Chapter 6

708 FNM (30 BBY)

Month 7

Mandalore, Sundari, Sundari Grand Mall

Vai-Viktis Vizla

This was stupid, this whole idea was dumber than an attempt to organize a peace conference between Wookies and Trandoshans, though I doubted there would be as much arm ripping. "Now remember dear, You are to keep an eye on the Duchess's ward and feel her out." came the calm voice of her mother from the front seat of the hovercar.

"Yes mother." I said not really having anyways to say no, my family had an obligation to do what House Vizsla wanted. And what they wanted was someone near their New Mando welp, to 'Guide' her back to their old ways. I was still young and learning of the breath of the house's machinations but from what I knew House Vizsla was playing a long game when it came to the rulership of New Mandalore.

I knew there were various schemes at work being worked on to place Pre Vizsla on the throne, he even secured the votes of 55% of exiled clans and had taken the title of 'Secret Mandalore'. The only one who came close to taking that title was Bo-Katan who I heard was in the running at one point with something like 25% of the exiled clan approval of her. But with how careful he tended to be I doubt he ever really spring that whole rebellion scheme. That is why I was here after all, why fight the doomed Anti-Mandalore when you could assure the next anti-Mandalore was favorable. And with Bo-Katan removed from succession due to the pro-Mandalore ways that meant there were two options to replace the Duchess when she finally kicked the bucket.

Korkie and Tanya Kryze, the children of Clan Kryze, a clan that held the current political paradigm, and Clan Keldau, the greatest Mandalorian warrior from 10000 years ago. I assumed Pre wanted to go from secret Mandalore to straight-up Mandalore, but if he could arrange one of those two to take up the old ways after the Duchess's death and becoming the Mandalore, he would consider that a win.

Which is where my part in the plan came in, I didn't know if he had any plans to go after Korkie, I was just a kid, I wasn't supposed to know anything too important, I just knew what I knew from listening in on my parents when they thought I was asleep. But from what I overheard in the little chat Pre mom had a few days ago, I was to try to guide the girl Tanya to warrior ways. He said Bo-Katan was making similar plays and though their goal aligned he liked to have his own agents in the field.

"Remember, this girl has no friends so it should be fairly easy to get her to befriend you, just secure her trust. And push her to question the new Mandalore ways secretly." Mother said from the front of the hovercar watching the skyway.

"Yes mother," I said from the back seat, keeping my tone even though I would rather be anywhere but here. I wanted to be with my friends not rolled up in the political machinations of Clan Viszla or as Dad would call them 'those house stealers' . My dad was proud of his heritage and loved to research family history, and unlike mom hadn't bought into the idea Clan Viszla's path was the correct one, he'd rather stay out of politics. And to hear him tell the story, Clan Viszla was an offshoot of her clan, Clan Vizla, and was once part of their house since. But they hadn't been politically relevant in a millennia; they found it easy to take over leadership when they took that Jedi Mandalorian's lightsaber from the temple in the last great raid on the Old Republic, millennia ago.

Anyways the point is I would rather be anywhere but here, but here I was, looking out the window at the passing cityscape, wondering if mother's blind loyalty to the 'secret Mandalore' was going to rob me of what little of my childhood I had left. I was 12! I should have a few more years before I need to worry about politico shit! Instead, I'm going to spend next who knows how many years shadowing some mousy-looking 10-year-old New Mando girl who's going through her old Mando phase.

" Here we are!" mother said from the front seat as the royal palace came into view. A little too excited in my opinion, it was just a big building at the center of the city to me. Mother carefully brought the hovercar down on the platform. Then she set it to park and stepped out, having no other choices I stepped out after her. A chore since I was forced to wear an elegant-looking blue dress with pink styling marks going up the sleeves and down the sides of the dress. I hated the dress, didn't mind color too much, but my mother was a big fan of presenting an appearance through proper uses of color and clothing.

"Now remember to be on your best behavior," mother said, leading the way with her own blue dress having simple styles in bronze instead of pink, doing more to highlight her brown hair.

I was tired of agreeing with her, so I simply nodded my head and hoped she wouldn't notice. Considering that she didn't say anything, I assumed I was in the clear or mother was too busy taking in the sights of the palace. She sure seemed to be living up to the fact that she is going to meet the 'anti-Mandalore'.

We walked up to the front door and mother introduced us to the guards, they nodded and called upon the helmet-mounted radio to someone. A minute or two later they nodded and opened the door, one of them leading them further into the building.

Following the guard, we were led out back to the main garden plaza where the duchess was sitting on a stone bench with a little blond girl by her side. My target had appeared and she looked just as weak as the few times she ended up in the press.

