291Hey guys! Specter7 here with my all new, super amazing, awe-inspiring fanfic; The New Mand'alor. This story takes places right after "Trials of the Darksaber." So, forget anything you learned in "Legacy of Mandalore" and on up, because we are starting with a clean slate!
Also, this fanfic is pretty much totally Ezra-Sabine centered. There IS Sabezra in this story-just not excessively. I've focused more on their relationship rather than their *supposed* romance.
Of course, I don't own Lucasfilm and all that jazz. And props to marilyne06art, which is who I got the cover from. Anyways, read and...
May the manda be with you.
The New Mand'alor: Chapter 1 : The Journey Begins
"…We think too often in terms of dualism: Jedi or Sith, Light or Dark, Right or Wrong. But there are three sides to this blade, not two, opposed and similar at the same time.
"The third edge is the Mandalorian."
-Vergere
Sabine Wren stuffed random pieces of clothing into a large bag as she packed for the long journey ahead. It had been a few days since Kanan had trained her to use the Darksaber and Sabine had overcome her past. Those training days had been emotionally trying on the young Mandalorian and she was still recovering from everything she had told Kanan and Ezra and Rau. Unfortunately, it had been necessary for Sabine to go through that. To have faced her past once again. For years, she had ignored it. She had buried it somewhere deep, deep inside her where no one could see it.
But her past was still there.
It had followed her around like lovesick Loth-cat, nipping at her heels and reminding her of what she had done, and that the scars it gave her were still painful.
And after so long of wanting to forget what she had happened, Sabine had finally brought it to light. She had finally confessed to Kanan, Ezra, and Rau what she had done. And what her family did to her. Sabine had confessed… just how much it hurt her to go through what she did. But Sabine hadn't really been fighting Kanan when she was training with the Darksaber.
She had been fighting herself.
She had had to resurface all of those old feelings and grudges to be able to truly hold the Darksaber for what it was; the legacy of Mandalore. Sabine had had to work through all of that pain, misery, suffering, and just plain hurt to finally accept her role. And she did. She did now. Sabine had come to terms with what had happened and she was ready to lead her people.
Well… almost.
Suddenly, there was an abrupt but quiet knock on the door. "Sabine," a gentle voice said softly. "It's Hera."
"Come in," Sabine called, her back to the door and continued packing.
The green-skinned Twi'lek stepped into the room and came and sat by Sabine, crossing her legs on the floor. "How're you holding up?" Hera asked quietly.
Oh, I'm fine, Sabine thought sarcastically. Just packing up to go back to the old fam. It's not like they want to kill me or anything. It's not like my brother shot me last time we talked. Or like my father disowned me. Or my mother said she didn't love me. It's not like they all abandoned me or anything and now every Mandalorian hates me.
Sabine fought to not clench her jaw as she thought of all the things she wanted to tell Hera. "As well as can be expected," was all she said, breathing in a shaky breath. The Mandalorian bit her lip and stayed silent, still sorting through her clothes.
"I know that look," Hera said suspiciously. "What's wrong, Sabine?"
"They hate me!" the teen burst, throwing her hands in the air and standing up. "My family, the rest of Death Watch, everyone! Anyone who's heard the name, 'Sabine Wren' was raised to hate it."
"Sabine," Hera insisted, standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter what they think. All it means is that you'll have to work harder to prove them wrong."
Sabine hesitated, looking into the Twi'lek's sea green eyes. Sabine was conflicted, with a number of emotions turning inside of her about the incoming journey. She knew she was going back to Mandalore. She had to. She was just nervous about how her family and Death Watch would react.
Sabine had left to save her people… And now, she was coming back for that very same reason.
It was time for Sabine to fix her mistakes, no matter how difficult they were.
They were wrong about me, Sabine thought determinedly. I'm not a traitor. I saved them before and I'll save them again.
"I'll prove them wrong," the young Mandalorian said aloud, steeling her nerves. "I'll show them what I did for the Wrens. What I did for all of Mandalore."
She watched Hera smile and let go of her shoulders. "I know you will," Hera said with quiet pride.
The two settled back onto the floor and the green-skinned Twi'lek helped Sabine pack.
