The Heir of Mandalore Part 1: A Clone War Begins and so Shall Mandalore
This story is a complete work of fiction as I am a fan of star wars, and this narrative although I interlinked it within the Films and tv series franchises, it is non-canon and not for profit.
Chapter 1: A History
Thousands of years before the rise of Palpatine and the Empire, there was a man, a warrior, who lead his people from the inner core and lead them to a new world. He conquered a planet, and this world and those who followed him, began to bear his name, His name was MANDALORE, he conquered not for conquest or for glory, but for his people. He wanted to pull his people away from the chaos that was surrounding the Jedi, whom were splitting in two, the Order of the Jedi and those who would one day become known as the Sith.
From him came a dynasty of warriors, who launched Crusades and feuded with each other for power, those wishing power would seek to claim the Mask of Mandalore, the ceremonial mask that Mandalore himself wore, in doing so they would claim the throne of Mandalore for themselves as well as the name Mandalore itself.
Yet very few understood that the throne truly belonged to Mandalores children, grandchildren and so on. As the millenias passed the Mandalorian peoples divided more and more into clans, each claiming territory, planets and entire solar systems. And the line of Mandalore began to become thinner and thinner until only one remained.
This is his story, the story of how he rose up from obscurity, how he rose up to fulfill his destiny of reuniting the Mandalorian people and rebuilding the true purpose of Mandalore, a place for the people of the Galaxy to be free.
Chapter 2: War has begun......
His name was Lor'rick a Mandalorian teenager barely 15 years of age, with short dark black hair, with the longest hairs being held back into a tail. yet he had seen much in his short life, when he was barely a child he witnessed the destruction of his home, in one of Mandalores many civil wars. This one was between the Traditional ideas of Mandalore, focusing entirely on its ancient warrior purpose, ensuring that Mandalore remained a strong world of honorable warriors and the New Mandalorians who believed in pacifism and rebuilding Mandalore into a peaceful world without the warrior ways of the past.
This war was brutal, and word has it that most of Mandalore was turned into a white desert, with the survivors having to live in protective Dome like cities. Yet here on the colony of Maresh, things had been slightly more peaceful, and for the last decade things truly were nice.
Lor'rick had lived his entire life mostly alone, after the death of his parents, yet he hadn't forgotten what they had told him before their final breaths, of how he was the last true heir of Mandalore, of how it was his destiny to sit on the Throne. Yet he didn't care for it, he was happy living as a farmer, living the quiet life far from the politics and the troubles of others.
His life was focused solely around his small farm, his crops and his animals, day in day out he focused on his work. But every morning as he woke and prepared himself for the day of feeding the animals and checking the crops were healthy, he would always see the items of his ancestry. Most especially the armor of a Mandalorian warrior along side the weapons, a pair of dual pistols and an old Blaster sniper rifle. None of it properly cared for, why would he, it wasn't whom he was, he may know how to fight with them, yet he didn't care for it, he was a farmer not a warrior.
Sometimes he would take his speeder into the nearby town, to trade what he grew for things he might have needed or just to simply visit the Cantina for a drink, whilst there he would sometimes socialize with the locals, the many races that inhabited the town and local area.
One was a Trandoshan hunter with dark black scales, going by the name of Kreez Byghal. Now most Trandoshans live as bounty hunters, slavers or just plain hunters, all hoping to increase their skill and score in their religious hunting belief (Points are earned from what the hunter kills, how clean the kill was, such points are religious focused, believing the greater the points the greater standing in the next life) But for Kreez he had no chance among others of his kind, for unfortunately he was captured and this in turn meant the loss of all his points.
Yet he didn't let it darken his spirit, or hold him back. He may not be seen as a hunter by his own people, yet to the people of this town he was a valuable trader from his hunts. These hunts had brought their perils though, in many of his hunts he has received many injuries, yet being a Trandoshan means he can heal very effectively, even go so far as to grow a limb that may have been completely lost.
Another one of his favorite drinking companions was a Twi'lek called Mira Senna, she was a green colored Twi'lek barely older than Lor'rick, and she was strong believer in Twi'lek freedoms, when she was a little younger she was a member of a radical group of Twi'lek freedom fighters/Pirates depending on who you asked. They would raid slave traders, free Twi'lek slaves, "Liberate" stolen Twi'lek artifacts, as well as killing people whom had mistreated or beaten down the Twi'lek peoples.
Yet that part of her life was behind her, rumor has it that the group was caught by the Hutts, whom obviously were big in slavery, and well long story short, as far as she is aware she's the last member of the group still alive. But it doesn't mean that she isn't afraid of a fight, still standing up for the oppressed no matter where or who they are.
Mira and Lor'rick wee close friends and nothing really more, they often talked about who they wanted to be, Mira saying she wanted to be a freedom fighter again, whereas Lor'rick said he was happy where he was just a simple farmer. Yet every time they talked about such she would try and convince him to fight, to stand up, some would say she knew that he was destined for great things.
