Chapter Text
Vaa-Tao Kryze scanned the cloaked woman in front of her with sharp eyes behind her blue helmet, studying her before the woman spoke. She was nervous, desperate, and almost angry. This would be interesting. When the woman approached the bounty office, asking for a Mandalorian hunter specifically, Vaa-Tao waved her into a separate room. After a quick purge of the bugs, it was safe.
The woman whispered, “I have almost four hundred credits.”
Vaa-Tao tilted her head, demonstrating curiosity through her helmet, “For what?”
She shifted, revealing a small bundle, “I…want you to take him somewhere safe. Away from Tatooine, the Hutts, slavery.”
Vaa-Tao’s eyebrows shot up, “Explain your full situation.”
She covered the baby again, “My name is Shmi. I’m Watto’s slave. At first, I thought the Jedi would come for him, but I can’t wait any longer. Watto wants to chip him tomorrow. I know a Mandalorian would never harm a child. I want him safe. That’s all I want.”
Vaa-Tao was pretty sure at this point she would be taking the child, the Resol’nare practically demanded it, but she had more questions, “What kind of chip?”
Shmi bowed her head, “Explosive.”
Vaa-Tao pursed her lips, “Why would the Jetiise come for him?” She knew the Jetiise, the ancient enemies of the Mando’ade. Although now the two groups were on neutral terms, she would never call a Jetii by the Basic pronunciation.
Shmi hesitated, “He’s…unusual. And he has the capacity to be a Jedi.”
Vaa-Tao knew there was more to the story than that, but she wasn’t going to prod a sensitive spot, “His name?”
Shmi softly smiled at her baby, “His name is Anakin. Anakin Skywalker.”
Vaa-Tao glanced at the infant, “Skywalker is…”
Shmi bit her lip, “My last name, before I was kidnapped by the slavers. Watto doesn’t know it.” Vaa-Tao leaned back in thought. Shmi obviously wanted this desperately. If Vaa-Tao didn’t adopt the child, she would keep asking, and Vaa-Tao couldn’t guarantee the quality of the other Mando’ade here. Anakin wasn’t that much younger than her second daughter, and the Mando’ade often had mixed families. Really, it wasn’t that much of a choice. Leave a child in slavery or raise him as a Mando’ad? She already knew the answer.
Vaa-Tao gently lifted Anakin from Shmi’s arms, “Keep your credits. Use them to free yourself.”
Shmi grabbed Vaa-Tao’s arm, “What will his life be like?”
Vaa-Tao smiled, “He will have two sisters, and be raised as a Mandalorian. We do not differentiate between biological children and Foundlings. He will be safe.”
Shmi slowly relaxed her hold, “Where?”
Vaa-Tao rested one hand on Shmi’s shoulder, “Go to Mandalore and ask for Kryze. He will be there.” Shmi let go, her eyes lined with tears.
“I promise on the Ka’ra, Shmi. He will be safe.” Vaa-Tao turned to the door, her arms carefully wrapped around the infant.
###
Vaa-Tao waited for the holocall to connect. She wanted a chance to talk to her husband before she landed on Mandalore, but she had been in and out of hyperspace at odd times, messing with the network. Anakin was peacefully asleep in a makeshift crib.
“Vaa!” Her husband’s face appeared in blue light, “Did your break go well?”
Vaa-Tao smiled, “Yes Adonai. There was…a complication though.”
His demeanor shifted to a far more dangerous one, “What happened?”
Vaa-Tao jerked her head at the crib, “A slave woman approached me, and begged me to take her son. I could hardly say no…”
Adonai glanced at the baby, scanning him, “Does he have…problems?” Adonai was very familiar with the slaves of Tatooine, having been one himself. His chip had malfunctioned, freeing him by accident, and though most of the side effects were gone, he still occasionally got migraines and flashbacks.
Vaa-Tao shook her head, “No chip, physically healthy. She did mention that he has the capacity to become a Jetii.”
Adonai flinched, “Really? Remarkable.”
“We’ll need to prepare the girls for their new sibling.” Vaa-Tao leaned back.
Adonai laughed, a crackling sound over the comm, “Yes, but you haven’t even asked me yet.”
A smile curled Vaa-Tao’s mouth, “You’ve always wanted a son to raise. It’s not like we don’t have the resources.”
Adonai thoughtfully scanned the crib, “What’s his name?”
Vaa-Tao knew that any argument was over, “Anakin Skywalker Kryze.”
###
The Jedi Council convened once a week to search for Force-sensitives. The meeting started like every other. The council took their seats, relaxed, then stretched their minds out.
It took about two seconds for them to notice the glaringly bright Force presence.
“Who is that!?” Mace flinched back.
“A power like this? We can’t ignore it. I’m surprised we missed the signs of birth.” Ela Sutan shook her head, “A child this powerful has to learn control.”
Yoda flicked his ears, “Master Windo, go you must.”
Mace concentrated on the child’s location, then paled, “The child is on Mandalore.”
###
Vaa-Tao scanned the Jetiise ship as it landed. As a citizen planet of the Republic, the Mando’ade had to allow Jetii to visit the planet. However, the animosity between the two people was well documented and ancient. Jetii did not lightly land on Mandalore.
A Jetii in the characteristic robes that provided no protection in combat strolled down the ramp. Two more flanked him, as well as a squad of guards. He was nervous. Good. Simply because Mandalore chose to be in an alliance didn't mean that the Mando’ade were any less dangerous.
The leader bowed to Vaa-Tao, “Are you Duchess Vaa-Tao Kryze?”
Vaa-Tao folded her arms, “Yes. What is your business on Mandalore?”
The Jetii cleared his throat, “...That is perhaps better discussed inside.”
Vaa-Tao frowned, “Very well. I suggest posting guards around your ship. We do not all take kindly to Jetii visitors.”
He flinched, then waved to the escort, leaving the three Jetiise to follow Vaa-Tao.
“Adonai!” Vaa-Tao called from inside the hall before taking her place on the throne. They did not currently have a Mand'alor, but her family held a position among the clans of leadership. The missing Darksaber was hampering the Mando’ade.
The Jetii shifted uncomfortably when Adonai, holding Anakin, Satine, and Bo-Katan prowled in. Despite the fact that both girls were less than seven, they both managed to look slightly threatening. Perhaps it was the training blasters or the small armor. Anakin was still too small for armor, but the clothes were quite durable. Only Adonai wore a helmet, as the children were yet to come of age.
Vaa-Tao relaxed into the throne, “Now, what is your business?”
The leader cleared his throat, “We are searching for a potential Jedi…among your family.” Vaa-Tao’s eyes widened under her helmet. Anakin had been a part of the family for almost a month. They couldn't let go of him now. Plus, Vaa-Tao had heard of how the Jetii trained their children. It was far more brutal and uncaring than the Mando’ade. They taught that emotions had to be repressed. She couldn't let that happen to her little son.
Adonai's body language shifted from pleasantly threatening to deadly, “What?”
The one on the right spoke up, obviously missing the threat, “Well, strictly speaking, we know which of your children is Force-sensitive. It's your son.”
Adonai's voice became very soft, “Satine, take your siblings to the karyai.” He gave Anakin to Satine, then she nodded and left, Bo-Katan trailing behind her.
Vaa-Tao’s hand rested comfortably on her gun, “Are you Jetiise really so delusional that you honestly think you can take a Mandalorian child? And with only three of you? Our shared history should show how this goes.” Her words were an intended poison. No Jetiise had ever successfully claimed a Mando’ade child.
The leader narrowed his eyes, “Duchess, this is not a threat. Your son is Force-sensitive. It is quite the honor to train as a Jedi.”
Adonai raised an eyebrow, “He will receive Mandalorian training. If he wishes to train as a Jedi, that will be his choice when he comes of age. Until then, he will remain with us.”
The right one spoke again, “He needs to come with us today!”
Vaa-Tao raised her blaster, calmly pointing it at the Jetii, “Give me a reason to shoot this, and none of you will walk out of this room.”
Adonai raised his gun, “You're attempting to take a Mandalorian child. Among our people, that is a capital offense. This is your only warning.”
The leader frowned, “There's two of you and three of us.”
Vaa-Tao smirked, “Yes, the odds are a little uneven. Do you want to sit this one out, cyar'ika?”
Adonai harshly laughed, “The Jetii came to our home to threaten our family. They gave up the right to fair odds.” Vaa-Tao knew that Adonai tried to be courteous and use Basic pronunciation most of the time. When he slipped into Mando'a, he was struggling to regain control of himself. Interestingly, it wasn't because Mando'a was his first language. It was because it was the first language he learned after he escaped slavery as a child.
