HP: Dance of the Veela

Alpinn, Vultrix Sector…Two Days Later…

The team that had discovered the cave was still standing guard over it and major armoured units had been put in place to guard it. None of them understood just what was so important about this ancient computer buried underground but when the team from Reijar came, things only got more confusing.

The team was made up of some of the most important scientists in Mandalorian Space including Professor Mors but the one leading it, was Countess Deera Ordo herself! The Mandalore's own sister was leading the team that had come to analyse it and they had brought a number of specially programmed Protocol Droids programmed with the Rakatan language. Not to mention they saw the protection details was made up of a Special Operations team, with their distinctive dragon breathing fire markings on the helmets.

Clearly whatever this was, it was far more important that they had realised especially when they were given orders not to speak about what they had seen. They left to carry on with their other duties.

- x -

Deera watched them go, eager to get to work on whatever it was they had discovered here. A Rakata site especially one still working was a rare find and this one was different to the ones that had been discovered before.

"Right, access the controls I want to see what data they had here. Everyone else keep an eye out, the Rakata defended their monuments so it might still have some defences around. Stay alert." She warned them, knowing if the terminal still worked that then droids or other defences might still too.

"Fascinating, tens of thousands of years old and it still works! I have never seen technology as robust anywhere other than Iokath." Professor Mors said with excitement as he accessed the terminal and Deera wished she had Zara with her but her wife had stayed home with their daughter this time. Zara knew how to keep the excitable scientist on task.

"Professor, we need to know what we have here." Deera tried to remind him but the Professor just waved her off, making her sigh with exasperation, knowing this was going to take hours.

As he with the assistance of the droids and other scientists went to work Deera was supposed to join them but she couldn't help but feel in the force that something wasn't right. She was on edge and couldn't stay still, pacing around the room as she looked for whatever it was that was dangerous here.

Then as the first hour passed and they delved deeper into the data the rocks that littered the cavern began to move, the sounds were slight and easily missed at first but then Deera felt the tiny oscillations of energy that was being created, nothing that lived and couldn't consciously be sensed through the force but the energy could be.

She saw the rocks moving and called out to the others quickly as she reached for her lightsaber.

"WE'VE GOT COMPANY! PROTECT THE SCIENTISTS!" She called out and everyone looked up shocked but the Special Operations Group moved around the scientists while deploying their protective force fields.

Deera saw the odd and positively ancient droids emerging from the ground where they had been disguised as rocks. She ignited her lightsaber, the thin yellow blade emerging and those watching were about to learn that while she was primarily a countess and one of the greatest minds, she was also a fully trained Akaan.

The droids began to shoot the moment they had extricated themselves from the ground but Deera easily deflected the bolts away before charging the droids, her arms moving at speeds even droids would struggle to match as she deflected the bolts away from herself and closed in on the enemy.

Jumping she cleaved the heads of three of the droids off as she sailed over head and then backhanded a fourth with her beskar gauntlet, the force amplifying her strength so the droid's casing was caved in by the hit and then destroyed by the spin kick she delivered just after.

The remaining droids approached unafraid and she reached out with her hand, letting loose a blast of pure white coloured lightning that struck the old and flimsy looking droids. They shuddered violently as they were hit and struggled to stay upright but the sheer power of the lightning fried their already ancient circuits and pushed them backward and over into a heap.

When they were nearly all dealt with Deera pivoted round and beheaded the last droid that had been trying to come up behind her with a single effortless strike.

The Special Operations Team and the scientists all looked at her with awe while she deactivated her lightsaber and turned to them.

"Found anything?" She asked them sternly and her sheer presence made Professor Mors tell her with excitement.

"The data is hard to translate and decode but it seems to indicate the existence of a previously unknown Rakata space station, one radically different to those encountered before." Mors told her and Deera was immediately intrigued as the stations that had been discovered in the past were incredibly powerful and dangerous.

How would this one be any different? She pondered before they got ready to transport the terminal back to core Mandalorian territory along with the all-important data to be properly analysed to discover just what they had discovered.

Mandalore, Mandalorian Space…986 ARR…

The new enormous shipyard held by House Kryze was hard at work, ever since its opening it had been working to refit and build fresh ships for the Mandalorian Fleet.

