Mandalore, 19 BBY

A swarm of Republic gunships, Kom'rk fighters, fang fighters, and a Razor Crest make their way through the atmosphere of Mandalore. Following the orders of former Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano and Lady Bo-Katan Kryze, Cassus, Isaac, and Naat join in the Siege of Mandalore.

Explosions surround the ships as they're met with flak fire from the opposing Mandalorians led by the current ruler of Mandalore Darth Maul. Many Mandalorians wearing black and red armor with horned helmets approach the swarm of ships as they get closer to the planet's surface. Thanks to his expert piloting, Isaac is able to get the Mandalorians, Cassus, and Naat over the drop point. The ramp of the Razor Crest opens.

Cassus: You ready?

The Jedi adjusts her helmet, then looks at the silver and red Mandalorian.

Naat: Feeling nervous about performing in front of your home crowd, Mereel?

Cassus, smirking: Try not to get yourself killed. It'd really ruin the legacy of that armor. Besides, I need that jetpack back.

The Jedi smirks back, then they, along with 25 other Mandalorians dive out from the ramp. As they skydive down to the domed-city Sundari, they notice a large explosion followed by two beams of blue light.

Cassus: Tano has made contact. Aim for the platform three levels above her contact point!

The silver-and-scarlet-armored warrior orders. The collection of warriors use their jetpacks to maneuver to the platform in question. They soar through the air and stream straight at their target. As they approach, Cassus gives more orders.

Cassus: Ozzy, use the Z-6 before we land! You and your squad will give us the cover we need to land on that launch pad!

Ozzy: Copy that.

The larger Mandalorian chuckles as the barrels of his Z-6 rotary blaster begin to spin. Koziris 'Ozzy' Rook is a Lasat foundling belonging to Clan Rook. His large stature and strength suits his love for heavy ordinance weaponry.

(A/N: This is what Ozzy's helmet and armor look like, only they both use the first picture's color scheme.)

Ozzy fires his rotary blaster at the guards on the landing deck, taking them by surprise. They didn't prepare to be met with this much firepower so early on. Ozzy's squad fire the rockets from their jetpacks as suppressive fire.

Once the collection of armored warriors are just above the landing deck, they prepare to land, firing their blasters at the guards. Meanwhile, Naat deflects the incoming blasts and moves toward the front to protect her allies from any incoming fire. The guards fight valiantly, but they aren't a match for the overwhelming skill and power of Cassus' group.

Cassus: Ozzy, move your squad to upper levels. We need to clear the skies for our reinforcements.

Ozzy: Got it, boss.

The heavy soldier takes a small squad with him and they ascend to the uppermost levels of the domed capital city. Sinya Kairn, a red-skinned Twi'lek Mandalorian steps forward.

(A/N: The first image is to show how her helmet works.)

Cassus: Sinya, take two other snipers to the balcony overlooking that bridge. Make sure Saxon's forces are unable to breach through. If they get past this bridge, we'll be outflanked and outgunned.

Sinya: Yes, Captain.

The Twi'lek takes two other Mandos with her and jets off to the vantage point over the overpass. They set up their rifles and watch out for any of Maul's Shadow Collective.

Cassus: The rest of you, follow me and Naat. We need to secure the Civic Center, the mines, and the Living Waters below it.

Mandalorians: Copy.

The group maneuver through the large, war-torn city. They cautiously move toward the religious heart of Mandalorian culture.

Naat: I sense movement up ahead.

Cassus: Force sensitive or not?

Naat: Not sure. The Force is...strange here.

Cassus: Everyone, stay sharp.

Naat: Duck!

As she yells, she activates her twin blue lightsabers. She deflects three blasts, sending them back at their attackers.

Cassus: Ambush! Everyone, take cover!

The armored warriors do as ordered. They soon return fire at the Mandos that ambushed them. Amongst their attackers, Cassus spots a glowing yellow visor. The visor belongs to one Gar Saxon. Cassus grinds his teeth, scowling at the spineless traitor.

Gar: Mereel, do what your grandfather should've done and surrender.

Cassus: Is that you, Saxon? I thought I smelled bantha fodder.

Gar: Conversational as ever. Tell your men to stand down and I'll grant you a warrior's death.

Cassus: Funny you should mention that, Saxon...

The young Mando starts, lowering his rangefinder and plotting a flight path for the missile on his jetpack. It locks onto Saxon's position and Mereel smirks.

Cassus: I plan on letting you rot with nothing but a name and a disgraced clan.