The leader bowed again, an act of subservience that was out of place on Mandalore, “We do not wish to threaten you. We are simply invoking the clause of the agreement in Republic planets that allows us to train whatever children we choose.”
Adonai shook his head, “That is the agreement with most Republic planets. When we wrote our treaty, we added and removed certain clauses so that we could maintain our culture. That includes the right to keep our children.”
The leader frowned, “We wish to offer an opportunity.”
Vaa-Tao's tone could have melted durasteel, “You Jetiise might not understand this, but our code, the Resol’nare, has six tenants, one more than you can handle.” The Jetii on the left visibly flinched forward in anger, stopped by the leader as Vaa-Tao continued, “The rhyme we teach our children is this, ‘Education and armor, self-defense and our tribe, our language and our leader-all help us survive.’ The vast majority of the tenants are centered on our children. We will never give up a child.”
The leader sighed, “We aren't asking you to give up a child. We are telling you that the boy must be trained.”
“He will be. Trained as a Mando’ade.” Adonai coldly responded, “Now leave. There is nothing more to discuss.”
The leader bowed again, “May the Force be with you. Eventually you will wish you had accepted this offer. A child as strong as him will be nearly impossible to raise.”
Vaa-Tao put her gun back, leaving her hand resting on it as a mild threat, “I'll escort you to your ship.”
The Jetiise followed Vaa-Tao with a healthy helping of discontent, then the right one spoke as they boarded, “This isn't over.”
“Of course not. You Jetiise have been pestering us for thousands of years.” Vaa-Tao rolled her eyes.
The leader inclined his head, “Duchess.”
“Ret’urcye mhi Jetii.” Vaa-Tao returned the gesture. The boarding ramp closed and the ship left. Vaa-Tao shook her head slightly then turned and left. Dealing with Jetiise was always interesting. Anakin was safe for at least a little while longer though.
###
About fifteen years later
Anakin stood with his sisters in the family meeting with helmets off. Tensions had been rising on Mandalore for years, and the clans were gearing up to fight. House Kryze was primed to take a lead in the upcoming war.
Adonai was the first to speak, “We're about to enter a civil war. We're allied with House Vizsla, against House Kast. Satine, I'm sending you to Corrasant, to study diplomacy.”
Satine flinched, “What?! Diplomacy?! Buir!”
Vaa-Tao raised her hands, “I know ad. It seems useless. That's the point. If we send our eldest child away, it makes us look weak.”
Satine huffed, “Fine. I'll go. Any objectives while I'm there?”
Adonai nodded, “See what the general opinion of Mando’ade is on Corrasant. Pay special attention to Jetiise. Also find the public opinion of Jetiise.”
A smile curled Satine's face, “This should be interesting.”
Vaa-Tao turned to Bo-Katan, “You will stay with us, and deal with threats to House Kryze.”
Bo-Katan nodded, “Elek.”
Adonai turned to Anakin, “Anakin, you'll be with Pre Vizsla to strengthen house ties. He'll be acting as your ver'gebuir. Be on your best behavior.”
Anakin grinned, “Of course buir!”
Vaa-Tao pulled them all into a hug, “My ade. You know we love you.”
“We'll make you proud.” Satine smiled.
Adonai smiled, “We know you will.”
###
In another galaxy, the attack was planned to strike Adonai Kryze, crippling the house. In this galaxy, they planned a kidnapping of the young Jetii Kryze. With him and Pre Vizsla as leverage, House Kast could take control of Mandalore.
Anakin strode through the caves with Pre, bouncing on his toes. Although life without his sisters around was different, it was kind of nice being the only child. That said, it was much harder to get away with training with weapons that Pre decided he was too young for. Pre was also not used to parenting. Still, Anakin was having fun with his ver'gebuir. Today they were investigating a cave that had some unusual activity.
“Ke'mot!” An unfamiliar voice shouted. Anakin instinctively pulled out two guns, as did Pre.
Pre stepped forward, shielding Anakin partially, “Tion’cuy?!”
“Kast!” The voice returned, and Anakin grimaced beneath his helmet. Another attack? He guessed it was a good time for it, with just him and Pre. Still, the clan war was getting annoying.
Pre growled softly to Anakin, “Ib’tuur jatne tuur ash’ad kyr’amur.”
Anakin nodded, “Elek.” With that, combat was entered. Anakin tossed a glow-lamp onto the ground, illuminating the cave. With the lights on his helmet, it was manageable. The shots came only a half second after. Anakin dodged, then ducked into the closest cover before returning fire. Since he was still technically a child, even if he had sworn to the code of the Mando’ade, he wasn’t allowed to take risky positions, like Pre. He was dodging around, using attackers as cover while firing furiously. Anakin would have watched with awe if he wasn’t busy. He rarely missed a shot in practice, and he didn’t do so now. He was precise and deadly.
A grunt from Pre drew Anakin’s darting eyes. He had been hit, and now the attackers were swarming him. Anakin gasped, then rolled forward to Pre’s side. He needed a short-range weapon, like the viroblades that were now being pulled. He glanced at Pre again, using the tiny break in the fight as they switched weapons to search for something he could use. A hilt on Pre’s back almost called to him with his Jetii senses. He grabbed it and pulled. It didn’t have a blade. Anakin held it up anyway, out of time. It had a handguard. It could be somewhat helpful.
His thumb found a button and a black blade sprang up, humming. The Kast attackers flinched back, then crept forward. Anakin stepped into a fighting stance. If they wanted to get to Pre, they would have to get through him first. His mind buzzed, then slipped into a state of peace. With the trained battle grace of a Mando’ade, he fought. The blade fought with him, guiding his strikes, aiding his attack. His strikes and blocks flowed together into a thread of destruction.
“Anakin!” Pre’s voice broke him out of the battle haze.
“Pre! Are you alright?” Anakin closed the blade and turned to Pre.
“I’m fine. They were using stun shots.” Pre stood up with a quiet huff.
Anakin breathed a soft sigh of relief, “So, what now? Do you think there’ll be another wave?”
Pre glanced around the cave, “No.”
Anakin surveyed the area, his eyes widening, his voice small, “Did I do that?”
Pre limped up to Anakin, “Yes. I saw some of it. The blade?”
Anakin immediately handed it over, “I’m sorry for taking it, but I needed a weapon.”
Pre accepted the blade, “Tell me, how heavy was the blade?”
Anakin shrugged, “I don’t know. About a normal viroblade, but with less resistance.”
Pre nodded, “When it hummed, what did it feel like?”
Anakin tilted his head, “Like it was helping me?”
Pre examined the blade, the cave, and finally Anakin, “Do you know of the Darksaber?”
Anakin was a little confused at this point, but immediately answered, “Of course! The Darksaber was built by Mand'alor the Great, then the Jetiise took it after his death, to keep it in their archives, at which point it was stolen back and lost. The person who holds it is Mand'alor. The Darksaber also can only be won in combat, and depending on the user, is easier or harder to use.”
Pre nodded, “The Darksaber bonds with its user, but only if it chooses to. Clan Viszla stole the Darksaber back ages ago, but we have yet to find a Mand'alor to wield it.”
Anakin glanced at the blade, then at Pre, “Are you saying what I think you're saying?”
Pre knelt and presented the blade to Anakin, “Mand'alor.”
###
Vaa-Tao tapped her desk anxiously as she waited for the comm to connect. The clan war had escalated, and the new development with Anakin…Clan Kryze needed Satine. She had been calling frequently, and it had been interesting to watch her eldest grow from a distance.
Satine's blue holo buzzed into existence, “Buir? Me'bana?”
Vaa-Tao scanned her daughter, noting the lack of a helmet, “There's been a sensitive development. We need you home.”
Satine picked up her helmet, “What can you tell me over the comm?”
Vaa-Tao shook her head, “Not much. It concerns Anakin.”
Satine bit her lip, “...I can bring Jetiise guards back with me.” Vaa-Tao paused, considering the offer carefully. Anakin would probably benefit from Jetii training with the blade. Of all the Mand'alors, it was only him and Mand'alor the Great that had been Jetiise.
Vaa-Tao nodded, “Bring them, but be sure they can be trusted with…delicate issues.”
Satine nodded, “While here, I've occasionally been guarded by the Jetiise Master Qui Gon and Knight Obi Wan. They can be trusted, and Knight Obi Wan has expressed an interest in Mando’ade culture.”
Vaa-Tao blinked, “Really? Well, I trust your judgement.”
Satine smiled, “Vor'e, buir.”
“Ret’, ad.” Vaa-Tao smiled before cutting the comm.
###
The ship, Satine's ship, landed softly. Anakin shook his head slightly. Satine, for all of her other skills, wasn't a remarkable pilot. It had to be someone else flying the ship, unless she somehow got lessons while on Corrasant.
