Before - Legends IseStar: Reborn in the Star Wars Universe After a Fatal Car Crash

I'm sorry, but I couldn't get this idea out of my head. I might as well do it and see where it goes. Don't expect too much cause it's gonna be as tropey as possible.
Fanfiction.net link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/139009...he-Star-Wars-Universe-After-a-Fatal-Car-Crash

Chapter 1: The Arrival

There were two hours before he was due to arrive at Galidraan with his Padawan Komari Vosa and the rest of the Jedi strike team. Jedi Master Dooku sat in the main cargo hold of the ship, meditating about the upcoming mission. The Governor of Galidraan requested the Republic for help in dealing with a group of Mandalorians murdering political activists. As a result, the Jedi Council tasked Dooku with the mission, providing twenty other Jedi Knights and a detachment of Judicial Forces to help him with the mission. There were no other details provided, which the middle-aged Jedi Master found a little suspicious, but the urgency of the situation did not allow time for Dooku to ponder this over. The Judicials had been slow to respond to the Governor's request, so it was probably going to be the Jedi alone against an unknown number of Mandalorian warriors.

The two hours had passed quickly and soon the Consular-class cruiser's pilots announced their arrival to Galidraan. Thankfully, the Jedi Council had provided the pilots with the coordinates of the Mandalorian camp, so they began their descent near the planet's snowy mountains. Just as the cruiser started its landing sequence on a clearing near the Mandalorian camp, an alarm began to sound in the cockpit. Dooku, who was at this point in the cockpit looking outside toward the Mandalorian camp, looked at the pilots in concern.

"What's going on?" The Jedi Master asked.

"Brace yourselves!" The cruiser's captain shouted through the intercom. Five seconds later, an explosion was heard as the cruiser violently spun ninety degrees to the left. The pilots tried to keep their crippled cruiser steady, but the ship was rapidly losing engine power and began to fall down. Ten seconds later, the Consular-class cruiser crashed into the forest just short of the intended landing zone. Dooku stood up, coughing as smoke filled the cockpit.

"Are you two alright?" Dooku asked, sensing that the pilots were still alive.

"I'm a bit banged up, but I'll live." The ship's captain replied.

"What happened?" Dooku asked. The captain turned to the Jedi Master.

"We've been struck by another ship, presumably at our rear." The captain said. "Not sure if it was intentional or not, but this ship is toast for sure."

Dooku and the pilots climbed down from the cockpit and jumped out the ship from a gaping hole in the hull. Komari Vosa was already outside waiting for her Master.

"Thank the Force you're alive!" She cried out, rushing to Dooku and hugging him tightly. She quickly released him and stepped back, looking at the burning wreckage of the ship.

"Unfortunately, there are ten fatalities." Komari reported. "I remember most of them being in the main cargo hold, which had been pierced by a tree. Knights Harnik, Qi'Ra, Baal, Chang, Jenica, Cadena, Niivan, Lupin, Belfor, and Grenville have been killed. Knights Yuzu and Wendell have also sustained serious injuries."

Dooku massaged his temple as he felt an oncoming migraine of frustration hit him.

"This mission is a failure. There is no chance we can destroy the Mandalorian camp at this rate." Dooku said simply. "Padawan, get to the forest canopy and scout for fires elsewhere. The pilots have said that we have been involved in a collision with another ship."

"Yes Master."

Komari leaped into the trees disappearing out of sight. A couple of other Jedi survivors dragged the unconscious bodies of Yuzu and Wendell and set them on the snowy ground before starting emergency medical procedures. Another survivor approached Dooku.

"Master, I sense a life form two klicks west of our position." The Jedi Knight reported. Dooku raised an eyebrow. The Mandalorian camp was to the north, so there is someone else around the area.

"Follow me, we will check up on this person." Dooku replied. The Knight nodded and both set off to the west. It didn't take too long to reach the spot, but once they did, the Jedi were greeted to the sight of an escape pod dug into the ground. On top of the escape pod stood an expressionless, black haired human girl dressed in some sort of uniform. Upon noticing the approaching Jedi, the girl immediately produced a pair of blaster pistols and pointed them at the Jedi. She held her fire, but remained in a defensive posture.

"Identify yourself." She said coldly. "I will not allow anyone to harm my master."

"We mean you no harm." Dooku said, stopping his companion from drawing his weapon. "We have merely come to investigate a lone lifeform separated from the Mandalorian encampment."

The girl lowered her weapons, but did not put them away.

"My master is inside the escape pod. He has sustained minor injuries and is currently not conscious. His vitals are operating within normal values." The girl said. Dooku and the Jedi Knight looked at each other before they peered inside the escape pod. There was indeed a young man inside, currently sprawled on the floor with cuts to his head and face. Dooku felt for a pulse and was able to find one.