These two people would one day become apart of his fighting force each lending their expertise to the fight for freedom.
Today though in the cantina, Lor'rick just sat in the mixed light and darkness drinking his straight shot drink, listening to Mira and Kreez talk away. Yet it wasn't the only thing he was hearing, beyond Kreezs' clicks, grunts and churcks of the Trandoshan language, and Mira almost childish ramblings, he could just make out what the others were saying.
Most notably the barmen, he stood up "sorry guys... excuse me for a second" he mumbled to his friends, they just simply waved him off, thinking "Just getting another round". Yet he wasn't he made his way to the bar, leaning ever so slightly onto the metal rim and glass top of the bar, he signaled the barmen, a Chagrian calling himself Felider, he was an old man by now having run this small cantina for decades, yet he didn't let it slow him down, nor did he let the old wounds from breaking up thousands of drunken bar brawls hold him back.
Noticing the signal Felider made his way over, grabbing a bottle in the process, "Whats going on old man?" Lor'rick asked, Felider looked about cautiously before giving his answer.
"Rumors are spreading, that tensions between the Republic and those that broke away are close to full blown war" He paused to catch his breath, "People are talking about a fleet of Triangular shaped ships at one of the Hyperspace crossroads" (Hyperspace checkpoints are locations where ships have to exit hyperspace to reinsert their destination co-ordinates)
Lor'rick grew ever more intrigued "Any idea where they were heading?" Felider leaned in closer and began to whisper. At the same time Mira and Kreez began to notice what was going on, they could see Lor'rick listen ever closer. Before long Felider went back to work, fixing drinks, passing them out or cleaning up his cantina.
Lor'rick returned to his table, sat down drink in hand. Kreez easily noticed that Lor'rick was in a state of shock and fear, "Che ack, nuck too back vaga bruk Famock" he said (What is going on farmer?)
Lor'rick just sat there before finally saying "A fleet of ships is on its way to Geonosis, and rumors are all over that the Jedi are already fighting there..... Felider is afraid that War has begun" These words struck all three of them, the thought that another war was coming and they all knew "Sooner or later it will come here"
Chapter 3:...And a Leader shall Rise.....
The Clone war rages across the Galaxy, the republic with their clone army lead by the Jedi generals. In the aftermath of the battle on Geonosis, the Separatists struck hard and quick seizing control of the largest hyperspace lanes to the outer rim. Denying the Republic a foothold in the outer rim, as more and more worlds joined Count Dooku and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, yet for all the war and chaos, life remained somewhat peaceful on Maresh.
Lor'rick continued his life of farming and caring for his cattle, but for the first time in his life, he had the weapons that he would have liked to rust away prepared. He kept the Blaster rifle by the front door of his simple cottage home, whilst he kept the pistols strapped to his legs.
For as he worked simply shoveling soil and dirt around in preparation of planting his next harvest, when from the silence of the whistling wind, came a new sound. A loud rumbling, like a ship or hundreds, he looked up to the sky and saw the answer, coming down onto the world was a series of separatist troop transports supported by fighters and bombers, all heading north. All except one.
One single ship, alongside a few bombers broke away from the main group and started towards the town. Lor'rick became fearful, the way the bombers were moving was in a way that didn't resemble those going to peacefully land, no they were moving with purpose, bomb doors open.
"Their going to bomb the town!" he shouted, running for his home, darting through the doorway straight by all of his belongings and all the farming tools, into his room, tearing off the door of his wardrobe. Seeing within was the armor of his ancestry, for the first time in his life he actually held them in his hands, piece by piece he began sought through them, fitting the armor upon himself chest plate, shoulder guards, jet pack etc.
And for the first time in his life, he fitted the Mask like helmet upon his head, before leaving he grabbed one more thing. A set of Unique vambraces, each bared a blade, but no ordinary blade, they were the blades of Mandalore himself made of metals so strong that they could withstand blaster fire and the lightsabers of the Jedi equally. He clenched his fists in specific manner springing the blades forwards to almost two feet beyond the tips of his fingers, knowing that they worked he looked towards the open door.
sprinting out gripping his blaster, hopping into his speeder, and shot towards the town, never before has he moved so fast. He no longer cared for the farm or any of his opinions against his warrior ancestors,, now he only cared for the people in danger, and if there was a slim chance of saving them he had to try.
As he sped along the empty plains, he began to hear the distinct echos of explosions, and he could see smoke funneling into the sky, black as scorched earth. with each explosion the smoke grew bigger and bigger. As he got closer he could see and hear more, the flashes and pews of blaster fire, the screams of people running for their lives or being gunned down.
When he finally arrived, he could not believe what he was seeing, the once peaceful town was now mostly in ruins, what was left was burning in great flames reaching towards the sky. The bodies of the very people that he once had good relationships with were now lying on the floor, with scorch marks from blaster fire in their chests or backs. What shocked him even more was a realization that it wasn't just droids torching the town, as well as murdering the people. No there were other Mandalorians here, wearing the armor and distinct T shaped visors, they were helping the droids massacre innocent people.
