A New Player in the Force

I watched silently as Bo easily blocked a punch from Serra by trapping the other girl’s arm against her body. She then pivoted hard, which resulted in Serra stumbling forwards, then pushed down on the trapped arm with her free hand.

Serra, with one arm trapped by Bo, had no recourse as Bo forced her down to the ground and then placed her knee down on Serra’s neck with enough force that my fellow Padawan grimaced.

“Two-zero to Bo,” I called out.

Bo gave me another glare at shortening her name but said nothing as she released her grip on Serra and stepped backwards while Serra growled and punched the mat in anger.

[Focus. Giving in to that anger, letting it control you means you’ll lose sight of what you’re trying to do.] I said telepathically to Serra and I watched her take a deep breath and the flaring anger I sensed from her began to lessen. [Better. True strength comes not from the quick and easy, but from hard work and dedication.]

Serra gave the barest of nods to indicate that she heard and understood my words and I turned my attention to Bo, who was glaring at me still after my usage of the contracted form of her name.

Thanks to an agreement that we’d come to until she was able to defeat me in a spar, I would be free to keep calling her by her nickname. And since she had failed to score more than a few points against me in several dozen spars, I didn’t expect to lose that privilege any time soon.

“Serra, you need to not telegraph your attacks,” I offered to my friend verbally along with reassurance through the Force. “Bo’s been learning close-quarters-combat for as long as you’ve been training with a lightsaber.”

“So why can you beat her then?” Serra snapped back, though there was no real anger in her tone, suggesting she was angry more at herself than my commentary.

“Wasn’t it you who told me Cameron was special?” Bo countered with her own question as she reached her starting position and adopted a stance from Beskar’pel. Serra, after quietly talking to herself and schooling her expression, adopted a similar stance, though I spotted a flaw.

“Serra, widen your stance,” I called out and even in her current mood, she listened and shifted her rear foot back enough so that she was in the base stance of the style. “Good. Begin.”

As the two began again, I considered why it was that I was watching the pair spar for what was the sixty-third time since I had arrived on Mandalore.

It had only been just over two local weeks since our arrival, meeting with Duke Adonai and Pre Vizsla and dinner with their combined families. Though those two weeks here were closer to three in galactic terms and this shift between local and galactic calendars was something that happened every time we travelled to a new world. And this difference in planetary time systems was something that always brought a small smile to my lips as it always reminded me that I was now living in a different galaxy.

Since our arrival on-planet and the dinner with the Kryze and Vizsla families, we had been the guests of the Duke in Sundari and it was currently one of the two major breaks in education that occurred on Mandalore. By a quirk of the Force, Satine was currently on a break from the Coruscant Academy for Government and Diplomacy, which was why she was on Mandalore when we arrived instead of the capital of the Republic.

The day after our arrival, the Duke had arranged a small training area for us to use. As with the conference room where we had first waited, and our assigned quarters, I had examined the room with Force Sight and as with our quarters, it appeared to be clean from any sort of recording devices.

Later that very day, while Serra and I were going through another training session for her in Makashi, Bo-Katan and Naz had shown up. They had been sent by their fathers – and with the permission of Fay and Dooku – to get to know us better. While that made sense since the two would be our main points of contact while on Mandalore, I had easily sensed Serra’s apprehension and suspicion at the two elder girls wanting to spend time with us.

Upon seeing that Serra and I were sparring, Naz suggested that we spar together as it would help build familiarity between us. The initial spars had been unbalanced as I was able to use the Force to dominate the others, while Serra was able to hold her own against the pair.

As such, we had both promised to not actively use the Force while sparring. This hadn’t changed the fact I was still superior at hand-to-hand, but it had resulted in Serra dropping to last in our little group.

While she did not let that get her down – indeed, she was the one who sparred the most – Serra had been visibly uncomfortable when Bo had physically helped her with her posture and positioning. I hadn’t brought it up with Serra, but what I sensed from her when Bo touched her was the same as what I’d sensed during dinner. Perhaps she was just unused to the attention of others or was uneasy with being close to others she didn’t know. Regardless of why it was, she’d grown more accepting of the help, even if Naz’s teasing still embarrassed her.

After I had dominated the Force-free spars with Naz and Bo, I had hoped that they would not wish to spar with me so much. However, the opposite had occurred and in retrospect it made sense. Especially when I considered my words about real Mandalorians having to prove themselves against stronger opponents. It also explained why they were so accommodating of Serra’s constant need to spar as they saw it as her challenging herself to become stronger.

Since the pair wouldn’t back off in challenging me, I had taken to calling Bo-Katan ‘Bo’ verbally instead of just mentally and I now called Naz ‘Little-Nia’. I had promised that I’d stop calling them those nicknames once they managed to defeat me, but with Serra challenging them more than they could challenge me, and the advantages I had from my stats, carried over skills, and skill growth, the chances on the pair getting me to stop using the nicknames before my verd’goten were slim.

Naz had taken the teasing via a nickname far better than Bo at first, Bo had reluctantly grown to accept my usage of her nickname. Serra had been annoyed that I gave the pair nicknames – which I had to admit wasn’t unexpected, but at least she hadn’t been out and out angry about them – and she had tried to use them as well.

Neither Mandalorian was willing to accept the nickname from someone they deemed as weaker – even if she was my friend – but told Serra that the day she beat one of them, she could use the appropriate nickname until she lost again. Sadly, with the current disparity in skills, Serra had the same chance of getting to use the nicknames as Bo and Naz had in getting me to stop using them. And even if she had a few years on-planet, I doubted Serra would be able to take down Bo. While younger than Naz, the redhead was easily the superior fighter and if not for my advantages, I doubt I could take her down in a spar.

Though, to give the girl her due, she wasn’t going to stop trying. Hence why this was her sixty-third spar with Bo, to go along with forty-seven spars with Naz.

When there wasn’t a hand-to-hand spar going on, Serra and I spent the rest of our time in this room training with our lightsabers. Bo and Naz were more than happy to just watch those spars, though I also suspected they were trying to develop strategies for countering Jedi in combat. Because of the sizable disparity in skill, most of that time wound up with me taking the role of instructor, as I was still teaching Serra the basics of Makashi along with general tricks and combos for hand-to-hand combat.

When I wasn’t in this room sparring, coaching or teaching, I had spent a fair amount of time with the heirs to Clans Kryze and Vizsla, Dorgo and Tor.

The two older boys were both curious about the time I had come from; specifically, what I remembered or had heard about Revan and the Mandalorians. While I suspected that Tor was doing this under orders from his father as much as for his love of history, I saw nothing wrong with him learning about history – or at least my spin on it.

Dorgo was less enthusiastic about what I knew, but still asked questions. And where Tor’s were more about the history of when I come from, Dorgo’s were about what Mandalorians had been like back then. From what additional usage of Observe told me about the pair, both Dorgo and Tor were slowly losing loyalty to the New Mandalorian and Death Watch factions, respectively. Which was something I felt would be a good thing in the long run.

