Chapter 27 Allies Wanted (Part 2)

Reijar, Ordo System…

Haron Ordo was reading reports as he sat in his office, the situation with the Separatist holdouts stuck in his throat, working with them was not what he wanted but they were one of the few forces in the galaxy that could realistically be useful to them. Already thanks to them they now had a chance to properly analyse the Imperial Star Destroyer and found a number of useful weak points they could exploit.

The victory at Ando had convinced a number of former Separatist commanders and scientists to come back to the old cause and with them they no longer needed as much help from the Mandalorians but still they would need to keep an eye on the situation in case that changed. He had even designed a 'Western Reaches' Campaign Bar that Mandalorian warriors could wear on their armour if they served there and the first few medal designs were being finalised.

Now they had two major allies to fight with Haron thought with a considering look in his eyes as he stared at the star map of the galaxy. The Mon Calamari and the Separatist Holdouts under San Hill.

It was a start Haron thought with resolve but more would be needed in the days ahead.

At least the battles fought so far had given him a chance to see what ships of the Mandalorian Ships worked and which ones didn't. Most of them worked really well he thought but others regrettably did not.

The Janus class ships were far too old and refitting them with new and better equipment was incredibly difficult due to their design and age. So, he had reassigned them to home defence roles while the new Mirshko class ships took their place along with the Dreadnaughts.

Since he had not officially retired them and given them the important duty of 'protecting their home' while other ships were away the traditionalists were kept happy for now, but in the future, he would be forced to retire them eventually it was just to cost intensive to keep them in service.

Getting up from his desk he realised he was going to be late for his turn to teach Vysa some magic, smiling as he hadn't been able to spend much time with her recently as they had all been so busy. Vysa had been studying intensely with Luna to open her connection to the force properly and through trial and error, she had at last managed it.

Walking out of the compound he went into the forest that surrounded the compound and found much to his own surprise Vysa levitating above a rock while some small rocks floated around her. Clearly, she had been practicing hard Haron thought, impressed at how far she'd managed to come in the year or so she'd been here.

She seemed to sense his presence and the rocks fell to the ground as she broke her meditation and she floated back to the ground.

"Ready to learn some magic?" Haron asked her with a smile and she smirked a little.

"About time! Been waiting for ages." She said with exaggerated impatience. Haron just nodded and saw she had already gotten the kyber crystal shards in her gauntlet. He held his hand out and told her.

"Right, simple start. Stunning spell and the disarming charm. More versatile than you would believe and it allows you to develop your skill within magic as well." Haron said. "Being able to cast by mental concentration will be of help in the future but for now we use words till you can manage to do it silently. Stupefy! Expelliarmus!" Haron called out, letting a red stun bolt emerge from his hand followed closely by scarlet blast of energy.

"Stunning and Disarming!" Vysa said almost whining. "Can't we do something cooler?"

Cooler? Haron thought with amusement, understanding her frustration all too well. At Hogwarts it had taken a few years for them to get good enough to try higher level magic but Vysa wouldn't need that. She would get there quickly enough he thought and reassured her.

"We all have start small and believe me, these spells are more useful than you would think. Besides it builds up your magical muscle so to speak and makes it easier to do more complicated spells later. It all adds up. Believe me, we all had to go through this." Haron said with a smile.

Vysa frowned before giving an annoyed sigh and doing as he said, speaking the words out loud and weak coloured red and scarlet lights emerged and seeing this Haron told her.

"It is all about your own belief that you can do it, not to mention the emotion you put into it. Even if that includes your own frustration. Try again." He told her patiently.

Vysa frowned before turning back towards the clearing and saying again, loudly.

"Stupefy! Expelliarmus!"

This time when the spells appeared they were far brighter and more powerful, large blasts of energy that flew out of her hand. She looked at them with astonishment before turning to smile at Haron who nodded in approval and told her.

"This is only the beginning. Luna is a far better teacher than I but I will hopefully be able to give you enough to get by." Haron said before they continued their lesson.

Earth, Wild Space…

Cal Kestis and Trilla Suduri were standing in front of an ancient ruin while their teacher waited for them some distance away. She had told them to enter the ruins and not leave until they had 'resolved their inner conflict' whatever that meant. Even though she was not a Jedi Master, Luna as she preferred to be known was certainly as enigmatic as any of them.

"What do you think is in there?" Cal asked Trilla who looked as unsettled as he was by the dark and foreboding structure.

"Everything and nothing." Trilla said with a breathless whisper. Cal looked at her and said with fear in his voice.

"That doesn't help."

"I know, but that's what my…master used to tell me." Trilla said with a tremor, not wanting to think of Cere as her master anymore…not after she had abandoned her Trilla thought with anger running through her.

Neither was able to say anything more and both went where their instincts were telling them to go, separating down different paths.

- x -

Cal was struggling to control of his own feelings, he could feel the force all around him and it was terrifying to be alone in a place like this. There seemed to be sounds and movements coming from all around him.

Suddenly there was a snap hiss of a lightsaber and Cal suddenly dodged as a blue blade swung close by, nearly taking his head off. He ducked and rolled, igniting the half of his master's lightsaber that he still had. He moved it up to block the next strike only to be stunned by the identity of his enemy.

"Master?" Cal said with shock as he saw Jaro Tapal standing there, back from the dead even though Cal knew that wasn't possible. He had died in his arms, Cal remembered, he saw it happen again and again in his dreams every night.

"Padawan! It's time for instruction." Jaro said with an anger in his voice that Cal didn't remember him having. Cal struck out with the lightsaber training he had only just started receive from Jaro almost out of instinct. It was clumsy and awkward and Jaro immediately let him know it.

"Still incompetent." Jaro said almost sneering at Cal who wilted inside as he tried to keep pressing. "Your will is weak. You lack discipline! No wonder you ran away to hide behind those barbarians that took you in."

Cal honestly felt horrible, each word Jaro said cut deeper and deeper into his small reserve of confidence and self-worth, Jaro then hit him with a heavy cleave that threw Cal back a step and told him with disgust.

"You will always be weak. And always alone."

Cal then finally used some of the new moves Trilla had helped him learn, resorting more to Form 2 fencing rather than a blunt Form 5 attack. Jabbing straight through his late master's guard to stab him through the chest.