The dust blocked his view from the window, and Anakin patently reached out with his Jetii senses. After he had bonded with the Darksaber, he was far more aware of his abilities, a gift from his long-ago predecessor, Mand’alor the Great. He had trained as both a Mando’ade and a Jetii. Now Anakin might get the chance to do both as well.
He felt Satine first, then the two guards and the pilot. The guards he knew were Jetiise, but the pilot felt odd. She felt like someone he knew once, in a forgotten memory. A presence he had not felt for a long time…
Bo-Katan yanked the door open, “Hey! What are you doing up here? We need to meet the Jetii in the throne room, buir is worried.”
Anakin flinched, “Oh, I was watching the ship land.”
Bo-Katan shrugged, “Okay, but aren’t you excited, Mand’alor?”
Anakin flatly glared at his sister, “Don’t call me that. I’m not technically Mand’alor until I gain the support of the clans. Yes, the Darksaber bonded with me. That’s step one.”
Bo-Katan pulled him off of the window seat, “I’m messing with you vod. Come on.” Anakin rolled his eyes then followed, still trying to place the pilot. She felt so familiar, but Anakin didn’t even know her name.
“Ah, and here they are, Bo-Katan and Anakin Skywalker Kryze.” Vaa-Tao gently pushed her children in front of her. Anakin felt a wave of shock from the pilot. He frowned as he scanned the small group. The two Jetiise were in tan robes, flanking Satine in her blue and white armor. The pilot was an older woman, with desert clothing and brown hair. Anakin tilted his head. She looked very familiar as well, but he still couldn’t place where he had seen her before.
“Ani? My little Ani?” She whispered, and an involuntary shudder ran down Anakin’s back.
“Wait. Shmi?” Vaa-Tao examined the woman, “Shmi, that was your name, wasn’t it?”
Anakin glanced at his buir, now close enough in height to look her helmet in the eye, “What is it? How do you know her?”
The pilot crept forward, “Anakin…I’m your…”
Vaa-Tao finished the sentence, “Biological mother.”
Anakin flinched, his eyes wide and voice soft, “What? I…I thought you were a slave. How did you get free? You’re my…”
Satine stepped forward, “We might have made a little stop on Tatooine. I knew something was going on with you, and I wanted to be sure it wasn’t this. She already saved up most of what was needed to free herself.” Satine didn’t intentionally remind Anakin of the times he had wondered about his mother, dreaming of the day when he would be old enough to go to Tatooine to find her and free her. Sometimes he had nightmares of his mother, fearing for her safety. He had always loved his adoptive family, and had never questioned his place in their hearts, but a dark part of him wondered what life would have been like if Vaa-Tao hadn’t saved him from slavery by his mother’s wishes. Would the Jetiise have found him? He would have already been chipped at that point.
Vaa-Tao lightly rested her hand on Anakin’s shoulder, “I kept my promise, Shmi. He’s safe.”
Shmi brokenly chuckled, “Thank you. Thank you.”
Adonai hid his tension well, but to Anakin, it wasn’t invisible, “Satine, Bo-Katan, please show the Jetiise to the rooms we’ve prepared for them. Shmi, if you will join us in our private meeting room, we can discuss…how things will change.”
Anakin looked down. He didn’t really want things to change, but at the same time, he was ecstatic that his mother was alive. He had so many questions to ask her, so many emotions he was feeling. It was almost overwhelming, but he knew that in order to sort himself out, he had to face what Shmi Skywalker coming to Mandalore meant to him.
“What…what should I call you?” Anakin hesitated before asking. Vaa-Tao’s hand was still on his shoulder, guiding him.
Shmi smiled, a small one, but a smile, “Whatever you like. Mom, mother, even Shmi if you want.” Anakin frowned behind his helmet. He was Mando’ade, possibly the next Mand'alor. Shmi was asking for a Basic name. It wasn't something he ever called either of his parents.
Adonai politely showed Shmi to a seat. Anakin sat in between Adonai and Shmi, resisting an urge to fiddle with his gun. Vaa-Tao stood behind him, her hand helping ground him.
Shmi gently brushed Anakin’s helmet, “Are you going to take this off? I want to see your face.” Anakin froze while Vaa-Tao and Adonai flinched. He hadn't removed his helmet in front of anyone but his family for years, and he hadn't removed his helmet in front of anyone since the Darksaber bonded with him. Shmi seemed to take his silence as a form of permission and held his helmet with both hands, about to lift it off.
Anakin abruptly stood up and spoke rapidly in Mando'a, “There's an attack coming!”
Adonai whipped his gun out, “Where and who?”
Anakin concentrated on the warning he felt, “It's Kast, infiltrating from the courtyard.”
Shmi glanced between the Kryzes, “What's going on?”
Anakin switched back to Basic, “An attack. Stay here, it's one of the safest rooms in the house.”
Vaa-Tao activated her comm, ordering in Mando'a, “House Kast is attacking from the courtyard. We will meet them.”
“Oya!” Anakin, Adonai, and his sisters over the comm, shouted as they started running.
Anakin burst into the courtyard, rapidly scanning the forming battle. There were several dozen Kast attackers, and the Jetiise guarding Satine and Bo-Katan from the shots were looking slightly overwhelmed. His sisters were returning fire, but their defensive position was seconds from being overrun.
Anakin lit the Darksaber and started firing as his mind returned to the battle haze. With a blaster in one hand and the Darksaber in the other, he charged. With his enhanced mental capacity, he noted the surprise of the Jetiise, and the vague sense of their shared power, the Force.
“Mand’alor!” One of the Kast attackers skipped backwards. Anakin raised the Darksaber in a challenge. If they wanted the saber, they would have to kill him to get it. At least the attack on his sisters had temporarily halted.
“Mand'alor…” One of them stalked forward, “This is a child.”
“I have sworn to the creed. Fight me and see if I am worthy to hold the Darksaber.” Anakin readied himself.
The Kast attacker nodded and formal combat was entered. Anakin dropped all but minor attention to his back. No Mando’ade would interrupt formal combat between Mand'alor and a challenger. Anakin knew he was skilled, and the Darksaber gave him quite the advantage. A viroblade couldn't block it, only pure beskar'gam could, and that wasn't used for weapons.
One of the Jetiise rushed forward and Anakin threw out his hand, stopping the Jetii in his tracks with the Force, “This is formal combat.” Satine pulled the Jetii back and offered a quiet explanation in Basic.
Anakin rolled his shoulders back and resumed his stance. He let his mind blur into the fight. His opponent wasn't going to give him any leniency. No Mando’ade would, but particularly not an enemy during a clan war.
The fight was intense, and it used different skills than group fighting. There were some tense moments when Anakin wasn't sure of the outcome of the fight. He had the upper hand though, with the Darksaber and the Force aiding him. Finally, he broke through the blocks and slipped the Darksaber into a gap between the beskar’gam and grabbed the attacker’s wrist, keeping the knife from his side. He waited until the knife fell to the ground before closing the Darksaber and stepping back.
He didn’t bother mediating his heavy breathing before shouting, “Does another wish to challenge me and my family? If so, step forward, and I will meet you in combat!”
Silence. Anakin scanned the crowd of Mando’ade, eyes narrow. None stepped forward.
Vaa-Tao strode through the crowd, then saluted, her arm bracers clacking together as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, “Mand'alor!”
Adonai was next to salute, “Mand'alor!”
Bo-Katan and Satine stepped forward next, “Mand'alor!”
The other Mando’ade stepped in unison, “Mand'alor!”
Anakin thrust the Darksaber up, “Mando’ade! Oya!”
The Mando’ade roared in answer, “Oya!”
Anakin closed the Darksaber, “Return to your clans. This war is over.” The Kast attackers saluted once more before leaving, by jetpack, attack ship, speeder, and any other way under the stars.
The younger Jetii was stuck to Satine's side, looking slightly confused, “Would someone please explain that?”
It was a bit jarring to switch back to Basic, but Anakin did so anyway, “I ordered them to leave after facing single combat.”
“What was that lightsaber?” He stared at the hilt.
Anakin shook his head, “It’s not a jetii'kad. It's the Darksaber.”
The older Jetii stepped forward, “The Darksaber? The saber built by Mandalore the Great?”
Anakin nodded, “An heirloom of my people.”
The Jetii rubbed his beard, “Wasn't it in the Jedi archives?”
Anakin folded his arms and glared, “The Jetiise took it from us. We stole it back.”
Satine broke the awkward tension that followed, “I suppose we never got around to formal introductions. Please, come inside.”