"What are you?" Dooku asked, turning back towards the girl on top of the escape pod. "We have only sensed one lifeform here yet there are two of you."

"That is correct." The girl said. "I am H2A-N/A, Human Android Adjutant – Navigation/Assault-type, or Hana for short. I have been created to accompany my master Teruhashi Ryusei."

"She's a droid?" The Knight whispered. "That's impossible… She looks just like a real person."

Hana then suddenly jumps down from the escape pod and stands in front of the escape pod entrance, blasters drawn.

"Attention: Twenty-five lifeforms of unknown hostility have surrounded this position." The droid stated with a hint of uneasiness. Right on cue, a large group of heavily-armed Mandalorians emerged from the forest canopy and landed around the escape pod, surrounding the Jedi and the escape pod's occupants.

"Surrender." The leader of the Mandalorian group said. The Jedi Knight activated his lightsaber, but Dooku put his hand on the Knight's arm, shaking his head.

"We are outmatched here, Mandalorians are not your typical blaster wielding opponents." Dooku told the Knight, who reluctantly lowered his lightsaber and shut it off. Hana looked around at the Mandalorians, quietly assessing each of them.

"Tch. Chance of victory: 0.0039%. Assessing hostility…" Hana said. "Hostility non-lethal. Initiating disarming protocols."

Hana put down her weapons and stepped away from the escape pod.

"Mandalorians, my master is inside the escape pod unconscious. He requires medical attention." The girl said. "Please help him, for I cannot do so."

"We'll take care of him." The Mandalorian leader said. "Drop your weapons, Jedi. We have already captured the rest of your group."

Dooku and his companion dropped their weapons and surrendered. The Mandalorians confiscated all of the weapons and pulled the young man's body from the escape pod before marching their captives back to their camp.

Thirty minutes prior…

"Tch!" Hana growled in frustration as she tried to shake off the pair of enemy ships attacking her master's freighter. It hasn't even been an hour since her master arrived in this universe and he and herself were already in danger of being killed. Ryusei still hasn't woken up; presumably still conversing with Lady Eris about his rebirth. A violent shudder rocked the ship as the cockpit alarms began to scream out. Then the shaking began as the ship entered Galidraan's atmosphere, prompting Hana to abandon the cockpit as the ship began to glow as it began to burn. The android went to her master's quarters and picked him up, blood running down his face from apparently hitting his head on the ceiling.

"I got you, Master" Hana said quietly as she took the young man to the ship's sole escape pod. She threw him inside before climbing in, shutting the hatch and blasting off the falling freighter. The escape pod raced downwards as the freighter, which began to break apart, streaked across the sky and struck another ship on its left rear side.

"Yabe…" Hana muttered to herself. "I should've changed the ship's direction before leaving."

The escape pod eventually crashed into the ground, sliding several meters before coming to a rest. Thankfully, the crash did not damage anything, so after confirming that herself, Hana opened the escape pod's hatch and climbed out. The droid scanned the area for sentient lifeforms, finding a dozen lifeforms a few kilometers east and more than three hundred to the northeast. Presumably the large group of lifeforms northeast were some sort of settlement that can help heal Master, which would make the lifeforms to the east crash survivors from the other ship. Oh, someone must have noticed the commotion, several lifeforms converging to her at rapid pace. Running would not be an option, the only thing that is logical at this point is to wait.


Pain. That was the only thing Ryusei felt as his life came to an abrupt end. The last thing he remembered was being on vacation in Germany. What was he doing? Wait, it's coming back to him. He was on the autobahn… Oh, there was an accident. Images of the wrecked station wagon he rented for the trip flooded his foggy mind, crushed between a large number of other vehicles. The pain was unbelievable. The crash had been much too severe for even the wagon's advanced safety features to be of any use. Damn, now he must be dead, a virgin twenty-three-year-old Japanese man who finally saved up enough money for a trip to Europe. What's going to happen now? Will he be stuck in this dark purgatory for eternity?

Before that train of thought could continue, a light filled the area around him and Ryusei stopped floating, unceremoniously falling down in an instant. He got up and was met with a beautiful woman wearing a white gown.

"Ryusei Teruhashi, I am so very sorry that we have to meet under these circumstances." The lady said. "You were not supposed to die in that traffic accident, but had you lived, your life would've been nothing but misery."

"What? I don't understand." Ryusei said quietly.