The Lucrehulks had just finished their major refit where they had completely overhauled the enormous ships, replaced the old hyperdrives with new faster models, improved the main reactor and energy transfer systems, replaced all the existing weapons with new and improved versions while adding brand new ones not to mention increased internal protection for the critical areas like the reactors. s

The ships had been improved in every way possible and would serve the Mandalorian Fleet well as either huge cargo ships or battleships or as fighter carriers.

Korkie looked at just one section of the enormous structure, the large drydocks where ships both big and small were being constructed or refitted. Bo-Katan stood with him impressed at the large-scale operation that was taking place before them. The enormous Lucrehulks and the Aden class warships with the smaller ships all here being worked on. In two berths they could see the future rival to the Aden taking shape, the Keldabe class battleships were being assembled at long last after some significant alterations and improvements had been made to the design.

Next to it the first Aggressor-class Cruiser was taking shape, the framework now being assembled, another potential weapon in their arsenal.

Korkie disliked all this war but now saw there was little choice, if they didn't fight the Empire would conquer and enslave them it was as simple as that. Pacifism worked fine in peace but when faced with an enemy not afraid to slaughter and destroy to get what they wanted, pacifism was useless and a way just to make people feel better about themselves. Nothing would change and people would be exploited, tortured and killed but they at least would not dirty their own hands to stop it.

Perhaps the old saying was true Korkie thought to himself, if you want peace, then prepare for war.

At his side Bo-Katan was actually feeling very proud of what they had built here, not just the shipyard that was bring a major boom to the economy of Mandalore but the ships that would defend them and make Mandalore a force to be reckoned with in the galaxy again.

It was everything she had hoped for, safety and security for her people. That they had expanded their territory for the first time in thousands of years and brought about fifty planets into their space was only better.

It was a great time to be Mandalorian she thought, knowing her feelings were shared by many people across their space. Some of the inhabited new worlds had resisted but those voices were few and many had actually embraced it. Glad of the benefits that they could bring and unlike the Empire they had much greater freedom.

Across the galaxy the reaction to the Mandalorians conquering an adjacent sector was worrying to many people especially the Imperials. The speed with which they had both repulsed the invasion and retaliated had scared many and the galaxy which already was nervous of them due to their prowess as warriors and one of the few groups capable of resisting the Empire, now feared them.

But the distraction and shifting of military forces to reinforce the border to prevent other Imperial territories from falling to them as well would have big implications and advanced the timeline of a certain race plotting in the shadows, giving them the perfect time to strike.

But others like a newly discovered species on the edge of Wild Space and the Outer Rim had taken note of the event for other reasons, they saw it as a showing of strength, a testament to their power and began to see them as more than just a group of dangerous warriors, but perhaps a potential ally and even a kindred spirit.

- x -

Tsevuka, Newly Discovered Territory…

The Tsevukans were an intelligent and capable if quite ferocious race of warriors in their own right that respected strength. They loved their freedom though as only if you fought where you truly free in their culture. They had little contact with outsiders but had managed to learn basic and with an Imperial Invasion seemingly imminent they had reached out to the Mandalorians, not for help, but to see if they were a true warrior people.

One worth joining themselves too.

So, they had arranged a meeting where both groups would meet and discuss it, not to mention have the opportunity to prove just which group was better.

Which quickly turned into a breakout of random fights followed by considerable drinking and more than a few drunken races on the back of the Kivaroa, the five-metre tall, slick skinned and eight-legged war mounts of the Tsevukan people.

One thing that Mandalorians and Tservuka had in common was they liked to drink, they liked to fight and they loved telling stories often about their own past glories. After a few fights to prove their own skill and plenty of drinking to loosen everyone up they were now getting along fine.

Haron though was still in discussions with the Tsevukan High Chief over his people joining theirs, the High Chief wanted this alliance as it would mean security for his people. Not just in terms of having the protection of being a part of the greatest and best-known group of warriors in the galaxy but also many other benefits too. The aid of the Mandalorians in building up their economy and technology, something they were far behind the rest of the galaxy in.

But it would take a great deal of resources and time to build up the Tsevukans, something they could spare but it was limiting for them and the more they stretched themselves the harder it was to reinforce their own borders.

Something Haron was very aware of, he already had a good amount of personnel and equipment tied up in securing their new territories. He was managing a very detailed hearts and minds campaign over on the planets they now occupied, he was lucky they were largely underdeveloped and sparsely populated because it provided his people with an opportunity to bring these new people in the fold much as they had done with refugees during the Clone Wars.