Anakin nodded, then spun on his heel. If his sister wanted to lead the Jetiise around, it wasn’t his problem. He had to go back to…Shmi…Mom…whoever. Come to think of it, she could probably come to the meal as well.
Vaa-Tao stayed by Anakin’s side as he strode to the meeting room. Shmi was pacing, and she visibly relaxed when she spotted Anakin. He hesitated at the entrance.
Shmi didn't wait for permission, pulling Anakin into a hug, “I was so worried! Are you alright? Did you get hurt? What happened?”
Anakin awkwardly patted her back, “It was a skirmish. Probably the last one for a while. Only one person died, and it was one of the attackers.” Shmi paled, but thankfully didn't ask further questions.
Anakin stepped back and cleared his throat, “Would you like to join us for a meal…Mom?” His tongue stumbled over the Basic word.
Shmi beamed anyway, “Of course!”
Vaa-Tao's voice was stiff, “This way.” Anakin squirmed in between the two women, unsure of where he fit.
###
Vaa-Tao watched Shmi with half an eye while politely conversing with the Jetiise. Both of them were having a hard time with the Mando’ade spices, and had to keep pausing to drink full glasses of water. It was slightly amusing.
The gap between mother and son was painfully obvious. Shmi spoke Basic, Huttese, and Toydarian. Anakin spoke Mando'a, Basic, Huttese, Toydarian, and was conversational in a smattering of other languages. Shmi was quiet and reserved, but loved Anakin with all her heart. Anakin was a warrior, alert, calm in battle, but awkward around Shmi. He flinched whenever she touched him or ruffled his hair, which was often. It was the first time he had eaten with the others after the incident with the Darksaber, and removing his helmet in front of three virtual strangers after not showing anyone his face for days was making him tense.
On top of that, the Jetii Obi Wan obviously had a crush on Satine. It was almost hilarious in a painfully ironic and awkward way. Satine seemed oblivious, but Vaa-Tao knew that she arranged the seats so that she and Obi Wan were next to each other. Vaa-Tao had no idea if it was going to be a problem or not, but she was going to keep an eye on those two.
“Duchess Kryze, may I ask a question?” The older Jetii, Qui Gon Jinn, set down his glass, his eyes watering.
“Seeing as you already did, yes.” Vaa-Tao dryly responded. She wasn’t sure if she was still a duchess, as Anakin was now working to accept the role of Mand’alor. Having a Mand’alor would change the government quite a bit, and she wasn’t sure how her political position would change. Of course, she wouldn’t mind a break from mind-numbingly dull politics.
“How did Shmi’s son acquire the Darksaber?” Qui Gon glanced at Anakin.
Vaa-Tao kept her face and blasters under control. Barely, “Anakin is my son as well. How he acquired the weapon that chose him is none of your business.”
Qui Gon paused, studying the room again, “...Chose him?”
Vaa-Tao resisted an urge to roll her eyes, “You Jetii claim to know more of that magic. The Darksaber chooses its user.”
Qui Gon blinked, “You mean the kyber?”
“I don’t know if it has kyber. You don’t have the clearance to know.” Vaa-Tao leaned back in her chair. The Darksaber was ancient, some said as old as Mando’ade themselves. Only Mand'alor ever opened the casing, not that it needed much maintenance.
Qui Gon stared at the saber longingly. He was obviously one of the Jetiise that loved history and myths. Having a question that could be answered, but that he wasn't allowed to know the answer to, must be agonizing. Vaa-Tao smirked. She didn't necessarily despise the Jetiise, but she did enjoy making them squirm.
Anakin jumped in his seat again, and Vaa-Tao figured that he was done, “Anakin, grab your helmet and come with me.” Anakin immediately grabbed his helmet and abandoned his seat. Shmi looked hurt, but Vaa-Tao needed to prioritize Anakin, and he was about ready to have a breakdown. That would hurt Shmi far more than Vaa-Tao taking Anakin. Adonai would soothe feelings and manage the Jetiise. He was always better at politics than her.
Anakin slipped his helmet on as soon as they were both out of the room, his voice almost relieved as he returned to Mando’a, “What is it buir?”
Vaa-Tao led the way through the fortress, speaking in the same language, “How are you managing?”
He hesitated, “Fine, I guess. It’s a lot.”
Vaa-Tao nodded, “It is. There’s no shame in admitting that.”
Anakin shrugged, “I know. I just didn’t expect…” He waved his arms around, “All of this. My bio…mom. The Darksaber. The Jetiise.” Vaa-Tao noted the hesitant way he said the Basic word.
She opened the door to the top of the walls, “The Ka’ra have seen it fit to give you quite the challenge to start your rule.”
“Yeah…” Anakin flinched, “Oh!”
Vaa-Tao’s hand immediately went to her blaster, “What?”
Anakin shook his head, “I’m going to join the Ka’ra when I die, aren’t I? Since I’m…well…Mand’alor?”
Vaa-Tao blinked, “I…yes. You will. Huh.”
Anakin stood at the battlement, “I…need to think about something else. The Ka’ra. Gah.”
Vaa-Tao cleared her throat, “Well, would you like to attend a few Senate meetings before we announce the presence of a Mand’alor to the galaxy?”
Anakin laughed deliriously then glanced at Vaa-Tao, “Oh wait, you’re not joking.”
Vaa-Tao leaned on the wall, “No. You are the al’ori’ramikade.” Commander of the Supercomandos, another title for Mand'alor. “Some would call you our king.”
Anakin hunched his shoulders slightly, “I know. It's just moving really fast. Part of me wants it to slow down, but another part…”
“Ad, I know you can do this. But if you wish, we will keep our silence.” Vaa-Tao scanned Anakin, watching his reaction.
He scanned the land stretched out before him, then rolled his shoulders back and stood up straight, “I'm ready. Why wait?”
###
Anakin watched the Senate meeting with a large amount of boredom. It was annoying to watch the senators snip at each other, not speaking of anything with relevance. The sheer number of people that scanned him for weaknesses was also disconcerting. As the youngest Kryze, hardly more than a child in most of their eyes, and with it being his first time attending the Senate, they all thought him easy prey. Of course, they didn’t know about the announcement that Adonai was going to give, nor his connection to the Darksaber and the Force. He could easily spot their lies behind their painted smiles.
“The Chair recognizes Queen Amidala from Naboo.” Anakin’s eyes flicked to the queen. Not many monarchies still existed, and most that did were heretical. Naboo, like the Mand’alor, had an elected monarch, though with a term limit. The face paint she wore almost reminded him of the way some clans painted their armor. Of course, the heavy jewelry was useless, but maybe it hid a weapon. Queen Amidala stood tall despite the weight, so she had some physical strength.
The queen said the first sincere thing Anakin had heard since he arrived, “Honorable representatives of the Republic, I come to you under the gravest of circumstances. Naboo has been invaded by the Trade Federation.”
Immediately, a protest sprang up from the Trade Federation committee. Anakin almost winced at the blatant falsehood. True Mando’ade never felt the need to lie. Anakin had never really needed to know who was lying, because no one was. What was the point? Other than occasional bluffs in combat, almost every claim could be verified. In the Senate though, there was rare truth. That, if anything, made Anakin sympathetic to the queen of Naboo.
They continued arguing, Queen Amidala with a glowing sincerity and desperation, the Trade Federation with slimy, dark, lies. Finally, it was decided that a committee would investigate the matter. Anakin felt sorry for the queen. A committee made of the senators would get nothing done, that much was obvious from Anakin’s one session.
Adonai glanced at Anakin, speaking in Mando’a for privacy from the guards, “It’s time.”
Anakin grabbed his arm, stopping Adonai from standing, “No. Announce Mando’ade support for the Naboo crisis.”
Adonai flinched, then glanced in the direction of the queen, “Why?”
Anakin smiled behind his helmet, “We are only obligated to inform the Senate of a new Duke or Duchess. I am neither. Support for the Naboo crisis will be unexpected, and rumors of my involvement will throw a new element into the game. So far, we are only a loose part of the Republic. It’s time to take sides. I don’t know exactly how I know this, but in the next few years, Mandalore will need allies and a reputation. What better way to make some friends and spread some rumors?” It was true. Since his connection to the Darksaber, he knew things that he wasn’t sure where he learned, including Force techniques. He had yet to start Jetii training, but he was sure he would already know some of the techniques. Before he left for Coruscant, Qui Gon had mentioned meditation. Anakin thought it was stupid to sit down and ‘contemplate his place in the universe’ but he tried anyway.
