Commander of Wolves

Chapter Twenty: Battle for Mandalore

Wolffe and Nya begin their preparations for battle by Nya walking over to the corner. She picks up a large crate that seems to be quite heavy for her to lift. She ends up setting it down on the table that is currently sitting against the wall, usually the two use it to clean their blasters. The young woman then grasps the cloth covering the crate and pulls it off.

"Come over here," she says quietly. "I have something for you, for the battle."

Wolffe walks slowly over to stand by his wife, and he looks inside of the crate. What he sees, shocks even the battle worn commander. What he sees is pure beskar armor, painted with royal blue highlights.

"How did you get this?" Wolffe asks faintly.

"It was my grandfather's," Nya tells him softly. "But he died at the beginning of the Mandalorian Civil War. You're a part of Clan Kryze now, and you've sworn the Resol'nare. It's yours now, I even had Sabine paint it since I'm not... well."

"Artistic?" Wolffe says dryly, a hint of a smile on his face as he glances at his wife, who nods, a soft smile on her face.

Wolffe reaches down into the crate and takes the helmet in his hands. He looks into the visor in silence for a moment. Memories of training with Jango Fett on Kamino coming to mind. Staring into a visor that was the same shape, except it was worn by a man he then admired. He remembers times when there was no war to fight and his brothers were all alive and well. Back then he never even thought that a clone could find someone who he could love and who could love him in return.

But as he takes in the blue paint, he remembers something else. He isn't just a clone, one of millions. He's a Mandalorian, just as the rest of the Wolfpack. And never again will they be called nothing.

"Vor'e," he says. "And just in time."

Nya nods and takes his hand. "I have to believe that we're going to win. I have to believe that we'll survive," she murmurs.

Wolffe turns to face her. "We're Mandalore, and Mandalore will always survive."

Nya nods and the two begin to prepare for battle. Nya makes sure her blaster holsters are on tightly and places her jetpack on her back. And by the time she has made sure she is prepared for battle, Wolffe is geared up and ready to fight, his helmet tucked to his side and Nya's held in front of him. She takes her helmet and tucks it into her own side.

Together, Wolffe and Nya walk to the front of the palace of Mandalore. They both take their places to the right of Bo-Katan and they wait for the forces of the Mandalorian clans to fully assemble with the clones and former members of the Jedi Order. Through the glass of the Sundari dome, Nya watches as the Empire's ships gather above.

Once the clones, the Jedi, and the Mandalorian warriors have gathered in front of the palace, Bo-Katan steps forward. She stays at the top of the steps, but her words are projected to everyone gathered there.

"You all know why the clans of Mandalore have resembled to fight again so soon. We are here to fight to survive, and to win our freedom from the Empire. We will defeat the Empire and show them that the children of Mandalore will always survive!"

The crowd of Mandalorians cheer, putting their fists in the air, encouraged by the leaders of their clans. Bo-Katan then draws the Darksaber from her belt and holds it high above her head.

"We will show the Empire than the children of Mandalore are not to be overlooked! We will show them that Mandalore never surrenders!"

The cheers of the Mandalorian warriors become, if possible, even louder. As the Darksaber projects its light, Nya and the others who have been given leadership roles in the battle, run down the stairs that lead to the palace and over helmet comms order their soldiers to their sides. Most of the men of the 104th flock to fly beside their former general as she takes off and exits through the top of the, now open, dome of Sundari.