Then a familiar face, Kreez, Mira and Felider they were fighting. Mira brandishing a pair of pistols firing both from behind a collection of rocks and slabs of metal that would have been previously part of a home, firing at the droids and Mandalorians with precise accuracy, making sure that each shot hit its mark.
While Kreez fought with his long sniper rifle, from distance he would take a shot, but when up close he would swing the rifle around and use as a makeshift club, to swing and beat down upon those unlucky enough to be too close.
At the same time Felider was using a simple shotgun to blast away the Mandalorians trying to get into his Cantina, should they get through the door they would get a shot at point blank range, he was cheering loudly shouting at them to "GET OUT OF MY BAR".
Lor'rick, pulled his pistols from the holsters upon his legs, he took deep breath. And charged, firing as he moved further and further into the towns central road, people everywhere could see him. For as he moved forwards he left no enemies behind him, his friends could see him, and even they could not believe it, they knew of his heritage but never had they seen him fight, not once, at least not with blasters.
As Lor'rick blasted his way through the last of the droids, the Mandalorians noticed his attack and even they stood in shock, for they saw what he was wearing the Mask of Mandalore himself, an artifact that they thought was lost. they turned away from the innocent and prepared to fight the new attacker.
Lor'rick himself holstered his pistols, and sprang forth his bracer Blades, jumping into the sky with the aid of his jet pack, he fell upon them, using the blades to cut into their tough armor. They tried to fight yet for all their bravery they stood no chance, for by the time he was done there remained only one survivor.
Lor'rick held for a moment, releasing his strongly held fists, allowing the mechanism to return the blades to the bracer. he just walked towards the survivor, who by now was terrified, kneeling down on both knees shaking like a leaf in the coldest wind.
"Please" he begged "Please don't kill me.... we're just following orders" The survivor was definitely a boy but sounded rather young, barely any older than Lor'rick
Lor'rick grew intrigued, he kneeled down too, with both hands he removed the survivors helmet to allow him to see his face. "Whose orders?" He asked
The survivor gulped, to clear his throat before answering "Tenner Rell sir" that was name Lor'rick knew, a known radical who wanted to redeem the ancient Mandalorian crusades, he founded a militant group wanting to rekindle the ancient warrior ways. Yet the survivor was not done "Rell, made an offer to the separatists, if he gave them the system and his loyalty then they would give him lordship over the planet"
Lor'rick heard these words carefully, in his mind Tenner Rell had sold the planet for power, and now everyone in this ruined town heard it too. "Why did they attack the town then?" Lor'rick asked.
The answer was plain and very brutal "The plan he had was to make an example, that if the capital surrendered then it wouldn't burn like this place" This hit all the surviving population, all their families dead, their homes burned to the ground just to send others a message.
Through his visor Lor'rick looked the young man dead in the eye, taking a moment, Lor'rick pulled a credit chit from his pocket, and with the tip of the blades on his arms he engraved a mark upon it, three snake like serpents forming the shape of a skull with their bodies, he gave to the soldier and said"Give this to Tenner Rell" the soldier gripped in his left hand and just sat there on his knees.
"GO!" Lor'rick shouted
Hearing that the boy jumped up and ran in the opposite direction as fast as he could. Lor'rick himself turned to the survivors who now stood in a semicircle around him, in the center were Kreez, Mira and Felider, Lor'rick himself just stood there not knowing what was the matter.
At least until Kreez stepped forward, taking a steep breath he took a knee, and bowed his head. Soon Mira and Felider stepped forward and did the same, kneeling down to the man who wore the Mask of Mandalore. In a matter of seconds, what felt like hours for Lor'rick everyone of the survivors was kneeling before him, they were kneeling before the man who had saved their lives.
Chapter 4... And so shall Mandalore
The survivors gathered what they could, from the ruins of the town, for they knew that they couldn't stay any longer, sooner or later the enemy would return. They gathered food, weapons from the dead mandalorians and droids as well as transport for the injured, and already were talking about Lor'rick, and his friends were listening on every word that was being said. Felider was busy though, collecting things from his Cantina, not drinks, but technical equipment, like an old transmitter even some kind of communications hacker.
Lor'rick gave a simple signal to follow, "Alright lets go, we can construct a camp back at my farm"
They heard the words and began to follow, one after the other an exodus from their homes, to a place that they may find safety.
And although the journey was long, they did not break, nor did they falter, they kept going following Lor'ricks every step. It wasn't until they finally arrived at his home did they truly stop for a proper rest, they may have stopped every now and again to let the wounded rest, but it was only now that those who weren't truly sat down to breath properly again.
Lor'rick wanted to remove the armor and mask, after all the fighting was done, but he knew that it wasn't the last fight of this war. And he knew a war was coming now that he had revealed the Mask of Mandalore. Instead he decided to focus on those in need, directing the survivors in the construction of a camp, making sure that shelter was built for those in need first, a larger tent to be a makeshift hospital.