A short girl, she was pale and thin-looking like she didn't get enough sun and didn't eat enough. Looking at her sideways should probably blend her into the background. Her bearing made her look very meek and subservient to her guardian sitting close with her shoulder slumped in direction of the duchess.

The only remarkable thing about her was her unruly mop of blond hair, that she seemed to keep short. And the dress she wore looked just a bit fancier than mine being a mainly green color with blue stitching on the arms and around the waist, with bronze stitching going around the wrist and the bottom edges of the dress.

"Duchess Kryze" my mother said giving a curtsy to the anti-Mandalore, I followed her example a moment later.

"Abi Vizla, wonderful to meet you," the blond royal said with a smile, as she stood up from the bench with some grace. "and Tanya has been quite excited to meet your daughter, little Vai-Viktis."

Oh great, she was excited, probably going to ask hundreds of inane questions, this was going to be a repeat of that one playdate she had with the New Mando moron when she was 7 wasn't it? I thought before I noted that the blond girl had rolled her eyes at her guardian comment.

My mother didn't notice what I did, seeming more interested in the Duchess. "My Vai feels the same way, she's been talking about meeting Little Tanya here all week."

The Duchess chuckled "Good, good well let them meet and talk, the best way for them to get to know each other is to let them talk. I have my staff prepare some food and drink in the main hall if you walk with me Miss Abi." she said pointing toward a nearby door.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, I'm sure the two of them don't want us intruding on their first meeting anyways." Mother said, taking a step toward the door.

"Then let's leave them to it, gardens completely safe-" the conversation continued as the two older women talked but I stopped paying attention to what they were saying just watching them go till I saw them step inside. I turned my head back to look at Tanya and blink. Her bearing changed.

Where once she had been sitting by the duchess's side very meekly, she now stood at her full height, though that wasn't much, and the face looked colder, less emotion on it.

Presenting a curtsy she said, "Tanya Kryze, I hope we can be good coworkers in our future endeavors."

I tilled my head a bit confused by the way Tanya had introduced herself before I remembered the manners Mother had forced me to read. Curtsying back though I wasn't really sure if I was supposed to do that every time an introduction happened, I said. "Vai-Viktis Vizla, a pleasure meeting you, Princess."

Tanya chuckled at that comment then said "Please, Tanya is fine, we're both just children, besides if we went around calling anyone with a noble background a princess, half the population of the sector would be related to one Mandalore or another. In fact, if memory serves the Vizla have one as well, Mandalore the Avenger I believe, I am sure you find it odd if I started calling you Princess."

I raised my eyebrow, not exactly sure how to react to that. "I guess you're right, though I think that's not exactly how that works Princess?"

"Perhaps Princess, but that is subject for another time," Tanya smiled, at me then said "Miss Vizla you are attempting to take a position as my closest confidant and protector. Can I trust you to keep anything you see secret, Even if Duchess Satine asked?"

Both my eyebrows were up at that, she wanted to hide stuff from her guardian? Was Bo-Katan further along than Vizsla believed? Well, she wasn't going to find out by saying no.

"Yes princess, I promise to keep anything you want a secret." It's not like my mission would interfere with keeping secrets, after all.

"Good, I'd hate to have your position terminated after such a statement. So keep to that promise and I'm sure we will have a good working relationship."

Did she just threaten to have me killed? Mother, what have you gotten me into?

"Now then let's go somewhere where we can chat till the adults are done. I don't know about you but I find this dress completely ridiculous and I would rather arrange something much less formal." Tanya said walking toward the edge of the garden which looked out onto the capital city.

"I can agree to that," I said, following behind her.

"Not that I'm against wearing dresses too long, enough to get over that hang-up, I just prefer something I can actually run in, in an emergency. Especially when you factor in the bit of heel on these shoes." Tanya said, taking a seat looking out over the city. She patted the bench next to her and I took the offered seat.

"Yeah, I'd rather just wear something practical and doesn't make the biggest target in the crowd."

"Yes, but as royalty, I have a duty to look professional. So no matter my distaste for it and your own, we will have to suffer these dresses for public appearances. On the other hand, while not making appearances for the public we can wear what we want. That of course is an acceptable situation for your employment as my handmaiden of course?" Tanya asked with her eyebrow crooked.

"That's acceptable," I said, not sure what else to say.

"Now onto the next subject-" she continued on asking questions and presenting situations. All I could do was wonder what was going on and why was she being so thorough in the discussion of employment? Wait, was mother getting paid for this? Had I been sold as a slave!

