Shadows of Tomorrow

Chapter 90 - Zero Hour

Author's Note: Cliffhanger ahead. :D

~ Amina Gila

War is in their blood. It's defined Vizma's entire life. Both her parents grew up in a war, and so has she – from the time she was young. She doesn't fear the battle – she knows in her heart they will win. She's not afraid of failure, only of losing the rest of her family. Being on Mandalore reminds her so painfully of Aunt Satine.

It's so hard, but when they're fighting, it helps. This is the end. Her father will take out the Emperor. Then, it will be... Vengeance won't undo what has been done, but it will help. It will lay her mind to rest.

They have their part, and they'll take out the traitors to Mandalore. Hopefully, it will work as her parents think it will. She can't deny having a bad feeling about this, but it won't stop them. Breathing in and out, she lets it go.

These are traitors to Mandalore. Mandalore's only loyalty is to itself.

She can feel something is going to go wrong as they start blasting their way inside. The plan is to destroy the Imperial base here and free Mandalore. Her mother and the rest of the Nite Owls are here.

She's fought alongside her mother since coming home, but this is different now. This is the end. Not the end of war, certainly, for Mandalorians will always be warriors, but it's the end of the Empire. It all ends today.

Her mother blasts the guards outside, and they enter. It reminds Vizma how much she misses BD and Chopper. It's more difficult when they don't have a droid to open doors and break into the network. Her father's lightsaber hums in her hands, a constant reminder of him. It still feels like him. Kyber crystals rarely bond with a new owner.

Their objective is clear: get inside and blow it up. Sabine would be proud.

"Is it just me, or are we encountering abnormally little resistance?" Vizma asks when they round another mostly deserted hall. It doesn't make sense. They're fighting other Mandalorians as much as they are the Empire, or at least they should be. Something isn't adding up.

"I suspect this is a trap," her mother replies, stepping back against the wall. Vizma joins her, and they peer around the corner. Getting into the command center should be easy – maybe. It might have been, if that wasn't the same moment the traitors arrive.

Bo-Katan moves to the front, blasters raised, and Vizma raises her father's lightsaber defensively, holding her blaster in the other hand.

"Traitor," the Imperial dares to accuse.

"The only traitor here is you, Gar Saxon," her mother replies in the same sharp way she speaks to everyone not of her own family. War has shaped and hardened them all, and Vizma knows that, but she thinks, sometimes, a part of her doesn't understand. A small, tiny part of her wants to live in peace, where she won't fear losing her family and where they can be open with one another. But that will never happen, and she can't imagine a life not earned through fire and blood – sometimes literally. "You've chosen the Empire over Mandalore. Over our home and our heritage."

"The Empire will strengthen us. You try to take that away."

"The only person on Mandalore who is getting stronger is you," Vizma growls, hand tightening over her lightsaber. "You betrayed your planet and your people for power."

"And you, young Jedi? You are not Mandalorian. You have no right to bear our name or wear our armor."

"I'm no Jedi," she snaps.

"You will not demean my family in such a way," Bo says in a voice of ice.

"You have chosen this yourself when you married a Jedi. He was our enemy. He's a decent of Revan!"