Cal honestly was so shocked by this he didn't know what to say, just looked at Jaro who was still looking at him with distaste.

"Yes, my blood is on your hands, apprentice. You are a failure, a weakling, a traitor." Jaro told him with disgust while he grabbed Cal's hands and pressed the saber even deeper into his body.

Cal honestly was not sure what was going on but he knew that the real Master Tapal wouldn't say that. He would never say such things and he remembered that Trilla was inside the ruins somewhere, she had taken this risk with him and the Mandalorians had risked their own safety by taking him in. He remembered Luna and the therapist he had spoken too at her insistence who helped him realise that what had happened was not his fault. There was nothing more he could have done; he wiped the tears from his eyes and told the illusion of his master.

"No master, I am not alone. I have my friends, a new family. But I will never forget you." Cal said with calmness and resolve. "I will honour your teachings, the sacrifice you made for me. Facing those memories, letting go of my guilt…that is what has made me stronger and will continue to make me stronger because I will not run from them anymore. I may not be a Jedi, but I will face the future with determination, with resolve, at least in part thanks you." Cal said, shutting the saber down and pulling it free from the illusion's chest.

The illusion of Jaro Tapal swung his blue blade at Cal only to stop when Cal refused to fight back.

"Master. I will never forget." Cal told him, finally making peace with his master's death, realising now what Luna had been trying to teach him. "The loss has become a part of me. I will honour your teaching. And your sacrifice." Cal assured him and Jaro smiled.

"Remember." He told Cal as he walked off into the ruins. "Persistence reveals the path, and you are not alone."

The illusion then disappeared.

Cal was left standing alone, not sure exactly what had just happened but felt much better and at peace with himself than he had since his master died. He saw a small group of Kyber crystal shards around him. Glinting in the light and he reached down and scooped them up, feeling the warm weight of them in his palm.

"Thank you master." Cal said, placing them in the pouch at his waist till he could fit them into his gauntlet later.

- x -

Trilla like Cal was stumbling through the ruins, not sure what to look for or if she was even supposed to really look or just wait where she was.

The day outside had been warm but inside the ruins it had become so cold it would make Ilum look like Tatooine. She shivered, not able to shake the horrible feeling of fear that was creeping up her spine.

Then a familiar voice called out from the mist that was forming around her.

"Why was I lumbered with a failure of an apprentice like you?" Cere's voice called out angrily from all around her. Trilla looked around looking for wherever Cere was and called out to her.

"Master!" She shouted but in return Cere's voice just said.

"We should have left you to the Empire. You are not worth the trouble you bring to everyone around you. Maybe this is where you belong!" She could almost see the sneer on Cere's face as she said that and Cere suddenly found herself in some kind of horrible looking chamber. She tried to move but found she was strapped down to a horrifying table with electric prongs coiled around it. She saw some Imperial Stormtroopers looking at her as the prongs sparked and came closer. Trilla whimpered with fear as they approached her and when they touched her, she screamed out in pain, the worst she had ever imagined.

Then Trilla heard a lightsaber ignite and through her pain she saw Cal, looking older she realised to her surprise who cut down the stormtroopers and cut her free from the chair.

"Cal?" She asked with confusion, not sure what was happening. Cal told her with a sense of urgency.

"Come on! We need to get out of here before the Inquisitor comes." He told her and pulled her to her feet and then Cal stilled as a red lightsaber blade was stabbed straight through his chest. Trilla gasped in horror and held Cal as he fell to his knees, straight into her arms.

Trilla held his face and then looked up to see that a female masked warrior baring Imperial symbols was standing there, with a red lightsaber in her hands. Trilla filled with anger grabbed Cal's lightsaber and attacked the figure with all her rage at her adopted brother's death.

The Imperial though seemed able to counter her moves instinctively, no matter what she tried to do the Imperial seemed able to ready with the perfect defence.

"Just give up! You are a failure! Cere knew you would fail! That you are weak! You're nothing." The Imperial told her with a scathing bite to her words. Trilla felt every work hit her like a hammer blow but she stiffened her resolve and told the Imperial.

"I am Trilla Suduri." She spat out and managed to strike the Imperial in the mask, and when she saw just who she was fighting with, she froze, not wanting to believe it.

The Imperial threw the remains of the mask off and revealed an image of herself. Older and looking much angrier than Trilla had ever thought possible.

"See yourself. What you carry inside you." The Imperial Trilla said with a vicious smirk on her face.

Trilla herself was not sure just what to think, wondering just what this was before her. She didn't know if it was a vision of what was to come or a potential other future that she had been spared but then, looking at her evil twin Trilla smiled.

"I see what you are. My fear of abandonment, of never being good enough. Of being alone." Trilla said extinguishing her borrowed lightsaber. "I am Trilla Suduri, Mandalorian and trainee Akaan. Honorary Sister. I will find my place in the galaxy. I am myself; I will never be nothing." Trilla said as she let go of her anger at being abandoned by Cere and left behind. She would no longer be afraid of measuring up to others because all that mattered was that she stayed true to herself, that she learned at her own pace.

The Imperial Trilla looked at her with confusion and then fear, slashing out at her but the blade passed harmlessly through her, no longer able to hurt her now Trilla didn't fear her. She screamed out in anger before evaporating along with the rest of the chamber, leaving her standing in the middle of the ruins like it had never happened.

Trilla breathed a sigh of relief, letting go of her anger had finally set her free and let her find her own inner peace. She smiled as she saw some Kyber crystal shards appear before her, their warm glow as she collected them was comforting after the trial she had just faced and once she had them, she eagerly left the ruins. Outside she found Cal who was looking rather shaken, presumably having faced a similar trial to hers.

Trilla without wasting time with words grabbed him in a hug which he quickly returned. They both needed the comfort and they stayed like that for a good while before separating and Trilla smiled before calling him for the first time. "Brother."

Cal seemed shocked at this but soon smiled back and called her. "Sister."

"Then you have at last found what you were both looking for." Luna said, appearing almost from nowhere giving them both a start but they both relaxed when they realised it was her.

"Yes, letting go of our past traumas and accepting them. And by realising we are not nor have we ever been alone." Cal said humbly and Trilla nodded in agreement.

