Chapter 002:

Chapter 2: Battle begins

34 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) - 2 Years before Canon

Sector/System: Mandalore

Location: MandalMotor Shipyards

After watching the Space worm fall toward the ground, I was finally able to calculate where it would land and evade it by going the other way.

However all this took me close to about two hours to do since I decided it would be best to go around the massive craters due to potential nests, and I rather not try my luck again by flying over one, at least not this soon.

After those few tense hours, I finally arrived around the Mandalmotors shipyards.

A massive structure surrounded, on all sides by asteroid fields and far from any possible Republic patrols, if they ever decide to show up and attack us again to finish what they started in the past.

The massive shipyard in front of me had a hexagonal center of about three kilometers, which as I read houses the command center in the middle, with places holding the crew and facilities to keep them alive all dotted around in special areas.

On three of the hexagon areas pointing outwards are massive arms that hold the shipyards and places to hold said ships being built, as long as the center is big, all shaped in massive tune forks, with each arm of said tune forks holding a massive birth or shipyard with each holding unfinished large ships.

There are also small hangar bays where fighter or bomber craft are built dotted all around said arms.

The closer I flew, the more saw in the form of point defense and larger capital ship lasers mounted to the top and bottom of the station, all around the fork arms I saw even more.

I'm not too sure how many there are but I dare to bet that many turrets and such are hidden behind small doors ready to pop out at a moment's notice.

"Finally here and out of that hell, can't believe there are more than six nests in there, I have to ask about that so I can update my charts to evade the place." I mumbled making a note in my systems about the massive spaceworm nests.

While I moved closer, to the shipyard where I could see all the arms filled with all kinds of ships in all kinds of states of build, but no activity of men going about the place.

"Weird for a shipyard things are unusually quiet, could Deathwatch possibly have done something, being impatient of the shipyards not willing to sell for cheap to them unless they bring the resources themselves?" I mumbled in a questioning tone. 

"Or maybe those idiot pirates I came across did something?" I wondered.

"Well let's find out I'm getting in range anyway, just to be safe." I slowed the ship down and made my way towards the docking bay.

"This is "Wayfarer" for Mandalmotor Shipyards. Do you read me over?" I called out over comms and began waiting for a response.

After about two minutes of no response, already making me nervous about the situation inside, since I know from experience that they always answer straight away.

"Nothing, This is "Wayfarer" for Mandalmotor Shipyards please respond… Respond dang-it!" I growled out at the end, starting to grow really worried now, something was truly amiss.

I looked at the sensors, and they showed that the antenna and satellite dishes were still working and in good condition, with no signs of any fighting either.

"Could it be corporate sabotage? no, I doubt that, Mandalmotors is the only shipmaker we have, maybe Republic spies? doubtful if they found this shipyard there would be an entire fleet here destroying it, due to their fear of us rising to power again." I wondered

"If anyone hears me, I'm coming in with supplies Food, and Clean Water, I'm going to Landing 'Bay 1' if anyone is inside, clear the landing bay, coming in now !!!" I said stressing the last part hoping none are at the place I'm going to land or lose their lives.

'Bay 1, showed at least still active so the automated doors should activate with my override code since what I read was that my clan and the clan owning the shipyards are both 'neutral' and I was expected to arrive.' I thought looking at my scans

This code in question is something that all neutral clans have. These are periodically changed during the clan meetings when all leaders of all neutral sides come together so that in case of emergency, they could be used to assist each other.

"Pfew, no meetings happened while I was gone, glad the code still works." I breathe in relief.

Soon enough I could see the massive bulky doors of 'Bay 1' open up, and I flew in slowly, and as soon as I was in, the doors closed again behind me.

"Normally you would get scared when doors close, not letting you get back out again knowing you go into trouble, but why am I starting to get antsy to fight?" I wondered if this was due to being a Mandalorian and trained to fight or just the fact of me wishing to harm whoever dared to intrude on our land.

I put the landing system on automatic and rushed to my room grabbing my weapons from the wall, some grenades from the crate, and some energy packs for my rifle and pistols.