Satine, in a rather unexpected twist – but one that I was hopeful would temper her more… extreme views – had spent a few hours every day with Fay. I didn’t know what they were speaking of specifically, but Serra – who had sat in on a few of the discussions – had let me know that they were mainly discussing how to balance ideals and avoid going too far to one extreme or the other. She didn’t elaborate beyond that, but I suspected that Fay was planting the idea of what I felt about balance into Serra while working to – I hope – show Satine why the ideals of the New Mandalorians were just as flawed as those of Death Watch.

Dooku generally kept to himself, though I had seen him a few times speaking with Duke Adonai quietly after meals and also caught him in conversation with Fay several evenings. I never knew what those talks were about, but I hoped that they were helping Dooku deal with his feelings of failure regarding Galidraan.

I was drawn out of my thoughts as the doors opened with their usual swish-hiss sound, and I turned to see Naz step into the room.

She gave me a nod then rolled her eyes at seeing Bo and Serra sparring.

“Again?” She asked once she was close enough. Though thankfully, she didn’t step too close.

She had toned down her behaviour since the dinner, which was a relief. Having a teenager show interest in me was only slightly less unsettling than having someone just shy of being a teenager show interest.

“Your girl’s getting better,” Naz commented as Serra blocked a kick from Bo and used the momentum of doing so to launch a counterattack. While that attack missed, the counterattack was something Serra wouldn’t have even thought about a few weeks ago.

“Yeah,” I replied as Bo managed to clip Serra’s leg but was unable to land the winning blow as Serra quickly rolled away, again using Bo’s attack to guide and power her movements.

“She sure is flexible,” Naz added as she gently hit her shoulder against my arm. “Imagine how good she’ll be once she’s a little older.”

I ignored that comment.

Since Serra had started to challenge Naz and Bo, Naz had countered by beginning to flirt with Serra as much as she had done with me when we’d first arrived. While those flirtations had been dialled back with me – either because I didn’t rise to them, or someone told her to stop it – they had stayed constant with Serra.

Bo had also shifted to more verbal comments as Serra became comfortable with the physical contact. And their combined efforts were affecting my friend.

It was easy for me to sense Serra’s confusion about the comments and attention, and while she tried her best to ignore it – save for her face doing regular impressions of a tomato and/or her eyes bulging out – I had begun to sense that she was beginning to enjoy the attention. Though the confusion remained.

“She really doesn’t give up, does she?” Naz stated, seemingly trying to draw me into conversation. And since this one was not laced with any obvious innuendo, I responded.

“Once she sets a goal, Serra is very determined about achieving it.”

Naz chuckled. “That’s a good trait to have. And she does not shy away from combat. She’d make a fine Mandalorian, as would you.” I gave her a sideways glance, which she replied to with a smirk and wink.

We both turned our attention back to the spar, and Naz sighed. “But she’s not even ready to take me on, never mind Bo.” Naz had adopted the nickname I had given Bo-Katan not long after hearing me use it.

“She knows, but she still tries.”

“I believe there’s a saying about trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?”

I chuckled at that. Hearing that the expression existed here was amusing and comforting.

“There is but remember that Serra’s not actively trying to use the Force. If she did, she could likely now take the pair of you down in seconds.”

“Only if we let her prepare,” Naz retorted as she lifted her chin high and adopted a firmer stance. “We have trained since birth to fight Jedi.”

“I thought we were all members of the Republic?” I said with another chuckle. “And just because you’ve trained to fight us, doesn’t mean you can win.”

“You think so?” Naz asked as she turned to face me.

“I know so,” I replied with a smirk as I played into her pride and determination. Nothing wrong with friendly teasing, so long as it was only that. “I’ve beaten both you and Bo without actively using the Force.”

“Ah, but we’re going easy on you,” Naz retorted, her hands coming to rest on her hips as our eyes locked. “No way you could take us on if we went all out. Or worked together.”

I stifled a laugh at the bravado and opened my mouth to respond.

“Oof!”

My attention, and that of Naz’s, returned to the spar and we saw that Bo had forced Serra to the ground while controlling one of her arms via a simple armbar.

“Point and match to Bo,” I called out just as the girl in question lowered herself onto Serra’s stomach, her knees on either side of my fellow Padawan.

“I-I’m not out,” Serra replied weakly, only to grunt as Bo twisted her arm.

“Serra…” my voice deepened, and she sighed.

“Fine! G-get off me.”

Bo leaned forward and whispered something into Serra’s ear. I could’ve used Enhance Sense to hear what was said, but the way Serra’s face instantly turned the colour of a Sith lightsaber made me glad that I hadn’t.

As the pair stood – with Serra cautiously accepting a hand up from Bo even while her face continued to look like it was on fire – Naz stepped towards them.

“Cameron here thinks he can take us both on in full contact,” Pre’s daughter said loudly.

Bo’s eyes narrowed as her head snapped around to look at me. “Big words from a small boy.”

Even as I saw Serra’s eyes drill into the back of Bo’s head, I laughed. “Nothing small about me princess.”

Bo’s lips twitched and she stepped forward until we were almost nose to nose. “Then put up or shut up.”

I felt my brow rise as I smiled. “Hmm?”

“Let’s make this fun,” Naz said as she stepped back into my sightline and placed an arm over Serra’s shoulders. Which resulted in my fellow Padawan’s cheeks regaining their lost redness.

“The three of us against you. If we win, then you have to do whatever we say for a whole day – and that’s one day for each of us – once you’ve passed your trials.”

Naz’s eyes seem to dance over my body as she suggested the terms, while Bo allowed a smile to spread across her lips. Serra, well she looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights even as the colour in her cheeks drained rapidly and I sensed worry, excitement and confusion rolling off her in waves.

“And when I win?” I asked, stressing that I knew I would even as I casually unclipped my lightsaber and placed it beside where Serra’s main blade was sitting. The smaller shoto was back in our quarters as I was making a few… adjustments to it.

Naz shrugged. “Same. You can command each of us for a day.” She replied with a wink. “We’ll do anything you say. Anything.” She finished with a lick of her lips.

Ignoring the complete lack of subtlety in that suggestion, I replied. “Winner is the last one standing.”

“Deal.”

“Uh, I, um…” Serra began only for Bo and Naz to pull her to the far side of the room.

[Cameron, is everything alright?] Fay asked mentally.

[Yes, Master. Serra and I are just sparring with our hosts.]

[Ah. How is Serra?]

I bit my lips to avoid letting a chuckle escape me as I saw Bo and Naz pull the girl in question in close so they could whisper a plan. I also noted that both Mandalorians were staying close to my friend. They weren’t touching her – likely because they were taking the upcoming spar seriously – but they were so close that I could sense Serra’s confusion and worry growing rapidly.

Still, I turned away and let them plan.

[She’s fine. Our hosts are just being… very friendly with her.]

A burst of amusement came across the bond as Fay spoke mentally once more. [Very well. Have fun. Though do be mindful of the feelings of others.]