"Had you been left alive as you were supposed to be, you would've been left completely disabled for the rest of your life. Left in a coma for several months before moving back to your parents unable to do anything yourself." The lady said sadly. "Lucky for you, I took pity on your situation and let the internal injuries take you. Thus, because you died before your time, you will be reincarnated as compensation."

"Wait, how come I'm chosen for reincarnation while there are lots of people out there in a similar situation as I was to be and they are not dead?" Ryusei demanded, a little disgusted. The lady sighed.

"Unfortunately for them, I am but a single entity. While I try my absolute best to save as many of the gravely injured as I can, I cannot be everywhere. Thus, many unlucky souls slip through my attention and live wretched lives." The lady continued somberly. "But, as I was able to get you, you will be sent to a world that I know you will be familiar with."

"Oh." Ryusei murmured. "What should I look forward to?"

"Well, as we are running short of time, your new android assistant should be able to fill in the details. Her designation number is H2A-N/A, or Hana for short." The lady said. "Now, it's time to wake up."

"Wait, but I—"

Before Ryusei could finish his question, the light shone even brighter, blinding him before everything went black. A few seconds later, a splitting head pain jolted the young man awake, causing him to sit up from the cot he had been resting on. Immediately, a chill pierced through Ryusei's body as he looked around. He seemed to be in some sort of makeshift medical tent acting as a clinic. Snow covered the ground outside as armored men meandered around the camp. Wait… That armor…

Ryusei quickly looked around inside the tent, ignoring the painful headache he was experiencing. There were advanced medical tools everywhere, some of them that he had never seen before. This place seems very familiar…

"Master! You're awake!" The voice of a young teenage girl rang out as he felt a body crash into him for a hug. "Thank goodness. I thought Lady Eris would never wake you up."

"Huh?"

"Oh, of course, where are my manners? I'm sure the Lady has told you about me, but I am Hana, your companion. No need to introduce yourself, I know everything about you." The girl said. Ryusei turned around to look at her as she got off of him and stood next to the cot. Hana was the spitting image of a stereotypical Japanese schoolgirl, complete with a seifuku, long black hair, and a yellow ribbon hair tie. This girl was so out of place in this universe he spent ages studying, but she's here regardless of the fact.

"Everything?" Ryusei asked nervously. Hana giggled.

"Of course, but that's neither here nor there." She said, "We have been delivered to Galidraan 956 years after the Ruusaan Reformation."

The android then leaned in to whisper.

"Or as you know it, 44 BBY."

Ryusei looked a little shocked at this. This was when the Battle of Galidraan occurred, which destroyed the True Mandalorians and ensured that Death Watch would be a problem into the future. It also started the Jedi Master Dooku's path to the Dark Side. Perhaps he could do something about this.

"Has the battle occurred yet?" Ryusei whispered to his assistant.

"Nope, and it won't happen the way you would think." Hana replied. "Thanks to a twist of fate, half of the Jedi coming here were killed when their ship crashed, and now the Jedi don't have the strength to fight the True Mandalorians and win. In fact, they have all been captured save for Dooku's Padawan, who tried to ambush the Mandalorians from the trees and got killed as a result, but not before getting a few of them."

"Huh. Things are already changing." Ryusei commented. "Vosa was supposed to get killed on one of the moons on Bogden, but that's out of the question now."

"Hush, the Mandalorian leader is coming."

A very familiar Mandalorian stepped into the medical tent, spotting the now awake Ryusei.

"You're finally awake."

Ryusei quickly steeled himself, hiding the awe he felt for meeting a previously thought fictional character.

"Nice to meet you, Jango Fett. I assume the battle has not occurred?" Ryusei said cautiously. He knew the battle hadn't occurred, but he just wanted to make sure it hadn't. The Manda'lor narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"What battle?"

"Why, the battle with the Jedi of course." Ryusei answered. "From what Hana told me, we were on our way here to stop the Jedi from attacking you by mistake, but we got shot down and were forced to abandon ship."

Jango paused for a moment, mulling over what Ryusei had said. Why were the Jedi after him and his men? They did nothing wrong, there must be something going on here.

"Perhaps you can help me." Jango finally said. "We captured the Jedi who came here and they are being difficult to talk to. Those dogmatic idiots…"

"Lead the way, Manda'lor." Ryusei replied. "I was hoping to talk to them too."

Jango motioned him to follow, so Ryusei got up from the cot and followed the Mandalorian out of the medical tent, Hana in tow. The trio ended up at the center of the camp, where the nine non-injured Jedi sat on the ground, meditating and surrounded by dozens of Mandalorian warriors. Ryusei immediately recognized the oldest Jedi in the group, Master Dooku. While the older Jedi had not grown out his beard nor had he gone completely grey yet, Ryusei could still tell by the signature look of superiority painted on the middle-aged man's face as he meditated.

