, is another Mandalorian."
Thrawn shrugged noncommittally.
"Indeed, the same might apply to your own little Jedi problem."
Tarkin stood, putting an end to the Rear Admiral's verbal assault. "Come now, Alabaster, Thrawn's operational record speaks for itself, whereas your campaigns in Castellan's 'Bloody Fifth' have been middling at the very least. Judging by the close cooperation of the two cells, however, some level of cooperation between Admirals Castellan and Thrawn might be of some value. I shall leave the pair of you here to acquaint yourselves batter. See that your shared problems do not expand."
The Grand Moff left the room.
Tritonis Stronghold, Krownest, New Kleyman System, 2 BBY
"Some peace at last," Reyna sighed, placing her cup of caf on the table on her right. She was in a reception room of the Stronghold, among old friends for the first time in a while.
"Pretty cool place," Thalia mused. "Damn Perce, I didn't know you were fighting stock like this. Suddenly having the famous 'Olympian' Admirals for cousins and grandparents seems pretty normal."
"Admirals of the Old Republic versus Counts of Mandalore," Percy chuckled. "It was pretty big news when the Duchess came to see my commissioning parade, but that's more because it was some kind of major diplomatic milestone. Kark, the entire course of the Clone War might have been different if I hadn't been where I was.
"Don't go getting big headed, Perce," Triton chortled. "You were some insignificant minor officer when the war started, and Maul's agents within Kyr'tsad still assassinated the Duchess. It's a wonder that our name was ever recovered."
"So where do we go from here?" Kallus asked. The question was met with hums of agreement from the present crew of the Ghost.
"Sundari," Percy answered. "As far as this part of the Rebellion is concerned, though, we're going to let you folks get back to your own unit. Rebel Command under Mon Mothma has put you guys back at base on Yavin, and you'll team back up with Captain Syndulla and so on. The Jedi aren't beholden to any part of Rebel Command, so I'm in no position to order them around."
"We're here until Sundari is yours," Nico told him. "Or, at the very least, I am. A few of the others may remain here, but a large proportion of them will integrate as spies and agents into various other combat theatres, supplying intelligence to the Rebellion, as we have done for so long."
"Then we'll take our leave in the morning, Master, Admiral," Kanan said.
Nico nodded, though it was obvious to everyone that Ezra Bridger seemed to expect something from Sabine Wren. Percy, Reyna and Fenn Rau shared a look.
"I… I want to come, Ezra, but I don't think that I can. I have responsibilities, and while I could pass them on, I'm too involved in this fight to just… step away."
The four elder Mandalorians present nodded, each of their eyes glowing with pride. Reyna wrapped an arm around her niece's shoulders.
"We are rarely further than a holomessage away, General Jarrus, Commander Bridger," Percy said. He used their traditional ranks associated with Jedi integrated into the main battle line from the Clone War, even though he could tell that neither of them was particularly comfortable with it.
"It would be the honour of the Mandalorian Resistance to join you in your battle for Lothal, when that day comes. Until then, though, we will continue our own struggle to free our home world.
At that, the conversation turned to lighter matters. There was a time for talking business, but everyone present was far too tired for that time to be now.
A/N
Another chapter, admittedly a little tame by my standards.
Things I'll discuss...
Firstly, some of the keener eyed among you will pick up that Percy and Alabaster give very different reports of how the Mandalorian theatre looks. How does it actually look? Somewhere in the middle, really, though Percy, being a Commander on the ground, knows a little better. The Mandalorians are certainly winning, but make no mistake, the Imperial-aligned clans are strengthening, and doing so rapidly. We'll see the results of that somewhere down the line. It lays the foundation for Moff Gideon's own style, that's reflected in the Mandalorian series.
That's just the reality of war. Each side spins their own web of lies, and nobody knows the answer except for the people actually doing the warfighting.
I'll also throw in a mention of the fact that Sabine isn't off to Yavin as in Canon. Yeah, pretty self-explanatory. I gave her a leadership role here, so she isn't about to down tools and naff off to some lesser conflict. I understood it in the series, where there was less reason to stay, but that isn't the case here. She'll be at major battles, sure, but not at your run of the mill raids.
Shoutout to all the old crowd, really. We're all less active posting-wise, the likes of me, Tommy, Dudududhehe, Falcon, Loon. We're still alive, just busy as fuck. Some might keep posting, some might not. Keep reading our shit, comment on it, enjoy it. Time does that to people.
Until next time, then,
Sol
(I do not own PJO, Star Wars or any related media)