Stowaway: A Star Wars Rebels Story

Breaking Barriers - Part 1

(Credit to @AlMaNeGrA on DeviantArt)

Y/N's POV:

I waited patiently in the cargo hold of the Ghost for a guest to arrive. Kanan called me and this guest in for a special meeting, and it had to do with Sabine. As I pondered what specifically about Sabine this meeting would be about, I saw a figure approach me from the other end of the base: Fenn Rau - the sole survivor of the Protectors and a polarizing figure within Mandalorian society. The massacre of his Protectors and the ongoing manhunt for his head convinced him to join our cause. Even after seeing what his own people did after pledging loyalty to the Empire, his loyalty still lay with Mandalore, and being a part of the Rebellion was his best option for keeping himself alive and reinforcing his allegiances. He helped around the base but never joined us on missions, preferring to keep his identity hidden. Such as why it was always a surprise to see him. "Good to see you again, Rau," I greeted, both of us shaking hands. "Likewise, Y/N. I take it you're here for the meeting?" he replied. "I am, follow me," I said, climbing up the ladder and into the cockpit. Nobody was on the Ghost at the moment and there weren't any missions assigned for us, so it was just doing odd jobs and upkeep around the base. We walked through the cockpit doors and stopped outside Kanan and Hera's shared cabin. I knocked and waited for a response. "Come in," Kanan said.

I opened the door to see him meditating. "You wanted to speak with us?" Rau asked. "I have something to show you," Kanan answered, motioning for us to sit. I closed the door and the two of us sat across from him. The Jedi held out the lightsaber we collected from the cave on Dathomir. "A lightsaber?" Rau wondered, unfamiliar with the weapon. "Not just any lightsaber," Kanan said, igniting the blade and displaying its black color. I smirked at the irony that was the dark-colored saber lighting up an unlit space. "It can't be..." Rau uttered as his eyes widened upon seeing the blade. "So you recognize this," Kanan said. "That I do. It is the Darksaber, The symbol for the leader of House Vizsla, and later, the group known as Death Watch," Rau replied. Kanan retracted the blade and handed it over to the Mandalorian. "I didn't know Mandalorians developed a type of lightsaber," I commented. "They didn't. This was one of a kind," Rau responded, igniting the blade again. Then he proceeded to tell its story. "Legend tells that it was created a thousand years ago by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order. After his passing, the Jedi kept the saber in their temple. That was until members of House Vizsla snuck in and liberated it. They used the sword to unify the people and strike down those who would oppose them. At one time, they ruled all of Mandalore wielding this blade. This saber is an important symbol to that house and is respected by the other clans." I sat there in awe about the Darksaber's lengthy history, understanding that it had ties to Sabine's family - an old, deep wound I never bothered to examine further. No wonder she was so desperate to bury that weapon. "I imagine Sabine must have been excited to recover it," Rau said. I faintly smiled at that bit like he read my thoughts. "You wouldn't know it. After we got back from Dathomir she gave it to Kanan for safekeeping and hasn't brought it up since," I replied. "She doesn't want the responsibility," Rau stated. Kanan and I raised our eyebrows, not sure of what he meant. "Kanan, if Sabine can wield this saber, she can reunite one of the most powerful houses in all of Mandalore," he elaborated. "You're talking about raising an army," Kanan said. "With Sabine leading it," Rau added. Their culture was one of warriors, but I couldn't fathom her being thrust into leading an entire people. At least not yet. I think I know Sabine very well, but the more I hear about her past, the more confused I become. If I am to continue this relationship with no more unknowns, I have to understand where she came from and what all this means.

"Rau, may I speak freely here?" I spoke up. "We are all free men, are we not?" he joked. "Sabine has spoken very highly of you. I am sure that what you have to say is beneficial to your partnership with her." "I have some questions about Sabine and her heritage. She hates talking about her family, more so than anyone here. What is she hiding?" I asked. "I'm sure you have heard something, no?" Rau questioned. I do remember her telling the story of her getting left for dead after breaking out from the Imperial Academy on Mandalore, but what happened before? She never mentioned her family, not even to me. "Not a thing," I responded. Surprised by my answer, Rau took a minute to find another way to explain her situation. I never got involved with any of the Mandalorian missions our rebel cell went on during my time in this galaxy, so this was a completely new experience. There had to be bits and pieces that surfaced that I wasn't aware of previously. "Obviously the only way you'll get the answers you want is to get her to open up. But I must warn you - if she fears her family as much as we think, it might be more painful than you could comprehend," Rau said. "That doesn't exactly help. How we've managed to stay together this long without opening up so deeply is impressive. Even if she faces her family and I'm standing alongside her, I'd be out of place. I know nothing of the ways of the Mandalorians," I admitted. "Y/N, I believe you're overthinking this. Your relationship is already strong. And although we don't welcome outsiders with open arms, we don't exactly shun them either. You should be tolerated, that is, if you can do things our way," Rau explained. Meeting someone with stricter customs frightened me. I love Sabine to death, but it would ultimately mean nothing if I couldn't figure out how to make myself or our relationship look good. I frowned, accepting that there was no easy answer to this problem. "I think the best solution for all of us is for Sabine to wield the Darksaber. She has to fight her past, even if that means we have to push her out of her shell," Kanan proposed. "Agreed. Bring Sabine here as soon as you can," Rau suggested. "I'm going to call an emergency meeting between us and the rest of the crew. They deserve to know about this," I said, offering a slightly different solution. "I accept that," Rau replied. "So do I," Kanan said. I nodded and left the cabin, making my way to the command center to deliver the news.