[Yes, Master.] I replied as I felt Fay withdraw from the telepathic conversation.

Fay had spoken with me a few nights ago about how Serra was handling the interest shown in her and me by the two Mandalorian girls. And while Fay trusted that I would be able to handle things suitably enough, she was concerned that our fellow Jedi would struggle.

I’d promised to keep an eye on her and step in if I felt the local pair got out of hand, but honestly, I saw nothing wrong in what was happening and felt that, in the long run, it would benefit Serra to face such emotions now instead of later.

I had also noted that Serra’s obvious interest in me had if not dissipated, at least been brought under control. And while that was likely a result of us receiving ‘The Talk’ – and possibly her talks with Fay – I had also been more careful of my actions around her.

In retrospect, I easily saw that simple gestures like placing a finger to her lips to silence her had enflamed her feelings and I was actively keeping a safe distance between us. Thankfully, Serra hadn’t picked up on this, or if she had, there’d been no reaction to it. I did, however, wonder why I had done such things in the first place.

Mentally, I knew better than to initiate physical contact with someone who was interested in me, yet I had still done so. I had no idea why I had, and nothing had appeared in the help sections of my Interface to suggest that the update had altered my body or mind to be more emotional/childish.

Yet it was clear when reviewing my actions around Serra, and others, that I had acted in ways that didn’t quite line up with how I would have if I was still an adult.

“Are you finished daydreaming?” Naz called out and I turned back to see all three were standing ready on the far side of the mat. While Bo and Naz looked confident, Serra was haemorrhaging worry through the Force. “Or do you need more time to imagine how badly we’ll beat you?”

I shook my head as a smile spread across my face. “Not imagining anything. Heck, I’m so confident, I’ll let you call the start.” I retorted as I adopted a base stance from my old life. Mentally I activated Bullet-Time and Force Speed.

While I could easily take out all three TK, I figured beating them badly without using the Force offensively was the more civilised approach. I planned to win, not beat them so badly they didn’t want to spar anymore.

“Begin,” Naz said with a smile still dancing on her lips.

The two Mandalorians moved forward together, Serra a step behind likely as support, as I felt my smile grow as I took a step forward and moved to meet them.

… …

“You wished to speak with us?” Dooku asked as I stepped out into the general area of our guest quarters within the palace.

“Yes, Master,” I replied as I took a seat at the table where he, Fay, and Serra were seating. While Fay and Dooku were calm and met my gaze, Serra wouldn’t. Likely this was because of the three-on-one spar, and the six rematches that had followed.

As I’d expected, I’d won rather handily every time and now each of the three owed me a week’s worth of servitude. While I had no intention of using that for anything nefarious, Naz had not been shy about offering suggestions about how they could serve me. Bo had laughed them off – either because she was well aware of Naz’s joking/flirtatious nature or she didn’t expect me to take any of Naz’s words seriously – but Serra... well, she hadn’t taken the suggestions well.

Hence why she still refused to meet my gaze several hours later.

“Padawan?” Dooku asked again as I got caught up in my thoughts.

The topic I wanted to discuss was something I’d been thinking about for a while, but now that I had the chance to discuss it, I was… concerned. If I didn’t handle things correctly, then I ran the risk of revealing my more unusual powers. And while I trusted the trio, and I had a Trusted reputation with all of them, it was still a risk.

“Sorry, Master. I was just… thinking,” I paused and took a breath before using Observe on the table we were sitting around.

Fay and Dooku barely reacted, though they shared a glance, while Serra’s head snapped up and her eyes locked onto mine. That drew the attention of both my masters as both turned to look at my fellow Padawan.

“You all felt that?” I asked slowly.

“We did,” Dooku replied just as slowly. “And while Master Fay and I have sensed whatever you have been doing with the Force for several years, I must admit that I did not realise that Padawan Keto could also sense it.”

Serra gulped and broke eye contact. “Um, I… I started sensing it when Cam returned to the Temple last year.” She turned her attention back to me, though she refused to meet my gaze. “Though it was just after your spar with the Grandmaster that I was sure you were the source.”

“Hmm,” Dooku gently stroked his beard. “What made you sure it was Cameron that was the source?”

“He, uh, used the ability on Knight C’baoth and the Senator,” Serra replied only for her brow to crease. “Not sure why the Senator could sense it though.”

“Which Senator was this?” Dooku asked Serra, though his eyes were focused on me.

Serra’s eyes narrowed. “Palpatine.” I felt my brow rise at the resentment that came from her as she said his name. Both in her tone and through the Force.

“Indeed.” While Dooku was replying to her, his attention seemed to drill into my skull, and I wondered if he was remembering my rather blunt rejection of the idea of Sifo-Dyas reaching out to Palpatine just before we’d met Padmé.

While having Dooku suspicious of Palpatine was useful, having him begin to suspect that there might be a link between the Senator and the Sith could be disastrous. While I had confidence in Dooku’s abilities with a lightsaber and suspected he could possibly match Sidious in a lightsaber-only duel, I doubted he would be able to take out the Sith Lord in a full battle.

Even if it was over a decade before Sidious grew in power to such a place that he was able to engage Windu and Yoda in combat and seemingly have a chance of winning, I was still concerned that the Sith may be too much for Dooku to handle. Sidious seemed to favour using the Force to win his fights instead of his lightsaber, from what I'd gathered during the few times Sidious had actually fought in The Clone Wars and the movies. And Dooku's skills in that area could be best described as ordinary for a Jedi Master if such an oxymoron was permitted in this context.

“I think that was just because C’baoth turned as well,” I offered while glad that my thoughts and internal feelings were hidden by Telepathic Shield from my masters, even as I calmed my emotions so they couldn’t sense any worry or apprehension from me via our Force bonds. “He reacted to my action as well.”

Serra thought about it before shrugging. “Eh, maybe. I, I just don’t like the Senator.”

“Why do you say that?” Fay asked, though again I noted that her attention was more on me than Serra. Serra, however, didn’t notice as her attention returned to the table in front of her.

“Um, it felt like the Force was trying to warn me about him.” She paused and shrugged. “May-maybe it was just my, my emotions but… he felt… wrong. I, I didn’t want him near Cam.”

Serra’s eyes met mine for an instant, and her cheeks reddened as they did before she looked down at the table again. “I know he’s your friend, but I don’t like him.”

“He’s not really a friend,” I said with a small smile. “Just someone I’ve met that seems to have taken an… interest in me.”

“Indeed,” Dooku agreed. “While I have spent less time with the Senator since Cameron became our Padawan, what time we do spend together is often prefaced by him asking after you.” Dooku’s eyes locked onto mine. “Before, I felt the interest was, perhaps, a fraction too familial. Now, based on Padawan Keto’s comments, I wonder if his interest in Cameron is more than just casual.”

“Perhaps it still is, however when you add in Cameron’s comments regarding our… thoughts on the future, it does raise several questions that we need to address,” Fay added in agreement with her fellow Jedi Master. “And I suspect that this ability of Cameron’s will also play into this discussion.”