"Then you are both ready to begin your magical training." Luna said, smiling serenely at the pair that she honestly felt had a great future ahead of them.

Tantive III, Deep Space…

Bail Organa had been a worried man of late, seeing the rise of the Empire and the suppression of liberty across the galaxy made him question many things. The shock of finding out that the Chancellor was the Sith Lord who had been manipulated both sides in the Clone Wars, both before and after too was horrifying especially as he knew just what the Sith were like from their presence in history.

He and Mon Mothma were finding it hard to know just who and who not to trust in the Senate these days as so many that they had once thought good and noble people turned out to be nothing more than puppets on Palpatine's strings.

After what had happened at Kaldera and in a few other places he realised that regretfully peaceful reform was not going to be enough to stop the Sith and their corruption this time.

A fact that had become even more apparent after the defeat the Empire had suffered at Mon Calamari. That had shocked a few people in their belief that the Empire was sure thing he thought with a small sense of satisfaction. The Mandalorians being there had caught everyone by surprise and the head of Imperial Intelligence had disappeared not long after.

That had irritated the Emperor, Bail thought with amusement, worried for how he might retaliate but impressed at the victory and more so as it had sent a message across the galaxy.

That the Empire wasn't invincible and could be defeated.

So, he and Mon had begun to set up some resistance groups across the galaxy, trying to encourage those that had could to fight back and rebel against the Empire. Today he was meeting with a group of people that should help that aim.

An old Class VI Bulk Freighter hovered outside his own ship as they docked, the airlock confirmed a hard seal before opening, Bail stood there with Captain Antilles and a squad of his soldiers but it wasn't soldiers that came aboard, instead it was a group of executives and ship designers from the Incom Corporation.

"Senator Organa, thank you for your help." The lead man said, looking tired but grateful. "We would likely have all ended up in Imperial prisons along with our families if you had not seen fit to warn us of the Empire's attempts to nationalise the company."

"It is my pleasure and duty to see that as many people can be saved as possible. We have a safe place for you and your families to go." Bail reassured them and the Director nodded before handing him a datapad.

"And we have something for you in return. Before we got the contracts with the Republic during the Clone Wars this would have likely been a decade away or more but we have a new space superiority fighter. One that is designed exclusively for space combat and takes many of the lessons learned from the ARC-170 Heavy Fighter. The T-65B X-Wing Interceptor." The Director said proudly.

"Highly manoeuvrable, shielded with a small profile to make it harder to hit. Well-armed and easy to pilot. Hyperspace capable for long range missions. Excellent in both atmospheric flight and in space. One of our best creations." The Director told Bail who was impressed if the ship turned out to be as good as advertised. "We have some of the prototypes of the ship for you to test out."

Bail smiled; this was a good step in the right direction he thought.

Reijar, Ordo System…Same Time…

Unknown to Bail some members of the Incom Corporation had gone their own way and taken another ship with a few of the precious prototypes to their company's best benefactor in hopes of aid.

"Impressive work." Haron said, admiring the design of the new starfighter. He could see some of his own people liking the design and the Mon Calamari were in need of a good interceptor design which this would suit nicely. Teamed with the heavier ARC-170s and V-Wing Bombers they were a potent force he thought. A vast improvement over the Z-95.

"We will set you up on Mandalore with your own facilities there to continue your work, safe from the Empire." Haron said to the Incom personnel that had joined him.

They were glad of the safety and Haron went to arrange for an escort to get them to Mandalore, when in his office he looked at the arrangement of Mandalorian Forces and would need to establish some kind of uniformity of ships used as the great variety of ships they had made balancing task forces difficult.

No rest for the wicked he thought as he saw Ara come in with Grahuur who had been busy recently with his own family having had a new cub recently. He smiled warmly as they came in and Ara with a grim look on her face told him.

"Haron, we just received word from our spy network. It seems they have turned the Empire is turning its attention to the Wookiees. An invasion is set to happen soon." Ara told him with anger, knowing full well since the Wookiees had been loyal members of the Republic and were no threat to the Empire, the only reason to target them was to enslave them as others had done so many times before.

It sickened both Ara and Haron, they both hated slavery with a passion and having had Grahuur in their company for some time had a great deal of respect for him. The Wookiee in question asked in their native language if the Mandalorians would consider lending his people their aid.

That was not even a question in Haron's mind he thought with determination. He was never going to allow the mass enslavement and likely major genocide of the Wookiees on his watch. His people didn't have that much history with the Wookiees but he doubted they would mind too much as the Wookiees were as much a warrior people as they were Haron thought with a smile.

Kashyyyk, Mid Rim…

The enormous forests that covered Kashyyyk's surface made it hard for an invasion force to find a place to land their units in large numbers. Only one of which could be found near the coastal city of Kachirho, the planet's capital city.

Only a year or more ago Republic clones had stood on this very beach alongside the Wookiees to defend their world. Only now those same clones and human recruits would be invading with the sole purpose being to enslave the entire Wookiee population. The Empire had even legalized slavery and would have a number of Trandoshan slaver guilds with them to 'officially oversee workforce acquisition'.

It made Haron sick, he thought, trying to keep his rage contained as he stood in the tree platform command post with Grahuur and Tarfful, a Wookiee chieftain who was leading their warriors as he had the last time. Next to them Bo-Katan had joined them alongside Eliza Kane and Ijaa Yusagi.

On the beach below Canderous Assault Tanks, Basilisk War Droids and two Rancor Heavy War Droids had been put into position to fend off any landing while the Wookiees stood in the trenches with Mandalorian Warriors and Skytrooper droids. Heavy Blaster repeater positions had been set up along with mortars in the trees and in the trenches. Heavy cannons had been placed further back in more protected positions.

"Why exactly are we risking our lives for a bunch of walking carpets?" Bo-Katan said crossly, not wanting to waste their resources on helping others. She didn't even bother to say it in their native language Mando'a, just speaking in basic which Haron knew the Wookiees understood. They didn't like what she had said, he noticed and sighed in exasperation and told her sternly.

"Because we need allies. If the Empire concentrates its full resources against us, they will overwhelm us with pure numbers alone regardless of how skilled we are. We need to keep as many other worlds fighting as possible so they have to divide their attention, not to mention when the time comes to take the fight to the Empire, we will not be able to do that alone." Haron scolded her, Bo-Katan's expression wasn't visible due to the helmet's they were all wearing but he could feel her annoyance at being treated like a child.