Rather than merely oppress them like the Empire would, Haron was giving them a better standard of life than they had before in return for their acceptance of their rule. His people were building proper communities, building schools and hospitals for the locals, establishing proper utilities and creating jobs for them and their families. They were helping improve food production and protection from raiders and criminals making it much safer for them.

They were fed, safe and more to the point living a good standard of life, far better than they had before. That wasn't to say there wasn't a fair amount of propaganda to remind the people of that but when people have food on the table, credits in their pocket and can walk the streets safely at night, they tended not to rock the ship. There were some of course that did want to get rid of them, throw them off world and return to the way things used to be. Either a liberal or Imperial loyalist or merely an opportunist but when they had little ammunition for their arguments they didn't get very far. But rather than imprison them which would only make them martyrs his people were intentionally leading them to reveal themselves and those that would support them, people who the Mandalorians could then tear down with a public smear campaign.

It was complicated work but it would hopefully bring these people into the Mandalorians properly and for the long term. The Tsevuka who had weapons that were centuries behind the Empire and the rest of the galaxy to say nothing of the rest of their technology would benefit tremendously from their assistance and they would get another world and its people to swell their ranks.

"My people are eager to make their mark on the galaxy." The High Chief said as he and Haron sat in the tent around the fire pit. "There will be many battles to be fought and my people want to fight them."

"And you want to do it…with us?" Haron said with a grim look on his face, he had already made up his mind about whether or not to accept them into his people. It would take time to get them properly trained and outfitted for the war but they were hundreds of thousands of new warriors joining their army.

That helped in the long term.

The Chief nodded and laughed as he poured some of their ale, it was strong and bitter but acceptable to humans.

"Indeed, my people are warriors but we don't understand the galaxy like you do. We need someone to help us learn and discover what it means to fight against enemies like the Empire, someone to help us grow strong. But we can bring our strength to you as well, fight alongside you." The Chief said, try were much like them as a society so it wouldn't be a huge adjustment for either group.

Haron sighed knowing if he was going to be play the long-term game and ensure his people's strength only grew. So, he took his tankard and gestured to toast which the Chieftain returned, banging their tankards together as was the Tsevuka custom to seal an agreement. The day a world joined the Mandalorians voluntarily, adding a race of formidable warriors to their number and giving them a brand-new front to defend.

Contraxia, Outer Rim Territories…

Contraxia was a cold and isolated planet which was covered in snow even if it was nowhere near as dangerous as Hoth which was on the other side of the galaxy.

There were no real attractions here that would make it good to settle and no resources that would attract miners, so that made it the perfect place as it was so isolated for a hidden base. A small town had already quickly been built there and while rustic it was good place for those that wished to hide from the law. One of the first places built though was a brothel named the Iron Lotus which had both droid and organic prostitutes servicing the people that came through.

The Underworld Alliance ever since it had begun to form had been working on creating hidden bases of its own just like this one, giving its members places to run and hide in if they ever needed it. It also had a small shipyard for repairs and shady fences could come here to find new wares and other services to buy and sell.

Business was good right now as smugglers, mercenaries and other criminals all began to sign up to take advantage of their services, the Ravagers were even helping to expand the shipyard as it would allow them to build their own ships. A necessity since their numbers were growing, they had new places to recruit with bases like this and a means to increase their fleet.

Stakar Ogord was standing at the firepit in the bar with about a hundred other people including his wife Aleta and closest friends as they celebrated the Ravagers now numbering hundred clans. Spread across the galaxy they each numbered a couple of hundred strong and had begun to design and build new ships of their own. Granted they were rather rough and unrefined in design and construction and each clan would make alterations of their own so no one ship was identical to another. But it was step in the direct of the Ravagers gaining some real teeth.

The Ravagers though like most of the galaxy was unaware that one of Grand Moff Tarkin's supposed great triumphs was about to become one of the worst miscalculations in the history of the galaxy and would be cursed by generations to come of one of the biggest mistakes in history.

Kaldera City, Kaldera Prime…

Kaldera City had been turned into an Imperial stronghold since its conquest by the Empire years prior, they had torn down most of the old buildings and made the Kalderans build new ones that were more comfortable to the Imperials who ran the occupation. Warm comfortable spires for them to live in and barracks for the Stormtroopers, pleasant parks and gardens build for the officers to enjoy and even the families of the occupying forces had joined them here in the nice comfortable and safe city.

