Everything Broken: A Star Wars Story

Chapter Eight: Mission on Mandalore

The transport ride to Mandalore is long and exceedingly boring. Kidara tried to spend the majority of the trip meditating, but inevitably gave up when the pilot droid started giving coordinate location updates every ten minutes. She pondered on what meeting the senate representative would be like. Kidara took it upon herself to read about Tal Merrik, but had never met him or the new Duchess, Satine Kryze. All of the information the council had assigned her to read was dated for years prior, which Kidara found strange, but she didn't want to question the council.

Kidara supposed she should hold a bit more respect and loyalty to her home planet. She didn't belong to a clan, her birth parents came to the planet seeking refuge. Kidara had no idea if they were dead or alive, not that it bothered her very much. She had heard the story of her "rescue" plenty of times, Obi-Wan had found Kidara was Anakin was just a padawan, and Cody was barely a cadet. She was found in the arms of a bounty hunter, selling her as a "Midi-child". The three had been sent on a mission to scout for force sensitive children and had somehow stumbled upon Kidara. She didn't remember any of this of course, and she was forever grateful for her being brought to the temple and taught the ways of the Jedi, but Kidara wondered if she had a choice, if she would have stayed.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the console beeping, signaling the drop out of hyperspace.

"We are dropping out of hyperspace." The pilot droid turned around to face Kidara, who was sitting on the floor.

"Thanks."

When the planet came into the viewport, Kidara felt her stomach lurch. She wasn't exactly nervous about her simple mission, she was more anxious about the mandalorians acceptance of the Jedi. She had heard plenty of stories of the great, armored warriors, who when found out the Jedi could deflect blaster fire with their lightsabers, started to used metal bullets instead. She was also aware that the planet was just barely on the brink of civil war, and didn't want to start any unnecessary fighting.

I'll keep my lightsaber on its hilt for now.

Mandalore was, in Kidaras opinion, a boring planet. there was no wildlife or greenery, just grey and simple architecture. It had been that way for thousands of years. The mandalorians were people of tradition. It was corrupt, and in all honesty, a bit frightening.

When the ship landed, Kidara waiting at the bridge, she tried one last time to release her anxieties into the force. when the hatch to the ship lowered, Kidara was taken aback. Instead of the Mandolorian prince Tal Merrik, she was met at blaster point, hundreds of mandolorians in Death Watch armor staring back at her.

"I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding," Kidara spoke, trying to keep her calm despite being outnumbered tremendously. "I do not come to enact war among my own people."

"You're a Jedi." One of the armored warriors spat. "You aren't welcome here anymore."

"I only come to escort Prince Tal Merrik." Kidara took a step forward, drawing her lightsaber, but not igniting it. "I plan to follow through with my mission."

A couple of the warriors laughed.

"Tal Merrik was killed years ago by your kind." One howled, throwing back his head. "Of course, they didn't tell you that."

Kidara took a step back. Tal Merrik is dead? Then why was I sent to escort him? Why would they send me here?

"Fire!"

Kidara didn't have time to react when a blaster shot singed the side of her arm. Kidara hissed through her teeth, deflecting blasts with her now-ignited saber as she used one hand to grasp at the wound.