All of the Mandalorians were wearing their helmets, the war with the Empire having pushed a revival of some aspects of their culture. It was now the trend that in the presence of non-Mandalorians you must never remove your helmet. It was considered a sign of weakness although in the private it was fine to remove it or in the company of your fellow Mandalorians but never were you to be without your helmet in the presence of outsiders.

Haron looked over to Tarfful and his aide Chewbacca, neither was impressed at her comments he could tell and he reassured them.

"My people have pledged to help you and we honour our agreements Chieftain." Haron told them and the Wookiees didn't fully buy it he could feel especially given how the 'Republic' had betrayed them. He understood their feelings completely and intended to make sure they knew the Mandalorians kept to their word.

"They do have us outnumbered by a five to one margin. How are we going to address that?" Ijaa asked, actually interested in seeing just how true the stories were about how good a warrior race the Wookiees were. If they were even half the warriors that he had heard they were then it would be an honour to fight alongside them.

"Oh, we deploy our 'hidden assets'." Eliza Kane said with a smirk as she was fully aware of just how Haron had taken advantage of their location to hurt the Imperials.

"Mandalore, the Imperials have begun their march." Din's voice called out from the observation post where he was keeping a long-distance eye on the Imperials. Haron replied calmly.

"Indeed, keep our artillery batteries informed of their positions constantly."

"Understood." Din said professionally and Haron smiled under his helmet. Glad to see he was able to stay so calm in the face of enemy.

"Well, now it begins." Haron said to the others. Tarfful made a comment in his native language to Grahuur and Chewbacca, Eliza who was curious at what they had said asked him.

"What did they say?" Haron frowned before answering.

"You don't want to know."

- x -

The Imperials were using an island just off the coast as their base for advancement into the city, much like the Separatists had during the Clone Wars. There was a deep channel of water between the island and the land but their vehicles would be more than able to cross it. They had even modified the AT-AT walkers to be watertight so they could walk the relatively short distance on the channel floor. On the surface TX-130 Saber-class fighter tanks and hover transports would bring troops over while in the skies TIE fighters would give them air superiority.

Unknown to them however, knowing Imperial battle doctrine as he had spent a number of years studying the man who was writing it, Haron Ordo had planned for every single one of these things.

The hover vehicles moved faster than the walkers did so the walkers went first, the idea being that the heavy walkers would make landfall on the beach first and clear the way for the smaller hover tanks and troop transports to follow.

The Walkers were slow and made little headway until they were submerged in the war on their way to the beach, then the hover vehicles began to move over the water's surface towards the beach. Overhead the Tie Fighters moved.

But when the walkers were at the deepest part of the channel, Haron sprung his trap.

From what looked like rock formations a short distance off, lights suddenly appeared and started rising upwards. But these were no rocks defying gravity and the water, they were Mon Calamari Submarines brought especially for this battle.

The Submarines raced towards the unsuspecting walkers and let loose with a barrage of torpedoes straight at them. The torpedoes slammed into most of the walkers and knocked them sideways, so they now lay on their sides on the surface, trapping many of the troopers inside as the torpedoes and impact with the channel's floor made some spring a leak or blocked ways to escape. If anyone did manage to make it out of the stranded walkers, they would find themselves being picked off by the submarines that hovered nearby watching to ensure none escaped.

That meant when the hover vehicles reached shore, they found themselves without the landing zone being clear and with none of the heavy fire support they had expected. Artillery and mortar fire started raining down on them while warriors on the beach and in the enormous branches above opened fire. Blaster shots were flying everywhere as Wookiee and V-Wing gunships flew around the battlefield, their gunners opening fire on the Imperials below.

The Rancor Heavy Assault Droids then started shooting their large laser cannons at the approaching, the Basilisks joining in by firing sprays of fast laser fire at the enemy.

The Stormtroopers and Saber Tanks were charging straight into certain death.

They couldn't even call down fire support as anti-air batteries concealed in the high trees opened fire on the Tie fighters while Viper and ARC-170 fighters approached from a landing zone a few miles behind the lines.

Tarfful, Chewbacca and Grahuur cheered with the battle already being in their favour. Haron nodded, glad things were going to plan before turning to his communicator.

"Admiral N'Val." Haron called out to Duke N'Val who had been given command of the space forces for this battle. "Is the situation secure?"

"Both Star Destroyers in orbit have been disabled by the Null Ships and secured by Skytroopers." N'Val reported with confidence. "We are prepared up here."

"Rain hell down on them Admiral." Haron ordered calmly, glad that they had captured the two Star Destroyers although he only intended to keep one. The other would be a nice gift to the Wookiees to help them defend their world from future attacks along with some of the extra Separatist ships they had salvaged at the end of the Clone Wars.

Then just as he had that thought, enormous yellow bolts of energy started descending down on the Imperial Staging Base on the island a short distance away.

Seeing the slaver scum being wiped from the face of their world was enough to make all the Wookiees roar with satisfaction, something Haron could well understand and more to the point he was sure that his own people were impressed at the courage and ability the Wookiees had.

When at last the guns fell silent, the beach was covered with dead Stormtroopers and wrecked vehicles. His people and the Wookiees too had taken some losses but nowhere near as bad as it could have been.

Again, they had given the Empire a bloody nose and would enjoy a party with the Wookiees later that night. Many of his own people found themselves being drunk under the table by the Wookiees and trying to arm wrestle them only to be beaten but the mood was so good they laughed and enjoyed themselves with a species worthy of being their allies. The Mon Calamari and Quarran found themselves too being welcomed as heroes for their role in the battle and seemed to strike an easy connection with the Wookiees.

Haron himself didn't drink as he considered their position now, things were looking up with the Mon Calamari and a good chunk of the Separatist Holdouts now their allies and now the Wookiees would stand with them too but it was not enough Haron thought with worry. The Empire's army might as well be infinite and if they were to be strong enough to not only resist but fight back, more would be needed.

He however did his best to put those thoughts aside for now and just enjoy their victory today, he was just glad he had predicted right and planned accordingly. Trying to take a force like the Empire head on was a sure-fire way to get yourself killed, so you don't play it their way.