Concordia, orbit

Tanya Kryze

My first handmaiden met my requirements well enough and she had promised to keep my secret which was a good sign. But it is better to feel her out carefully, find out where her loyalties truly lie before I let her tag along on what Bo was training if I could help it. Thankfully Vai-Viktis didn't have an interplanetary passport, something I had gone out my way to get the moment Aunt Bo brought up the prospect of leaving Mandalore.

Without it, she couldn't leave Mandalore, which gave me time to feel her out, see how she could be of use to me. Based on how long it took mine to come through, I had about a week. Though considering my connection, the bureaucracy may have been sped up so I may have more time to feel out the girl before I allow her to come along on Bo's training trips.

On one hand, I valued my privacy greatly, and having someone staying close to me at all times, would be detrimental to that. On the other, well in my last life, I had a close call after the war while crossing the border from Kanada where someone had recognized me while at a stoplight, and this insane man apparently blamed me for the death of his brother, as well as happened to carry a grenade in his glove box. I had been rusty with my magic and ended up having to walk with a cane for the rest of that life I believe.

Having someone watching your back was necessary for survival, assassination didn't have to be well planned, they could be a spur of the moment. As for Vai-Viktis well, I would need to assess her competence and bring them up to my acceptable standard level. That was one of the reasons I had agreed to Korkie's friend's little deal about me wearing dresses as if I was a doll, so I could get laser tag. Though I would not mind the adrenaline rush of having a situation where I could see how my new handmaiden reacted, while under pressure to my orders, would give me a better understanding of.

Just wish I didn't have to throw the first game, Korkie friends were not great, thinking them being bigger meant they were faster and able to hunt me down. If I had wanted I could remove that delusion, but then I doubt they would agree to another match again if I had. In-fight experiences could be just as important as training and tech advantage, and well I had a lot of experiences at this point.

But those were thoughts for another time. Today was another one of Bo's training trips, she apparently had secured a facility on Concordia for us to train in private, which would be useful in many ways. If the facility was worth a damn, I have yet to see it myself so for all I knew this faculty was a hole in a mountain somewhere without even a proper door. Which wasn't the worst place to train out, it would give me a place to store my armor so Satine didn't freak out when she realized I had gotten it or that it was hers.

I guess I would find out soon enough as Bo's shuttle was fast enough that the trip from Mandalore really only took a half-hour. Looking out the window I observed the green and brown ball of dirt and let myself have a moment of wonder at this.

This was after all only my second trip off-world, but beyond that this was the moon, earth's moon was a lifeless ball of dust and rock, visiting that would be like visiting a tombstone to possibilities compared to Concordia. A moon with its own independent ecosystem from its orbital home, that people could live on. It was remarkable in its own way.

"We're coming up to our destination, look out the right side towered that red mountain." Looking where Bo indicated, I saw the mountain in question, it was, beat up to say least, there was evidence of minor installations up and down the sides of the mountain and I would not be surprised to hear that it was a hollowed-out nest of tunnels.

Just from the look of it, I would not be surprised that it has also been used as a military compound at some point as I could see what looked like a broken down and beaten up Anti-Aircraft Artillery gun poking out of what looked like a bunker over the main entrances. Judging by the bent barrel I would say it had been knocked out of combat.

"Are you sure this place is safe? Looked a bit… destroyed?" I asked out of concern for my safety.

"Yeah this place is clean, as soon as Viszla offered the place I had a few friends of mine come out here check it over for-" she paused and looked like thought better of what she was going to say before contingent "safety concerns".

I looked at her eyebrow raised before saying "Clean is an odd choice of words".

"Ah inter-clan rivalries, Don't worry about it, Tanya," Bo said as if that was not itself a bit concerning, but I would let pass, for now, if Bo was worried enough to have people she trusted to look the place over then more likely than not she was already on top of this situation.

The ship slowly came down from the sky landing on an open pad along the west side of the mountain facility. I noted there were several other open pads lined up along the west side of the mountain, most are empty except one.

The filled landing pad had a very beaten up and old-looking ship. And make no mistake it was a ship not subtle, it even looked like it was meant for water landings with the lower hull vaguely resembling that of some old mariner airplane just with a pair of giant jet engines strapped beneath a pair of shortened wings. Besides that, I noted the craft was painted in two tones blue along the main hull with green covering the over the wing, with purple stripes running along the edges and down its back.

"Ah, good he's here," Bo said, flipping a few buttons and turning off the shuttle's engines. Before she stood up and walked towards the back of the ship.