"It's good to see you and your associates are well, Master Dooku." Ryusei spoke, bringing the Jedi out of their meditation. Dooku slightly raised an eyebrow upon seeing the younger man in front of him.

"So, you are the person this fascinating droid is protecting." Dooku said, briefly switching his attention to Hana before going back to Ryusei. "Your ship cost us several lives and our mission."

"While the crash might be an accident, the wrong information you were fed wasn't." Ryusei said. "Tell me, if my doomed ship hadn't collided with yours as I have been told, then you would've blindly thrown yourselves into a pointless battle. Think about it for a moment."

Dooku remained silent as he thought about his mission. Now that he had time to think, the Jedi Master reviewed his mission. The only thing that he was tasked to do was to eliminate the Mandalorians who killed several innocent civilians in one of the planet's various towns. He was provided the coordinates to the camp where the perpetrators were located, but judging by the fact that the so-called murderers captured them instead of outright destroying them, something seemed amiss. Blast, if Komari hadn't been so stupid as to attack, perhaps there wouldn't have been this frigidity between his group and their captors.

"Well, I did find that the lack of details we were provided to be suspicious, but I don't have enough information to know what is going on." Dooku said. "Is there something the Governor of Galidraan is not telling us?"

Ryusei laughed lightly at this.

"Of course. The dear governor is working with those actually responsible for the murders of those innocents." Ryusei stated. "The Governor is a Death Watch supporter and he tried to use you in order to destroy his enemies, which are these fine men here. Had you taken the small amount of time to investigate the Governor's claims, then you would've found out that the True Mandalorians weren't responsible for killing innocent civilians. Thus, a battle between the Jedi and the True Mandalorians wouldn't occur, not that it would occur if I hadn't told you all this."

Dooku and the other Jedi present couldn't help but feel taken aback. As Ryusei's words sunk in, they began to feel outrage. Some of the Jedi started cursing the Governor for lying to them while Dooku merely sat there in a cold rage. Ryusei looked at Jango Fett with a sly smile.

"Say, Jango Fett, I reckon that it's time to teach the Death Watch a harsh lesson. They tried to silence me, but I won't let this injustice stand." The younger man said. "Now that the Jedi know the full truth about this planet's situation, perhaps they are willing to help."

"Say kid, how did you know all this?" Jango replied, looking a little suspicious. "I was only just attacked by Death Watch shortly before the Jedi came, and you weren't here."

"Well, I watched Death Watch kill a bunch of innocents." Ryusei lied. "It wouldn't be smart of me to intervene now, would it?"

Jango nodded in understanding.

"If you will excuse me, I have a few things to discuss with Hana in private." Ryusei continued. "I'll let you and the Jedi discuss your next moves."

Ryusei and Hana left the Mandalorian with the Jedi and walked to a secluded part of the True Mandalorian's camp. After checking that no one was close by, Ryusei turned to Hana.

"Ok, I need explanations. The Lady as you call her didn't explain a lot to me in regards to my powers and such, if I got any." Ryusei said quietly. "I know how this whole isekai thing works, but I need info."

Hana just smiled as she held out her palm.

"Lady Eris has thought of that, so she left a message." The android said. The holographic image of that woman Ryusei saw in the afterlife appeared on Hana's hand, smiling as brightly as she had before.

"I hope you are in good health Ryusei Teruhashi, because this message will automatically be deleted after its conclusion." The hologram said. "I figure you are the type of person who knows how the story goes and you should be happy to know that I did not disappoint you in that regard.

"Apart from bestowing to you my creation H2A-N/A, I have also given you two gifts exclusive to you. The first is Force Prodigy, which basically speaks for itself. You can use the Force and you are a powerful user of it at that. The second is Enhanced Flash Learning. What this does is it allows you to learn any skill at a faster rate than what you would normally learn. You can use this to learn new combat skills, new languages, anything, though there are a few exceptions which Hana can explain at any time if you require it.

"The galaxy contains many fascinating and wonderful things waiting to be discovered and/or experienced. I wish the best of luck to you, Ryusei Teruhashi, and I better not see you again until you are at least 100 years old. Bye-bye!"

The message ended and the hologram of Lady Eris disappeared from Hana's hand. Ryusei couldn't help but smirk widely. Being blessed with such gifts would mean that life would be very comfortable if he played his cards right. But the road ahead is long and he will have to be very careful, as the future is uncertain and the threat of the Sith still lingers over the galaxy without anyone knowing.

TBC…

 

Huh. Interesting.

 

I finally got the inspiration to write this, so here's the next chapter.