While he did this, Kreez, Mira and Felider were discussing the fight to come and most especially Lor'ricks place in it. "They call him Lor'rick the Blade, saying his uses those blades better than his own limbs"
Mira chuckled at the idea as did Kreez, "Why would they want to call him that?" she spoke in manner that resembled disbelief.
To which Felider responded with a simple answer "He single handledly takes on a 3 squads of battle droids and then defeats an entire squad of Mandalorian killers with nothing more than a pair of blades attached to his arms, whilst everyone was watching" to which ended with a smile and his arms in the manner "I don't know why they would call him such" in a sarcastic speech he ended his point.
Lor'rick noticed them chatting away, and decided to step in "I do not want to lead them" he said, they were caught unaware of his arrival into the conversation. "I am not Lor'rick the Blade... nor am I Lord Lor'rick.... I am just Lor'rick" he began to walk off, but then Kreez grabbed his shoulder.
"(Translated) It was you who lead these people, protected them" he stated proudly, prouder than he has ever spoken before "(translated) and now they need to lead them in this fight..."
Lor'rick understood every word, and he knew his friend was right, he couldn't be just Lor'rick anymore. he needed to be someone else. "I don't know how to be that though" Felider was quick to step.
"Well i still have my recording and communication equipment" he said cautiously, just in case Lor'rick should change his mind, "I could hack the communication system throughout the whole, planet, so everyone everywhere would see and hear what you say..." Yet this didn't help Lor'rick just stood their glued in place, at least until Mira stepped in front of him.
She slapped across the face to get his attention with a profound slap to his right cheek, "You don't need to be anyone else, look how many you saved" pointing to the survivors, men and women with weapons strapped around their shoulders, and children playing with Lor'ricks farm animals. "You won't even need a script... you just need to speak from here" she pointed carefully to his heart.
Lor'rick removed his helmet, he held it in his hands turned it around and looked down upon the T shaped visor and marking that is the Mask of Mandalore. "I don't need a script" He said, "we don't need one..... we need a legend, someone the resistance against the separatists and their allies are ready to rally around..... a Legend with a better name than Lor'rick the Blade" he returned the helmet to its place upon his head. Those around him smiled, even Kreez attempted a smile, attempted being the big word. Felider ran off to grab his equipment, wanting to desperately set it up.
As he did so Mira, Kreez and Lor'rick began to organize the camp so it was defensible, barricades etc. Lor'rick instructed the farmers and shop owners on how to use a weapon, while Kreez and Mira asked around about whether they were willing to follow Lor'rick to war. And the answer was always the same from everyone, men and women, human and non human "To the Death".
Later that Night, everything was prepped, Lor'rick small simple farmstead had become a properly organized and structured insurgent camp. Yet everyones attention was on the communication tent with Arriels and Dishes held high above it, everyone crowded around as people wanted to watch Lor'rick deliver his message.
A message that was broadcasted across the whole planet, interuppting every single communication in use and even those that were turned off, began to show the message. From small farmsteads to the capital city, all of them under control of the Separatists and Tenner Rell, saw the hologram message.
They all saw Lor'rick wearing his Mandalorian armor and most importantly the Mask of Mandalore, they all listened to each and every word intently.
"Before today I was little more than no one, a young man wanting to live the life of a Farmer...
But then the Separatist came at the request of a traitor, a man who would gladly sell our freedom for more power.... allowing them to murder our people in order to seize control...
And it is for this reason that I have had embrace my blood....
The day they attacked our home, the day they murdered our families, was the day I became who I was born to be....
And so I wish to make it clear that as of now there will be only two fighting peoples on this world.... those like us ready to fight for our home until the end....
And those like Tenner Rell, who are more than willing to betray it...... and some day he shall meet the fate of all traitors... For soon he shall receive the Mark of Death and so shall any who follow him"
These words sent shock waves through Rell himself, this young man was openly threatening his life, he had just heard of the death of his soldiers sent to burn the town, still gripping the small credit chit with the mark engraved upon it, given to him by the very person that Lor'rick had allowed to live.
Yet to others this wasn't a threat no it was a promise, and the message continued, the Mark of Death is something only told in stories better known as Mandalors mark, of old Mandalore of how he was betrayed. Of how he created the Mark of Death as a warning to the one who betrayed him, to warn him that death would soon claim him.
"He would have us believe that Mandalorians are warriors..... Human Warriors.... but we are so much more than that.... we are farmers.... we are shop keepers......We are Human..... We are Twi'lek.... We are Trandoshan.... We are Chagrian...... Our Fight has not ended.... No it has Barely begun.....
Tenner Rell... Death may not claim you soon.... but the Mark of Death you received shall not be the last....