"Who's here?" I asked unbuckling myself from my seat and getting up to follow her. She moved quickly with her longer legs to the back of the ship reminding me of how I missed not being small. Without saying anything she reached into the shower stall and pulled out the bag full of Satine's armor, before saying. "Old friend of the family, he has a set of skills that I just don't have and can help us with getting this," she held up the bag with one hand "in order." She reached out with her free hand and opened the back door of the ship.

She didn't even wait for me to catch up and simply started walking over to the other ship, the sack of armor over her shoulder, forcing me to jog to catch up to her.

"Hey, Zum! Zum Muduuc! Are you in there?" Bo called looking into the open landing bay ramp of the larger transport ship. Catching up to her I was able to get a look inside the ship and noted some fairly militaristic design to the craft. Just above the landing way was a gun turret position for a rear gunner. Looking closer inside, the way I noted under large swaths of metal junk and other debris, I saw rows of seats lining the walls of the bay.

I was looking at an old landing ship if I had to guess, and going by old military gear and weapons in various states of deconstruction "Old military surplus dealer?" I questioned looking up and to my right at Bo.

"Ha good guess Kid." came a deep male voice from behind me, prompting me to jump a bit in surprise as I had not heard anyone come up behind me. Turning around I saw a very tall and well-built rough-looking dark-skinned man with unkempt black hair and a goatee, on the right side of his face, was a cybernetic implant where his eye used to be while the left bore a friendly-looking purple iris eye. Beyond that description, he was wearing similar colored armor to his ship, blue being the main color with dashes of green here and there with purple shoulder pads. Besides his surprise appearance, he seemed to be smiling as he hauled a large crate in his hands.

Behind him, several insects looking droids followed behind him caring their own crates all of them sealed

"Damn It Zum! How do you do that every time!" Bo said, having apparently jumped a bit as well.

"I walked, you're just too busy rushing to notice me." I was going to put a doubt on that, though I was still coming to learn of all the features Mandalorian armor could have, something tells me the number of blinking lights would have made him easy to spot if he could be spotted.

Considering my last life had magic that allowed you to project images you wanted your enemies to see, I did not discount the idea that such an effect could be replicated through technology.

"Likely story," Bo said with a smile before she moved forward and hugged the older man. "Good to see you Zum, how's the wife and kids?"

"Fine, they're living a good life in Sundari now," he said, waiting for the hug to end before walking past me into the ship and placing the crate on the ground.

"What about you? moved into the new capital? Thought you hated new Mandos?" Bo asked, sounding confused.

"I said I hated their new Mando domes and their cubes, they ain't natural." Turning he took a crate from one of the insect droids and started looking for a secure place to put as he continued. "But I'm not going to stop my family from moving into them just because I have a hang-up about architecture. Their places are safe and I'm too busy flying about the sector selling my skill to look after the homestead 19/7 a week." He found a safe place and put the crate down. "I'll tell you what Satine may've put my family through hard times with her anti-military bullshit but she did bring some damn order to the system, made things safer."

Turning to face he said "Now, mind explaining why you decided to look me up 11 years after our last contact? And why do you have a Kryze kid? Someone finally gets the balls to try to marry you while you're out there finding yourself?"

"What?! No!" Bo said sounding fairly shocked "This Tanya, and she is not Kryze she is just a friend of the-" Bo was caught off as Zum folded his arms over his chest looking unimpressed.

"Bo how long have you known me?"

"All my life?"

"And how long have I worked for the Kryze family?"

"Longer than I know?" she admitted.

"The correct answer is 50 years, ever since I was 10, and my dad brought me to help work the Beskar, I worked for Clan Kryze and her allies. And let me tell you something about Kryze, they all start off blond and they either get old and turn white or have their hair change color to father or mother's hair color around age 13 like you did. She's a Kryze, I recognize one anywhere, going by the name I would assume she's a child of Adonai?"

"Yeah-"

"Does Satine know she's here and what you two are up to?"

"Yes," Zum proceeded to give her a death glare, "mostly".

"Right, well this was a waste of time, not going to risk my family being banished for whatever scheme you're pulling," he said, starting to turn.

"Excuse me! Sir." watching this drama play out had been… entertaining but now whatever Bo was up to appeared to be falling apart. "I am not aware of any scheme that you believe my Aunt is up to but I can tell you that you will not be banished for helping me, Satine has okayed my training in self-defense under Bo, she is simply unaware of some of the supplies we acquired."

"And these supplies are?" Zum asked, looking at Bo, she reached into the back and pulled out the helmet of Satine armor. Zum's one good eye widened showing some recognition.

"You liberated Satine's Armor?" He said, stepping forward to take the helmet from her hands, "I thought she would have it melted down to make more of those damned riot shields or maybe some armor for her royal guard."

