Star Wars: Origins Part 4 blog - AK151

This is all non-cannon and a figment of my imagination. I took a great deal of liberties with this story including history changes, new species, and new planets. Please, over-look it. Previous parts are in previous blogs. Enjoy!
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The bar on Nar Shadda was teeming with life, but one person stood out in particular. A Mandalorian, with a full set of Beskar'gam, painted blood red with black trimmings, with all sorts of weapons attached to the arms and legs, sat alone at a table, no drinks or anything. His face was covered by a helmet, and he had a small cape hiding several other weapons on his back. Very few made the mistake of approaching the lone warrior, and even less had made the mistake of attacking. He had mysteriously appeared one day on Nar Shadda. No one questioned him, as it was very common for people to just “appear”. He was contemplating his situation when he heard a commotion. He turned his head to see five reptilian creatures entering the bar, with long, razor sharp blades. The creatures bore a small resemblance to birds, with hooked beaks and yellow eyes. They were all tall and strong in stature, walking with the confidence befitting of a killer. The leader of the band spoke up.

“We're looking for someone. A Mandalorian,” and the creature's eyes scanned the room, not yet noticing the Mandalorian, who was sitting in the shadows. He reached for a switch on his breacher, preparing for a fight. The creatures advanced into the room fanning out. Finally, the leader's eyes fell upon their target, and they approached. “You're coming with us, Mandalorian.”

“And what if I don't?” the Mandalorian challenged.

“Then you come in a body bag. Your choice.”

“I don't think so,” a separate voice boomed from the entrance. Aaron Karax stepped into the bar, lightsaber at the ready but not activated yet. The assassin turned it's head towards it's new foe.

“You!” the creature's voice rasped.

“Yeah, me. Last time I visited the Vaakra, I killed your clan leader and about a thousand others. And to date, I'm the only one that will distract you from your hunt.”

“The Vaakra will sing of this day, fell-blade!” the Vaakra assassin hissed, completely ignoring the Mandalorian, who was raising his gauntlet. The Vaakra advanced on the lone Jedi, when the Mandalorian attacked. His bracer made a pop and a projectile flew screaming out of a concealed barrel, imbedding itself in one of the assassins: a wrist-mounted Verpine shatter gun. The assassin fell to the floor, and the attention of the assassins was split. However, eight more came into the bar, brandishing their swords. Aaron activated his lightsaber, and the Mandalorian exteneded two wrist blades from his bracers, charging at the four remaining Vaakra. Aaron engaged the other eight, swinging and stabbing at the assassins while at the same time maintaining a perfect defense. More Vaakra charged in, and the Jedi began to get overwhelmed. He shouted one order at the Mandalorian, who had dispatched the four attackers and was now engaged with the others.

“Get down!” Aaron yelled at the soldier. The Mandalorian dove behind an upturned table, grabbing one Vaakra by the neck and snapping it. Aaron, noting that all of the civilians in the bar had run away, used the force to push his assailants back. He then raised both his hands, and with a yell, unleashed a massive barrage of bright blue force lightning, hitting anything that was out on the open. All of the Vaakra were affected, and they all halted, stopped in their tracks by the conjured force storm. Aaron flicked his wrists, releasing a shock wave that sent the assassins off of the platforms and down towards Nal Hutta. Sighing, Aaron dropped his arms, the threats defeated, for the moment. The Mandalorian stepped out behind the table, seemingly impressed, but it was hard to tell with his helmet on. Aaron looked at the warrior, examining him. “So you're the 'package' that they referred to.”

“What?” the Mandalorian asked, puzzled. “I've got no idea what you're talking about.”

“Later. We've got to leave.”

“We? There's no we, there's just me and you. I've got a ship, a-”

“It's disabled, probably damaged beyond repair. The Vaakra aren't idiots.”

“And you have a ship?”

“Yes. I'm your best bet out of here. I suggest you take me up on my offer.”

“Fine. For now,” the Mandalorian conceded grudgingly.

“Come on, we've got to go.”

“What are you? Sith?”

“No. Not Jedi either. I'll explain everything later. Now come on!”

“Alright. I'll watch our backs.”

“Move,” and Aaron left the bar, the Mandalorian following. They set a fast pace back to the landing pad, but were halted by a lone Vaakra. “Stay right here,” Aaron ordered.

“One lone Vaakra? I could take him!”

“This is an assassin. A real assassin. A master. I've fought very few, and each one was a bastard to kill. Stay back.”

The Mandalorian had no choice, as ten other Vaakra appeared from the way that the two came, fencing them in. “I'll take these guys. Take out that assassin.”