To the traitors among you, if you ignore this warning then you shall join those who have died already..... but hear it, then you may reclaim your place amongst the people
For until our people are truly free, I shall ever Remain....
The Heir of Mandalore"
Chapter 1: A History
Thousands of years before the rise of Palpatine and the Empire, there was a man, a warrior, who lead his people from the inner core and lead them to a new world. He conquered a planet, and this world and those who followed him, began to bear his name, His name was MANDALORE, he conquered not for conquest or for glory, but for his people. He wanted to pull his people away from the chaos that was surrounding the Jedi, whom were splitting in two, the Order of the Jedi and those who would one day become known as the Sith.
From him came a dynasty of warriors, who launched Crusades and feuded with each other for power, those wishing power would seek to claim the Mask of Mandalore, the ceremonial mask that Mandalore himself wore, in doing so they would claim the throne of Mandalore for themselves as well as the name Mandalore itself.
Yet very few understood that the throne truly belonged to Mandalores children, grandchildren and so on. As the millenias passed the Mandalorian peoples divided more and more into clans, each claiming territory, planets and entire solar systems. And the line of Mandalore began to become thinner and thinner until only one remained.
This is his story, the story of how he rose up from obscurity, how he rose up to fulfill his destiny of reuniting the Mandalorian people and rebuilding the true purpose of Mandalore, a place for the people of the Galaxy to be free.
Chapter 2: War has begun......
His name was Lor'rick a Mandalorian teenager barely 15 years of age, with short dark black hair, with the longest hairs being held back into a tail. yet he had seen much in his short life, when he was barely a child he witnessed the destruction of his home, in one of Mandalores many civil wars. This one was between the Traditional ideas of Mandalore, focusing entirely on its ancient warrior purpose, ensuring that Mandalore remained a strong world of honorable warriors and the New Mandalorians who believed in pacifism and rebuilding Mandalore into a peaceful world without the warrior ways of the past.
This war was brutal, and word has it that most of Mandalore was turned into a white desert, with the survivors having to live in protective Dome like cities. Yet here on the colony of Maresh, things had been slightly more peaceful, and for the last decade things truly were nice.
Lor'rick had lived his entire life mostly alone, after the death of his parents, yet he hadn't forgotten what they had told him before their final breaths, of how he was the last true heir of Mandalore, of how it was his destiny to sit on the Throne. Yet he didn't care for it, he was happy living as a farmer, living the quiet life far from the politics and the troubles of others.
His life was focused solely around his small farm, his crops and his animals, day in day out he focused on his work. But every morning as he woke and prepared himself for the day of feeding the animals and checking the crops were healthy, he would always see the items of his ancestry. Most especially the armor of a Mandalorian warrior along side the weapons, a pair of dual pistols and an old Blaster sniper rifle. None of it properly cared for, why would he, it wasn't whom he was, he may know how to fight with them, yet he didn't care for it, he was a farmer not a warrior.
Sometimes he would take his speeder into the nearby town, to trade what he grew for things he might have needed or just to simply visit the Cantina for a drink, whilst there he would sometimes socialize with the locals, the many races that inhabited the town and local area.
One was a Trandoshan hunter with dark black scales, going by the name of Kreez Byghal. Now most Trandoshans live as bounty hunters, slavers or just plain hunters, all hoping to increase their skill and score in their religious hunting belief (Points are earned from what the hunter kills, how clean the kill was, such points are religious focused, believing the greater the points the greater standing in the next life) But for Kreez he had no chance among others of his kind, for unfortunately he was captured and this in turn meant the loss of all his points.
Yet he didn't let it darken his spirit, or hold him back. He may not be seen as a hunter by his own people, yet to the people of this town he was a valuable trader from his hunts. These hunts had brought their perils though, in many of his hunts he has received many injuries, yet being a Trandoshan means he can heal very effectively, even go so far as to grow a limb that may have been completely lost.
Another one of his favorite drinking companions was a Twi'lek called Mira Senna, she was a green colored Twi'lek barely older than Lor'rick, and she was strong believer in Twi'lek freedoms, when she was a little younger she was a member of a radical group of Twi'lek freedom fighters/Pirates depending on who you asked. They would raid slave traders, free Twi'lek slaves, "Liberate" stolen Twi'lek artifacts, as well as killing people whom had mistreated or beaten down the Twi'lek peoples.
Yet that part of her life was behind her, rumor has it that the group was caught by the Hutts, whom obviously were big in slavery, and well long story short, as far as she is aware she's the last member of the group still alive. But it doesn't mean that she isn't afraid of a fight, still standing up for the oppressed no matter where or who they are.
Mira and Lor'rick wee close friends and nothing really more, they often talked about who they wanted to be, Mira saying she wanted to be a freedom fighter again, whereas Lor'rick said he was happy where he was just a simple farmer. Yet every time they talked about such she would try and convince him to fight, to stand up, some would say she knew that he was destined for great things.
These two people would one day become apart of his fighting force each lending their expertise to the fight for freedom.