All of it built by Kalderan slave labour.

They toiled while the Imperials lived comfortably, they lived in hovels covered in dirt without proper food, water or light. Treated as little more than animals by their Imperial Taskmasters and who spent most time working in the factories and shipyards where they were treated horribly and punished severely for any mistakes or falling behind quotas.

But since they had not had any trouble from the Kalderans since the invasion the Imperials had grown complacent about them, not watching them as closely as they should. The taskmasters even delegated tasks to them to save themselves from work and allowing some of the limited surveillance to be carried out by their own people. Others were allowed to work as servants in the bowels of the Imperial Stronghold, both of which would prove to be fatal mistakes.

The day it started normal, no one sensed anything wrong as people went about their daily lives basking in the notion that everything was right and would always be.

Then as midday came, everything changed in the blink of an eye.

The slave workers in the factories, all suddenly stopped working and picked up their tools, turning towards their Imperial taskmasters and the stormtroopers who were watching them, they screamed out their screeching battle cries and charged at their enemies. The few Imperials present that could shot their blasters at the charging Kalderans, hoping the various automated blasters around the place would stop them but they failed to work as they had allowed the Kalderans to service them.

So of course, they had been sabotaged.

The Kalderans inside the Imperial City meanwhile were no less busy, adding a poison derived from one of the few planets that grew on the planet, one that caused crippling pain in whoever was foolish enough to eat it although it took an hour for them to feel it.

The Kalderans added it to the food supply and water consumed by the Imperials who again foolishly would never let the Kalderans eat the same food they did, making it easy for them to spread the poison while not being affected themselves.

Soon, most of the people in the city were staggering pain if they could move at all and that was when the Kalderans made their move, some threw open the security gates so the rest of their people could flood in and soon began to take their long overdue vengeance on their oppressors.

Using knives, torches, spanners and whatever objects they could find they began to attack the Imperials, beating them violently to death as they screamed and begged for help or mercy that would never come.

A particularly vicious group descended into the daycare, the workers looking up in alarm as a pack of vicious and out of control Kalderans descended on them and their charges while their hitting the alarm did nothing.

The Kalderans now finally after all these years of planning, misery and pain had the upper hand. They had been a peaceful species before the Empire came, pacifists really but the Imperial Invasion had changed all that. Now they had a deep and raw hatred for all lifeforms other than their own.

All other species human or otherwise were animals and dangerous animals that would hurt them, that would kill the Kalderans or enslave them again.

And that was something they would never permit to happen, whatever the cost.

Screams filled the city as the Imperials found themselves on the receiving end of the Kalderans anger and hatred that they themselves had created. No-one would live, not a single Imperial or civilian on Kaldera would live past today. Their bodies were tied together and hung on the walls of the reclaimed city for all to see. Adult and child alike.

The Kalderan Uprising had been a success and for now the galaxy didn't really think much of it, in the increasing chaos of the Galactic Civil War the planet had been forgotten for the moment but soon the Kalderans would emerge and make themselves known on the galactic stage again.

Tatooine, the Outer Rim Territories…

Berch Teller was a former Republic loyalist, during the Clone Wars he had helped to train Republic friendly insurgents to fight the Separatists but after the Empire had been founded and Tarkin himself had unleashed the Antar 4 Atrocity which had killed many of those he had trained to fight for the Republic, he had become greatly disillusioned with the Empire.

So, he had planned a major operation of his own, gathering those who he had trained and other loyalists to the Republic that were disgusted by what it had become and eventually built up a significant force of ships and rebels to fight his campaign. But his best piece of luck was when Imperial Rear Admiral Dodd Rancit who himself was an enemy of Tarkin had agreed to assist him in his efforts largely to destroy Tarkin if nothing else.

Eventually the rebels had managed to steal Tarkin's personal starship, the Carrion Spike and launched a series of attacks on Imperial Installations. They had done well too until Rancit had accidentally revealed himself meaning their inside source was lost but he had left them one last target before he was executed.

An Imperial Convoy was passing close to Tatooine and they were ambushing it with their fairly strong fleet. They had assembled a force of former Republic and Separatist ships; Z-95 Headhunters alongside Droid Fighters teamed with Tikier starfighters.