“You can try, fell-blade,” the Vaakra assassin hissed as it lunged at Aaron, who responded in turn. The two turned into a blur as they fought with almost incomprehensible speed, parrying, stabbing, swinging, and punching. The Mandalorian extended his wrist blades but was quickly overwhelmed by the flurries of blades. Knocked into a corner, his armor battered, he reached behind him and pulled out a two-foot long cylinder, with one six inch curved prong at each end. He twirled the cylinder and held it horizontally, pressing a button. The cylinder blazed to life, and a yellow energy beam extended from both ends: a double bladed lightsaber. The Mandalorian twirled it above his head before bringing it down on an assassin in a vicious strike, knocking the Vaakra's blade out of it's hand. The Mandalorian thrusted the blade into the throat of the creature, before ripping it out and swinging at another, then another, blacking and striking. He occupied himself with two, but another drew his blade, planning to strike from behind. The warrior knocked his two adversaries off balance, twirled around with his free arm raised. The Vaakra flew off the platform, down to Nal Hutta. The warrior swung his 'saber, and used the force to knock the fighters off balance for the killing blow. The other four backed off a bit. One swung at the hilt of the blade. His sword seemed as if it connected with the saber hilt, breaking it in half. However, it was revealed that with a clever system of prongs and hooks, the double saber could split into two lightsabers. The Mandalorian did this now, and overwhelmed the defenses of two more with fast stabbing strikes. The remaining two tried to flee, but the Mandalorian used the force to pull them into his lightsaber, ending the battle. He looked at the battle between the assassin and Aaron. The battle was raging still, but eventually, the assassin raised his blade for an overhand blow, but, his arms weary, he raised it too slow, exposing his defenses too much for a too long amount of time. Aaron plunged his lightsaber deep into his adversary's chest, killing him instantly. The corpse fell to the floor, and Aaron picked up a datapad, which showed instructions for where to go after capturing the Mandalorian.

“Kashyyyk? What's at Kashyyyk? Ah, doesn't matter for now. Come on!” he said to the Mandalorian. They boarded the Shadow Wing, the Mandalorian barely noting it's advanced design. Aaron barked orders to the computer, “set course for Kashyyyk, best speed. Focus all shielding power behind us, and prepare weapon systems. Engage course.” Aaron turned his attention to the Mandalorian. “A force sensitive Mandalorian with a lightsaber. I might remember you, but you seem a bit different,” the Jedi mused. “You know, you can take your helmet off.”

“Fine,” the Mandalorian agreed in hinted reluctance. He reached under his helmet's rim, and the head protection came off, revealing the face of a human woman in her mid 20's, with several battle scars and long brown hair streaked with red. Her almost opaque black eyes reflected the experience of a warrior who had fought in not multiple battles, but multiple wars. Aaron's memory returned to him as he remembered the Mandalorian during the Clone Wars.

“Kayburr?” he asked, part question, part statement.

“Yes,” the Mandalorian replied, her voice different without the helmet's voice disguises.

“I remember. The 113^th, the droid factories, plain hell.”

“Yeah. But I don't recall you.”

“It's the armor. Aaron Karax, former General of the Jedi turned rogue and pilot.”

“You were in command at Kayburr! During the final battle, we fought side-by-side! How could I forget how you fought?”

“I'm surprised I forgot how you fought. You've got quite the knowledge of lightsaber combat, even before you joined the Jedi Order.”

“It was either learn or die, during the Death Watch wars.

“True I suppose. What was your name? The Kayburr wars are vague and I can't remember your name clearly.”

“It's Kira. Kira Fett.”

“A Fett, that's right. Hmph. Shows. You know that?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Alright, enough about the past, this is the present. Scans are detecting several fighters. You ready for round three with these guys?”

“Your asking a Mandalorian if she wants to fight. What do you think?” Kira shot back, donning her helmet again.

“I was hoping you'd say something like that. Man one of the turrets, keep those bastards off of us!”

“Understood!” Kira shouted amid the roar of the engines on maximum burn and the blazing of the automated turrets. The slid into the gunner's seat of one of the swiveling beam turrets. She gripped the handle controls, and the cockpit spun around, showing a clear view of the entire top half of the ship. She saw several Vaakra fighters, misshapen and unhealthy looking, as if rusty, advancing, firing their guns. The Shadow Wing flew through space, all aft guns blazing as she tried to escape the firefight, with an unlikely crew of two war heroes, a Mandalorian Jedi gone rogue and another rogue Jedi seeking vengeance for the destruction of his people.