Adonai hesitated, then nodded. The pod gently flew to the center of the room, and the two stood. The Senate Guards were already standing. Anakin scanned the room again, now with the view of the center. Most of the Senate was a rotting mess, and it made it difficult to pinpoint individuals. Queen Amidala was putting on a brave face, but it wasn’t a helmet, and Anakin could read the despair hidden behind the mask. But it wasn’t for herself. It was for her people. Anakin set his jaw and resumed pretending to be a youth visiting the Senate on his father’s invitation.
Adonai scanned the Senate for a moment before beginning to speak, and the crowd hushed, “I know many of you have wondered about our people, about our recent clan war. It is now over. House Kryze still holds our government.” Anakin wondered when he was going to get to the point. He knew the basics of political niceties, but he quickly tired of them. He preferred a blunt approach to conversation and politics. He didn’t mind stealth missions though.
Adonai paused for effect, “Now, Mando’ade have never done well with boredom. With our blades sharpened and our blasters warm, we will aid Naboo in their crisis while you debate in endless circles.” Anakin grinned as shock rippled through the Senate. The Trade Federation loudly complained but was drowned out by the thousands of voices. Meanwhile, Adonai expertly maneuvered the pod next to the Naboo one.
She stared at the pod, shocked, “You…You’re going to help us?”
Adonai inclined his head, “The Senate is not entirely useless. It does have a tendency to seem that way however.”
She softly snorted, “I have an inclination to agree. Now, if you'll come to my office, we can further discuss the crisis in a more…enabling environment.”
Anakin smiled at Queen Amidala, “Lead the way, Your Majesty.”
She glanced at him, curious, “I don't believe I've met you before.”
Anakin shook his head, “I haven't come to the Senate before. I'm Anakin Skywalker Kryze, the youngest of Clan Kryze.”
Queen Amidala tilted her head, “You have a middle name.”
Anakin bit his lip, “Not quite. I have two last names.”
Adonai fortunately stepped in, “Anakin was adopted as an infant. He still has his mother’s last name, but also has the name of Kryze.”
The queen flinched, “Oh, I'm sorry.”
Anakin shrugged, “What for? My…mom…knew what she was doing when she gave me up.” Of course, her recent return was an absolute mess in his life, but he was going to put off dealing with that for as long as possible.
The queen frowned thoughtfully, “I…suppose I meant because of the adoption.”
Adonai stepped in with an explanation, “Our peoples see adoption differently. On Naboo and most of the galaxy, I believe it is seen with some sadness that you cannot be raised with your birth family, and the children are generally treated differently if they are adopted. Mando’ade see the matter differently. Adopted children are no more or less than biological. There is no shame or sorrow in having two or more families.”
Queen Amidala nodded, “Ah. That…is a unique approach. Perhaps it shouldn't be.”
Anakin scanned the door of the office. In the office were a few guards, another senator, and some furniture. The other senator somehow felt worse than all the others, though perhaps it was his short break from the main Senate.
“Your Majesty? Who are your escorts?” He politely smiled at the Kryzes.
Queen Amidala grandly introduced them, “Duke Adonai Kryze and Lord Anakin Skywalker Kryze.” Adonai nodded in acknowledgement and Anakin copied him, controlling his amusement at being referred to as a lord.
The senator bowed, “I am Senator Sheev Palpatine, representing Naboo.” Anakin flinched back at the sheer force of lies emanating from the man. Was Palpatine even his name? Anakin wasn't sure.
“Why have you come? I'm not sure if you've heard but there have been some recent…issues with our home planet.” He scanned them sharply, especially Anakin.
Adonai noticed Palpatine's attention and gently rested his hand on Anakin’s shoulder, “That's why we're here.”
He made a small sound of surprise, “What do you mean? Certainly you’re not trying to take advantage of the situation.”
Anakin regained his voice, “Of course not! Mando’ade fight with honor. We're here because Queen Amidala asked for help.”
Palpatine smiled fishily, “And what of the war?”
Anakin folded his arms, “It’s over. Were you not paying attention?”
Adonai sent a message to Anakin over the helmet displays, “Anakin, be polite.”
Anakin sent a message in response, typing with blinks and subtle head movements, “That guy is lying more than the rest of the Senate put together. He's also insulting our honor.” Palpatine was still prattling on.
Adonai paused before sending the next message, “You can tell when someone’s lying?”
Anakin was quick to respond, “I can now. The longer I hold the Darksaber, the more Jetii skills I gain.”
“Interesting.” Adonai smoothly interrupted Palpatine, “Queen Amidala, please explain the military situation.”
She waved to the leader of the guards, “This is Captain Panaka, the head of Naboo military and my personal guard.” Anakin frowned. It was the first time she told a partial truth.
Anakin stepped a little closer, “Respectfully, Your Majesty, is he your entire security detail? Leading an army and acting as a bodyguard is quite a workload for one person.”
Captain Panaka flinched, “Yes, it is. You might have been the first to notice.”
Queen Amidala shot him a look, then scanned Anakin and Adonai again before sighing, “He isn't my only guard. My handmaids do more than look pretty and help with my hair.”
Anakin nodded, “Hiding in plain sight. That's smart.”
Queen Amidala smiled, “Thank you. Now, Captain Panaka will explain the military situation.”
Adonai cleared his throat, “Would you like us to check for bugs first, Your Majesty?” She flinched, then nodded. Anakin and Adonai immediately swept the room, finding a couple bugs and destroying them.
Adonai was the first to stand, “We're clear now.” She pursed her lips then nodded to Captain Panaka.
He nodded to the two Mando’ade, “Thank you. First of all, the palace has been captured. The Trade Federation leaders are using it as a base, and they have a droid army defending it. The army, and the communications disruption, is being controlled through a droid command ship.” He pulled up holos as he spoke.
Adonai nodded to Anakin, who was almost surprised. His buir was handing control over to him. Technically, it was in his rights as Mand'alor, but he hadn't yet gotten used to adults turning to him for leadership.
Anakin examined the holos, “Does the droid command ship have fighters?”
Captain Panaka nodded, “A few. We don’t have a great count, but in between twenty and a hundred. They’re not up to par with organic-flown ships, but all our pilots, except for me, the queen, and a few of the handmaidens, have been captured.”
Anakin nodded, “How many droids in the palace? How good are the droids?”
Captain Panaka grimaced, “Roughly six hundred. They’re standard droids for the most part, but they also have a few droidekas.”
Anakin grinned, “Droidekas? I’ve always wanted to fight one of those!”
Captain Panaka scanned Anakin with approval and amusement, “You’ll get to fight a few droidekas if you come to the surface. They’re tough droids.”
Anakin nodded, “That’s what makes it fun! Anyway, we’ll want a fleet of forty Mando’ade attack ships. Queen Amidala, do you want to take prisoners?”
She pointed to a room in the back of the palace, “The leaders will be holed up here. If we want proof, they’re the people we need to capture. The prisoners we want to free are in the hangar.”
Anakin scanned the floorplan of the palace, examining the weaknesses and holding points as he paced around it, “We want a small group, striking in coordination with the fleet. An army will just result in leveling the palace. Our main goals are the prisoners and the leaders. I suspect the Trade Federation will flee once they realize their army is compromised, so we need to be ready to take them. We also need a squad guarding the prisoners, in case of retaliation.” He started considering who would lead the groups. He needed to pull in Pre, and someone from Kast. Rook Kast?
Senator Palpatine interrupted Anakin’s thoughts, “This is quite the generous offer. What do you expect in return?”
Anakin flatly glared at him through the helmet, “Look. I realize this must be a somewhat difficult concept for you, but we aren’t asking for anything. You asked for aid. Now we are giving it. The main thing we’re gaining from this is entertainment. Mando’ade hate boredom with a gra’tua.”
Senator Palpatine smiled indulgently, “Ah, the words of a boy-”
“Ne’johaa. Now, that results in three groups. Two ground forces, one fleet. Buir, you and buir will lead the fleet. Satine will lead the group protecting prisoners with Pre. Bo-Katan will stay and keep an eye on things at home. Me and Rook Kast will take prisoners. Queen Amidala, you will have default command, but which group would you like to personally lead?”
She flinched, and Adonai stepped in, “What military experience do you have?”
Queen Amidala frowned, “Not much. I can shoot a gun, and I’m in reasonable shape, but my main emphasis is diplomacy.”
Captain Panaka added, “If she is captured, the Trade Federation will force her to hand over the planet. She has to stay safe.”
Anakin ran through the groups again, “Would you like to work with Satine? She’ll probably have two Jetii with her, so that group will be in relatively little danger.”
Queen Amidala blinked, “Why does she have Jedi with her?”
Anakin shrugged, “She’s the heir to Kryze, and there was just a civil war. The Jetii have to protect her if she’s in danger. Going to a war zone counts. Of course, you’re also an important political leader, so they’ll also guard you.”