I even donned my jetpack that I found slid under my bed when I had read up on things before, I also took an extra energy battery for my wrist blasters, and a knife for good measure.

Soon enough I noticed the soft shake of the ship and the clank of having landed.

I left my room while going to the door, I opened it while lowering the ramp.

I sat in the corner of the opening on one knee, my rifle ready aiming down into the hanger looking for any signs of life.

'Seems clear, time to move.' I thought standing up and rushing down the ramp and ducking behind a railing for cover.

I pressed a button on my gauntlet and the ramp pulled back up into the ship with the door closing soon after.

At the same time, I could hear my ship's engines whine down into standby mode.

I did a quick reading of the air here since there is complete silence and the fact I kind of got poisoned by my former crew, and that is the main reason I woke up here.

'My readings show the air is filled with toxins to knock people out, better not lose my helmet.' I thought looking at my left gauntlet for the oxygen readings, that showed me there was but filled with a type of gas.

Time for one last check of my gear before making my next move.

I did a quick check to see what grenades I had grabbed and found I had taken a bit of everything, two sticky grenades, two flash-bangs, five frag grenades, and the reusable sensor drone in the form of a grenade.

'Good, these are gonna be useful, time to get to work.' I thought, putting the grenades by type in their respective bandoleer pouch.

— — — — —

Outside the ramp of the YT-1930 Light Freighter 'Wayfarer':

We can see the "Wayfarer" stand in the middle of 'bay 1', standing on its six landing gears with the engine slowly turning off to a small glow.

We can see an armored green giant with a brown bandoleer carrying a rifle, and carrying a backpack with jets on it on its back, leaning beside a railing outside said ship.

"Let's hope it's just some malfunction sadly due to the readings of the air I highly doubt it." Jack said in a tense state having recorded a quick message that he had sent on all frequencies across the Mandalore sector.

We can see Jack go over his gear and put these sphere ball-looking things all with different colored stripes, in their designated bandoleer pouch.

"No lights, no sign of life, recording is on, Night Vision on, let's do this." Jack said, having muted his mic not to give himself away, pressing a quick button on his left arm's gauntlet to have the ship lock itself, preventing anyone from trying to get in.

'I wonder what would happen to those trying to get in, I read there were measures in place but I did not read what they were yet.' Jack thought to himself

"No signs of fighting, Life support looks to be active, albeit with toxins in the air, emergency bulk doors are not active, what could be going on here." Jack said in the meantime still recording when suddenly not even too far from his ship his motion tracker became active.

"Some unwanted guests on their way, Let's take this higher up and see what I'm dealing with here." Jack flew up using his jetpack.

Just when Jack finished using his jetpack to get higher up, on one of the rafters looking down on anyone below the doors opened and three people walked in.

One was an average-looking Human male, with brown hair and a clean-shaven face, even having brown eyes, wearing some coveralls filled with stains.

The next was a green-skinned male-looking person, with big black eyes, two small antennae on the head, and an elongated mouth that looked like the long mouth of some amphibian, this man is known as a Rodian.

The last one is a massive yellow-scaled man, with a long yellow tail, and the head of a reptile, lizard, or crocodile thing, debates are still ongoing but many call them lizards.

This big man is known as a Trandoshen.

All three were wearing protective masks and carrying rifles with some type of stick on the hip, besides the Trandoshen who had a massive sword on the back.

"You're right someone did land." the Human said, pointing at the ship in front of them.

"This is not good, we did not expect help, we made sure to deal with the communication so nothing could be sent, meaning someone showed up, you said there was no procedure in place for when they did not respond." the Rodian said, adjusting his mask a bit so it would not slip from his face.

"I'm sure of it, I worked here for 5 years nothing of the like is in place because we do not need it, if we hurry Deathwatch will get the blame and no longer will be able to get any ships, meaning the republic will be better off, and us having lots of free ships, while still being able to buy more, can't wait for this stupid mission to be over and done with." the Human said.