You play it smart; you play to your strengths not theirs.

Din, he noticed was coming up to him and he smiled at the young man who had done well as their artillery co-ordinator, he was proud to see him accept the responsibility and would see him given a position and authority worthy of his skill in the days ahead. But first, Haron thought with satisfaction, he had a promise to keep.

"Din. Well done, this victory today is due in no small part to your own skilled co-ordination of the artillery. So, its time I upheld a promise I made you some time ago." Haron said with a smile. Din he could feel was puzzled by what he meant and so he led him to the nearby landing zone where a familiar ship was now parked. Din looked at it with surprise and Haron told him proudly.

"Well, there she is…the Razor Crest. She's had her engines rebuilt, systems upgraded, weapons improved and a far faster hyperdrive installed. And from today, she's yours." Haron said with a smile.

Din was speechless, he had dreamt for years of having his own ship. This ship he had fallen in love with from the moment he saw it and now it was his!

"Mandalore! I don't know what to say." Din said with genuine tears of joy in his eyes. Haron smiled as he told him.

"Say nothing, just enjoy it. She's yours now." Haron said with pride. Completely sure that Din would put his old ship to good use.

Yridius, Outer Rim…

The planet Yridius was a fairly normal planet that orbited two red dwarf suns and was now suffering a dangerous drought that was making it hard for the local population to survive. The Empire never going to get involved in the affairs of an unremarkable little world with nothing valuable to its name.

Fortunately, three individuals had learned of their plight and had come to their aid.

The drought had dried up the rivers that had once fed the settlement and the only other body of water nearby was a lake at the top of a mountain. Short of moving over twenty thousand people over half the planet's surface towards the ocean this was their only real option.

So, the only choice was to build an aqueduct to keep them supplied with water for the duration of the drought. The people worked hard with the aid of three outsiders who had arrived when they were needed most to help them. They were all different, incredibly so. The leader of the group was a human female in her late twenties, tanned skin, black hair and hazel eyes. Dressed as your standard spacer and a dynamic personality that drew everyone in and got them motivated.

The second was an Zabrak, greyish brown skin with small horns in the top of his head and mournful gold eyes. He wore overalls and a belt full of tools around his waist and clearly had the engineering genius to make anything work and solve any problem.

The third was an Aleena, male again but had a mechanical rig on his back that gave him additional hands and legs when he needed them. He was able to use those arms to get places others couldn't and to help the locals learn how to maintain the aqueduct when they eventually left.

It had taken a few months of hard work to get it finished, but the aqueduct was finally ready and as the three strangers and locals waited with baited breath to see if it was going to work, an enormous cheer rang out when they saw the glorious water flowing down the aqueduct.

The locals were absolutely delighted and thanked the three strangers endlessly for their hard work, made promises and offered gifts but none were accepted and instead the visitors just told them they had saved themselves with their hard work and only needed a little help from them to discover what the solution was.

It would be a long time after they left before a child admitted to seeing the three of them carrying the legendary weapon of the Jedi Order on their belts, lightsabers which could only mean their settlement had been saved by the Jedi but after they had saved their settlement and now vanished into the wider galaxy once again, they saw little to no point in reporting it. Why bring trouble to their door when the Jedi were long gone.

But they still toasted the three outsiders in private for their help. Remembering their names long into the future; Kerra Holt, Bao-Dur and Kazdan Paratus.

Honoghr, Outer Rim…

The planet of the Noghri had been the home and hiding place for Anakin Skywalker and his family for some months now. Nearly half a year they had been here, helping the Noghri learn to maintain the equipment that was helping to restore their world.

It had been nice to stay in one place and the opportunity to do some important upgrades and repairs to the Open Sky and to continue Allana's training as a Jedi which was easier to do in one place rather than constantly on the move. It had also been easier on Padme and the children and allowed Anakin to spend time with his family.

But also, he had been working on repairing the strange droid he had found in the Imperial Lab, it had been proving a more difficult challenge than he had expected but at last after nearly six months he had finally managed to crack the data core and get all the parts working. He had not known what sort of droid he was dealing with at first, maybe an older protocol droid but it had a staggering amount of combat and assassination programming inside it. This was an assassin droid with a side-line in extreme combat. Its programming was out of date by quite a bit Anakin thought but it had enough adaptability to adjust to the modern-day weapons without much difficulty. That had made him hesitate for a moment before deciding to continue with reactivating it.

He at least had the sense to rewrite the command access, giving himself the position of primary user. He also had the sense to put a block in that would prevent the droid from harming Padme, Allana or the children just in case and make sure it was water and air tight before finally activating him.

It took a moment for all the circuits to come to life but slowly one by one they activated; an orange light appeared dimly in each eye before growing brighter. A low hum sounded as the droid came to life, an electronic voice sounded slowly.

"Diagnostic: HK-47 activated. Running checks on all primary systems." The Droid, now known as HK-47 stated. The name of course Anakin recognised immediately and was struck dumb by the fact he now had Revan's personal droid assassin in front of him. Was this the will of the force? Anakin asked in disbelief, it had to be, to allow him to find a nearly four-thousand-year-old droid and be able to reactivate him.

While he was thinking this, HK-47 had completed its checks and was able to assess its current status.

"Assessment: Considerable damage to all circuits with time and erosion making unit almost inoperable. Recent repairs…adequate but I still feel broken all over. Exclamation: Oh, how long has it been since I was last activated?"

"Over three thousand years according to the data I extracted from you before I reactivated you." Anakin told him with a considering look although his hand still remained close to his lightsaber.

"Surprised Exclamation: Over three thousand years! Master! How could a droid as special and unique as myself be abandoned for three millennia? It is disgraceful…Oh, why am I calling you master?" HK-47 said with some exasperation clear in his voice.

"Because I am your master now. I found and repaired you and given the situation in the galaxy I may have need of your services." Anakin said, wondering if he had made the right decision but he wasn't going to second guess himself now and if this droid was as effective as it had been before then it would useful to him too. HK-47 would need some software updates but otherwise was ready to go.

"Master Skywalker! Mistress Padme is most insistent that you come, it is time for dinner…Oh my…R2…he's replacing me!" C-3PO said with a horrified noise of exclamation.