She hesitated, “What Jedi?”
“Master Qui Gon Jinn and Knight Obi Wan Kenobi.” Anakin personally didn’t think that they would be as much help guarding the queen as his sister, but they could deflect blaster shots, so there was that. A good suit of beskar’gam would do pretty much the same thing though.
“I’ve heard of them.” She scanned the projection again, “How soon can we attack?”
Anakin side-eyed Palpatine under his helmet, “Three days. It’ll take some time to mobilize. We should leave immediately to start preparations.”
Queen Amidala nodded, “Thank you.”
Adonai glanced at the launchpad near the office, “Is that your ship?”
Captain Panaka was the one to answer, “Yes.”
Anakin shook his head, “It’s escort-class. You want an attacker ship for this, or at least something less conspicuous. We have space on our ship.”
Queen Amidala hesitated before nodding, “Thank you. We can be at your ship with our supplies in fifteen minutes.”
Adonai inclined his head again, “I’ll meet you there. Anakin?”
“I’ll stay behind to guard the queen.” He tapped his buir’s arm guard in a family goodbye before Adonai left.
Queen Amidala gave frantic orders to her handmaidens and the guards while Anakin observed with interest. He knew his family was wealthy, but he had maybe ten sets of clothes, pretty much all for under his one set of beskar'gam. Luxury was the pajamas that doubled as armor.
This was a whole different level. For the queen of Naboo, there were dozens of outfits, hundreds of accessories, and makeup by the pound. Anakin's head spun when he tried to focus on the clothes, so he resumed scanning the people.
He really didn't like Senator Palpatine. The guards were fine, the handmaidens determined and faithful, and Captain Panaka was dedicated. Palpatine had his own agenda. Anakin kept finding his hand drift to the Darksaber, then the blade would very actively warn him. He was happy to leave him in the Senate chambers. With how incredibly slow the Senate was, he didn't really need to worry about whatever Palpatine was planning.
“So, Lady Satine is your sister?” Queen Amidala glanced at Anakin.
“Yes, the oldest child of Clan Kryze. Did you meet her while she was here?” Anakin tilted his head.
Queen Amidala shook her head, “Not officially. She made quite a stir when she arrived though.”
Anakin chuckled, “I can believe that. I hope the months she took off didn't dull her edge.”
Queen Amidala laughed, a sound like a bes'bev trill, “If the rumors are to be believed, I don't think so. How old is she?”
Anakin was a little uncomfortable giving up personal information, but the queen had told him about her secret protectors, “Satine is twenty-one. Bo-Katan is eighteen. I'm fifteen. How old are you?”
“I'm seventeen. I was fourteen when I was elected, and I have a year left in my term.” She glanced down, “If Naboo lasts that long.”
Anakin frowned, “Of course it will. We can retake Naboo, and you’re a good queen, at least that I've seen.” Yes, her style of leadership and the Naboo culture wasn't what he was used to, but she was sincere and cared about her people. The respect she gained from the people around her also was a point in her favor.
She smiled faintly at him, “Thank you Lord Anakin.”
Anakin laughed again, “I'm sorry. You don’t need to call me a lord. Just Anakin is fine.” Anakin knew from his studies that Mand'alor was often referred to as Lord Mandalore by people who didn't speak Mando'a and missed the cultural nuances of the proper pronunciation, but since he hadn't revealed his status as Mand'alor, Queen Amidala didn't need to refer to him as a lord. That, and they would be working together a lot, so Anakin thought titles would be cumbersome. He wasn't used to answering to a title anyway.
Queen Amidala smiled, “Very well, Anakin.”
He smiled back, then proudly presented, “This is Mirshko'kar! A Mando’ade cruiser, equipped with the strongest weapons Coruscant will let us get away with and a small armory!” It was Adonai's ship, and it was better equipped for diplomacy than Vaa-Tao’s. Hers was a small starfighter, just barely big enough for two. Hers was the same ship Anakin came to Mandalore on.
Captain Panaka hesitated, “...What are the rules to access the armory?”
“You’re an ally now. It's open, unless it's been marked.” Anakin waved his hand in the general direction of the Mirshko'kar.
Queen Amidala glanced at Anakin in surprise, “Really?”
Anakin shrugged, “All my favorite weapons are on me. Buir puts some in the armory, but they're marked. You're trusting us, we're trusting you.”
She nodded, “What about armor?”
Anakin helped someone lift some stuff onto the ramp, “There's some durasteel in the armory, but it would only maybe fit Captain Panaka.”
She nodded, “I'm not used to armor anyway.”
He snorted, “I'm sure it wouldn't take long for you to adjust.”
One of the handmaidens cleared her throat, “Where are our quarters?”
Anakin shrugged, “Ask buir.”
The next half-hour was a mix of getting settled and entering hyperspace. Anakin drifted between the queen and Adonai. The handmaidens handled the luggage before visiting the armory. Captain Panaka was ecstatically examining all the weapons. Queen Amidala picked a small blaster and slipped it into the folds of the dress, a new one that was far more accommodating of movement.
Once they were in hyperspace, Anakin gathered the Nabooians, speaking loud enough that Adonai could hear him from the cockpit, “So, there’s a little, tiny detail I intentionally covered up. We don’t need three days. We can retake Naboo in one.”
Queen Amidala frowned, “Why hide that?”
Anakin hesitated, then decided to be blunt, “I don’t trust Senator Palpatine. So…I let him think the attack would come later than it actually will.”
Captain Panaka folded his arms, “Senator Palpatine has every interest in keeping our planet safe. It is his home planet as well.”
Anakin shrugged, “It shouldn’t matter to him whether the attack takes place in one day or three. Call me paranoid if you want, but just in case, we should look for transmissions revealing an attack in three days. He’s the only one who knows and believes the previous timescale.”
Captain Panaka reluctantly nodded, “I suppose we can never be too cautious.”
Queen Amidala bit her lip, “Are there any other…details we need to know?”
Anakin shook his head, “Not really. Oh, one thing that’s probably good to mention. Often, when Mando’ade are on a battlefield, we switch to using Mando’a. Feel free to ask us what we’re saying, it’s not meant to be secret.”
Queen Amidala tilted her head, “...Why do you revert to Mando’a?”
Anakin considered her question for a moment, “It’s the first language of most Mando’ade. That, and it’s a battle language. Short, quick words that can easily be shouted.” She nodded in understanding.
Adonai’s voice came from the cockpit, “Ad?”
“Coming buir!” Anakin politely inclined his head before dashing to the cockpit, “What is it?”
Adonai waved to the holo, “The Jetiise want to speak with you.”
Anakin tilted his head at Qui Gon through the comm, “Is there a problem?”
He frowned at Anakin, “We are not allowed to fight a war.”
Anakin laughed, “Seriously?”
Obi Wan’s image appeared in the comm, “It’s part of the agreement of the-”
Anakin had no qualms about interrupting a Jetii, “You're required to protect political leaders, right?”
Qui Gon slowly nodded, “That's correct.”
Anakin smiled and snarkily explained, “Then you are certainly required in the upcoming attack. Me, Satine, both of my buirs, and Queen Amidala will be part of the invasion. Oh, and you’re not allowed to send communications until it's over.”
Obi Wan glared at Anakin with a dead expression, “I hate you so much right now.”
Anakin gave a mocking version of the bows the Jetii were so fond of, “I can assure you it’s mutual, Jetii.”
Qui Gon gave Obi Wan a disapproving look, “Hate is the path to the dark side.”
“Yada yada magic nonsense. Anyway, you'll be guarding Satine and Queen Amidala as they free the prisoners.” Anakin rolled his eyes. Jetiise had some really weird ideas. Wouldn't ignoring the emotions and suppressing them be worse for mental stability?
Adonai clacked his arm bracers together, “For Mandalore.”
Anakin automatically responded, “For Mandalore.”
Obi Wan frowned, then smiled deviously, “For the Republic.” Anakin tilted his head. Was that intended to be an insult? Why would he be bothered by a deceleration of loyalty? Sure, the loyalties were different, but that was fine, even to be expected. For now, the goals were aligned. If that changed, Anakin fully expected the Jetii to turn against the Mando’ade. If they won anything however, they would have to pay dearly for that victory. Mandalore was the strongest it had been for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years.
The comm shut off, and Anakin sat down and took off his helmet, switching to Mando’a without a second thought, “Whew! It's going to be an interesting week.”
Adonai nodded, answering in the same language, “Yes, it will.”
Anakin hesitated before asking, his voice lowered and soft, “Do you think I made the right choice?”