"Are you ready, though?" Hera asked, gathering stacks of flimsiplast for Sabine to draw on.
"Not really," Sabine admitted, taking the flimsi from Hera and putting it into a folder. "But it doesn't matter, I guess."
"Recruiting Mandalorians for the Rebellion is no easy task," Hera agreed, then seemed to hesitate."…And I'm sorry I put you up to it."
Heh. Sorry. Oh, how Sabine wished she could've heard those words earlier… Preferably before she had poured her heart out to Kanan, Ezra, and Rau.
Sabine sighed. Too late now. "Don't be sorry, Hera," she said. I know this is important to the attack on Lothal's factories and I'll do anything to grow the Rebellion."
Sabine meant what she said, but this was really stretching what she would do for the Rebellion. Her first duty was to her true family with Hera and Ezra and the rest. And tied in second place was between her duty to Mandalore and her duty to the Rebels.
Sabine was raised to believe Mandalore always came first, over blood, over friends and over any previous ties. There would always be a part of her that was loyal to her homeworld and its culture, but was the Rebellion more important?
Sabine mentally shook her head. She had been debating these thoughts for years now, and she desperately hoped the manda wasn't looking down on her at the moment, observing these speculations.
"Good," Hera said, interrupting her thoughts. "And I have faith in you convincing the Mandalorians to fight against the Empire."
Sabine glanced her mentor. Hera was nice enough and Sabine knew she cared about her… but Hera simply didn't get Mandalorian culture. Sabine couldn't just convince the Mandalorians. Even if they accepted her as the new Mand'alor, the leader of her people, there would be many who would challenge her rule. As the Mand'alor, it would be all other Mandalorians' duty to follow her. They would have to. It was one of the rules in the Resol'nare, the code of law all Mandalorians lived by.
So, Sabine couldn't just convince her people to follow her… she would have to prove her worth. Her mettle. Her valor.
She would have to prove once and for all, with Darksaber in hand, that Sabine Wren was the new Mand'alor.
Sabine grabbed her bag and slung the strap across her chest. She had packed a single change of clothes—she never wore much else besides her armor—and pajamas. Sabine had also stuffed plenty of flimsi to sketch on in her spare time, several extra capsules of paint to tag on public property later, and a few power cells. But she hadn't forgotten her explosives, as now, her belt was heavy and full of charges.
As she exited her room, she grabbed another small bag that contained stray pieces of armor, like the gauntlets she used to wear (now replaced with the vambraces Rau gave her), her jetpack, plackart, codpiece, a pair of her old gloves, and her helmet. Sabine hadn't worn all her armor in years and she didn't plan to anytime soon.
Sabine stood at the front of her room as the automatic door slid open. She took a deep breath and looked one last time over her shoulder. Her room was covered floor to ceiling with spray paintings of all kinds, from cartoony murals to random tags. All of those crazy colors told Sabine's story. It was her way to express herself and her life.
Sabine looked up at the ceiling. Starting from the top bunk bed were stands of orange paint that looked like flames as they fanned out to cover the top half of the room. Further up, in the midst of the orange inferno was a mural of an animated version of Kanan, Hera, Zeb, Ezra, Chopper, and herself, all gathered together like they were taking a family holopic. And then, right above that, the orange "flames" seemed to part to reveal the purple outline of a Starbird, a legendary Phoenix-like creature.
Sabine silently said her good-byes to the art and walked out the room, hoping and praying that the manda would have mercy on her and let her make it back from the perilous journey alive.
She walked down the Ghost's hallway, glancing at Ezra's and Zeb's room. The door was open and she could hear the Lasat giving Ez the traditional good-bye ritual, Zeb-style.
Which was basically Zeb trying to playfully strangle Ezra and Ezra trying to sucker punch the Lasat in the gut.
Sabine rolled her eyes and shifted the heavy bag slung across her chest. She walked down the hallway and turned the corner, nearly plowing into the blue-painted chest plate of Fenn Rau.
Sabine glanced up at him. "Sorry," she mumbled and tried to move past him but Rau grabbed her arm.
"Let me come with you," he insisted. "I could offer my assistance when you meet your mother."
Sabine stiffened and looked away. "We're not going to Krownest," she muttered. "I've already set the Phantom II's course for Mandalore."