"Quiet you fool! We are not alone here." the yellow-scaled Trandoshen hissed.

At that moment just when the door behind them closed they looked down at the small orb that had fallen in front of them when it happened, it exploded covering the three of them in a sticky substance.

"What the !!" The Human responded falling on his back from shock, while the Rodian fell as well, with the Trandoshen falling on top of him yelling and clawing at the sticky substance.

"Look what we have here, some pests who think we will let outsiders do as they please."Jack said in the gruff voice of his helmet's voice modulator after landing, standing with his rifle at the ready, making the three of them stop trying to get out and look up.

"Huh? Where did this Mandalorian come from?" the Human said, making the Rodian and Trandoshen look at him like he was a fool.

Jack, though, pointed a thump over his shoulder to the ship then pointed to the rafters above.

"You are in Mandalorian space, on a shipyard that gets lots of supplies every few days, you really expected no one to show up at all?" Jack asked them before cutting to business.

"I will ask a question and if you answer I will let you go." Jack said.

"I'll tell you, don't kill me!" the Human said quickly

"Good answer." Jack said shooting the Rodian and Trandoshen in the head and the big reptile a few more times in each eye for good measure since their race is rather tough and can grow back things they lost, if that also counted for eyes and a brain no idea, Jack rather did not risk it and shot a few more times.

We can see Jack sling his rifle over his shoulder, and grab his knife, a combat knife even though it looks more like a mini version of a machete.

"Now you better be truthful or I will skin you alive." Jack threatened, pointing the knife close to the human's face, who in turn recoiled back trying to get far away.

"We were ordered by our boss to come here. We were to pick up some ships to bring back to Hutt space, but we were also told that the prices were too high and that they needed a lesson to be taught." The Human talked fast due to fear of the sharp-looking knife in front of his face.

"We brought lots of sleeping nerve gas, which I put into the ventilation shafts since I worked here for five years and cycled it through the shipyards. We were told to take everything we could in terms of ships and supplies and other resources, specifically beskar!" The Human panicked and continued talking.

"Who is your boss, and how many of you are in the shipyards." Jack asked, cutting his ramblings off.

"We are with about twenty maybe more, the three of us were told to guard this place, the coms are muted so they will look to be active so no alarms should go off at all, and when we are done we would send word and more ships would come here from the asteroid belt to assist us their numbers unknown, I'm just a grunt I never learned what I did not need to." The Human spoke again.

"Well done telling me, now rest." Jack pulled the human's head back and then put the knife into the human's chin into his head from below killing him straight away.

We can see Jack press some buttons on his gauntlet and speak into it to contact the closest Deathwatch base he knew was just a listening post in the same Asteroid belt the enemies were supposed to be waiting in.

Soon after Jack rushed through the large door and prepared a warm welcome for any others he would be coming across.

— — — — —

Jack's POV:

Interesting I don't feel anything from killing these three, not sure why maybe because they are criminals or because I can't remember much about feeling how to react?, my memory is rather spotty at best, I'll figure that out later for now time for cleanups, but first.

I pressed a few buttons on my Gauntlet and contacted the closest Deathwatch base I knew was around, it was just a listening post in the same Asteroid belt the enemies were supposed to be waiting in.

I knew this information since it was under a tab in my private files or diary, a logbook thing to use in case of emergencies or to give to the Ruling faction in case we were being targeted, by Deathwatch a lot.

"This is Jackal Gra'tua Gryphen on Mandalmotor Shipyards, respond." I started speaking, using my true mando name instead of my republic name.

[No idea how clan Gryphen got this frequency, what you want kiddo.] came a surprised and gruff voice.

"Listen to me carefully, I do not have much time here since I am alone and have to deal with an unknown number of hostiles." I answered before saying.

"Mandalmotors had a traitor among them who gassed the station and put everyone to sleep, the enemies are Hutt controlled, something about prices being too high so need to be made an example off." I continued saying.