Today though in the cantina, Lor'rick just sat in the mixed light and darkness drinking his straight shot drink, listening to Mira and Kreez talk away. Yet it wasn't the only thing he was hearing, beyond Kreezs' clicks, grunts and churcks of the Trandoshan language, and Mira almost childish ramblings, he could just make out what the others were saying.
Most notably the barmen, he stood up "sorry guys... excuse me for a second" he mumbled to his friends, they just simply waved him off, thinking "Just getting another round". Yet he wasn't he made his way to the bar, leaning ever so slightly onto the metal rim and glass top of the bar, he signaled the barmen, a Chagrian calling himself Felider, he was an old man by now having run this small cantina for decades, yet he didn't let it slow him down, nor did he let the old wounds from breaking up thousands of drunken bar brawls hold him back.
Noticing the signal Felider made his way over, grabbing a bottle in the process, "Whats going on old man?" Lor'rick asked, Felider looked about cautiously before giving his answer.
"Rumors are spreading, that tensions between the Republic and those that broke away are close to full blown war" He paused to catch his breath, "People are talking about a fleet of Triangular shaped ships at one of the Hyperspace crossroads" (Hyperspace checkpoints are locations where ships have to exit hyperspace to reinsert their destination co-ordinates)
Lor'rick grew ever more intrigued "Any idea where they were heading?" Felider leaned in closer and began to whisper. At the same time Mira and Kreez began to notice what was going on, they could see Lor'rick listen ever closer. Before long Felider went back to work, fixing drinks, passing them out or cleaning up his cantina.
Lor'rick returned to his table, sat down drink in hand. Kreez easily noticed that Lor'rick was in a state of shock and fear, "Che ack, nuck too back vaga bruk Famock" he said (What is going on farmer?)
Lor'rick just sat there before finally saying "A fleet of ships is on its way to Geonosis, and rumors are all over that the Jedi are already fighting there..... Felider is afraid that War has begun" These words struck all three of them, the thought that another war was coming and they all knew "Sooner or later it will come here"
Chapter 3:...And a Leader shall Rise.....
The Clone war rages across the Galaxy, the republic with their clone army lead by the Jedi generals. In the aftermath of the battle on Geonosis, the Separatists struck hard and quick seizing control of the largest hyperspace lanes to the outer rim. Denying the Republic a foothold in the outer rim, as more and more worlds joined Count Dooku and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, yet for all the war and chaos, life remained somewhat peaceful on Maresh.
Lor'rick continued his life of farming and caring for his cattle, but for the first time in his life, he had the weapons that he would have liked to rust away prepared. He kept the Blaster rifle by the front door of his simple cottage home, whilst he kept the pistols strapped to his legs.
For as he worked simply shoveling soil and dirt around in preparation of planting his next harvest, when from the silence of the whistling wind, came a new sound. A loud rumbling, like a ship or hundreds, he looked up to the sky and saw the answer, coming down onto the world was a series of separatist troop transports supported by fighters and bombers, all heading north. All except one.
One single ship, alongside a few bombers broke away from the main group and started towards the town. Lor'rick became fearful, the way the bombers were moving was in a way that didn't resemble those going to peacefully land, no they were moving with purpose, bomb doors open.
"Their going to bomb the town!" he shouted, running for his home, darting through the doorway straight by all of his belongings and all the farming tools, into his room, tearing off the door of his wardrobe. Seeing within was the armor of his ancestry, for the first time in his life he actually held them in his hands, piece by piece he began sought through them, fitting the armor upon himself chest plate, shoulder guards, jet pack etc.
And for the first time in his life, he fitted the Mask like helmet upon his head, before leaving he grabbed one more thing. A set of Unique vambraces, each bared a blade, but no ordinary blade, they were the blades of Mandalore himself made of metals so strong that they could withstand blaster fire and the lightsabers of the Jedi equally. He clenched his fists in specific manner springing the blades forwards to almost two feet beyond the tips of his fingers, knowing that they worked he looked towards the open door.
sprinting out gripping his blaster, hopping into his speeder, and shot towards the town, never before has he moved so fast. He no longer cared for the farm or any of his opinions against his warrior ancestors,, now he only cared for the people in danger, and if there was a slim chance of saving them he had to try.
As he sped along the empty plains, he began to hear the distinct echos of explosions, and he could see smoke funneling into the sky, black as scorched earth. with each explosion the smoke grew bigger and bigger. As he got closer he could see and hear more, the flashes and pews of blaster fire, the screams of people running for their lives or being gunned down.
When he finally arrived, he could not believe what he was seeing, the once peaceful town was now mostly in ruins, what was left was burning in great flames reaching towards the sky. The bodies of the very people that he once had good relationships with were now lying on the floor, with scorch marks from blaster fire in their chests or backs. What shocked him even more was a realization that it wasn't just droids torching the town, as well as murdering the people. No there were other Mandalorians here, wearing the armor and distinct T shaped visors, they were helping the droids massacre innocent people.