Sabine tried to push past him but Rau blocked her path. "Mandalore?" he exclaimed in his deep, growling voice. "What could you possibly want to do there—"
"I'm going to Death Watch."
Rau's face was priceless. He froze, his mouth agape, and his icy blue eyes staring at her. Rau finally contained himself. "Death Watch?" he mused.
Sabine nodded. "Their warriors are unmatched and they'll be useful in the final attack on Lothal's factories," Sabine said, glancing at the man and finally slipping past him.
Rau didn't seem very impressed. "And what of your parents? Of Clan Wren? I hope you're being strategic in all this."
Sabine stopped cold and her hands clenched into fists at the sound of her clan's name. "I'm not going back to my mother," she said finally, her back to Rau.
"My mother's coming to me."
Sabine stood on the Ghost's ramp, Chopper trailing behind her. She had explained briefly to Rau her plan for herding her mother to come to Sabine on Mandalore. If Sabine grew a big enough reputation with the Death Watch, her mother would get interested, hearing rumors of the new Mand'alor that was supposedly her own daughter. Sabine knew her mother. She was too enthralled in Mandalore's politics not to come.
Sabine looked at the Phantom II docked just outside on Atollon's sandy ground. That was the ship that would take them to Mandalore and to the dreaded Death Watch.
She glanced up at the gorgeous sunset with several mixed emotions. She couldn't help but realize ominously that the last time there had been a sunset this spectacular was when Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka had left for Malachor.
"We'll see each other again. I promise."
Kanan's empty words rang in Sabine's ears. She had overheard the Jedi say the exact phrase to Hera almost a year ago ago. Little had Kanan known that he would soon be blinded, never able to fulfill his promise.
Ezra suddenly ran up beside her, interrupting her thoughts, and laughing as he heard Zeb growl from back inside the Ghost.
"I'll get you for that!" the Lasat roared.
Ezra just laughed again and Sabine fought to not roll her eyes a second time. "You ready to go?" she asked him.
"Yup," the Padawan answered. "You?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"I know the feeling."
The two looked at each other and Sabine's amber eyes scanned his features. Ezra's jet-black hair was slowly starting to grow out again from when he lopped it all off. Gone was the shaggy-headed boy whose awkward attempts to flirt with her only earned him sarcastic rebuttals. Now, in his place was a tall, strong young man, a seventeen year old, with defined muscles and confident stature.
Ezra gave her his classic lopsided grin and Sabine started to smile. Yet still, after everything that had happened… some things never changed.
The two stepped off the Ghost's ramp in unison and walked to the Phantom II.
"I can take that for you," Ezra said before they reached the ship, gesturing to her luggage.
Sabine stiffened. "I'm capable of carrying my own bags, thanks," she said, unmeaningly turning on the sass. Does he seriously think I can't take care of myself? Sabine thought privately, offended.
Ezra was still smiling. "I know," he said simply.
Sabine looked at him and the tan-colored, light-weighted backpack he had on his shoulders. Oh. He was just being a gentleman. …Maybe she had read the situation wrong.
Sabine hesitantly put her small bag into Ezra's outstretched hand and took the larger one off her chest, giving it to him as well.
"Thanks, Ez!" Sabine called after him as the teen took her bags inside the Phantom II.
She turned to see the rest of her family waiting just outside the Ghost. But oddly, Kanan didn't have any bags. Didn't he say he would be coming with them?
Sabine looked into the Jedi's blind, cloudy eyes. …Oh. She knew why he decided against it.
Where Sabine and Ezra and Chopper were going was no place for a Jedi. The Mandalorians' nemeses were the Jedi. And Ezra could hide the fact that he was Force-sensitive, however, a blinded Kanan could not.
Sabine walked over to Kanan, Hera, Rau and Zeb. All four looked at her and Sabine didn't know what to say.
Finally, Zeb broke the silence. "Well, this seems familiar," he rumbled quietly. "Saying our good-byes, just like Malachor."
"But this time," Sabine promised, "It won't be the same outcome. I will succeed. I'll lead my people."
"We know you will," Hera said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And we trust you."
Sabine swelled with pride. Her family had put their trust in her. Now it was time to convince her blood family to do the same.