"That is not all, I sent you a recording and you need to watch it, after that, contact others who can get over here to provide backup as soon as they are available, I repeat that I am alone, and if those ships arrive I have to deal with an entire army, do not let me hog all the fun." I finished saying.

[If all are gassed and sleeping, how are you awake?] came the voice.

"I came to bring supplies that is why I'm awake, I always do so once in a while on request due to both of our sides being part of the 'neutral faction'. I just took three enemies out and it sounds like they are sending more to find out why those three are not back yet." I answered.

"Be sure to hurry things up, if those ships arrive wherever they are, the shipyards will be lost." I stressed this part, mainly due to me being alone.

[Already watched the interrogation, informed the others, closest Deathwatch is ETA 20 min, also sent word to a clan Gryphen patrol nearby, we won't be able to stick around in this place after this but outsiders need to die!!] the gruff voice said back.

[Stay Alive kiddo, This is the Way!] the gruff voice said no longer talking as if to a child but going into combat mode straight away.

"Seems the next group is here I can hear voices, they are getting close, I'll try not to end things too soon, This is the Way! "Gryphen out!" I cut the transmission, cleaned the knife on the human's clothes, put it away, grabbed my rifle, and got in position just outside the doors.

— — — — —

Location: Deathwatch Listening post

While Jack prepared himself for his first real fight in this new Universe, the Gruff man on the Deathwatch listening post went into overdrive.

"Darn-it! This is what we were afraid of freaking outsiders thinking were pushovers." the man growled.

"YOU LOT GET TO WORK!! FIND THOSE BLASTED SHIPS IN OUR ASTEROID BELT!!!! "NOW!!" He screamed at the others in the listening post who knew things were serious and got to work sending probes out to look through the asteroid belt for the outsider ships.

"Report when you find them!." he growled hitting the railing with a fist

[This is command report station 4.] came over the coms into the gruff man's ear.

Hearing this the man took a deep breath before calmly answering the call.

"Command, just send you a recording from one Jackal Gra'tua Gryphen who came to bring supplies to MandalMotor Shipyards, and informed us of the situation of a gas attack." he started

"Outsiders wand to plunder the station and take all the ships that are already finished and all the resources including the "beskar" " he reported right away, it would be the only guess as to why they are doing all this.

[...] It was quiet for just a moment.

[I just informed the boss, he's not happy, not happy at all. All bases are now active, those outside are going to target any Pirates we had dealings with. It seems they betrayed us so now they will pay, all Camps and bases in the Mandalore sector, have gone active as well. If they try to run away the others will intercept them and destroy them.] came over the coms.

The gruff man was surprised to hear this since that was basically a total mobilization.

"Understood, we have eyes on the enemy ships. Three large transport ships, easy enough to carry a few hundred troops escorted by at least eight fighters, all in pairs of two." the gruff man said

"Do note that there might be more out there ….." the gruff man started to say when he suddenly got interrupted and both he and the one on the other side became quiet.

"SIR!" Reporting! Clan Gryphen patrol has engaged the enemy!" the sensor operator yelled out.

"Two ships left the asteroid belt going their way, they are launching a lot of fighters, at least THIRTY!! Another five ships are moving away." someone on the bridge of the listening post yelled out.

"Fuck! They converted large freighters into carriers." the gruff man cursed.

"Command I'm taking a squad to the Shipyards now, we need to find the crew and wake them up or at least get the weapons under control" the gruff man stated not as a question but as a statement and already started walking away.

[You are not to do that! if you do so now you and your man will be dealt with for treason!] came over the comes.

"Fuck you all, I'm not letting that kid deal with this alone, we might be on opposing sides but we are all Mando, and dealing with Outsiders, so Fuck you and take that threat of yours and stuff it up your ass!" the gruff man said.

[Chuck! Don't do it, you know what will be the end result!] the voice on the other side yelled out.

[CHUCK!!!] came the voice again, starting to sound desperate.

But there would come no response.

"Alright lads listen up, we do not have much time!" the now-named Chuck started saying.