Chapter 2: The Sister

Night began to fall upon the True Mandalorian’s camp as everyone settled in for the cold night. The two critically injured Jedi had unfortunately succumbed to their wounds a few hours prior, bringing the Jedi’s death toll to thirteen. Dooku and the other Jedi, now working with the Mandalorians after a brief negotiation, set up a pair of funeral pyres for their fallen comrades. The bodies were burned as per Jedi tradition, with the surviving Jedi standing in a circle around the pyres with their hoods up. After the brief funeral service ended, Ryusei met up with Jango Fett and Dooku inside the camp’s briefing room, where a small holotable sat at the center of the tent with a hologram of the local topography of the surrounding area.

“Ah, Mr. Teruhashi, you have arrived.” Dooku said as Ryusei entered. Jango also noticed the younger man and nodded in approval.

“Tomorrow, we plan to strike back against Death Watch and bring this war to its end.” Jango explained. “So far, the only viable target is the Governor’s Palace, which was where I was ambushed prior to the Jedi’s arrival. We are currently discussing options on how to proceed.”

“Hmm.” Ryusei sighed as he looked at the map. “Before we attempt to breach the palace, we need to scout the area surrounding it, as it’s possible that the Death Watch camp may be outside. If not, I guess the palace is free for the taking?”

“I’ll send a few of my best scouts ahead and see what we are up against.” Jango replied. “Tor Vizsla is certainly present on Galidraan considering the ambush he set up for me earlier today.”

“Speaking of Tor Viszla, who would be the best person to defeat him?” Ryusei said. “I know you would want to deal with him yourself, Jango Fett, however, due to the fact that Viszla wields the Darksaber, a Jedi may be more suited to deal with him.”

Jango Fett and Dooku looked at each other with calculating looks. After what seemed to be a brief wordless discussion, they turned back to Ryusei.

“I will not interfere should Fett and Viszla enter one-on-one combat.” Dooku said.

“I see.” Ryusei replied. “Now, while I would like to join you in defeating the Death Watch, I have almost no real combat experience. Facing off against battle-hardened Mandalorians is a fool’s errand.”

Dooku looked closer at Ryusei, having noticed something the younger man apparently hadn’t.

“Boy, you are more powerful than you look…” Dooku commented, scratching his chin in fascination. “Have you been tested?”

“Ehh….”

Ryusei was unsure he should discuss this with the Jedi and Mandalorians present, as he had no idea how they would react. He tensed up a little before answering.

“I have not.”

“Then you wouldn’t object to a blood test then?” Dooku said inquisitively. Ryusei shrugged.

“I mean, it’s not like I can become a Jedi. I’m much too old and besides, the state of the Republic and the Jedi Order does not agree with me in the slightest.” Ryusei answered. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, because I’m stuck on this planet with no money and no ship. At least I have Hana with me.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jango said. “Your droid looks like a capable fighter from what I could see, despite her bizarre outfit. Let’s make a deal. If you can lend us Hana for the upcoming battle, I will arrange for you a new ship as well as funds to keep yourself afloat for the time being.”

“I’ll take that deal.” Ryusei said. “Though, thinking about it now, the only viable way of earning money that I can think of is bounty hunting, which may require greater skill in combat.”

“What experience do you have with combat?” Jango asked.

“I only have some experience in martial arts, particularly in hand-to-hand combat, but that’s it.” Ryusei answered, recalling the times he had spent practicing karate. If he was going to survive in this dangerous galaxy, he needed to develop his combat skills fast.

“I see. Go get some rest, I’m sure you had a long day.”

Ryusei nodded and left the tent. Hana was standing outside waiting for him.

“Master, I believe it’s imperative that you learn how to use a blaster. You can’t rely on martial arts all the time in a place like this.” Hana said worriedly. Ryusei smiled and patted her head.

“I know, I know. Perhaps you can teach me, since you got your blasters back.” He replied. Hana beamed and nodded before turning serious.

“I want you to follow me, it’s better to start now rather than later.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Hana led Ryusei outside of the camp towards the forest where they crashed. They didn’t go inside, but instead Hana set up a few targets on the trees. To Ryusei’s surprise, she lifted her skirt up to reveal the two blasters attached to her thighs in holsters and took them out. The android gave one of the blasters to Ryusei after setting it up.

“I’m sure you’ve seen blasters being used in the movies, so I’ll clear up some things.” Hana said. She pointed her blaster at the targets and fired three shots in quick succession. The shots all landed directly on the targets.

“It’s as easy as it looks. Just point and pull the trigger. No need to worry about gravity and recoil for these energy weapons unlike conventional firearms.” Hana explained. “Now you try.”