Then a familiar face, Kreez, Mira and Felider they were fighting. Mira brandishing a pair of pistols firing both from behind a collection of rocks and slabs of metal that would have been previously part of a home, firing at the droids and Mandalorians with precise accuracy, making sure that each shot hit its mark.
While Kreez fought with his long sniper rifle, from distance he would take a shot, but when up close he would swing the rifle around and use as a makeshift club, to swing and beat down upon those unlucky enough to be too close.
At the same time Felider was using a simple shotgun to blast away the Mandalorians trying to get into his Cantina, should they get through the door they would get a shot at point blank range, he was cheering loudly shouting at them to "GET OUT OF MY BAR".
Lor'rick, pulled his pistols from the holsters upon his legs, he took deep breath. And charged, firing as he moved further and further into the towns central road, people everywhere could see him. For as he moved forwards he left no enemies behind him, his friends could see him, and even they could not believe it, they knew of his heritage but never had they seen him fight, not once, at least not with blasters.
As Lor'rick blasted his way through the last of the droids, the Mandalorians noticed his attack and even they stood in shock, for they saw what he was wearing the Mask of Mandalore himself, an artifact that they thought was lost. they turned away from the innocent and prepared to fight the new attacker.
Lor'rick himself holstered his pistols, and sprang forth his bracer Blades, jumping into the sky with the aid of his jet pack, he fell upon them, using the blades to cut into their tough armor. They tried to fight yet for all their bravery they stood no chance, for by the time he was done there remained only one survivor.
Lor'rick held for a moment, releasing his strongly held fists, allowing the mechanism to return the blades to the bracer. he just walked towards the survivor, who by now was terrified, kneeling down on both knees shaking like a leaf in the coldest wind.
"Please" he begged "Please don't kill me.... we're just following orders" The survivor was definitely a boy but sounded rather young, barely any older than Lor'rick
Lor'rick grew intrigued, he kneeled down too, with both hands he removed the survivors helmet to allow him to see his face. "Whose orders?" He asked
The survivor gulped, to clear his throat before answering "Tenner Rell sir" that was name Lor'rick knew, a known radical who wanted to redeem the ancient Mandalorian crusades, he founded a militant group wanting to rekindle the ancient warrior ways. Yet the survivor was not done "Rell, made an offer to the separatists, if he gave them the system and his loyalty then they would give him lordship over the planet"
Lor'rick heard these words carefully, in his mind Tenner Rell had sold the planet for power, and now everyone in this ruined town heard it too. "Why did they attack the town then?" Lor'rick asked.
The answer was plain and very brutal "The plan he had was to make an example, that if the capital surrendered then it wouldn't burn like this place" This hit all the surviving population, all their families dead, their homes burned to the ground just to send others a message.
Through his visor Lor'rick looked the young man dead in the eye, taking a moment, Lor'rick pulled a credit chit from his pocket, and with the tip of the blades on his arms he engraved a mark upon it, three snake like serpents forming the shape of a skull with their bodies, he gave to the soldier and said"Give this to Tenner Rell" the soldier gripped in his left hand and just sat there on his knees.
"GO!" Lor'rick shouted
Hearing that the boy jumped up and ran in the opposite direction as fast as he could. Lor'rick himself turned to the survivors who now stood in a semicircle around him, in the center were Kreez, Mira and Felider, Lor'rick himself just stood there not knowing what was the matter.
At least until Kreez stepped forward, taking a steep breath he took a knee, and bowed his head. Soon Mira and Felider stepped forward and did the same, kneeling down to the man who wore the Mask of Mandalore. In a matter of seconds, what felt like hours for Lor'rick everyone of the survivors was kneeling before him, they were kneeling before the man who had saved their lives.
Chapter 4... And so shall Mandalore
The survivors gathered what they could, from the ruins of the town, for they knew that they couldn't stay any longer, sooner or later the enemy would return. They gathered food, weapons from the dead mandalorians and droids as well as transport for the injured, and already were talking about Lor'rick, and his friends were listening on every word that was being said. Felider was busy though, collecting things from his Cantina, not drinks, but technical equipment, like an old transmitter even some kind of communications hacker.
Lor'rick gave a simple signal to follow, "Alright lets go, we can construct a camp back at my farm"
They heard the words and began to follow, one after the other an exodus from their homes, to a place that they may find safety.
And although the journey was long, they did not break, nor did they falter, they kept going following Lor'ricks every step. It wasn't until they finally arrived at his home did they truly stop for a proper rest, they may have stopped every now and again to let the wounded rest, but it was only now that those who weren't truly sat down to breath properly again.
Lor'rick wanted to remove the armor and mask, after all the fighting was done, but he knew that it wasn't the last fight of this war. And he knew a war was coming now that he had revealed the Mask of Mandalore. Instead he decided to focus on those in need, directing the survivors in the construction of a camp, making sure that shelter was built for those in need first, a larger tent to be a makeshift hospital.