"Now that they know they are found, and actively fighting clan Gryphen's patrol we can expect the others to move towards the shipyards with all due haste, all units get into your Fang fighters and all ground teams get on the Kom'rk and be ready to drop when reaching the shipyards." Chuck ordered

"Also prepare the detonation charges to blow the base after we all leave… we won't be coming back here." Chuck said, making his man look in surprise but knowing that their base was likely found and would be dealt with soon enough. so they made sure to be thorough so not much would remain but scrap.

While everyone geared up, and moved in all due haste to their fighters and Fighter/troop transport, listening post 4 was soon empty and rigged for detonation from a distance.

After leaving the listening post the big Kom'rk flew in the middle surrounded by five Fang fighters in a screen moving towards the shipyards, at the time this all took place a big fight in the hallways of said shipyard was well underway.

— — — — —

Location: MandalMotor Shipyards

Jack's POV:

As soon the next group showed up I did not wait, and aimed and fired my rifle straight away, in three short bursts.

It went to show that the body's training and muscle memory of the 'me' of this universe, was rather good and I felt nothing off after those small numbers of drills I had done in hyperspace.

All three of my shots hit the enemies, one in the head, another in the neck, and the last straight through the ear, into one out the other.

"Pfew, alright so that went well… much better than expected." I stood up, my mic still muted so no one outside would hear me talk.

After getting up I held my rifle in position down the hall checking behind each support pillar in case they had more with them than just the three.

After walking for a while I came to a wide-open door, mainly all of the doors I passed were wide open, I could see a few men with their backs towards me

Even if I could not really see their race, the fact their body armor is rather old, dilapidated, and mismatched told me enough.

'More pirates and these open rooms seem to be the crew quarters.' I thought when I heard one man laugh watching him walk out with a human woman, and heard the rest of them laugh and talk.

"Nice, you did nothing to her, right? A Mandalorian woman would fetch us a rather high price from the Hutts with how rare it is to find them outside of their armor." I heard a man with spikes on his head, likely a Zabrak say.

"Are you mad? We have no idea how long the gas will work. She would kill me if she woke up ya know." a Twi'lek said, dropping said woman in the middle of the group.

'That's my queue.' I thought, aiming.

And just when one of them turned my way, likely wondering why the others already dead had not come back yet I opened fire, and with my close range to them they clearly heard the shots.

*Pew* *pew* *pew*

I made sure to shoot three times in short order, but the group had about five, luckily two ran away as soon as the other three dropped instead of taking cover.

'Easy pickings.' I thought shooting twice more hitting the last two in the back and killing them.

I slowly moved forward, staying close to the side pillars for possible cover, and checking each room for more enemies.

However, all I found were empty rooms and a few with unconscious people in different states of dress.

"Good thing the lady is in full clothes. I doubt those guys would have held back otherwise." I said putting my rifle away and carrying the woman back into the room she was taken out of.

After putting the woman back into her room I continued through the hallway.

While moving further on I came into a hallway, and what I saw was anything but fun.

"Great, a welcome committee." I grumbled as I ducked behind a pillar, just when the first laser bolts flew past me.

A large barricade with a large group of enemies all shooting haphazardly in my direction and yelling things I could not make out, curses, orders, or whatever I did not care.

While I waited for an opening to shoot back, I started thinking of ways to get out of here if need be in case those other ships would get here with even more troops.

Just as quickly as the shooting began it also stopped.

"Did we get him?" I heard someone say just before the order was given to check if I was dead and if not to finish me off.

'Time for some fun.' I thought smirking beneath my helmet, as I rolled my last sticky grenade down range when I saw the enemies on the motion sensor of my helmet getting rather close.

"HE'S ALIVE!" I heard one yell out, just when the orb arrived at their location.

I quickly pressed the button to let it explode.

*BOOM*

"What the F…" one of them tried to say when a new hole popped up in his head.

I quickly grabbed my pistols and shot all the enemies stuck after getting hit, quickly dropping them all.

Just when I finished them off the rest started shooting again.

'Sigh, this is gonna take a while.'