Ryusei took one quick look at the blaster in his hand and pointed it at the targets Hana set up. He fired three shots, which landed near the target, but not quite on them. Hana went to inspect the results.

“Not bad. If you practice even more, you can become a very dangerous shot.” Hana said proudly. “Do it again, and once you land your shots, repeat the exercise while running around.”

Ryusei spent the next several hours practicing his skills with a blaster until one of the Mandalorian lookouts shouted at him to stop disturbing the others and go to sleep. That was fine by him; at this point, Ryusei was confident that his blaster skills were as good as it gets. Thankfully, the Mandalorians provided him with a proper place to sleep, so Ryusei promptly collapsed on the cot and fell fast asleep.

The next morning had brought a hustle of activity into the True Mandalorian’s camp. Mandalorian Supercommandos everywhere were getting ready for the day’s mission. Hana, ever the reliable assistant, was by Ryusei’s side again. The young man was walking around the camp observing, taking care to get out of the way of the camp’s residents. It didn’t take long for someone to stop him in his tracks. It was Jango, looking for him and Hana.

“It’s almost time for the mission. Are you ready to go?” Jango asked Hana.

“As long as Ryusei is coming too.” Hana said curtly. “I made sure he trained with a blaster for several hours, he’ll handle himself.”

Jango wanted to object, but Hana held up her hand to stop him from speaking.

“He doesn’t need to be thrown at the front-line. I have my obligations to Ryusei.” Hana continued. “Besides, I don’t need my blasters to fight.”

The android gave her blasters to Ryusei (who put them into his jacket) and took out a pair of kunai from inside her uniform top.

“As my designation suggests, I am highly capable of armed and unarmed combat. Anything to ensure Ryusei’s continued existence.”

Jango merely stared at the girl before quickly regaining his composure.

“Alright, fine. But don’t expect us to babysit him during the mission.” Jango replied. Ryusei laughed weakly as the Mandalorian walked away. Dooku then appeared with the rest of the remaining Jedi.

“We’re in luck.” The Jedi Master said. “The Mandalorians did not find any traces of a camp around the Governor’s Palace, so Death Watch must have set up inside the Palace itself.”

“I see. But how are we going to get to the Palace? The Mandalorians have jetpacks, so they can fly there, but we don’t.” Ryusei asked. Dooku pointed to a trio of sleek-looking airspeeders behind him.

“The Mandalorians have permitted us to use these airspeeders in order to keep up with them.” Dooku answered. “Let’s get going, we should not keep our opponents waiting.”

As the Mandalorians began to fly low, away towards the Governor’s Palace, Ryusei, Hana, and the Jedi got into the airspeeders and sped off after them. The journey did not take long and the group stopped inside the forest close to the Palace. The non-Mandalorians left the airspeeders behind in a hidden area and met up with the True Mandalorians. Jango stepped up in front of the crowd, turning to address them.

“Listen up, men. This operation will occur in two steps. First, the Jedi’s group will go to the Palace alone in the chance that Death Watch hadn’t discovered. They will attempt to capture the Governor and located Tor Viszla. If successful, we will move in and begin securing the Palace after we have surrounded it.” Jango explained. “If things go wrong, Hana will signal us and we will intervene. Understood?”

“Sir yes sir!”

“Alright, Jedi and Ryusei. It’s your move now. Be careful.” Jango said. Ryusei nodded as the Jedi bowed. The other Mandalorians began to disperse as they moved to surround the Governor’s Palace. Ryusei, Hana, and the Jedi began to walk towards the entrance of the Palace. It was eerily quiet, except for the sound of the group’s feet crunching on the snow. Once they reached the entrance of the Palace, Dooku pushed at the door, which slid open to reveal no one inside. Ryusei began to get suspicious and put his hands in his jacket.

“Hana, scan for lifeforms.” Ryusei ordered. Hana nodded and began looking around quickly. Once she finished, she turned back to Ryusei.

“Scan complete. 30 hostiles on the top floor, 12 hostiles spread out in the next floor. There is also an unusually large number of lifeforms in the basement that do not match the general physical features of enemy troops.” Hana reported. Ryusei looked perplexed as Dooku closed his eyes and reached out with the Force. As he used the Force to feel the lifeforms in the basement, he began to frown heavily.

“I sense mostly women and a few men in the basement. Prisoners likely.” Dooku said. “There are only a small number of hostiles there too, probably guards.”

“Hana, take point. I’ll cover you.” Ryusei said as he took out the blasters. Hana nodded and pulled ahead of the group, pulling out her kunai. The android silently slipped down the steps towards the basement as Ryusei and the Jedi followed. The basement turned out to be a dungeon of sorts, with the cells nearly filled with women and children. The prisoners began to stir as they spotted the newcomers, but quickly fell silent at Ryusei’s requesting gestures.