“Um, yes, Master,” I said before licking my lower lip.

I didn’t need to, but the brief pause gave me time to reorder my thoughts as this was not how I expected this reveal to go. Though I should have planned for Serra commenting on Sidious sensing my usage of Observe. More and more, the spar with Yoda and the aftermath was feeling like a disaster.

In the months before we’d left, several senior Knights and a handful of Jedi Masters had approached me to spar.

I had rejected all but a few of those offers, and of the dozen or so I’d accepted, I’d intentionally lost as many as I’d won. Oh, I felt I could’ve won almost all of them – bar the ones against Plo Koon and Giiett – but doing so would shatter what remained of my intended cover of being ‘just another Padawan’. Though I could admit that ever since I’d arrived at the Temple, that had been a flawed cover. Nothing about my growth in skills and Force abilities was in any way normal.

Based on my level – now at 23 – it was only a matter of time before I was promoted to Knight, though if I was in the High Council’s position, I would try to delay it for a few more years. Likely until I was sixteen at a minimum.

“Cameron?” Fay said drawing me out of my thoughts about the failure of my cover.

“Right, sorry. Um, well a few years ago I was curious if I could use the Force to sense details about people,” I began, quickly returning to my reveal of Observe. “And it worked...sort of. I mean, I can get an idea of how someone is feeling, what they think of me – in a very general sense that is – and an idea of their Force Potential.”

“Initiate Zill?” Dooku offered and I nodded.

“Yeah. I, um, I’ve been using the ability on anyone I could, though not senior Jedi Knights or Masters. It seems they can sense it.”

There was silence from the three as they considered my words and Fay and Dooku turned to look at each other. Likely they were engaged in a mental conversation about what I’d…

“What does it say about me?” Serra blurted out.

“Um,” I mumbled as I tried to think of how to phrase things without embarrassing her.

“Hmm, I admit I am curious about how this ability of yours works and what it would reveal about us as well,” Dooku stated and Fay nodded along.

“Okay,” I said slowly before doing as they wanted.

Fay

Race: Sephi-Human Hybrid

Level: 50

Health: 100%

Age: 725

Force Potential: Very High

Threat Potential: Very High

Reputation: Trusted Friend

Affiliation Loyalty: The Coalition (64%) Jedi Order (55%) Republic (43%)

Emotional State: Curious

Fay is curious to finally learn about your unique Force ability.

She is also wondering how it works and if others could learn it.

…

??? Dooku

Level: 38

Race: Human

Health: 100%

Age: 65

Force Potential: Very High

Threat Potential: High

Reputation: Trusted Acquaintance

Affiliation Loyalty: The Coalition (68%) Jedi Order (51%) Republic (33%)

Emotional State: Curious/Apprehensive

Dooku is curious about how this ability of yours works.

He also wonders if it could be used to root out threats to your plans.

Though he is unsettled by how often concerns are raised about Senator Palpatine.

…

Serra Keto

Level: 16

Race: Human

Health: 100%

Age: 12

Force Potential: High

Threat Potential: Low

Reputation: Honoured Friend

Affiliation Loyalty: You (82%) Republic (64%) Jedi Order (62%)

Emotional State: Curious/Concerned

Serra wonders if she can learn this new power.

Though she is worried it will reveal how she feels about you.

And that she is feeling freer here than on Coruscant.

…

Before you ask, we have decided to keep the surprise of what your Human Master’s given name is from you.

We have done this because, truthfully, we would rather you earn the right to know it instead of cheating.

And we don’t wish to spoil the moment when you do learn it.

I frowned at the small notice from TPTB. Having them restrict information from me, even something as trivial as Dooku’s given name was concerning. However, since I was here at their choice, I had no choice but to accept their decision on the matter. Though honestly, I agreed that earning the right to know the name was better than just having it given to me.

“Ah, so that is what I felt all those years ago,” Fay commented as I used the power first on her.

“It… tingles?” Serra added slowly as she waggled her fingers as though trying to get feeling back into them.

“What does this power reveal about us?” Dooku asked, cutting straight to the topic.

“Um, well, you’re all curious about this ability of mine, but Master Dooku and Serra are both worried, though for different reasons. It also says you all have at least a high potential to use the Force,” I explained in vague terms. Explaining the full details of what Observe revealed was not something I planned to do anytime soon, if ever.

“Does it tell you anything else?” Fay asked cautiously as Serra seemed to shrink into herself.

“Um, it hints that, uh, you and Master Dooku would be… difficult to defeat in combat,” I added before shrugging, “Though I knew that already.”

Fay gave me a smile at the comment, while Dooku gave a fractional nod as I remembered the one time the pair had duelled with me present.

While Fay may not wield a lightsaber and was known more for her way with words than her combat skills, the spar had not been the victory for Dooku that I had expected. Instead, Fay had shown several rather creative ways to use the Force to keep an armed opponent at distance and on the defensive before she was able to win the spar.

While none of what Fay did was new to me – or at least it didn’t result in the generation of new Force Powers – it did show me a few interesting ways to use the Force, particularly when Fay had created a Force illusion so convincing that Dooku had attacked it and exposed himself to an attack from Fay that neither of us sensed until she dropped the illusion.

That had me pushing Force Illusion further up the list of powers I planned to train while on Mandalore.

“Indeed,” Dooku said slowly. “I for one am glad that the mystery around this ability of yours has been explained.”

“Um, Master Dooku, why are you and Master Fay so calm about Cam using a new Force ability?” Serra asked.

Fay smiled at the girl. “Tell me, child, when Cameron uses this… unexpected ability, does the Force warn you? Does this ability feel tainted or a threat?”

“No.” Serra shot back quickly. “Cam would never hurt me.”

A few months ago, I would have been worried about how quick she was to defend me – or fight others who seemed to be close to me. However, since I’d interrupted her spar with Rachi, Serra had been toning down her… possessive tendencies.

Add in that since ‘The Talk’, she’d spend regular time talking with Fay, and hadn’t shown any outward signs of those tendencies around Bo and Naz – though that could likely be because the pair were teasing her so much – and I felt that whatever had brought it on was now under control. Though it was something to be cautious about over the next few months once Dooku and Fay left.

“No, I don’t think he would,” Fay replied with a small smile as her eyes darted my way. “Nor would you, him. However, the lack of warning from the Force is but one thing which has reassured Master Dooku and me about Cameron’s ability.”

There was silence as Serra seemed to process what Fay had said before she nodded.

“Yeah. The Force would warn us of a threat,” Serra stated.

“It should. However, relying entirely on the Force to determine where a threat exists is… naïve at best,” Dooku countered as his lips narrowed. “We must be constantly vigilant to threats that the Force is blind to.”

Serra’s brow creased and she titled her head. “How could one blind the Force?”

“It is difficult, but not impossible,” Fay replied slowly. “However, that is a discussion for when you are older and wiser. Now, we wish to discuss how you both should behave once Master Dooku and I leave.”