"Annoyed Declaration: Oh lovely. A melodramatic and uptight protocol droid. This voyage will be long and annoying, I can see that already." HK-47 said at C-3PO. R2 meanwhile made his usual series of whistles and Anakin reassured the droid he had built himself.

"R2's right. Don't worry 3PO. HK-47 isn't here to replace you. He is going to be some extra muscle for our own safety as we travel." Anakin said with some amusement. HK-47 seemed to get excited and asked him.

"Delighted Exclamation: Master! Oh, how I hate saying that. Are we going to get into trouble and kill many meat bags?"

"Probably." Anakin said, chuckling at him referring to the Imperials as Meat bags, wondering if this is how Revan felt when the droid had used that term.

"Confident Declaration: Then Master I look forward to travelling with you! It will be nice to let my motors run properly again." HK-47 stated with a certain macabre enjoyment.

Anakin again wondered if this was a good idea before leaving to go join Padme for dinner and introduce their new protector. The droids followed him and 3PO commented to R2.

"I don't like the look of him at all R2."

Anakin just shook his head with exasperation…droids.

Salient System, Outer Rim…

Unlike most systems around the galaxy, Salient had always been independent. Not a part of the Republic or the Separatists and companies based there had traded with both sides during the Clone Wars, the neutral system also served as a useful hub for galactic corporations to hide their wealth and assets for those that might actually try to make them pay their rightful taxes, not to mention employ workers cheaply to make technology and other products which weren't legal in either state but still highly profitable. Humans were its dominant species but there was also the Avian species known as Hiitian and thankfully both species lived fairly peacefully with each other.

But the Empire, its pride bruised by their recent losses in the Western Reaches, at Kashyyyk and at Mon Calamari had now turned its attention to this isolated system. Perhaps Tarkin who was behind the invasion wanted to tear down corporations that were funding his rivals in the Empire or maybe he just wanted to prove he could lead a successful invasion on his own he tried to assert the Empire's power over a system that not only was not threat to it, but actually had a number of benefits remaining neutral.

Fortunately, the Salient System's wealth allowed it to operate a fairly considerable defence fleet including twenty older capital ships and four cruisers, all retrofitted with Separatist weaponry. Not to mention each of its three planets had a militia force and the Salient Strategic Command had employed smugglers, mercenaries and several other forces to defend them from Imperial aggression.

Due to recent losses the Emperor had refused to allow Tarkin use of more than one Imperial Star Destroyer, the Sovereign Tarkin's own flagship. The rest of the taskforce were comprised of in Tarkin's own opinion, outdated Venator-class Star Destroyers.

This infuriated Tarkin as he had done nothing wrong and to protect himself from further punishment, he had a patsy admiral leading the assault which he could blame if something went wrong or if it went right would let Tarkin himself take the credit.

The Admiral was a relative no-one promoted due to family connections as was starting to become the norm in the Imperial Military. That meant only the Venators and a few support ships made up the invasion force had little experience leading it.

The Venators arrived together, dropping out of lightspeed and proceeding towards one of the three inhabited planets of the system, Epiphany which itself had a moon which held Zerpen Industries headquarters.

But they didn't get far, Zerpen made many important military technologies including turbolasers and ion cannons, good quality ones too which was why some companies like Sienar which were rivals to Zerpen were pushing the invasion to wipe out their rival. But it also made another product that would be a big credit earner in wartime and thanks to the Clone Wars ending as abruptly as it did, they had a good-sized stockpile of them.

Mines.

Tens of the thousands of them, all coated with sensor refracting paint and a signal scrambler to prevent it from being detected.

And thanks to the Mandalorians taking an interest in the system, the locals knew exactly what vector the Imperials were coming in on through their intelligence network. The mines didn't go off straight away though, instead the Salient Defence Force waited till the Imperial Fleet was in the middle of the field before activating the mines.

Explosions ripped across the hulls of the Imperial ships, sending many personnel to their deaths in the dark vacuum of space or in horrible explosions. The bridge of the flagship the Dauntless, was hit by one of the mines and killing the admiral and his chief of staff. Leaving the fleet in chaos as individual captains took mutually exclusive actions, turning at random and some ships collided with each other.

At the edge of the field Gladius and Halberd class ships launched missiles at the stricken Imperial Ships while remaining outside their range to shoot back. Imperial Tie and ARC-170 fighters from several ships tried to weave through the field to attack the Mandalorian ships but Separatist Droid Tri-Fighters had been deployed and swarmed at the edge of the field pouncing on any that managed to get through.

Some ships did their best to reverse their way out of the field but mines had been left behind them just in case and were duly detonated when they made contact with the enemy. Other ships tried other routes only to plough into more mines. When the heavily damaged ships managed to crawl out of the minefield, they were pounced on by Mandalorian and Salient ships.

- x -

Verpen Industries Headquarters, Epiphany's Moon…

In the command centre they'd set up in the company's main building, a cheer went up as they saw the Imperial Fleet routed completely by the ambush they'd created. Salient Officers and officials alongside Verpen workers and Mandalorians and some rebels that had chosen to come in hopes of finding a victory against the Empire.

"Now that is how you defeat the Empire!" Their leader cried out with excitement at the sight on the screen.

"Indeed, Saw Gerrera." Duke Ge'hark Orius said with a frank look at the intense excitement the man had for the death of so many Imperials. He could see the brewing signs of fanatism in him and wondered if allowing him near any of their campaigns was a good idea.

"Enjoy the win. They get harder from here on." Haron said as he turned to the leader of the Partisans Rebel Cell. He knew the man's record from the Clone Wars and since, like Ge'Hark he had concerns but put them aside as for now they were allies against the Empire.

"Well, me and my people are going out there to fight the Empire. I hope to see you doing the same." Saw said with an expectant look in his eyes. If he thought to intimidate him it had the opposite effect, Haron was irritated, as if he would let himself be intimidated Haron thought and told him.

"Mandalorians do not run from a fight, but we face our enemies on our terms. Saw this only the beginning and dark days lie ahead. We fight smart, or die." He warned the man but Saw just ignored him and said.

"I thought so."

Not sure exactly whether Saw was going to take his advice or thinking him a coward Haron just shook his head before turning to the Hiitian President and when certain Saw couldn't overhear him made a surprising invitation.