Up ahead, there were three Death Watch guards sitting at a table playing a game of pazaak, not noticing the intruders in the hall. Ryusei had a clear shot on the guards and fired a bolt each. Both blaster bolts struck true, nailing the guards’ unprotected heads. The third guard quickly turned around, but before he could do anything, Hana stabbed the guard through the chest and neck. The entire scene took only a few seconds, but the efficiency of the take downs surprised Dooku.

“Impressive.” Dooku commented. One of the other Jedi used the Force to open the cell doors, freeing the prisoners. The prisoners thanked their rescuers profusely and fled the palace. Hana raised her palm and contacted Jango Fett.

“This is the Jedi Strike Team; we have reached the basement of the palace. It is being used to hold prisoners, who are now currently fleeing the building.” Hana reported. “All hostiles are on the levels above the ground floor, take care.”

“Copy, we’re moving in.”

After the message ended, Ryusei noticed one of the prisoners had not left the palace’s basement. She sat slumped against the wall, breathing heavily and attempting to cover some apparent recent wounds. Her blond hair was very dirty and ragged; it was clear she had been treated the worst out of all the captives in the basement. The woman looked up to see the newcomers, briefly acknowledging their presence before reverting to a thousand-yard stare. Ryusei thought the woman looked familiar before a realization struck him.

“Arla Fett?” He said. The blond woman immediately regained her senses and stared directly at the young man in front of her.

“W-W-Wha--?” She stuttered before she collapsed.

“How did you know who I am?”

“You looked familiar. I’m here with the Jedi as well as your brother Jango Fett.” Ryusei answered.

“Jango!? Jango…” Arla said before passing out. Dooku motioned to his Jedi companions to pick her up. Two of them did so and they left the Palace basement. The rest of the group left the Palace basement and headed up the stairs. Mandalorians were fighting viciously among the scarred ruins of the upper floors. The corpse of the traitorous Governor of Galidraan lay off to the side while Jango Fett fought Tor Vizsla in single combat nearby. The Death Watch leader was trading blows using the Darksaber with Fett, who was using a beskar sword. The sounds of lightsabers activating briefly interrupted the raging battle.

“Hana, remove the spares.” Ryusei ordered.

“Yes, Master.”

The battle resumed in earnest as Hana leapt into the fray, stabbing any Death Watch member that got in her way. The Jedi also began to engage the Death Watch members, quickly turning the tide against them. At that point, Ryusei merely stood back and enjoyed the show; there was nothing more he can do. Jango and Tor Vizsla continued to clash as the battle between Death Watch and its enemies reached its culmination.

Before long, more and more Death Watch members fell to the combined might of the True Mandalorians, the Jedi, and Hana. Jango and Tor briefly paused their duel as the wider battle was beginning to end.

“It’s all over for you, Vizsla.” Jango said coldly. “You have lost this battle. Yield!”

“There’s only one way to settle this and you know what it is!” Tor Vizsla retorted. The two Mandalorians resumed their vicious duel, the battle now over with the True Mandalorians and Jedi subduing the remaining members of Death Watch. Everyone watched the duel rage on, waiting for someone to make a mistake. Hana returned to Ryusei’s side; her kunai held low dripping with blood.

“Tor Vizsla is tiring.” Hana muttered to Ryusei. Sure enough, the Death Watch leader was starting to slow down, unable to keep up with his younger opponent. Jango pressed his attack, battering his opponent hard, even as the now red-hot beskar blade started to bend under the strain of fierce combat against the legendary Darksaber. And then, it was all over in an instant.

It was a minor moment of clumsiness on Vizsla’s part, as he pulled a little too far back for another swing. Jango immediately seized the initiative and sliced Vizsla’s stomach open, blood gushing out of the wound in droves. The older Mandalorian collapsed, dropping the Darksaber as he futilely attempted to keep his intestines from spilling out of the large gash. Minutes later, Tor Vizsla, the leader of the Death Watch terrorist organization, was dead, not another word spoken since the end of the duel. Jango stepped forward and took the Darksaber, casting away the warped beskar blade as it began to cool off.

Mission accomplished.

With the defeat of the Death Watch on Galidraan and the death of Tor Vizsla, the Mandalorian Civil War came to a swift end. A few days after the battle at the palace, Ryusei, Hana, and the Jedi found themselves back in the True Mandalorians’ camp as they began to pack up and prepare for the post-war transition period. The non-Mandalorians stood at the center of the camp as Jango Fett arrived.