He fires the missile, which blasts from his jetpack, curves through the air, and strikes Gar's position. Darth Maul's trusted soldier managed to avoid the missile just in the nick of time. The blast was enough to knock him down and cause debris to fall around his men.

Mereel, Alyrose, and their company leap out from behind cover and rush their ambushers. The other Mandalorians launch their wrist rockets and Gar's forces. Explosions and blaster fire fill the Civic Center. The Jedi darts forward, striking the armor of her opponents in certain spots. The power of her well-aimed strikes cause her adversaries to tuck or bend, revealing gaps between the armor and allowing her to quickly finish them.

As they push Saxon's forces to the breaking point, Gar attempts to flee. Cassus spots him and goes after him. Gar takes to the skies, but Mereel knew he would. He reaches his arm up and uses his whipcord launcher to fire a black, metal cable around Saxon's leg. He pulls down and manages to yank the Shadow Collective general out of the sky.

Saxon tumbles to the ground, but Mereel doesn't give him room to breathe. He fires one of his WESTAR-34 pistols twice, hitting Saxon in both shoulders. Gar doesn't go down, so Mereel jumps towards him and drives his knee into Saxon's stomach. The older Mando doubles over when he's met with an elbow to the back of the neck. Mereel hits him with two more knee strikes to the gut, then hits a right uppercut.

Saxon throws a weak right cross, but Cassus blocks it with his forearm and hits Gar with a Keldabe kiss. Saxon reels backward and nearly falls. Gar's ears ring and his nose drips blood onto the floor as Mereel's jetpack fires up. The young Mandalorian uses his jetpack to fly up a little, then shuts it off, diving down and hitting Gar with a stiff right hand to the helmet.

Saxon falls to the ground. He crawls toward his WESTAR-35 that dropped when he was ripped out of the sky and down to the floor. Cassus shoots it, causing it to bounce further away, then calmly walks over to Saxon. His purposeful steps remind Gar of how Jango and Jaster used to walk. He's quickly snapped out of his thoughts when Cassus stomps on his stomachs. He hunches forward, which allows Mereel to remove his helmet. While continuing to stand on him, Cassus holds his blaster pistol to Saxon's helmetless forehead.

Cassus, coldly: Don't move, Saxon.

The older man surrenders, knowing there's no other option that allows him to continue to live.

Gar: You...you are so much like Jango and Jaster.

Cassus: Tell your men to stand down.

Gar: You have no idea who you're dealing with.

Cassus: Tell them. Now.

Saxon sighs, then gives the order. His men stop and look at one another confused. Cassus quickly moves his blaster from pointing at Gar's head to his shoulder and fires. The bolt slams against the weak spot in Gar's armor, causing him to roar in pain. Mereel points the blaster pistol right back to Gar's head.

Gar: Ahhhh! Yield! Everyone, stand down!!

His group of Shadow Collective soldiers raise their hands and drop their weapons. Cassus' Mandos cuff their new prisoners and detain them inside the Civic Center. After awhile, a clone unit led by Bo-Katan comes to them and takes their prisoners off their hands.

A few days later, they get word that Darth Maul has been captured by Commander Tano. The Republic forces are going to transport the Sith off-world. Not all Republic forces are withdrawing though. Many are being left behind to help Bo-Katan's Mandalorians clear out any of Gar Saxon's forces that didn't get the memo.

Naat: Peace on Mandalore. Never thought I'd love to see the day.

Isaac: The Shadow Collective has finally surrendered. A small squad was found attempting to flee to the wastelands.

Naat: Sounds like a suicide run. We wouldn't have had to chase them. Cassus, you're being awfully quite.

The Mandalorian doesn't respond. Behind the helmet, he's staring off. His mind wanders to the caverns below. His entire being can feel the rumble of a large creature breathing, yet he isn't shaking. No one else around him can feel it. The feeling causes fear and a sense of strength, as if the creature's power is flowing through him.

Naat: Cass, you okay?

Cassus: Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm alright, Jedi. Just feels like it's not over.

Naat: I know what you mean. Now that we're closer to the Clone Wars finally ending, it feels like waking up from a bad dream. This has been a thirteen-year-long nightmare. I'm not sure what the galaxy will be like when it wakes up from this chaos.

As they talk, a patrolling squad of clones march closer to them. Their pale green and black armor shine with the sun hitting against it. Clone Commander Riddle checks his comlink. A hooded figure appears on the small device. Meanwhile, Naat leans back against a wall.

Cassus: You okay, Jedi?