Adonai glanced at Anakin, “Ad, at this point, you're the best judge of that. You have the capacity to become as strong as Mand'alor the Great. He knew of the attacks on our home before they came. If you're getting a premonition that we need allies, it's probably smart to listen to it.” Anakin nodded slowly. He was still getting used to his new abilities.
###
Padmè, now that her heavy makeup was off, matched her handmaidens. She almost preferred it, even though she sometimes got the eerie feeling of being surrounded by mirrors. Then again, it reminded her of her sister and family, so it was nice. As queen, she didn't often have time to visit her family. They weren't much part of the political field and lived in a city far away from the capital.
“I'm going to check how long we'll be in hyperspace.” She excused herself from the tactical conversation and wandered to the cockpit. The Mandalorian ship was designed differently than her light cruiser. Hers was a brighter metal, almost silvery. The Mirshko'kar had a darker metal and a more practical feel to it. There were also the gunner pods that her ship definitely lacked.
She poked her head into the cockpit, “About how long-” She froze. Anakin had his helmet off. She didn't know a lot about Mandalorian culture, but she knew that helmets off in front of strangers was a big problem, large enough that people had died. If she wasn't worried about the sudden end of the alliance and her life, she would have noticed more fully that Anakin was quite handsome. He had dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes.
He slipped on his helmet, “What is it?”
Padmè cleared her throat, “Um. I wanted to ask how long we would be in hyperspace.”
Duke Adonai was the one to answer, “It'll be around a seven hour hyperspace trip. Then a rocky landing on Naboo. I suggest getting some rest, Your Majesty.”
Padmè awkwardly nodded, “A-alright. I'm, ah, sorry. I didn't mean to…”
Anakin was still staring at her through the visor, “It was a mistake. Knock next time.” With the helmet, the tone was very emotionless. Padmè hoped her mistake wasn't going to antagonise the Mandalorians.
“Okay. Thank you again.” She ducked out, her face flaming. She hadn't made a diplomatic mistake that bad for years! Anakin didn't seem offended, only cautious. Hopefully she could convince him that she hadn't meant any harm by it.
Anakin’s murmured voice echoed in the hallway, “She's pretty without the makeup.” Padmè's face could have melted durasteel as she scurried away.
Sabe scanned Padmè's face, “Are you alright?”
Padmè cleared her throat, “Fine.” Sabe raised an eyebrow. It was a very judgemental eyebrow.
Padmè sighed and dragged Sabe into a side room, “I accidentally walked into the cockpit when Anakin had his helmet off.”
Sabe smirked, “And that explains why your face is redder than your dress.”
Padmè sputtered, “It's not like that! I made a diplomatic mistake!”
Sabe shrugged playfully, “Is he cuuuute?”
Padmè mumbled, “Yes, okay? But it doesn't matter.” Sabe's eyes sparkled mischievously, so Padmè quickly left the room. She could deal with some things later. The teenage part of her that had a crush on Anakin was one of them. Her planet had to come first.
###
Anakin patiently waited, dangling from a thread the size of a finger above a stunning cliff. Rook Kast and a few others were dangling with him, waiting for the signal that the fleet had engaged the command ship. After sneaking onto the planet disguised as an asteroid to the sensors, the Mando’ade strike teams, plus the Nabooians and the two Jetii, carefully crept to the palace. There, they split up into the two groups. Satine and Pre were working together well, though Pre kept joking about the Jetii while Satine defended them. Meanwhile Anakin found his eyes drifting to Queen Amidala. After she saw him in the cockpit, they hadn’t talked to each other, only general group messages. He hoped she wasn't avoiding him, but at the same time, was nervous for when they did get a chance to talk. Recently, more people had seen him without a helmet than in the previous two years since he swore to the creed. It was putting him on edge.
A message from Vaa-Tao popped up on his helmet, “Fleet is engaging in ten seconds.” Anakin glanced at Rook and jerked his hand up. As one, the group triggered their grappling hooks and started ascending. The wires were quiet, the whirring softer than the breeze.
Anakin waited until he was just beneath the window, then launched himself up, roaring with the other warriors, “OYA!” The Trade Federation leaders were startled, flinching back in fear. There were two droidekas and a platoon of droids guarding them.
Anakin grinned and yelled in Mando’a, “The droidekas are mine!” He ran to the droidekas while firing stun shots at the Trade Federation leaders. Once he was close enough, he used his Jetii powers to jump on top of the shield, resulting in a second’s delay before he was sitting on top of the droideka. He grabbed the guns and forced them to turn to the other droideka while the little droid fired incessantly.
The shields were quickly overwhelmed, and Anakin blasted the droid beneath him with an ion blaster before turning his gun to the other droideka. It collapsed after the second shot.
Anakin casually scanned the room while slipping his ion blaster into its holster. The others had quickly taken out the droids and the Trade Federation leaders were all unconscious. The whole battle had probably taken less than a minute.
Satine's slightly panicked voice sounded over Anakin’s comm, “There's a dar'jetii here! Both Obi Wan and Qui Gon went after him! Obi Wan activated his distress beacon!”
Anakin’s head spun to Rook, “Watch the prisoners.” He pushed a few buttons on his comm and started running, following the glowing beacon on his helmet display.
“I'm on my way. Stay with the queen.” Anakin ordered over the comm.
“I know Anakin. Please hurry.” She replied. Anakin didn't have breath to reply, but he raised an eyebrow. His sister was oddly concerned about a pair of Jetiise.
He burst into a reactor room before he had the chance to think about it more. Anakin scanned the room hastily, spotting a man with dark robes standing over a reactor core. Anakin personally thought it was an odd position, until Obi Wan flew out of the tube, grabbed a jetii'kad, and cut the Zabrak in half.
Anakin whooped as he jumped down to where Obi Wan was, “That was a good move Jetii!”
Obi Wan didn’t seem to notice Anakin, running to the side, where Qui Gon’s limp form had been blocked by the edge of the ledge Anakin had been on. Anakin immediately dashed to the Jetii’s side. Qui Gon’s robes had a burn mark on the front, a small hole. Fortunately for both Jetiise, Anakin knew field medicine. It wouldn’t be pleasant, but the Jetii would probably survive.
Anakin yanked a medpack out of a hidden pocket in his armor, then sliced the front of the robes open with a viroknife, clearing away the burnt remnants. Once the site of the wound was clean, he ripped open the medpack and shoved the bacta-soaked bandages onto the wound. At this point, he could probably use the help of the other Jetii, “Press this on the wound. Not too hard, but it shouldn’t ever leave his skin.” Obi Wan scrambled to obey. Anakin pulled a battle stim out of a different hidden pocket, glad he hadn’t needed the stims earlier. With a swift motion, he stabbed the needle into Qui Gon’s leg, then injected him.
Qui Gon gasped, trying to sit up, but Anakin kept him down, “Don’t move yet Jetii.” He tapped the bandages to Qui Gon’s chest, then checked for other injuries.
“Buir, I need a medical transport.” Anakin glanced at Obi Wan, “Roll him over, gently.”
Vaa-Tao immediately responded, “What for? Are you hurt?”
Anakin started cutting away the fabric around the exit wound, “No, Jetii Qui Gon. He got himself stabbed by a jetii’kad.”
Vaa-Tao’s sigh crackled the comm, “I’m sending Shmi down with the medical frigate.”
Anakin’s fingers didn’t fumble with the bandage he was applying, “Alright.” Shmi had insisted that she could help with the battle. Anakin hadn’t wanted to let her come, but finally agreed that she was a good enough pilot to help the fleet. Still, he made sure she was assigned the medical ship, so she would be away from the worst of the battle.
Anakin scanned his handiwork for mistakes, “It looks like he’ll live, but no active duty for at least a year, understand? He needs time to mirjahaal.”
Obi Wan finally started breathing normally again, it was starting to get annoying to hear him hyperventilate, “Thank you.”
Anakin shrugged, “We take care of those that fight with us. Now, we need to get to a place where we can safely get picked up by the frigate, but there are still a lot of droids.”
Qui Gon mumbled, “I can walk on my own.”
Anakin laughed, “No, that's the battle stim talking. Be glad it's in my dosage and not an adult's.” Dosage was calculated on personal medical history, age, and weight. Of course, Mando’ade were much more used to battle stims, and understood at what point their bodies were actually at. A safe dosage for Anakin was probably a little high for Obi Wan, and a decent amount for Qui Gon.
Qui Gon sat up, one hand on the bandage, “A Jedi has remarkable recovery time. I’m alright.”
Anakin rolled his eyes, “Obi Wan, help him walk and don’t let him strain himself. I’ll fight the droids.” It was a perfectly reasonable plan in Anakin’s mind. The battle droids wouldn’t be functioning for much longer and he knew that Qui Gon wasn't going to accept his help right now, not with the battle stim affecting his judgement.