But they had some heavier ships too, apart from the Carrion Spike they had captured EF76 Nebulon-B Escort Frigate and as the command ship a Providence-class Dreadnaught.

The convoy however was more heavily protected than they had anticipated with three Imperial-class Star Destroyers having jumped in to join the battle but just as it looked like Berch Tellar might have bitten off more than he could chew, unexpected reinforcements arrived.

Another group of ships dropped out of hyperspace, the Profundity led a small force of Mon Calamari ships that had come to aid Berch Tellar in fighting the Empire, under the command of Admiral Raddus the modified MC75 command ship was aided by a pair of MC40a light cruisers and MC30c frigates flew in to join the battle.

But they weren't the only ones who had taken notice of his stand against the Empire, one Aden-class warship led a number of Mandalorian warships to join the fight. Led in his first official command by Din Djarin.

Din stood on the command deck really nervous, he was in complete command of this taskforce and thousands of people with it. He had to swallow his nerves though and focus on the task at hand.

"Launch fighters and have the Halberds use missiles to harass the gunboats and frigates until the Dreadnaughts can get into position. Then they destroy the convoy escorts. Gunners target the lead star destroyer and the Gladius corvettes screen against Tie Fighters." Din said, doing his best to sound more confident than he felt. "Fighters, begin strafing runs on the Star Destroyers."

The crew though didn't hesitate to obey his orders which only increased the pressure on him as they engaged the enemy.

Nearby Admiral Raddus committed his own forces to the battle, the Profundity was a well-armed warship and began to duel with one of the Star Destroyers on its own while the Aden duelled with another and third carrying Tarkin himself was strafed by the Mandalorian Starfighters.

- x -

Tarkin was infuriated as the Mandalorians and fish people stood to make a fool out of him again, it had taken years to rise in the Empire thanks to those humiliations. Combined with the uprising on Kaldera which would soon be made an example of his position in the Empire had been diminished.

This convoy was on its way to the Death Star Construction site carrying materials and data that could be critical…if it fell into enemy hands.

They couldn't allow the enemy to find out what they were planning, Tarkin decided knowing that the slow and lumbering Star Galleons they used to transport cargo were easily caught and if they managed to get their destination from the navigational computer then the secret would be exposed.

The Death Star while taking shape was currently immobile and they wouldn't be able to move it to a new location. Protecting it was vital…worth the loss of a few ships and their crews he thought and turned to his aide and commander of his personal Star Destroyer

"Captain Vist, turn main batteries on the cargo ships. Obliterate them, leave nothing the rebels can use to find their destination." Tarkin ordered and Vist, his ever-loyal subordinate turned to the gunners.

"Lock Batteries on the cargo ships. Maximum firepower." Vist ordered and it was a testament to how much they feared him that they did exactly as he said without hesitation.

- x -

The Sovereign with its shields still holding turned its enormous turbolaser batteries on the Star Galleons, large bolts of green energy erupted out of them and tore into the unsuspecting cargo ships. They were not built to withstand that kind of firepower and exploded very quickly leaving very little behind.

The Rebels, Mandalorians, Mon Calamari and even most of the Imperials themselves were shocked at this sudden turn of events. So much so that when the Imperials began to withdraw immediately after this, they didn't give chase.

Din was confused, the battle had been going badly for the Imperials or was about too but why be so callous and destroy your own ships?

He had no idea but the Berch Teller and Admiral Raddus were wondering the same thing, there was nothing left on the ships they'd destroyed that could point them in the right direction and Rancit had not told Berch just what the supplies had been destined for before he was killed.

They couldn't help but feel they had missed an opportunity here today and that the Empire was up to something big…bigger than they had thought previous but had no clue as to what.

Unknown Desert Planet…

Eeth Koth had left the Jedi Order during the Clone Wars because he had grown disillusioned with the corruption and unfeeling nature of the Order. He had decided to instead join the Church of Ganthic Enlightenment. More than that he had met a woman named Mira and together they had a wonderful daughter together.

But they had a new problem, it seemed that someone had reported them to the Empire in hopes a reward.

Only to be saved by a rather timely intervention.

"Come on Koth! The Imps aren't going to wait around." Quinlan Vos told them as he and his wife boarded Quinlan's ship, his wife carrying their daughter in her arms.