Naat: No...I sense...pain. I can hear voices screaming out and being silenced almost immediately. I need to contact the Council.

The Jedi vanishes into an unoccupied communications deck and attempts to contact the Jedi Council. Meanwhile, Commander Riddle and his men approach the two Mandalorians.

Cassus: Somethin' we can help you boys with?

Commander Riddle: Where's the Jedi?

Cassus: What do you need?

Commander Riddle: The Jedi Order is wanted for treason, sir. They attacked Chancellor Palpatine last night.

Cassus: If I see her, I'll let her know you're looking for her.

Commander Riddle: We're putting a bounty on her head. 5,000 credits, dead or alive. Proof of termination is required.

Cassus: Copy that. Hey, just one question.

Mereel draws his pistols and fires multiple times, stunning the clones in an instant. Their armor clambers against the floor while the Mandalorians rush into the communications deck.

Cassus: We need to leave. Isaac, get to the Razor Crest and get out of here. We'll be right behind you.

The silver-helmeted Mando nods, then leaves the room. However, the Jedi doesn't move. She's frozen in place looking down at the holotable.

Naat: They destroyed it...they destroyed the Temple and are claiming the Jedi are traitors to the Republic.

Cassus: We know. We just stunned a squad of clones that came looking for you. Mandalore is swarming with clones that were given the order to hunt down all Jedi. We need to get you somewhere safe.

Naat: There's nowhere to go. We helped them destroy us. Every system we fought to capture and defend is now part of their malicious manhunt.

Cassus: That's why we're not going to a controlled system. I know a guy with a stolen Lucrehulk battleship. He normally hangs out above Kalee. I contacted him before we began our invasion. He should still be on his way.

The Jedi looks back at the helmet-wearing warrior with a newfound resolve. Her determination to survive outweighs her fear and sorrow.

Naat: Tell him to meet us above Bandomeer. We can't let Republic forces see him or they'll engage. How is he flying one of those by himself?

Cassus: He built an army to help him.

The Togruta Jedi wraps herself in a tattered cloak. Cassus goes off to a corner of the room and grabs something. He returns with a back plate, chest plate, and a jetpack.

Cassus: Put this on.

Naat: Why?

Cassus: We need to get to my ship and this is the fastest way.

After speaking, he presses a few buttons on his forearm. A light flashes, but Cassus grabs Naat by the shoulder and pulls her along before she could find out what it was doing. Meanwhile, inside of a Venator, the Mythosaur Mereel's engines kick on. The ship takes off, following a squadron of ARC fighters out of the large battle cruiser. It speeds down to the planet while Cassus and Naat run to the loading docks. While running, Mereel spots his ship heading straight towards them.

Cassus: There she is! Ready?

Naat: Ready!? Ready for what!?

Cassus: Jump!

He grabs the Jedi and leaps over the railing of the road they were running on. They fall for a few moments before their jetpacks are activated. The ship makes a sharp turn, spinning around to let them climb aboard the ramp at the back of the ship. Their armor clangs against the floor of the Mythosaur Mereel as they land hard. Naat looks down to see the Cassus had spun them before they crashed inside the ship. He's laying on his back staring back up at her. Or at least, that's what she thinks. She can't tell with him wearing his bucket.

Cassus: You're crushing my knee.

She quickly gets up and sees her leg had been pinning his knee against the hard metal floor. Cassus does his best to scramble to his feet. He gets to the control console, closes the ramp, and maneuvers the ship to the upper atmosphere.

Cassus: Grieve, do you read me!? We need immediate evac from Mandalore. Isaac and I will meet you above Bandomeer. Avoid all Republic systems. The clones...they've turned against the Jedi and are labeling them as terrorists. We need to get Naat somewhere safe!

Grieve: Understood. I'll meet you above Bandomeer and you can stay aboard the Colossal Haven.

Cassus: Thanks, Grieve. I wish seeing you again was under better circumstances.

Grieve: As do I, old friend, but there's nothing we can do about that. The Chancellor has just declared the galaxy to be reformed as a Galactic Empire and declared himself Emperor.

Cassus: What about the Senate?

Grieve: From what I hear, they will still be involved in the legislative process, but he will make the final decision. I'm sorry to hear about this, Naat. Cass has told me a lot about you and your skills in battle. I'm afraid fighting isn't the right move right now. I pray that I see your skills with my own eyes.

The transmission ends as they meet up with the Razor Crest. They set their course and jump to lightspeed. One thing they all knew was that the galaxy would never be the same.