Vaa-Tao called over the comm in Mando’a, “The droid command ship is collapsing.”
“Thanks buir. I’ll let Satine’s group know.” Anakin switched his comm channel, “Satine, the command ship is gone. I’m escorting both Jetiise to the hangar.”
“Is anyone hurt?” She was definitely unusually anxious.
“Jetii Qui Gon. He's off of active duty for a year. Your Jetii boyfriend is fine.” Anakin glanced at the two Jetiise limping down the corridor.
Satine sputtered, “He's not my boyfriend!”
“Suuuure. How did your group handle it?” Anakin grinned.
Satine huffed, “It was a fight, but we didn't have injuries. Yours?”
Anakin shrugged, “I thought I was setting myself up for a harder job. Barely took us a minute. Oh, I should probably update them though.”
Satine chuckled, “Not used to leading yet?”
Anakin sputtered, “It's my first command! Did you get everything right the first time?”
“Yes, because I'm the oldest and best child.” Satine deadpanned.
“Yeah right!” Anakin huffed before switching channels, not giving Satine a chance to respond, “The fleet has successfully taken out the command ship. We're meeting at the hangar.”
Rook responded quickly, “Good, I was getting bored.”
Anakin laughed, “I only left a few minutes ago.”
“A long time in battle.” Rook replied.
“Yeah. Kryze'ika out.” Anakin hadn’t really decided on a callsign yet, and went by little Kryze. Since he was the youngest, it was almost accurate. He was starting to rival his siblings and Vaa-Tao in height though. But since he was Mand'alor, he would probably eventually go by that.
“We’re almost there, Jetiise!” Anakin called back to the pair.
Obi Wan grumbled, “Why do you hate us so much?”
Anakin paused, “That's a question I'll answer later Jetii.” He knew it would come up sometime, but discussing his origins with others was a sensitive topic with Shmi’s recent return.
“Wait, you'll actually answer?” He flinched.
Anakin shrugged, “The way of my people is directness. Secrets do sometimes have to be kept, but we rarely lie. Now that Shmi is free, some things may now be said and revealed.”
“Was that vague on purpose?” Obi Wan frowned.
Anakin looked down, letting himself feel his tumultuous emotions, “Basic isn't my first language Jetii. It's sometimes hard to say what I want with clarity.”
“I expect answers soon.” Obi Wan scowled.
“You'll get them.” Anakin promised.
###
It took a few hours to get everything settled after the attack. Qui Gon was moved to a bacta tank, the soldiers checked the palace, then the communication disruption broke, and there were dozens of other little things to finish up. Satine stayed close to Obi Wan the entire time while Anakin shot glares at the Jetii and teasing glances at his sister.
However, finally there was enough time to take the queen and Obi Wan to a conference room and clear it of bugs. Anakin was starting to get battle drag, but he had made a promise, and he would keep it. The principal of honor had to be kept.
Anakin hesitated before removing his helmet. The area was safe, and they would need to see his face. He tucked it under his arm, “I know you both have questions…about me. My history.”
Queen Amidala nodded, “Yes.”
Anakin almost smiled at her, “I hope to answer them now. Forgive me if I slip into Mando’a or have odd grammar. Strong emotions can make it harder for me to use Basic.”
She tilted her head, “That's understandable.”
Obi Wan folded his arms, “When do we get to the ‘answering questions’ part?”
Anakin shot a glare at Obi Wan, “I was getting there. First of all, a bit of background. I was born on Tatooine, to Shmi Skywalker, a slave.”
Queen Amidala flinched, “Slavery is illegal.”
Anakin shrugged, “Tatooine is in Hutt space. They have their own laws. Anyway, Mom waited for the Jetii to find me and pick me up, since she knew I was Force-sensitive. But they were too late. I was about to be chipped, and at that point, freedom would become much more complicated.”
Obi Wan frowned, “What kind of chip?”
“Mom had an explosive chip, so that's probably what I would have had. Because she had some freedom, she was able to sneak into the bounty office with me and give me to Vaa-Tao. She was just searching for a Mando’ade hunter. She had the luck to find Vaa-Tao, giving me privileges beyond simple freedom as a child of Clan Kryze.” Anakin traced a line on his helmet, “About a month after, the Jetiise came for me. At that point, I was already a Mando’ade child. They came too late, and they spent the whole time trying to convince my buirs that I was too difficult to raise and that I had to be a Jetii. It almost escalated to a fight.”
Queen Amidala gasped, “Really?”
“Yeah. My people don't have the best relationship with Jetiise, and I have a personal reason behind my dislike. They ignored me until it was too late, then acted as though my buirs were idiots. It was an insult to me and my family I've never been able to forgive.” Anakin shot a cool glance at Obi Wan, “Does that answer your question?”
He bent his head, “Yes.”
He glanced at Queen Amidala with softer eyes, “Do you have questions for me?”
She hesitated, “Shmi was freed recently, correct?”
Anakin nodded, “By Satine. We had to be careful, since I was still legally a slave. If my mother became known, I could be taken and enslaved. So, I couldn't contact her, and Vaa-Tao had to keep a distant eye on Shmi. Satine's excuse of needing a pilot worked, as well as her decoy durasteel armor.”
She nodded slowly, “How does that change…everything for you?”
Anakin looked away, “I'm not sure yet. I am still a child of Kryze.”
Queen Amidala gently rested her hand on his shoulder, “Let me know if you need help, anytime.”
Anakin sharply looked up, “Really?”
She smiled and a piece of Anakin’s heart melted, “You helped save my planet. That's a debt I can never repay.”
He ducked his head and chuckled, “Thank you anyway Your Majesty.”
She withdrew her hand and laughed lightly, “If I can call you Anakin, you can call me Padmè.”
Obi Wan rolled his eyes, “So, we're done?”
Anakin paused, then slipped his helmet on, “Yeah, we can be done. That was the sensitive stuff. Pretty much any other question can be answered in a less secure location.” Obi Wan stormed out.
Padmè paused for a second at the door, then turned and smiled at Anakin, “Thank you.”
He smiled, “You're welcome.”
###
Padmè startled awake. She glanced around the room, her castle bedroom. It was the first night back, and she was admittedly on edge. The Trade Federation leaders and Master Qui Gon were in transport to Corrasant, and a good portion of the Mandalorians were staying for a night before returning home.
Still, she had a vague unease, a sense of danger. She sighed, then slowly got out of bed. Her hair was long enough that it was past her waist in a braid. She had never cut it beyond trims.
A gun, the one she had trained with for her own protection, found its way strapped to her waist. Padmè didn't want to wake her tired handmaidens, so she slipped out into the hallway. She hoped a walk would clear her head, calm her anxiety.
She tripped over a stray battle droid arm and tumbled to the floor. The clatter was unfortunately loud, and the pain that shot up her foot drew a stifled yelp from her. Padmè froze, hoping that she hadn’t woken any of her handmaidens up. Most of them were light sleepers, from years of needing to wake up at a moment’s notice.
The hallway was silent, and she breathed a sigh of relief, a second before Anakin slunk out of his room, gun in hand. He was wearing a fitted bodysuit that could probably take more punishment than most of the Naboo armor. His eyes were sharp as they scanned the room, landing on Padmè, still crouched on the floor.
He tilted his head, “Queen…sorry…Padmè?”
She flushed, “I tripped.”
Anakin holstered his gun then offered his hand to Padmè, “Are you alright? That sounded like a hard fall.”
Padmè accepted his hand, standing with a wince as she put pressure on her newly twisted ankle, “Just a twisted ankle. Thank you.”
He smiled, and the sight activated butterflies in her core, “Why were you up anyway? It’s been a long day for us all.”
She hesitated, debating whether or not to tell him of her vague fears. They had only met two days ago, but Anakin was clearly preparing for a longer term alliance. He had told her of things that were far from common knowledge, things that could have been turned against him. She could trust him to not spread her anxiety to the public.
Still, she didn’t meet his eyes when she admitted, “I have this…feeling. That this, whatever it was, isn’t over.”
He was silent for a long moment, leading her through the hallways with a supporting arm, but eventually turned his face to her, his blue eyes holding an odd quality Padmè had only seen among Jedi, “You’re correct. This war is only beginning. Our enemy has made the first move, but this is far from over.” Padmè shuddered, unconsciously tightening her grip on Anakin’s arm. The vague fear took a sharp form.
A galactic war. Raging fires seemed to reflect in Anakin’s eyes, droid armies marching against the Republic. She didn’t want it to come, but she knew then that it was only a matter of time before war would tear apart the galaxy.