"I think she forgot it exists," Bo said, only to be stared down by Zum.

"She forgot her Beskar armor, forged from the armor of her grandfather... I doubt that" he looked into the helmet before saying.

"Good Beskar like this should not be left to age in some closet somewhere and be forgotten. This was a stupid thing to do Bo, but the gods would be proud so I'm going to cut you deal. I'll help, but you keep my name out of it, got it!" Zum thundered.

"Yes sir!" Bo said, nodding her head like a bobblehead.

"Now how about you do this the right way and actually introduce us, Bo."

"Right, yes," turning to look at me, Bo said "Tanya this is Zum Muduuc Armorer of House Kryze," turning back to Zum ", this is Tanya Kryze, My niece."

"That's better, nice to meet you little Tanya." Zum said, taking the armor out of Bo's hands.

"Bug 3 get a scan of her measurements for me," he said walking further into the ship. One of the bug-like robots came up and scanned me with something before moving into the ship and placed the crate down while saying something in chittering language. "Yeah yeah you're a protocol droid, not tailor not grunt, you're also cheap and I don't care what you look like, so do your job droid, or I'll buy one to replace you, and drop you off somewhere you will never be able to be repowered again."

"The droid chitter something then plugged it hand into wall sockets transferring data to the ship I assumed.

"Bo help me clear the forge over here," he said, pulling a large crate of guns off the circular pedestal, which I assumed was his forge.

I was unsure exactly what I was to do while they cleaned up the area around the forge but Zum answered that for me. "Hey kid it's your armor, help move some of the junk out of the ship, so I have a clear work area," he said with the cadences of a drill sergeant, and instinct took over.

"Sir Yes Sir," I said, moving over to help clean the pathway around the forge.

"Hmm already got military instinct, good," he said, pulling a large crate off the forge and setting it down at the side of the ship. "You know if you told me you had Beskar that needed to be worked, I would clean this up before I got here Bo. Hell would have dug up the hole I hid the family beskar".

"You hid Beskar?" Bo asked as she moved a large sniper rifle off a nearby metal work table.

"What? Do you think I hear that your sister confiscates Beskar and I'm just going to hand the scraps I have hanging about? Nah, hid them in several large caches of Beskar, in case they were needed." He flipped a few buttons and I heard the engine of the ship startup followed by humming from the forge before it started up. "There you go old girl, now let's get to work." he pressed a button and a screen came up mounted on the left wall.

"Hmm, the helmet can stay the same size really only needed to adjust it internally so it could fit snug to your neck, the chest plate's old, but you're too small for that, we okay with flak jacket arrangement till she has fully grown?"

"You are the expert in this, I believe you are the one with the best call?" I said, not sure what exactly he meant.

"Right, New Mando." he hit his chest with his arm, "This is an old plate of Beskar. It is heavy but it will save your ass from direct hits of some more nastier weapon in the galaxy, but you lose some mobility. Bo and most folks prefer flak jacket arrangements or Beskar panels, it depends on who you ask. It is light and preferred as training armor for children since the panel can be popped out and melted down and reworked as you grow."

Nodding my head I said, "Panel arrangement is more than fine, for me."

"Good, we'll go with some light shoulder pads integrated into the jacket, and as for everything else... uh, how much live firefights are you planning to be involved in before you are 16?"

"Hopefully none sir" I responded matter of factly.

"Then won't worry about leg and arm armor, for now. If we're lucky, those parts won't need to be worked until you reach the proper age. If not, well Bo knows how to contact me." Zum pressed a few buttons and the readout changed quickly till a technical readout of what plates should be made and how large in order to best fit me.

"Sounds reasonable," I said, nodding along with what he said. I knew when to let experts take over and do their work.

"Right, now which god?" he said, turning towards me.

"Excuse me?" I said sidetracked by the word god.

"Right, New Mando and not really from Kalevala." he sighed then said "Okay quick run down, in my forge I dedicate armor to ancient gods for good luck, so do you want Kad Ha'rangir God of Rapid Change and Ferocity, Arasuum God of Reliability and Grand Strategy, or Hod Ha'ran God of Tricks and Illusions," he said as he turned to make some final adjustments.

"I would rather not take one really." I began but his point drew an interesting thought to me in my mind so I asked, "Mister Muduuc do you have access to some sort of stealth or illusion tech?"

Zum stopped what he was doing looked at me then smiled "Hod Ha'ran it is then." he said before, he put the metal plates into the forge to heat.

Confused, I looked at Bo to find out if she knew why he avoided the question, Bo, however, was staring drop-jawed at Zum.