"Mr President, perhaps if you are willing to indulge me, I have a proposition to make."

The President was mystified at first but soon agreed to Haron's suggestion as it made a great deal of sense and could secure their future, it was also a crucial step in resisting the Empire in the future and securing the welfare of his people.

Reijar, Ordo System…

It had been nearly nine months since she had been impregnated and finally Deera Ordo was giving birth to her first child.

She yelled and cursed but thankfully the labour was relatively quick and Zara was with her every step of the way.

"A lovely baby girl Countess." The Midwife said proudly as she handed the baby to her mother. Deera and Zara were immediately entranced by the beautiful little life they had created, she was perfect they thought. A dark tuff of hair on her head and her mother's green eyes, she looked up at them before snuggling into her mother which only brought a tear to Deera's eyes.

"Our little girl." Zara said with pride as she put her arms around her wife, Deera gently rubbed her finger against the little girl's forehead and asked her.

"What do you think about calling her 'Mari'? Like your mother?" Deera asked, she would love to call her Helenya after her own mother but with the taint of being a murderer it would be a bad thing to tie around her daughter's neck.

Zara was almost speechless at her suggestion to call their daughter Mari after Zara's own mother who had been a great and strong lady with a wicked sense of humour. Lost too soon to an illness Zara missed her every day and would love to name her daughter after her.

"Mari Ordo." Zara said proudly.

Both lost themselves in staring at their little daughter even when the others popped in to see the new baby they hardly noticed and were quietly left alone to bond.

StormFront, Mandalorian Lucrehulk, Deep Space…Last Month of the Year…

The ship hung in space as it waited for its guests to arrive, four to be exact.

Haron stood in the landing bay to greet them as they arrived.

King Lee-Char was the first to arrive onboard his personal flagship, the Titan. Well named as the unique vessel was almost the same size as the Storm Front and just as well armed. He greeted Haron with a friendly bow and handshake which Haron returned evenly before they waited for the second of their guests to arrive.

The Separatist Holdout Leader came next and he was the one that caused the biggest stir among his own people as he had been one of their Council and one of Count Dooku's most loyal allies, San Hill. The Muun business man nodded politely to Haron who reluctantly returned it slightly before they both thought it best to wait for their others in silence.

The Wookiee King, Grakchawwaa came next. He and his bodyguards towered over most of them but Haron greeted them warmly with respectful nod and salute which the Wookiee returned with a loud roar that would have scared people if you didn't know Shyriiwook and realised they were only laughing.

The final guest to arrive was the Hiitian President of the Salient System, Foylkk easily as tall of the Wookiees he greeted them all politely before all of them and their bodyguards went to the main conference room to begin their talks.

"Well, we all know why we're here." Haron said as he started speaking. "All of us have become targets and enemies of the Empire. Palpatine won't stop until he crushes us all under his boot and the flag of the Empire flies over all of our worlds."

Grakchawwaa started speaking in his native tongue and it took a moment for the protocol droid in the room to translate.

"King Grakchawwaa will never allow any of his people to be enslaved by the rotten old man." The droid said, Haron knew full well that the king had used far harsher language than that but didn't mention it.

"His Empire's resources are virtually infinite. What can we do against that?" San Hill said, his business mind making the situation seem almost hopeless but as a man marked for death, he had little choice but to try.

"Stand together!" Foylkk said loudly to get the meeting on track. Haron gave him a grateful nod. The words struck home and allowed Haron to make his proposal.

"In time the Empire could overwhelm all of us, be it economically or by its military might. So, we need to not only foster more rebellion across the galaxy to force the Empire to divide its attention, but combine our strength." Haron said getting to the main point of his meeting. "For mutual defence and for economic stability so they cannot wage that sort of war on us. By standing together and resisting, we set an example to the rest of the galaxy. That it is possible to fight back and win. One of us alone may fall but together we are far greater than the sum of our parts. If you wish to be a part of this, then say so now. If not, no one will think any less of you. There is danger in this." Haron said, not needing to remind them of that but felt it had to be said.

The room was silent as they all shared looks and thought deeply about what they were being faced with.

It went on for some time, they each broke to discuss the situation with their own advisors before an hour later they all returned to the conference room. Taking their seats, Haron asked them from the head of the table.

"Well, you have all had a chance to discuss it. Now we decide, all in favour?" Haron asked, rising his hand and hoping he wasn't the only one in the room to do so.

King Lee-Char was the first person to raise his own hand which Haron was grateful for and he was quickly followed by King Grakchawwaa. Haron gave them both grateful nods before to his own surprise San Hill raised his own hand and gave a calculating smile that made Haron know he would have to watch this one. And finally, when all the others had made their vote, President Foylkk raised his own hand to complete the vote.

All in favour Haron thought with relief but knew this was only the beginning and they had a lot of details to work out before they officially established the charter. They would likely be here a few days working on that but in the end, they would be ready to face the Empire.

"Then from this moment on we are all allies together against the Empire and its Sith Ruler. To that end we shall take the name of an ancient alliance that was formed to resist and fight the Sith. The Rift Alliance." Haron said, choosing the name as it was a fairly well-known name from history. It had been crucial against the Sith Empire once before and now it would be important against them again.

Unknown Location, Arkanis Sector…Same Time…

The Partisans had expected to be stuck in the Salient System for some time but since the fight against the Empire was now somewhere else, their leader Saw Gerrera had decided to relocate too here. He was planning a serious of hit and run attacks that would give the local imperials more than a headache.

"Right, we start with a bombing. Public, enough to get some attention." Saw said as he and his people crowded around the briefing table. "We hit hard and fast, enough to spread the message."

"Perhaps a multipronged attack would be extra effective." A voice said and everyone wheeled around with their blasters pointed at the intruder.

It was single male Iktotchi in Jedi Robes standing there with his arms folded, not caring even slightly about all the weapons aimed at him. One of the Partisans who was more familiar with all the famous 'heroes' of the Republic during the Clone Wars recognised him.

"You're Saesee Tiin. The Jedi Master." He explained. The mention of him being a Jedi Master seemed to unnerve the rebels even Saw who asked him.

