19 BBY
Planet Coruscant
The Jedi Temple
Order 66 Initiation

At ten years old, Kia Starflier had been in the infirmary trying to jump from a height she was not yet prepared to do. She tried to use the Force to slow her fall, but failed and broke her leg as a result. Although she was still too young, yet she had already been selected to be the new padawan for Master Mace Windu as soon as she turns thirteen.

For weeks, she had been grumbling about missing her training, since she wanted to impress Master Windu with how well she could jump. Yet unknowing to her at the time, that being injured was what had saved her life on the night the Jedi Order fell.

The first thing she remembered was being startled awake by the sounds of blaster fire. Instantly she felt sick as well as a disturbance in the Force. She slowly gets out of her hospital bed, grabs her crutches and belongings before making her way out into the main hall. Around a corner, she sees a few older students and starts walking towards them.

She was about to call out to them when blaster bolts appear from across the hallway and shoots them. She stopped dead in her tracks and ducks behind a pillar against the wall. Peaking around the column, she sees two clone troopers up ahead as they march towards the younglings bodies on the floor.

"They are dead, let's keep moving," one of the clones says as they check to see if they were still alive, then walk in the opposite direction.

At this moment, she felt how hard she was breath and her heart was pounding in her head. She tries to force herself to slow her vitals, she knows panicking won't help her survive. She leaves her crutches behind, knowing they will only make noise and slow her down.

When she puts weight on her leg, she winced in pain but the adrenaline allows her to keep moving. She must work through the pain if she's going to have any chance of making it out of the Temple alive. While sneaking through the halls, she heads towards the location of where the Jedi starfighter ships were docked. As Kia rounded another corner she is met with Master Ilena Xan, who is one of the lightsaber training instructors.

"Youngling, it's okay. Child come with me," the older Jedi demanded.

"Master, what's going on?" Kia sobbed, wondering why the clones have turned on them.

"We have all been deceived, young one," Master Xan says in a terrified voice. They continue sneaking through the Temple towards the location of where the fighter ships are stored. Down another long hallway, they see an R5 astromech droid rolling towards them, beeping frantically.

"R5, come with us," Master Xan whispered loudly at the droid as they continue onwards to the docking bay. As they hide behind a cargo crate, they see two clones in the bay blocking their way towards the ships.

Master Xan spins around and says, "Youngling, forget the old ways. Go into hiding. The Jedi Order is gone. R5, make sure to take this child to safety in the Outet Rim. I must stay here to help the others."

"Master! Don't leave me!" Kia cried as she whipped her tears.

"Hush child, don't cry. Be strong. Be brave. And be safe. Your emotions can be your strength, but you must never allow it to overpower you, young one. Now go! I will distract the clones," Master Xan whispers as she leaps from the hiding spot and ignites her green saber.

"There's one over there, get her!" A clone trooper yells out as Master Xan begins attacking them with her saber.

The droid beeps frantically.

"Yes R5, this is our chance. You ready?" Kia says softly.

The R5 unit beeps again and begins moving forward. They see one clone trooper standing next to an empty ship. Kia grabs her weapon, she does her best to run towards the clone while igniting her purple saber, wincing at the pain in her leg but the Force gives her enough strength to keep fighting. She uses her weapon to block the incoming shots, but as they get closer, she jabs her saber into the clone's leg as he falls to the ground.

This was her only chance. Kia jumps up into the Jedi fighter ship and securely straps herself in.

"R5, get us out of here!" Kia yells as the droid connects with the ship.

As the droid starts the engine up, Kia yells out, "Come on, come on! Warm up faster you stupid ship!"

She sees that the clone has gotten up and is now firing at their ship, but as the large bay door opens up it reveals ten more troopers. Then the ship is finally ready. R5 steers the ship as the thruster bolts them forward and out of the bay. However, the tower is firing at them.

"R5, evasive maneuvers!" She cries out as the droid starts tilting and steering the ship in an unpatterned way as they make their way into space. Once in hyperspace, Kia relaxes in the pilot's chair of the cockpit.

"Well, now what do we do?" Kia says.

The droid beeps.

"Ord Varee? Do you really think that's where we should go?"

Once again, R5 responds with a series of more beeps and blips.

"If you say so, R5. Then Ord Varee it is then."

***

Planet Ord Varee
Two weeks later

Kia has been living alone in a refugee camp of a small settlement, hiding with nothing but the clothes on her back and her rare amethyst kyber crystal in her pocket. Hungry, alone and scared, she finds herself stealing food or rummaging through trash bins.

She often has to battle other people for food. This is not what she had in mind when she left her home to become a Jedi. Actually, she barely remembers her birthplace. She doesn't remember her real parents. Then one day, their settlement was attacked by the newly formed Empire.

Blaster fire...Screaming...it's like reliving the events at the Temple all over again. She hides behind a garbage bin as madness ensues all around her. She hears several people approaching. Heavy footsteps are coming closer and closer.

"Check over there!" A modulated male voice is heard under what could be a helmet. She clenched her eyes shut tight as a trooper appear around the corner of the bin.