“Hey! It’s not like I keep looking for trouble.” I said as everyone shifted their gaze to me. Though I couldn’t deny that I did seem to attract unwanted attention.

“It is not. However, the Force works through us, and clearly, it has decided to place you in situations that are more… volatile than most would encounter.” Dooku countered. “Thus, we wish to ensure that you are both aware of how to conduct yourselves while you are staying here and confirm that you do not wish to keep your lightsabers with you.”

I felt myself frown and opened my mouth to answer.

“We’re here as the guests of the ruler of the planet, Master Dooku,” Serra said, unintentionally cutting me off. “We know we need to obey the local planetary rules.”

“And we know the Mandalorians do not like Jedi. But if we openly kept our lightsabers, it would only make them more likely to attack us,” I added, repeating a reason that I had used the previous thirteen times this discussion had come up.

Instead of trying to counter my reason, as I had expected, Dooku simply held up a hand. “I am not here to once more argue the point with you. While I do not agree with your choice, I respect it. No, I simply wish to confirm, before Master Fay and myself leave in the morning that you are both still committed to this course.”

“We are,” I said for both of us and Serra nodded in agreement.

“Very well. Then all I shall say on the matter is to be constantly vigilant and trust no one.” Dooku said giving us a head tilt in acceptance.

“And perhaps you could try to be more… diplomatic with your words,” Fay added with a chuckle. “The Duke’s eldest daughter is… not a fan of your opinions.”

“Eh,” I responded with a shrug. “I’m not a fan of hers either.”

“Thankfully, Lady Satine will leave with us tomorrow. She is due to finish her studies on Coruscant before beginning a term as an assistant to this sector’s current Senator. Duke Adonai plans for her to eventually become the Senator for the sector while her brother will assume leadership of the planet and sector.” Fay explained. “And while the girl has some… extreme ideals, her heart is in the right place.”

I said nothing, preferring to hold my tongue. Did I regret being so blunt when we’d first met? No. I knew where her blind idealism would lead, and the damage it would cause.

In retrospect, I should have been more concerned about offending Adonai than attacking Satine. However, the Duke had not told me off and the subtle signs I’d detected suggested he agreed with my words, even if he couldn’t verbalise them around his allies.

“We should discuss your verd’goten,” Dooku said, changing the topic rather abruptly. “You understand that completing this trial will not be well-regarded by the High Council?”

I nodded. “I do, but I’m doing it anyway.”

“Um, verd’gaten?” Serra asked and it occurred to me that I had not told her about it. Nor had it been mentioned by Bo or Naz as anything more than a trial.

“The verd’goten,” Fay began, correcting the girl’s pronunciation, “is a Mandalorian custom that is similar to the Trials of Knighthood from the Old Republic. Once a child is of age, the prospective Mando’ade is allowed to attempt the trial, though nothing says it must be attempted at such a young age and I have heard of people in their thirties that have passed the rite and were accepted into Mandalorian culture.”

“And since these are Mandalorians we’re talking about, it involves not only surviving by yourself but killing a beast, with just a knife,” I explained to Serra figuring she needed to understand what it entailed before I asked her if she was willing to attempt it herself. Which I did plan to do. Hopefully, she’d be willing to do the trial, as I felt it would be beneficial to her to prove herself to people outside the Jedi Order. However, if she chose not to, I would accept her decision.

“Said beast must be a threat to the one attempting the verd’goten. After all, killing a rabbit isn’t exactly worthy of a warrior.” I continued with a smirk at imagining a Mandalorian with that as a personal crest. “Nor can we use the Force in any obvious way. I asked Nia.” I added in answer to the way Fay and Dooku looked at me.

“That’s barbaric,” Serra commented. “Why would they send a child out alone to kill a creature?”

“It’s the old way,” I replied with a shrug. “Unlike the Jedi, who have formalised the testing for Knighthood since the Ruusan Reformation, the Mandalorians see value in respecting the ways of their ancestors.”

“But sending a child out by themselves?” Serra shook her head, sending her hair flying around her face. “And how old are these kids?”

“The verd’goten can be taken at any time after the thirteenth nameday, though the younger one is when the ritual is completed, the more respect the kill carries,” Fay explained so easily that I wondered just how much she had learnt from her former Mandalorian… friend? lover? “As does the danger the beast poses.”

“Serra,” I began, cutting off my friend from making another comment. “I know you think it’s barbaric, but this is the way of the Mandalorians. If you don’t want to do it, it’s fine. But I’m doing it.”

Serra’s eyes locked on to me, which was the first time we’d made direct contact since the spars that morning. She held my gaze for a while before sighing loudly.

“I… I don’t know. I mean, I think I understand why it would make sense to do it, but…” she paused and shook her head once more. “It goes against what I was taught as an Initiate.”

“The taking of a life, even that of a non-sentient creature, is not something to be actively sought out. However, all things die, and to the Mandalorian people, a death in a verd’goten is a worthy death,” Fay again explained with such ease that I began to wonder if she had ever completed the trial. “And the kill is never just for the kill. If possible, the meat of the beast is harvested and eaten. The hide and internal organs can also be harvested for useful purposes. Or so I am told.”

I felt my eyes narrow as she finished speaking, and I suspected that she had either taken the verd’goten herself – likely after it being suggested by this long-dead friend – or had spoken at length about the custom with that same person.

“In the Old Republic, Jedi were often sent on dangerous missions to earn their Knighthood. Many times, the Padawan did not return, but after the Ruusan Reformation, the Order adopted the more formalised trials.” Dooku supplied, weighing in on the issue. “While the Sith are gone from sight, the galaxy is still a dangerous place and time away from the Temple does one good.”

“Serra, if you want to try the verd’goten, you can. If not, it’s fine,” I repeated quickly, not wanting her to catch Dooku’s comment about the Sith having been gone from sight, not killed off as most Jedi were told. “The choice is yours.”

“Okay. J-just give me time to think about it,” She replied slowly, her eyes now not willing to meet mine.

“Sure. Also, can you get the project I gave you this morning?” I asked, changing the topic and taking things back to an earlier point where I had developed an idea to ease the concerns of my masters regarding us being unarmed while alone on a world renowned for training Jedi killers.

She took a split second to realise what I was talking about before she darted for her room.

“Cameron?” Dooku asked as he and Fay turned their attention to me, but I simply smiled and waited for Serra to return.

When she did, she smiled at me as she dropped three pieces of metal tubing on the table.

Dooku’s eyes narrowed and an eyebrow rose as he examined them. “Curious.” He lifted his head and looked at me. “This was Padawan Keto’s secondary blade, correct?”

“It still is,” I replied as a smile crept onto my face and I nodded at Serra.

She picked up the three pieces and quickly clipped them together. No more than twenty seconds after picking them up, she pressed the button and the shortened green blade of her shoto hummed to life.

“Impressive,” Dooku commented as Serra de-powered the blade and broke it down into its three parts. “Are we to assume that Padawan Keto will be keeping this with her when we leave?”

