Broken Codes

Prologue

Kalevala: 36 BBY
Clan Ralius Territory
Nakoa Sen

Everywhere he looked, there were flames. Smoke swirled in the snowy air. Timbers creaked and groaned before collapsing into burning heaps. Nakoa cried out again, but there was no sign of his parents.

Mandalorian warriors soared through the air, grappling with one another. Blaster fire erupted every few seconds and bodies fell. Nakoa recognized the insignia of Clan Vizsla on one fallen warrior. He knew the symbols of all the Clans. His mother had taught them to him as soon as he could walk.

Nakoa stumbled back towards a house that had yet to be touched by flames. He had no idea where he was. His own home had long since been burned. Close by, he spotted Ellis and Fey, the leaders of Clan Ralius.

"Nakoa!" He turned as a familiar woman ran towards him. She gathered him into her arms and started running before he had a chance to speak.

"What's happening? Where's Dad?" Nakoa whimpered.

His mother didn't answer. Nadi kept running and pulled a blaster into her free hand. Nakoa noticed her blood spattered armor, marred also by soot. Nadi skidded to a stop near a building at the far end of their small village. She set him down and pulled a vibroblade out of her boot.

"Take this. Do you remember how to use it?" She wrapped his small hand around the hilt of the blade.

Nakoa nodded and swallowed hard. He dropped his head, tears burning in his eyes. Nadi removed her helmet and tilted his chin up, forcing him to meet her gaze. "You'll be all right, my son." She gave him a small smile.

"What's happening?" Nakoa asked again.

"Clan Vizsla made good on their vow. They intend to wipe out Clan Ralius, but they will not succeed."

She stood, but Nakoa grabbed her by the wrist. "Why do they want to kill us?"

"Because of our ties to Clan Kryze. Our houses have always carried tensions between them. By destroying us, they hope to weaken Clan Kryze. No more questions. I have to go find your father and help." Nadi kissed his forehead, then threw her helmet on and activated her jetpack. She rocketed out of sight.

Nakoa clutched the vibroblade and stared at the battle around him. No one seemed to notice him. His luck was short lived. Another Mandalorian plummeted from the sky and hit the snow with a thud. Sparks flew from his jetpack. He tugged it off and cast it aside, before catching sight of Nakoa.

The warrior extended a blade from his vambrace and stalked towards him. Nakoa stared in fear, the small amount of training he'd had quickly slipping from his mind. The vibroblade shook in his grip.

"Where are the heirs?" The warrior snarled. He latched his free hand around Nakoa's throat and pressed the blade up against his cheek.

Feton and Tai, Nakoa realized. He'd only interacted with them a few times. Feton was just a year older than him. He became aware of the vibroblade he still held. Nakoa slashed it towards his enemy's fabric clad neck.

With a cry of rage, the warrior dropped him. "Blasted kid!" Nakoa took off running. He looked back once, in time to see blood drip from the man's wound. It didn't look deep enough to be fatal. It only seemed to have angered the man more.

Nakoa ran faster and heard footsteps crunch on the snow behind him. A blast bolt whizzed past him, singeing a lock of his dark brown hair. Another shot caught his leg. Nakoa sprawled in the snow. He flipped himself over and made sure his grip was still tight on the vibroblade.