“I must thank you again for helping me end the war against Death Watch and bring peace to our sector. Especially you, Ryusei Teruhashi. Without your information about Death Watch, the outcome of this entire ordeal would’ve ended much differently.” Jango said, bowing respectfully to his counter parts. Ryusei looked away with nervous embarrassment, while the Jedi nodded.

“Master Jedi, a ship will be arriving to pick up your contingent in the next couple of days. In the meantime, feel free to stay in town as we begin to repurpose the palace for our use.” Jango continued, addressing Dooku directly.

“Thank you for your generous hospitality. I apologize for any misunderstandings between us upon our arrival.” Master Dooku replied. Jango tensed up a bit before nodding and looking pointedly at Ryusei.

“I want to discuss something with you in private. Please follow me.” Jango said, his demeanor changing to a more neutral tone. Ryusei nodded and motioned Hana to follow as Jango headed to one of the nearby airspeeders and climbed in. Ryusei and Hana followed suit and as soon as everyone was buckled in, the airspeeder took off and headed to the nearby town. Once they entered, Jango navigated his way to the hospital, where he parked and exited the vehicle. Ryusei and Hana followed the Mandalorian leader into the hospital, where the receptionist nodded and motioned the small group to continue inside.

Jango led the duo through the hospital before stopping in front of one of the hospital rooms. He pushed a button on the control panel next to the door, which let out a chime. The door opened, revealing Arla Fett resting on a hospital bed being attended to by the doctor and his nurse. Arla was covered in bandages in many places with an IV bag attached to her left arm. She turned to see her visitors and beamed.

“Mar’e! Ner vod! Bal ner cyar’ika! Su’cuy!” Arla said happily. She attempted to sit up, but her injuries drew out a bout of sharp pain, causing her to collapse back on the bed. The woman still kept gazing upon the group despite that.

Jango attempted to say something, but his sister’s words caused him to stop short, staring at her in disbelief. Hana covered her mouth, trying to stifle her mirthful smile to little effect. Ryusei, the only person in the hospital room who is not fluent in Mando’a, blinked obliviously.

“Cyar’ika? Arla, what are you going on about?” Jango asked. “How are you alive? Where have you been these last years?”

“I spent the next few years after our parents died on the run, living like a chakaar until Death Watch captured me.” Arla said, her smile faltering. “Those osiks tortured me non-stop until it stopped being a nightmare. I stayed with them. I became one of them.”

Arla’s smile disappeared completely as she recounted her story. The doctor and nurse had left the hospital room to give the group some privacy, their patient not requiring care at the moment.

“When I heard rumors that not only were you alive, but leading a group of Mando’ade against Death Watch, I attempted to leave and find you. But I failed and got caught. I was set to be executed for my treachery, but then, he came.”

Arla pointed to Ryusei, her smile returning.

“My savior! The man who not only saved me from death, but reunited me with my dear little brother.” The woman continued. “He is ner cyar’ika. Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum. Please, what is your name?”

Ryusei, who had been listening to Arla’s story with great interest paused. Wasn’t Arla’s story different from what should’ve occurred? The Japanese man didn’t remember the details of the original story, but wasn’t Arla not supposed to reach out to Jango? Putting this discrepancy to the back of his mind, Ryusei looked at Arla again.

“My name is Teruhashi Ryusei. I came here to stop the Jedi from wrongly attacking Jango Fett and his group, and I managed to succeed despite my unlucky entrance to Galidraan.” Ryusei replied. Arla laughed lightly.

“And I am forever grateful that you did so, Teruhashi Ryusei. I can’t wait to get to know you better.” The blond Mandalorian responded. Jango coughed into his arm, clearly uncomfortable at this exchange.

“Right, I think we’ll go leave you heal.” Jango said tersely. “Contact me once the medical staff clear you to leave.”

At this, Hana could no longer keep in her mirth and began to giggle. Ryusei sheepishly looked away as Jango glared at him and Hana.

“Okay, let’s go Hana.” Ryusei said. Hana nodded, still giggling, as Jango exited the hospital room. After leaving the hospital, the group returned to the airspeeder and departed for the palace, Jango cursing under his breath at the entire situation. He glared at Ryusei once again, this time addressing the situation.

“Hurt my sister in any way, and I will make sure that your death is slow and painful. This is your only warning.” The Mandalorian seethed. “She spent years suffering and I promised myself that she wouldn’t suffer anymore. Ensure you don’t cause her suffering.”

“Ah, right. Yes.” Ryusei responded nervously. Hana narrowed her eyes at the Mandalorian, but said nothing. The ride to the palace continued in silence, the message clear to both sides about the 28-year-old Mandalorian woman named Arla Fett.



TBC…