“Yes, Master. While I trust that Mayor Vizsla’s intentions were honest, and the reasoning he gave was certainly valid, ignoring the fact both his uncle and sister were members of Death Watch would be stupid. And I’m not going to walk into a potentially dangerous situation without protection.” I replied.

That was only half true. Honestly, I trusted Pre Vizsla about half as far as Yoda could throw him. Without the Force. But I couldn’t say that without it leading to questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

“True. And do you plan to make such a blade for yourself?” Dooku asked as he reached over and told hold of the three components of Serra’s lightsaber. “With the crystals from your current lightsaber?”

“Yes and no,” I replied and reached into my pocket, pulling out a small crystal. “I have a spare crystal. It’s one of the ones we found on Dantooine.” I explained before Fay could ask where the crystal had come from.

And I was being honest as it was one of the six crystals from there that I had stored in my Inventory. Those were joined by a pair taken from older lightsabers found under the Temple and the two from the Jedi and Sith lightsabers that had been destroyed on Ilum during my… talk with the future-self visions of myself as a Jedi Grandmaster and Dark Lord of the Sith.

“I was under the impression that all of those crystals were handed over to the Order when we returned to the Temple,” Fay said as her lips turned upwards at the corners. “Yet, it is not a surprise that you kept one for yourself. A memento of the history Dantooine has with your family, perhaps?”

I nodded at her thinking. While it was true that keeping a crystal from the cave on Dantooine was slightly sentimental, that had not been the main reason.

“I for one am more comfortable about allowing you both to stay if you still have a lightsaber,” Dooku added and I turned my head to see he had already disassembled the lightsaber into its three components and was turning them over in his hands. “While I suspect these blades will not be as powerful as your main lightsabers, they are more… discreet.”

He handed the components back to Serra as I placed the crystal back in my pocket.

“I think I’ve got most of the parts I need to build another lightsaber in my room,” I said, which was true. I had pulled the main components from my inventory – where I held enough parts to build three lightsabers – and placed them in a desk drawer. I left out a few more easily attainable parts from the pile to complete the illusion that I wasn’t quite ready to build a second blade.

“I admit I am… curious, as to when and where you found those parts, as I am sure Master Fay is as well. However, I think it is better if we do not know the answers to those questions,” Dooku said with a slight twitch of his lips.

“Yes, Master,” I replied as a smile appeared on my face.

Silence settled over us until I spoke again.

“If I may ask, what will you be doing while we are here?”

[You wish to reveal our plans in front of Padawan Keto?] Dooku asked mentally.

[Not all. Generalities at best,] I replied. [I expect Serra to join our Coalition in time, but exact details are not something she needs to know currently.]

“After we have escorted Lady Satine to Coruscant, I will be travelling to Baltizaar,” Dooku began as if our quick mental conversation had not taken place. “There… I wish to confirm the fate of someone I once knew. After that, I will likely return to the Temple, but that is not certain.”

That meant he was going to look for hints about what had happened to Komari Vosa as Baltizaar was the planet where the Jedi strike team had been driven back by the Bando Gora. According to the reports, Vosa had died there, but no definitive proof had been found.

If Dooku found anything, I expected he would report it to Fay, Sifo-Dyas, and the others instead of rushing in half-cocked as most Jedi would. While I hoped that Vosa was still alive, from what little I had learnt about the Bando Gora, death would be the better outcome for Vosa’s fate. Still, all I could do was hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

Fay glanced from me to Dooku subtly before she spoke. “I will travel the galaxy. There are a few old friends I wish to catch up with. And one or two who I am… concerned about.”

“Um, when you return to the Temple, could pass a message to Master Drallig for me?” Serra asked slowly to which Fay nodded and smiled.

“Certainly. And we have spoken with the Duke and his ministers so that, if you wish, you may speak to him once a week via the Holonet.”

“Thank you,” Serra said with a smile.

Any further conversation was cut off by the chime of someone outside the door.

“Enter,” Dooku stated and the doors opened revealing a tan-skinned woman.

“Master Jedi, Duke Adonai has asked me to escort you for the evening meal.” She stated.

“Very well. Come along Padawans, and Cameron, do mind your manners around Lady Satine,” Fay added with a smile.

“I won’t start anything,” I replied as we began to follow the servant.

And I wouldn’t. But if, as had been the case at the last few meals where I’d been present along with Satine, she did, I would happily take the chance to offer one of the comments I had floating around in my mind.

… …

… …

Two days later, after seeing Fay and Dooku leave with Satine in tow, I was in a transport that was taking me – along with Serra, Bo, and Naz – to the city of Keldabe where we would join a training centre of potential Journeymen Protectors and Royal Guards.

Technically we were both too young – having not turned thirteen or completed our verd’goten – but there was no way in hell I was coming all the way to Mandalore to study in the New Mandalorian Royal Academy of Government or a school for little children.

Neither Bo nor Naz attended that academy either, which made sense as neither Adonai nor Pre were actual members of the New Mandalorians. Instead, both had allied themselves, and their Clans – and House in Adonai’s case – with the ruling faction of the sector. An action that both likely had regrets about, though for differing reasons.

I had asked why it was that Bo and Naz had to attend the training centre when both were old enough to have attempted the verd’goten, or I assumed they had passed it as I’d hadn’t asked them directly about that yet. As it was explained to me, that the reason for them still attending the training centre was that it was tied to the fact the Republic saw the age of responsibility as sixteen and that they wished to move away from the old ways.

While the verd’goten was taken by many from the age of thirteen, the New Mandalorians had decided to not recognise the trial and only allowed members into the guard, or the sponsored groups of Journeymen Protectors throughout the sector, once they were seventeen.

But even then, I had my doubts that Bo and Naz would be allowed to serve in the Guard, and if they were, it would only be in Sundari as both Adonai and Pre held important positions. None of the pacifistic New Mandalorians would place the daughters of the Duke and Mayor of Sundari in locations that carried actual risk, regardless of the resulting stagnation and lack of growth that would bring.

Bringing my mind back to the present, I looked out of the window of the small courier transport as we skimmed across the white sand desert and noted a few metal beams and buildings that jutted out of the sand randomly. Those were the remains of the cities that had stood on this part of the world before a Jedi-led Republic strike force had all but glassed huge swathes of the planet during the Dral’Han.

I had to give the New Mandalorians some credit for building their cities where they did. The sparse, skeletal remains and white sandy deserts likely helped to remind people of what had happened and were then used by the New Mandalorians to convince people that their way was the correct way.

Yet I could also see that this choice of location for their cities could be used to rally people against the faction. Likely the ideas I had about how to use this against them – such as that the New Mandalorians were trying to remove/bury the past – were used by groups like Death Watch to stir up sentiment against the ruling faction.

“What?! How can you not do the verd’goten?!”

My attention was drawn back to the inside of the transport, and the other passengers, by the loud voice of Bo and I turned to see her and Naz staring at Serra in shock.

Serra, for her part, looked away and rubbed her arm. “I, it’s just that killing like that… It’s against the Jedi way.” She flicked her hair at the point where her Padawan braid had been.