While he did this, Kreez, Mira and Felider were discussing the fight to come and most especially Lor'ricks place in it. "They call him Lor'rick the Blade, saying his uses those blades better than his own limbs"
Mira chuckled at the idea as did Kreez, "Why would they want to call him that?" she spoke in manner that resembled disbelief.
To which Felider responded with a simple answer "He single handledly takes on a 3 squads of battle droids and then defeats an entire squad of Mandalorian killers with nothing more than a pair of blades attached to his arms, whilst everyone was watching" to which ended with a smile and his arms in the manner "I don't know why they would call him such" in a sarcastic speech he ended his point.
Lor'rick noticed them chatting away, and decided to step in "I do not want to lead them" he said, they were caught unaware of his arrival into the conversation. "I am not Lor'rick the Blade... nor am I Lord Lor'rick.... I am just Lor'rick" he began to walk off, but then Kreez grabbed his shoulder.
"(Translated) It was you who lead these people, protected them" he stated proudly, prouder than he has ever spoken before "(translated) and now they need to lead them in this fight..."
Lor'rick understood every word, and he knew his friend was right, he couldn't be just Lor'rick anymore. he needed to be someone else. "I don't know how to be that though" Felider was quick to step.
"Well i still have my recording and communication equipment" he said cautiously, just in case Lor'rick should change his mind, "I could hack the communication system throughout the whole, planet, so everyone everywhere would see and hear what you say..." Yet this didn't help Lor'rick just stood their glued in place, at least until Mira stepped in front of him.
She slapped across the face to get his attention with a profound slap to his right cheek, "You don't need to be anyone else, look how many you saved" pointing to the survivors, men and women with weapons strapped around their shoulders, and children playing with Lor'ricks farm animals. "You won't even need a script... you just need to speak from here" she pointed carefully to his heart.
Lor'rick removed his helmet, he held it in his hands turned it around and looked down upon the T shaped visor and marking that is the Mask of Mandalore. "I don't need a script" He said, "we don't need one..... we need a legend, someone the resistance against the separatists and their allies are ready to rally around..... a Legend with a better name than Lor'rick the Blade" he returned the helmet to its place upon his head. Those around him smiled, even Kreez attempted a smile, attempted being the big word. Felider ran off to grab his equipment, wanting to desperately set it up.
As he did so Mira, Kreez and Lor'rick began to organize the camp so it was defensible, barricades etc. Lor'rick instructed the farmers and shop owners on how to use a weapon, while Kreez and Mira asked around about whether they were willing to follow Lor'rick to war. And the answer was always the same from everyone, men and women, human and non human "To the Death".
Later that Night, everything was prepped, Lor'rick small simple farmstead had become a properly organized and structured insurgent camp. Yet everyones attention was on the communication tent with Arriels and Dishes held high above it, everyone crowded around as people wanted to watch Lor'rick deliver his message.
A message that was broadcasted across the whole planet, interuppting every single communication in use and even those that were turned off, began to show the message. From small farmsteads to the capital city, all of them under control of the Separatists and Tenner Rell, saw the hologram message.
They all saw Lor'rick wearing his Mandalorian armor and most importantly the Mask of Mandalore, they all listened to each and every word intently.
"Before today I was little more than no one, a young man wanting to live the life of a Farmer...
But then the Separatist came at the request of a traitor, a man who would gladly sell our freedom for more power.... allowing them to murder our people in order to seize control...
And it is for this reason that I have had embrace my blood....
The day they attacked our home, the day they murdered our families, was the day I became who I was born to be....
And so I wish to make it clear that as of now there will be only two fighting peoples on this world.... those like us ready to fight for our home until the end....
And those like Tenner Rell, who are more than willing to betray it...... and some day he shall meet the fate of all traitors... For soon he shall receive the Mark of Death and so shall any who follow him"
These words sent shock waves through Rell himself, this young man was openly threatening his life, he had just heard of the death of his soldiers sent to burn the town, still gripping the small credit chit with the mark engraved upon it, given to him by the very person that Lor'rick had allowed to live.
Yet to others this wasn't a threat no it was a promise, and the message continued, the Mark of Death is something only told in stories better known as Mandalors mark, of old Mandalore of how he was betrayed. Of how he created the Mark of Death as a warning to the one who betrayed him, to warn him that death would soon claim him.
"He would have us believe that Mandalorians are warriors..... Human Warriors.... but we are so much more than that.... we are farmers.... we are shop keepers......We are Human..... We are Twi'lek.... We are Trandoshan.... We are Chagrian...... Our Fight has not ended.... No it has Barely begun.....
Tenner Rell... Death may not claim you soon.... but the Mark of Death you received shall not be the last....
To the traitors among you, if you ignore this warning then you shall join those who have died already..... but hear it, then you may reclaim your place amongst the people
For until our people are truly free, I shall ever Remain....
The Heir of Mandalore"
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