"I have faith in you, Sabine Wren," Fenn Rau spoke up. "There is no one better to lead our people than you."
She frowned, wanting to disagree with him. She already thought she wasn't a good leader, but the best? Rau must be way off. She was just doing this because she had to. "Sabine," Kanan said suddenly.
She paused and looked up at the man gravely.
"The path you walk won't be easy," Kanan advised solemnly. "It will be hard and challenging, but you must stay true to who you are. Do you understand?"
Sabine pursed her lips before replying, "I do."
"Right now, we're with you," Kanan continued. "But there will come a time when you will have to walk your journey alone. And when that time comes, remember one thing."
Sabine leaned forward, anticipating what he was about to say.
"Trust in the Force."
Sabine sighed. This again. "I told you Kanan, that Jedi stuff isn't for everyone! Leave the trusting-in-the-Force nonsense to Ezra. Give me a good old blaster and paint bomb any day." Sabine turned to leave when Kanan gently grabbed her arm.
"The Force resides in all living things," he said sternly. "In me, and in you. But you have to be open to it."
Sabine gritted her teeth. Did Kanan seriously have to keep teaching her this? She wasn't a Jedi!
"One day," Kanan said gravely, "Your blasters will fail you. You will run out of charges. And your own skills will not be up to the task."
Sabine stared at him, her eyes wide and bumps began to form on her arms. The way Kanan said it… it was like he was declaring a prophecy on something soon to happen to her…
"And when that day comes," Kanan continued solemnly, "The Force will be the only thing able to spare you from the inevitable."
Sabine narrowed her eyes. She knew Kanan was serious and believed every word he spoke, but… it was so far-fetched! Sabine had never in her life ever felt anything mystical or magical like Kanan's and Ezra's Force. How could she trust in the Force when she'd never even sensed in?
"Close your eyes, Sabine," Kanan breathed, doing what he just commanded. "Feel it. Feel the Force. It's always been there… It will guide you."
Chill bumps continued to form along her skin as she watched Kanan's relaxed face inhale and exhale slowly and evenly. Sabine bit her lip. Who did Kanan think she was? A Jedi? She couldn't feel the Force! She wasn't born with oh-so-mighty powers like Ezra! But Kanan was serious about the whole 'close your eyes and feel it' stuff so Sabine glanced up at him. "I'll… I'll try," Sabine mumbled.
"Do or do not. There is no try," Kanan corrected. "Now, go. Adventure awaits, Sabine."
The Mandalorian hesitated and gave a slight bow to the blind Jedi.
"I'll recruit the clans," she promised. "… And I'll make you proud."
She watched as Kanan gave the slightest of smiles. "You already have."
Sabine took a deep breath and turned, leaving Hera, Kanan, Rau and Zeb as she walked onto the Phantom II. Ezra was sitting at the controls, prepping for liftoff.
"Hey," the black-haired boy greeted. He glanced over Sabine's shoulder. "Where's Kanan?"
"Not coming," Sabine answered tersely, walking closer to the pilot's seat.
Ezra looked confused. "Why?"
"Mandos and Jedi don't mix," Sabine explained. "They're the Mandalorians' number one enemy. We'd have a tough time convincing Death Watch that Kanan wasn't a Jedi, him being blind and all."
Ezra seemed to mull her words over and he finally nodded. "Makes sense, I guess." The Padawan stood from the pilot's seat, offering Sabine the controls.
She settled into it, grabbing the steering yoke and glancing at Ezra who sat in the co-pilot's seat.
"You ready?" she asked.
Ezra gave her a lopsided grin. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Sabine looked ahead at Atollon's gorgeous sunset, the rays of light fading, casting strands of color all across the night sky.
"I know the feeling," she murmured, repeating Ezra's earlier words. Sabine looked once more over her shoulder at Kanan and the others and then closed the hatch.
"Adventure awaits," Sabine breathed, easing the acceleration throttle forward.
And so the journey began.
That's all folks! But don't worry, I'll keep on writing. I've already done the first four chaps and I'm just perfecting them before I post. Stay hungry for the story! And little sneak peek on the next chapter— the title is: "Clan Caladon."
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Specter7 out.