Both of us had removed them this morning – well, I’d cut mine off happily whereas Serra had just removed the braid and let the hair fall back with the rest – while shifting from our robes into grey training clothes worn at the centre, we were due to attend. Bo and Naz were also in such clothing, though both had a short green strip over their left breast.

“This isn’t your Temple on Coruscant. This is Mandalore,” Naz countered as she snarled and exposed a few teeth. “And I know Cam’s going to do the verd’goten.”

All three turned to me and I rolled my eyes. “Real subtle Naz.” Bo sniggered once while Naz just shrugged. “But yeah, I’m going to do the verd’goten. And it’s up to Serra if she wants to or not, so stop trying to force her into it.” I backed up my words with a burst of Force Persuasion.

“But…” Bo began only to stop when Naz elbowed her in the ribs.

“Actually, if it’s allowed, can you tell us about what you two dealt with on your trials?” I asked, shifting the conversation in a way that stopped the pair from hassling Serra without totally dropping the topic.

The pair shared a look before Naz replied.

“Mine was a nightshrike,” she said as she rolled up the sleeve of her jacket to expose the armoured bracer she was wearing, and the stylised bat-like creature that was engraved upon it. “It was on the second day of my verd’goten, when I encountered the beast, though at the time I was less interested in what it was than in surviving the encounter or killing it.” She paused and chuckled to herself. “Well, more like it encountered me.”

“I had just sat down to eat my evening meal when a scream came from the air. On instinct, I rolled backwards and grabbed my knife as a mass, as black as the night and larger than my camping ground, swooped down and stole the roasting meat from my fire.”

Naz moved around the cabin we were in, acting out her story as she told it.

“The shadow flew upwards, and I lost it almost as soon as it was beyond the light of the fire. So, I waited. No beast like that would be satisfied with the small meal I had been cooking. And soon enough, I heard the scream again. This time from behind me.”

“As I dove away, I felt the wind rush across my back even as something scraped against the back of my armour. The force of that glancing blow was strong enough to disrupt my dive, and I ended up face-first in the dirt.”

“Quickly, I righted myself and crouched low, waiting for the beast to attack again. And once more it did. But this time, I was ready.”

“I dropped to the ground and thrust my knife upwards, emboldened as my blade caught flesh. The beast roared, then crashed into the bushes, as something splattered across my armour.”

“I rolled quickly to my feet, my blood pumping as I tightened my grip on the knife. A scream from a nearby undergrowth drew my attention, and I barely was able to duck as a large shadow, easily double my height, stumbled out from the bushes into the light.”

“The monster spread its wings, engulfing the clearing inside the span as the embers of the fire I had lit made shadows dance across its body. Highlighting the muscles and tendons of the massive beast. Yet my eyes also saw something else.”

“Blood, as red as that from you or I, was pouring down one wing and even as the beast snapped its large jaws – which could easily have bitten my head clean off – snapped and it screeched once more, I moved.”

“Before it had time to realise what I planned, or adapt to fighting on the ground, I had closed the distance between us and slashed near the initial wound.”

“The beast roared in pain and with a mighty flap of its good wing, sent me tumbling away.”

“I righted, myself to see it lumbering towards me, its eyes focused on me. It shrieked and lumbered towards me, but I was faster. Evading a wild slash of a clawed wing, I slipped close and drove my knife into its throat. Even as the beast realised it had lost it still tried to kill me. It let itself fall backwards and its massive taloned feet grabbed my leg and tossed me away. Straight into the trunk of a nearby tree.”

“I groaned as I lay there on the ground, only moving as the beast gave another screech. I dragged myself to my feet as it stumbled towards me, ready to fight the beast with my bare hands. Sadly for it, my strike had been true, and the beast fell face-first to the ground at my feet. Dead.”

Naz stopped her animated telling and a wide smile threatened to split her face in two. “My father, who had been monitoring me from afar, arrived not long after and helped me haul the beast back to our ship. That was when I learned the name of the beast and on the voyage back to our home, we skinned and cut it for the feast.”

“Feast?” Serra asked and I noted that while she was looking intently at Naz, her face had lost some of its usual colour.

“Yes. Provided the kill is not poisonous, it is cooked and eaten by the new Mando’ade with their friends and family,” Naz explained. “The shrike was, perhaps, the best thing I have ever eaten.” Somehow, the smile on her face grew as she finished and got lost in the memory of her coming-of-age party.

“Impressive,” I said. “Never heard of a nightshrike before.”

Naz shrugged. “We encountered them on a small world in the Rim, trailing Hutt Space. It wasn’t an impressive or important place. All that mattered, was that I survived my verd’goten and became Mando’ade.”

“What about you?” I asked, turning to Bo.

The redhead shrugged as she copied the actions of Naz and rolled up her sleeve to reveal her armoured bracer, exposing the image of a stylised bird of some form.

“I killed a furred blood owl,” she remarked as she smirked at Naz. “Four of them actually.”

“A what?” Serra asked, vocalising the question that bounced into my head.

Bo sighed and rolled her sleeve back down. “A furred blood owl.” She shrugged. “I didn’t name them, but they attacked me on my first evening and I killed four before the rest of the flock gave up and left.”

“With just your knife?” I asked, and she nodded in reply. “Not bad.”

“Wait,” Serra said as she turned back to Naz. “You said you were cooking something when the nightshrike attacked. Did you kill that as well?”

“Yes. And before you ask, it didn’t count for the verd’goten as it wasn’t a threat to kill me,” replied Naz with her smile slowly decreasing. “The kill for the trial must be life and death and against something that would threaten your life.”

“Do Sith count?” I asked, even if I knew it didn’t.

“What?” Bo and Naz’s heads snapped to face me while Serra frowned. [I know it doesn’t count, but I figured you could do with them not bothering you about doing the trial.] I said mentally to her, getting the slightest of nods in reply as I sensed her relief through the Force.

I leaned back and told the two Mandalorians the story of how I arrived in the current era. I wasn’t sure how long it took, but I made sure to be just descriptive enough to keep the pair interested. I was also aware that both would likely pass the story on to their fathers, so I made sure to both underplay what I’d done, while still making it seem impressive. Or at least, I hoped I did.

“And after that, well I ended up at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and eventually became a Padawan,” I finished as I leaned back into the surprisingly comfortable seat on the transport. “So, does that count?”

“Well…”

“No!” Bo stated, cutting off Naz abruptly – and earning herself a glare from the blonde. “While the story is certainly interesting, you used blasters and a lightsaber, and you had no witness.”

“Why does a witness matter?” Serra asked, having fixed Bo with her gaze as the redhead had spoken.

“Without a witness, anyone could claim to have killed a beast, or a Sith,” Bo smirked as our eyes met, “but without confirmation from one who is Mando’ade, the elders will not accept the kill as proof of completing the verd’goten.”

“Naz said her father watched her verd’goten. Was it the same for you?”