"Hey, I found her!" The clone declared as Kia screamed in fear.

"Kill her!" Another man shouted The trooper aims but gets shot down by an unknown attacker. Kia peaks around the bin and sees that's it's a Mandalorian. Thick dense armor with a mysterious symbol on his left shoulder plate, heavy artillery, and incredibly, a flamethrower is ignited as the last of the troopers are killed. The clones are no match for this skillful armed warrior.

The Mandalorian walks over to Kia by the trash bin, but she is not scared. She could sense this man was not going to hurt her.

The armored man looms over her top of the trash bin and says in a very calm and soothing voice with his hand outstretched, "It's okay young one, I'm here to help. I won't hurt you. If you come with me and I'll show you the Ways of the Mandalore," he says as she reached out to hold his gloved hand and nods her head.

As Kia looks up at him, he is standing strong, green and black armor, and the symbol of a feline painted green on his armor. Heavy artillery strapped to his back, several blades and knives holstered to his belt and boots, a blaster pistol at his hip, and multiple charges strapped across his chest, and a black T-shaped helmet looking down at her.

"Very well child, from now on...you are a Mandalorian. You may call me buir, which means parent," the Mandalorian says. Kia felt relief rather than fear as this legendary warrior lift her up, wraps his arms around her as he launched them both in the air with his jet pack.

***

Late 9 ABY
Planet Yavin 4
The New Jedi Academy

"The Mandalorians?!" Kia blurts out with a gasp, tilting her head. "I've spent the last several years here. I am all that's left of my clan after the Empire took control of the planet. Any others who may still be alive are in hiding. How do you know they will listen?" She says, sitting next to Luke on a stone by a small stream.

"The rising Imperial activity in the Outer Rim is very troubling. You know the culture more than I do. Which is why I've decided to appoint you the task. We will need their help if the Empire is to be totally eliminated. It is important that the clans are to be reunited and a ruler is put into power. Din Djarin is a good man, but he does not feel he's capable of being the next ruler. However, he is in possession of the Dark Saber."

"The old Mandalorian code states that the leader is to be chosen according to whoever earns the Dark Saber in combat. We both know that following a code that does not give a person self-government is flawed. It was our downfall to begin with. The Jedi of the Old Republic engaged in a war while focusing too much attention on politics, and as a result they lost their way and the purpose of what the Jedi stood for. Besides, we both agree how deeply flawed the old Jedi codes were," she explains.

"The clans will reunite in time, but this is not for the faint hearted. He will need your help. An alliance must be made. Send him a message to offer your assistance," Luke replied. "You are a Mandalorian. He will listen to you more than he will with me. This will be your first assignment as a Jedi Knight."

"As you wish, Master," she nodded.

"As with Grogu, I'm afraid his attachment to the Mandalorian, as well as with you, has clouded his mind. It has become very difficult to teach him," Luke says softly as he lowers his head.

"With all due respect, Master, but I have to disagree with you," Kia says as she goes to stand up.

"You know attachments are forbidden, Kia," Luke says.

"Attachment alone doesn't lead to the dark side, Master. It is fear of losing them, anger and hatred," she explains. "Perhaps we should take a page out the Mandalorian creed, family is everything and the children are the future. Over the years, I have learned how to control my emotions, and that my clan has kept me strong and safe from becoming a victim of the dark side."

"Then maybe the child has found a new teacher," Luke says as he nods his head slightly.

"If that is how you truly feel, then I'll do my best," Kia sighed. "However, the child should be the one to choose."

"I agree. May the Force be with you," Luke says lightly under his dark hood.

"And may the Force be with you," she replied as she exits the chamber.

She hasn't seen another Mandalorian in years, and she's hoping they won't be angry with her for joining the New Jedi Order. These thoughts flood her mind as she stood next to Grogu's hover crib. She is attempting to gather all the information she could on his prior caretaker, Din Djarin.

"Buir..." then baby cooed, handing her a piece of paper. Kia takes it out of his tiny hands and looks at it. It's a drawing of him and the Mandalorian holding hands.

"So, you want me to give this to him?" She asked the child as the baby clapped his hands on response. "Very well. I will do that," she says as she leans down to kiss his furry, wrinkled forehead.

In contrast with what she knows about the Mandalorians she grew up with, Din is unique. Yes, he follows a code, but it is a very strict one that's different than the other clans. Through the child's mind, she can sense that Din has a sense of honor and empathy, traits she has respect for. He is also a rough and harsh bounty hunter. A solitary life of violence can take a toll on anyone.

She knows the story of Bo-Katan, who was the last Mandalorian to be given the title of Manda'lore. Yet she did not earn the saber in combat. It was given to her, which makes her a pretender in the eyes of the Old Mandalorians. Din broke his code to return the child back to the Jedi. She was excited, yet nervous, to meet him. Still, her instincts is telling her to be careful while she gathers her things. She makes her way over to her custom-made starfighter, armed with her purple lightsaber and pistol, as well as her Mandalorian armor, she is very anxious to have the opportunity to finally meet this man in beskar.