"Of all the Jedi to survive it had to be you Vos." Eeth said with annoyance but it was only half hearted. The man had arrived in time to get him and his family to safety, he had become a part of a network that smuggled Jedi to safety and while he wasn't a member of the order anymore, they had come to his rescue.

"Do we have somewhere safe to go?" Mira asked nervously, knowing she and her family were diving head first into the unknown and it would be years if ever before they could contact anyone they had known.

"Yeah, a safe house has been set up on a special world and there are many others scattered across the galaxy. There are plenty of places." Vos told her to reassure her. Eeth Koth kept quiet as he held his wife and child protectively in his arms, hoping that Vos was right.

Reijar, the Ordo System…

Now returned from his diplomatic mission, Haron was meeting with his new council, made up of experts in different fields to make sure he had good advice on things he wasn't an expert on himself. Many of the council were dukes or duchesses merely because they were the most knowledgeable in their different fields.

"Right, I call the first meeting of the council to order." Haron said with a smile, for one of the few occasions they weren't wearing helmets. "I have gathered you all here because I need to know the pulse and flow of our people and our territories regardless of bias. Each of you is entitled to create a team of your own to maintain the best efficiency and results possible. I leave who to recruit up to yourselves of course but it is key that we are all able to work as a team. Some areas will overlap so it is important you all can work together. Many of you know each other already, some do not." Haron said from the head of the table.

"To represent the law, Duke Ijaa Yusagi."

"To maintain war production, Duchess Eliza Kane and Countess Bo-Katan Kryze."

"To handle civilian production, Lady Hannah Longbottom."

"To lead our intelligence network, Duke Yal Takan."

"To lead the way in terms of science and engineering, Countess Deera Ordo and Professor Mors."

"To advise me in terms of military matters, Lord Fenn Rau and Lord Neville Longbottom."

"To maintain our economy, Duke Sel'ban Yarlton."

"To ensure the culture of our people is being maintained, Duke Ge'hark Orius."

"To keep us up to date on the mood and wellbeing of our people, Aran Dochek of Clan Dochek."

"To guide military development in all areas, Duke N'Val."

"To plan the build-up and maintenance of infrastructure, Duchess Ara Ordo."

"The expansion and monitoring of new territories, Duke Sarek Ralmiz."

"To maintain our links to the Underworld, Duchess Katele Ma'Gard."

"To acquire resources when we need them, Count Tei Koth of Zakuul."

"To advise us on matters of the Force, Lady Luna Lovegood."

Haron said all of their names including two newcomers chosen as he had said for their expertise. Count Tei Koth was the new leader of Clan Koth that ruled over Zakuul, who was an expert in different types of mining and resource gathering.

Aran Dochek meanwhile belonged to Clan Dochek who maintained the largest communications network in their space, maintaining links to most worlds and moons so they could easily keep an eye on the general feeling of their people.

Haron listened to each of them report and in all, things were going well. Thankfully their people had always been insular and self-reliant, their improvements to the infrastructure before the war had proven useful in removing the remaining gaps they had.

That was when Yal Takan brought a potential problem.

"Recent intelligence indicates that the Imperials have uncovered a similar Rakata terminal to the one we found last year. According to our sources it displays the same information as the one we found." Yal Takan said grimly.

Haron nodded and asked Deera and the Professor just what they had discovered so far.

"Have you managed to decrypt the data you recovered? We need to know if it's another Star Forge or something else entirely." Haron asked and the Professor was excitedly urging Deera to speak before she smiled and told him.

"No, it's not. Best we can tell, the station this time is dedicated to another purpose. The closest we can translate since there is still a lot of Rakatan terms we don't know is 'life' or 'to give life'. It might be a hospital of some sort who can say." Deera told him with a non-committal shrug and Ara spoke up.

"Then either way it would be better in our hands than the Empire and thanks to us finding the data first, that gives us a head start. I will lead an expedition to find it, guess you have to stay home with the children this time." She said with a smirk, eager to get out there and have some fun herself and let him see what it was like to be left at home all the time.

The others all looked at him, wondering just what he was going to say but he surprised them by saying.

"Understood, just be careful out there. Who knows what the Rakata might have left behind this time." He warned her, worried about the danger but knowing she wasn't going to be moved.