Bo nodded before verbally answering my question. “Yes. My father and brother both stood witness for my trial.”

“Huh. I just realised that you two, when you do the verd’goten, don’t have a family member who could stand as a witness,” Naz commented.

“What about Master Fay or Dooku?” I asked, but both girls rejected the idea by shaking their heads almost as soon as I spoke.

“No. While I do not doubt their courage or skill, neither of your Masters are Mando’ade,” Naz stated as she squinted.

“I suspect my father will wish to observe Cam’s verd’goten,” Bo offered, using the nickname Serra did. While her using the nickname didn’t annoy me, I did spot Serra glance at the redhead. “Your family name while old, carries weight with our people,” Bo added.

Naz snorted. “That’s one way to put it.” She fixed her gaze on me. “You’re a child of the Destroyer of Worlds, trained by the Butcher of Galidraan and wield a weapon with significance to our people.”

“Not all our people,” Bo retorted.

“What? You going soft?” Naz asked with a smirk, which made Bo’s scowl grow worse.

“Is that a challenge?” Bo demanded as her eyes narrowed.

Naz held Bo’s gaze for a moment before laughing. “Kriff, Bo. You really are too easy to tease. I know you're not soft.” She finished with a less-than-subtle wagging of her eyebrows. “Well, not everywhere.”

“Anyway…” I muttered, both to cut off whatever was going on between the two – and avoid my mind wandering to places I did not want it to go. “I imagine that the Duke will arrange for someone to observe our verd’gotens.” I paused as I said the word. “Verd’gotenins?” I frowned as I realised that I didn’t know what the plural for the word was; or if there even was one.

“Verd’goten,” Bo stated clearly, her scowl slowly lessening as I felt the transport turn. “The word refers to one, plural and all.”

I nodded my thanks and glanced out the window. The white sand that surrounded Sundari and its satellite cities was gone; replaced by a forest of what looked like pine trees.

As we flew over the forest, the tops of the trees buzzing passed so fast that they appeared blurred, I was reminded of my old life. I’d grown up in a small town in the Highlands and there’d been several forests nearby full of pine and fir trees.

For the first time in years, my mind wandered back to that life, and my former life. My parents had both passed away before I had, and the only family I’d left behind was a sister who had been married with two kids of her own.

As the trees began to thicken, removing all sight of the ground below, I wondered how she was doing and how my death had affected her.

I felt a hand come to rest on my shoulder and sensed concern through the Force.

“Cam?” Serra’s voice was laced with that concern and I turned she had moved from her seat to stand next to me. Her brow was furrowed as her eyes sought mine out.

“I’m fine,” I replied with a smile I didn’t feel, “just thinking about my… old life.”

“OK,” she said weakly as a wave of comfort and friendship came over our Force bond. Along with a few emotions that I chose to ignore. “You’re not alone. I, um, we, we’re here for you.” She said softly as her cheeks began to redden.

“Thanks,” I said as, avoiding my first inclination to pat her hand, I patted her arm with my hand and ignored the flare of emotions that came from her at my actions.

As I turned back to the window, I saw the forest had risen and parted to show Keldabe as it rested on a grey hilltop while a river bent around the hill below.

As the transport circled the edge of the city, it was easy to see that the city was… unusual. Buildings of all shapes, sizes and materials were dotted around with little to no sign of planning, though the headquarters of Mandalmotors were easy to spot as the front of the building was emblazoned with the company’s logo.

The logo, and that of the Mandalorians before the rise of the New Mandalorian faction, was the skull of the mythosaur. Though this one had an altered paint scheme to mark it out as the symbol of Mandalmotors.

The skull looked like a stylized dinosaur skull, though with the addition of mammoth tusks and the images I’d seen of the beast painted it as a massive reptile of several hundred meters in length that looked much like a dinosaur or dragon from my old life.

The transport banked towards a row of landing pads on the southern edge of the city – the side that was not overlooking the river and forest – and descended quickly and smoothly to the ground, touching down with only the slightest of jolts.

On the eastern edge of the city was a walled area with perhaps a dozen grey-coloured buildings inside that reminded me of a military base. Yet the walls did not have any gun emplacements, or guard towers.

Once that happened, we all stood and collected our bags, well I lifted them from their racks with the Force and set them down in the aisle. My bag contained a few spare sets of clothing, for both training at the centre and downtime in the city – if we had any – as well as the completed, but un-combined, parts of my new yellow-bladed shoto lightsaber.

With the bag hefted over my shoulder, I followed the three girls towards the entrance ramp, and I heard the pilot speaking indistinctly over the comms from the cockpit.

As the pressure seal broke, I inhaled deeply as the smells of the city blasted into the transport. Hints of food and drink mixed with the dominating scent of the forest that surrounded the city even as the hustle and bustle of the city filled my ears.

A small smile crept onto my face as I enjoyed the fresh air as it brushed over my face while Bo and Naz stepped off the transport with a familiarity of where they were.

Serra, however, stopped after only a few steps and her head turned from side to side. I had to assume she was taking in the sights of what was possibly only the third city she’d seen after Coruscant and I allowed her a moment to take in the sight before speaking.

“We’ll have time to look around later,” I said softly, though she still squeaked and jumped slightly at my voice. “First we have to get to the training centre.”

“R-right,” She mumbled at a volume that was only just loud enough for me to hear – since I was right beside her – over the noise of the landing area.

She scampered down the rest of the ramp, and I followed along with a chuckle at her behaviour, even as a transport on the pad next to ours lifted into the air. As I stepped onto the ground, I noted that Bo and Naz had begun to walk to where a group of five adults were standing.

One, judging by the pale-yellow, almost white, fur was Knight Lhan. I hadn’t seen him since just before Fay and Dooku had become my Jedi Masters and he had left to become the Watchman for this sector. Why he was here now, instead of making himself known over the last two weeks while in Sundari was something I would make sure to ask him; provided I was able to do so without arousing suspicion.

Two of the Humans in the group were unknown, though the male of the pair had locked his eyes upon the two Mandalorians in front of me.

My eyes, however, were drawn to the last pair as I slowed my speed. One was Nia, but it was the young man or possibly just an older teenager, who was beside her that drew my attention. And as his eyes locked onto mine, his lips shifted into an almost animalistic snarl before he schooled them.

This person bore a strong resemblance to Girk and to confirm a suspicion I used Observe.

Gar Saxon

Level: 18

Race: Human

Health: 100%

Age: 16

Force Potential: Minimal

Threat Potential: Low

Reputation: Hated

Affiliation Loyalty: Clan Saxon (100%) Death Watch (68%) New Mandalorians (13%)

Emotional State: Angry/Respectful/Worried

Gar hates you for killing his father and weakening his reputation among his classmates and Death Watch.

He also detests the way his mother has taken a liking to you.

However, he recognizes your strength in defeating and killing his father.

Though he is nervous that you are here to do the same to him.

…

As I read the report, I frowned internally. Having Gar here, and likely in the training centre with us given his age, made the situation much more complicated.

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… …