The Mandalorian and the Jedi: Book One of the Mandalorian Series

Chapter 1: The Mandalorian

Dedicated to SamuraiShima

     The bone-chilling wind howls as the Mandalorian leads his bounty to the speeder port, the Mythrol keeping his head down as he shuffles along, careful not to slip on the treacherous ice that coats the gangway. As they reach the port, the Mandalorian requests a ride to the shipyards, the ferryman nodding and playing a few notes on his flute-like instrument. A speeder approaches several moments later, the pristine craft gliding over the ice and pulling into the port without making a sound.

     The astromech piloting the speeder beeps politely, but the Mandalorian turns to the ferryman and firmly states, "No droids."

     "I assure you, this speeder is brand new," the ferryman replies. "It is the latest model—"

     The Mandalorian hands the ferryman a pair of credits, the Kubazian staring at the currency for a moment before playing another set of notes on his instrument. The astromech grunts before gliding away, the mint-condition speeder quickly being replaced by a vessel that sputters and clanks as it pulls into the port. As the speeder makes its way across the icy plains of Pagodon, the burly pilot peers through his macrobinoculars and sighs, the Mythrol nervously following the man's gaze.

     When the Mythrol asks the pilot if he is looking for ravinaks, the man nods and replies in a deep voice, "It's clear right now. But be careful near the port. Everyone dumps their Gray Holds out. They think the whole entire planet is their own personal stink pit."

     The Mythrol gags as they near the shipyard, pulling up alongside the Razor Crest, a sleek ST-70 assault ship built before the Empire came to power. The Razor Crest features three sets of landing gear and a domed cockpit, as well as a pair of laser cannons and twin engines – which are located at the back of the ship – that sit up and out to either side. Because the Razor Crest has seen better days, the Mythrol offers to hire a cruiser for the Mandalorian, claiming that it will make their trip more pleasant. Instead of responding, the Mandalorian grabs the Mythrol by his shoulders and pulls him out of the landspeeder before paying the pilot.

     The speeder's engines cough before finally turning over, and the pilot warns, "I'd stay off the ice if I were you."

     "You think there's really something to worry about?" the Mythrol asks as the speeder makes its way across the shipyard, the pilot quickly being pulled under the ice when a ravinak explodes from beneath the surface and envelopes the speeder in its maw.

     The Mythrol gasps and climbs onto the Razor Crest's landing gear, the ice cracking as the ravinak closes the distance between itself and the Mandalorian's gunship. The Mythrol starts to scream as the massive creature lunges through the air, but his cry is cut off when the Mandalorian grabs his arm and pulls him inside. The ravinak sinks its teeth into the landing gear as the Mandalorian shoves his prisoner into the cockpit, the Mythrol cursing as he sits in one of the passenger seats.

     "'Stay off the ice.' That's the understatement of the millennium," the Mythrol rambles as the Mandalorian prepares the Razor Crest for takeoff.

     The gunship begins to pull away from the shipyard but is quickly stopped in its tracks, the ravinak dragging it back towards the surface. As the Mythrol is pitched forward in his seat, the Mandalorian sighs and stabilizes the Razor Crest before leaving the cockpit, despite his prisoner's objections. He grabs his Amban sniper rifle and climbs into the cargo hold, opening one of the ship's side hatches to find the ravinak gripping onto the landing gear with its tusks. The Mandalorian grips onto the nearest handhold as the Razor Crest lurches, regaining his balance before electrocuting the ravinak with his rifle. The ravinak roars in fury and lets go of the gunship, which pulls away from the water's surface.