"What's a Jedi doing here? I thought you were all extinct?" He challenged the Jedi Master who scoffed.

"More Jedi survived Order 66 than the Empire would ever admit." Saesee with a dismissive shake of his head. "But many are content to hide and wait to die rather than take the fight to the Empire. I am not, nor are those with me." Saesee Tiin said and clicked his fingers making four other Jedi drop down beside him. That really startled the Partisans but Saw made them stand down before someone got too scared and fired.

"So, what do you want now?" Saw asked with suspicion. He didn't need people wasting his time.

"To fight the Empire and you are one of the few we feel has what it takes to really fight this war." Saesee said sternly.

Saw was surprised but inwardly was glad, five Jedi would be a good asset to his fight against the Empire but he wondered if they might try to take over the group. So, he warned him.

"If you want to really fight the Empire…then you can stay, but only if you remember that we fight the real fight here and things will get messy." He warned them.

But they didn't back off like he assumed they would.

"Good." Saw said, seeing they understood the sort of things they were going to have to do to fight the Empire properly. "We all call each other by name, fight with us and you must too." Saw said, expectantly waiting for them to identify themselves. Saesee Tiin had already been named so he turned to the others and one by one they introduced themselves.

"Keelyvine Reus." A middle aged and stern looking woman said with dark brown hair and pale skin, dressed in green formfitting clothes uncommon to the Jedi.

"Jaizen Suel." A blue skinned Pantoran in white Jedi robe said.

"A'Sharad Hett." A tall human male in his twenties said with long dark hair in a ponytail.

"Sanya." A female Devaronian said with folded arms.

"I also have leads on several other Jedi that might be willing to join our cause." Saesee Tiin said with confidence, which was the truth. For nearly a year and a half he had been travelling around the galaxy looking for surviving Jedi to join him, at least the four he had recruited were good fighters and had more to come or so he hoped was the will of the force.

Those that hadn't wanted to join him, well they had no business calling themselves Jedi and if it took running from the Inquisitors as the Emperor called his new Jedi Hunters to get them to actually start fighting then it was a move well made. He had not revealed their locations of course but he had not been careful about hiding his identity and that often had the Inquisitors investigating the area. So, the Jedi there had been forced to run rather than be caught. They would either stand up as Jedi or die hiding like cowards Saesee Tiin thought with firmness, not caring about those that would forget their duty as he saw it at all.

Qylon Sigma, Mid Rim…

Qylon Sigma was once the centre of a great mining operation that left the planet scarred but still lay on a number of important hyperspace routes and so had maintained a reasonable standard of living for the people there.

Until recently when the Empire had begun strip mining any remaining resources the planet held and using it as a staging base for future expansion even though it had remained loyal to it all through the Clone Wars and even as it transitioned into the Empire. But it was all for the good of the Empire and had no consideration for the people who lived there, bars and other businesses that might have profited from having the Imperial Fleet were 'nationalised' for the benefit of the fleet and the owners turfed out on the street.

For over a year the people had been suffering and their poverty had attracted attention, a figure that had been living in the distant wilds of their planet in isolation. No one went there and so no-one had known he was living there but the suffering of the people had roused him from his self-imposed exile and brought him to the city.

The Imperial Governor had been living the high life for some time, enjoying the fruits of the industries he had forcefully taken ownership of, now he ran half naked through the city streets with the filthy peasants screaming abuse at him. He just kept running trying to understand just how all of his perfectly ordered life and the unassailable presence the Empire had here had come crashing down.

In a matter of days, he thought with terror.

First the supply convoys had stopped delivering to the city's Stormtrooper barracks, it had gone missing so had the Stormtroopers pay roll. The Stormtroopers had started turning on each other and the Imperial Fleet personnel as rumours spread of them hoarding supplies and stealing to enrich themselves with bits of the stolen supplies and credits turning up in each other's bases. Then the head of the ships stationed here, Admiral Boyd had been killed by a drunken Stormtrooper after rumours of him cheating with his wife had come to light. The rumours spread so fast no-one had been able to contain them and finally the different branches of the Imperial Military had been on the edge of fighting each other.

Then one of the Corvette Captains had for reasons that no-one could understand fired on one of the Stormtrooper's homes and killed his family.

They had turned on each other before he or the others could do anything, killing each other and then just when he hadn't needed it, the civilian population had risen up in a revolt against them. They had killed any Imperials that had survived the infighting and now he was alone and surrounded on all sides. How he wondered incredulously, how had all the discipline and rules and order broken down so quickly and left things like this?

Suddenly he tripped and fell face down in the mud, he heard the peasants around him laughing at his expense and he forced himself to get up so he could get a good look at the offenders so when the Empire came back he could have these people executed only for a cloaked figure to emerge from nowhere. He looked up at the figure with fear as something about it made him shake with fear. He couldn't get a look under the hood but just what this figure was answered only moment later when a cylinder appeared from beneath the sleeve and into their hand. A familiar cylinder that all Imperial Personnel were warned to look for.

The cylinder then with a distinctive snap hiss, produced a strange blade with a dark green core and lighter green aura around it. He barely had time to scream before the Jedi for what else could his assailant be, took his head clean off with a single effortless strike.

The people around looked at the figure who deactivated their weapon and hung it from their belt before lowering their hood, revealing an old man with wispy grey white hair on his balding head and a trimmed beard. His face was weathered with lines from living a hard and basic life and he was dressed in simple worn clothes. He saw the people surrounding him and one of them asked him.

"Who are you?"

The man hesitated not seemingly to want to answer but then he changed his mind and spoke to the gathered crowd.

"I am what the Empire fears, what the Emperor fears. Someone willing to question, willing to stand up and say that I will not tolerate your ways. I will fight to protect those that can't, stand for freedom and the right of all of us to choose. The Empire sold their vision of the galaxy as if it was an answer to all our problems and to bring stability back to the galaxy but now we all see them for what they really are. An oppressive dictatorship that tramples freedom and equality underfoot and takes all without giving anything back. I intend to show the galaxy the truth and I would ask any of you that see as I do to join me. Join me as we liberate the galaxy." The man said, unknowingly giving his group a name as he spoke 'Liber8'.

He then chose a new name for himself, one that would symbolise the struggle to come.

"As for what you may call me, I am Kagame."