Ara looked over to Hannah who gave her a sneaky grin, Ara returned it and had effectively chosen her second in command right there and then. Both had been left at home too many times when Haron and Neville had gone away to fight, so now it was their turn the pair thought with smugness.

Dathomir, Outer Rim Territories…

Cal was unsettled by the planet Dathomir the moment he saw it, something about this place made him feel very uneasy perhaps its unusual connection to force he pondered. It was definitely in the darker shades of grey than the other places he'd been before.

But he was only here to scout out the planet as they had little idea of just how things stood at the moment, since the Imperial Invasion there was little information on the state of things here.

Cal moved through the jungle carefully, making note of all Imperial installations he came across and making detailed notes of their defences, numbers of personnel and apparent purpose. While this planet was something of a backwater the recent expansion of Mandalorian Space had put it within range of their territory and some had become concerned that the Empire might use it as a position to spy on their territory or as a staging base against them.

His mission had been to explore the planet and find out just what was going on, his first solo mission outside Mandalorian Space. He was incredibly nervous but at the same time excited as he started striking out on his own.

Looking at the Imperial Facilities he had been able to identify confirmed it wasn't likely the Empire was planning to use this planet as a staging ground for an invasion at present but he had seen signs of construction of what might be a major observation outpost and that was something command would need to know about Cal thought.

But apart from that there was little else worth noting, the planet seemed to be of little military value but he had noticed that a large number of prisons had been constructed on this planet. Very secure and he noted that too as they had no idea just who might be locked up inside them.

Then as he decided to return to his ship, he saw some ruins nearby that attracted his attention, looking he discovered nothing of much note but he then saw signs of a camp. The fire was still burning so he knew it could not have been abandoned too long ago and his instincts all began to tell him that there was danger somewhere close.

Suddenly there was a distinctive snap hiss coming from his right and Cal's force enhanced instincts saved him from two strange looking red lightsabers. He ignited his own, wondering why he hadn't sensed the Inquisitor before they attacked and thinking he had been foolish to let his guard drop.

But as he locked blades with the mysterious attacker who was surprisingly agile and aggressive in their tactics, he began to realise that they weren't an Inquisitor.

It was a she, that was the first thing Cal noticed and wore red robes that were nothing like the standard Imperial armour the Inquisitors wore.

Cal used the force to push her back but she leapt away with great agility and he was forced chase her, their blades meeting again till he was able to hit her with a stunner in hopes of stopping her but to Cal's surprise she seemed to shake it off.

They separated and then for a moment the fight paused as they looked at each other, judging each other and the mystery attacker seemed to notice something.

"You're Mandalorian." She said seeming surprised as she realised this. Cal with his guard still raised said.

"And you're not an Inquisitor. You're a Nightsister aren't you?" Cal asked and she nodded but both were still keeping their sabers in hand and lit.

"Yes, what are the Mandalorians doing here?" The Nightsister questioned suspiciously. Cal frowned inside his helmet but answered as he didn't see any reason to lie.

"We don't have a lot of information on Dathomir and what's been happening here, when we learned the planet was under Imperial control I was sent as a scout to investigate. What happened and why did you attack me?" Cal asked her forcefully. "My people and the Nightsisters are not enemies."

"You intruded on my camp. I thought you were with the Empire." The Nightsister said with great anger. "They killed my only remaining sister…my teacher, imprisoned most of the other covens. I watched my people be slaughtered. I can't afford to take chances." She told him bitterly.

That struck a chord with Cal who knew that pain all too well, he had been forced to watch as his master and the rest of the Jedi were killed. He had just been lucky to have Trilla and that the Mandalorians had taken them in.

They had healed his wounds and helped him find peace again and instinctively he wanted to help her even though they had been fighting only a moment ago. He could see the pain in her pretty eyes, Cal instantly catching himself as he blushed.

He tried to get himself back to the matter at hand and having been briefed that the Force Witches and Nightsisters of this planet were strong in the force they could be a useful ally if they helped them. Knowing he probably shouldn't though Cal deactivated his lightsaber and took off his helmet.

The Nightsister looked at him astonished, she had been raised to think of males as inferior and yet she could feel the strength of this one. He was strong, perhaps stronger than even he knew but was in balance with the force neither pulling one way or another and he seemed to know some magic as she had seen earlier.

He…intrigued her she thought with a slight fluttering in her chest. She shut down her lightsabers and returned them to her waist before lowering her hood.

"I know what that feels like. When I was younger, I saw my teacher die, along with most of my people. I was just lucky the Mandalorians took me in and finished my training. I am Cal Kestis, Akaan of the Mandalorians."

"Merrin…of the Nightsisters." Merrin said looking at him uneasily. "What is an 'Akaan'? A title?"

"Akaan is the rank I hold in the Mandalorian Force users." Cal said before made an offer to her. "If you want to help your people, you can make an appeal to mine. You can come back to Dathomir with an army at your back to free the rest of your people."

He knew he couldn't promise her anything, that would be up to the dukes and Mandalore if they wanted to back her or not. It was a lot to invest in them but if they were up to engaging in talks with his people and maybe even swapping some techniques with them it might be worth it.

Merrin thought deeply on that, it sounded too good to be true and there would always be some cost.

"And what would you and your people get out of it?" She asked him suspiciously and again he was honest as he didn't see any reason to lie to her.

"My people want allies against the Empire, a people we can trade with and fight alongside. If we can learn something of the force and you perhaps learn something from us too then all the better." Cal said calmly. "The witches of Dathomir are powerful, better they are free as our ally then imprisoned by the Empire who might someday use their power against us. If you can convince my people's leaders to help then then that will be our reason."

Merrin was unsure, she didn't know if she could trust him but with the force, she felt this was perhaps the chance she had been dreaming of to save her people and avenge Asajj.

"And if they refuse…, will I be your prisoner?" She asked him and answered quickly.

"No, of course not. Keep your weapons if that makes you feel more comfortable." Cal told her and Merrin thought deeply before saying.

"I will come with you, if your people will help mine then that is a chance I must take." Merrin said with a look of determination on her face. Cal honestly was hypnotised by her for a moment but shook himself out of it and told her.

"Then we should get going, my ship can take us." Cal told her and with her nod of consent they walked over to where he had concealed his ship for the flight back to Mandalorian Space.

Village, Shili…

The group moved through the forest careful not to make any noise as they stalked their prey. They closed on a large beast before a spear sailed through the air and hit it dead on the target, killing it quickly and painlessly.

"Good throw Yul'xe." Nak-il told his son proudly who preened at the attention.

After collecting their prize, they returned to the village where they saw the rest of their community were waiting for them with smiles and proud looks. Nak-il came up to his wife Pav-Ti and kissed her gently before going over to his daughter Ahsoka who was standing next to her a little awkwardly but allowed her father to give her a hug and then kiss her on the head.

She wasn't comfortable with it yet but the feeling of maternal and paternal love that her parents held for her was enough to make her tolerate it. It was like a warm blanket you could wrap yourself in she thought pleasantly, she had gone with the hunting party, she'd stayed and cooked with her mother, she'd explored forest around them.

It was…strange she thought to have somewhere like this, not wanting to call it home yet but a place she liked all the same.

She saw her younger brother looking awkwardly at her, Yul'xe was still uneasy around her…not sure what to make of her and she was just as uncertain about him. But as their father told everyone how great a hunter his son was, she smiled and gave him an encouraging nod which he smiled at.

Later that night after dinner and as the rest of the village rested Ahsoka couldn't sleep, she went to get some fresh air and looked around the now largely sleeping village. It was peaceful here she thought with some contentment, not used to such a thing given how her life had been shaped first by the Clone Wars and then by the fight against the Empire. The idea of not fighting was so strange to her, she still kept her lightsabers close despite not needing them, feeling almost naked without them.

She was disturbed from these thoughts by a disturbance in the force, only a small one but enough to attract her attention. She followed it, not sure what it was but then was wide eyed as she saw just what had made the ripples in the force.

Her little brother was sitting there levitating a ball right before her very eyes.

She smiled as he made the ball hover before him before he noticed she was there, he dropped it in shock but as he scrambled to his feet, Ahsoka smiled reassuringly at him and sat across from him. He sat back down confused before she levitated the ball herself and then slowly passed it to him.

Yul'xe caught it with the force and smiled before passing it back to her, establishing a pattern as they passed it back and forth between them.

Nearby although neither was aware of it, the Village Elder Gantika was watching nearby with a knowing smile on her face, glad the boy had finally found his teacher.