As the clans outside the small ramp I was to walk up to enter the courtyard could be heard talking excitedly about the coming bout, especially as it is the first Challenge in which the Challenger wished for a mostly bloodless fight. Neither fighter would be dishonored or killed this day and there was much buzz about why. I chanted to myself quietly, moving fluidly through various unarmed strikes and forms, striking a training dummy when appropriate or otherwise striking the air. Tonight was an important night, one that I could only hope I could shape.

The time of the fight draws close. I'd spent much of the time leading up to this moment practicing my unarmed forms. It had been a while since I went hand to hand with someone. I was glad it was Temari I would be facing in such an up close and personal way. This fight would require skill alone; no fancy tricks or gadgets. It would be a tough fight, but I was determined to see it to the end.



I managed to slip past security and make it to the place Ava was using to warm up. When I see her, dressed in a tank top and gym shorts, I don't make my presence immediately known. I just stand in the doorway, debating whether or not to approach. "So... this is it? The fight to decide it all?"



I turn, surprised. When I realize it's HJ, I calm myself. "Yeah. I guess it is. Either way, the Mando'ade will prosper. I already said I had no plans to do anything else deceptive. I want to make things right."



"You say that, but you've already done a lot to damage them. Not everybody is going to be happy with the outcome of this fight. Zarka Saxon won't be the last to say you are a poor leader, or question your choices, or talk about our relationship. You going to let them talk, or will you consider another 'preemptive strike'?"



I narrow my eyes. "Did you come here just to antagonize me and distract me so that I'll lose the fight?"



"No. I came here to let you know... I'll be watching. And no matter how this goes down... I think we need to have a long talk."



"We will." I say in annoyance. Then, more calmly, I repeat it. "We will. I promise we will."



"Well, good. So... Good luck, or break a leg. Hopefully not your own." I step back. "Okay... I'll leave you to get ready now." I feel like I should say more, but I don't. I'll save whatever it was for later. I slip back into the hall and make my way to where Dad and Grandpa are.



I can hear the crowd outside beginning to get riled up, and I know that it is because the Battlemaster has begun hyping them up. I could also hear the sound of instruments being tested; drums and woodwind players warming up. This truly would be a spectral to behold. I wondered how many non-mandalorians would come to see what was going on, and be treated to this fanfare. Would they think our alien culture crazy, or would this somehow ingratiate us more? I hoped for the latter; perhaps they would start welcoming their conquerors and ask us to stay. Who needs a new Chancellor anyway? I allow myself a smile at the thought before heading towards the ramp.

As the crowd begins to be whipped into a frenzy by the Battlemaster and the sounds of various instruments start up, I begin for the ramp, each step filled with purpose. Above, the Battlemaster began his speech properly as they got halfway up the ramp. "Mando'ade, today is a momentous day! On the eve of the conquering of the Heart of the Republic, the homeworld of our way of life's progenitors, Manda'lor the Risen finds herself challenged for the title of Manda'lor by none other than Temari Ordo, the Valkyrie herself! The bout is different from what we have seen in the past, with both fighters unarmed and unarmored, but it will be no less glorious to behold!" I enter the plaza to a tremendous number of applause and roars of encouragement as the band truly strikes a tune. Across, Manda'lor's entering at the same time, our timing synchronous by design.

As I face Temari across the plaza, I raise my fist to my chest in a salute to her. She does the same, and on the Battlemaster's signal, we begin to spreadily approach each other. Hundreds of Mando'ade in the crowd begin chanting along to the drums, and I instantly fall into a combat posture as I meet Temari in the middle. Traditionally, the challenger made the first move. Now we would see just how determined my old mentor was to take my title from me.

I did not arrest my momentum for more than the fraction of a second it took me to assess Ava's most open spot in her defense, and then threw an open palm strike there. However, it was a feint, as the moment she went to block and counter attack, I would use my other arm to strike her temple and stun her. These opening moments in a bout like this were important, as the Challenger was the one to set the pace and I trusted that my pace would be more than she had experienced in her time as Manda'lor.

I fall for the initial faint, but as Temari's hand comes up towards my head, I pull back, just barely dodging the strike. Going with the momentum, I take another step back and drop low, sweeping my leg to strike at her ankles and hopefully knock her off balance.

I dance back away from the sweep and then lunge back in quickly, aiming a triplet of quick nerve strikes at her left shoulder followed by my own sweeper kick. Once I'd completed those, I dance back, my defense still up as I appraise the best way to come forward again.

Pinpoints of pain explode in my shoulder where Temari's hits land, and I can feel the nerves rippling down my arm. Luckily, I'd trained to resist focused attacks like this, and so I am able to stop my limb from going dead. While Temari is retreating a step, I throw myself forward and catch her on the back foot. I ram my head into her stomach and wrap my arms around her, lifting her off her feet briefly before slamming her to the ground.

The air leaves my chest with a loud 'umph' but I recover quickly. Ava hadn't yet cemented her position on top of me and so I hook my leg around her own and pull as I throw my hip, shifting positions to where I'm not on top. Rather than raining blows on her well defended head and face like an untrained child, I deliver a powerful hammer blow to her collar bone the moment she shows it and follow it up with an elbow blow to her pelvis. Having hopefully unlocked her legs by now I roll back and back onto my feet. Moving back into range quickly, I aim a powerful ax kick at her chest. While none of these blows would be enough to kill her, the wounds would certainly add up. I make a mental note to deliver another series of nerve strikes to the same arm when I can, fully immobilize it.

Temari was a better fighter than me. That was something I knew for a fact going into this, but I really didn't have much of a choice anyway. I take most of those hits, hissing through my teeth with each bones rattle blow. But as Temari comes down with the ax kick, I quickly twist myself out of the way, causing her foot to slam into the ground. While still on the ground, I kick the side of her exposed knee joint. I then roll backwards onto my feet and jump back. I needed a bit of space to both assess Temari's movements and catch my breath.



I stand with Jakito and the rest of the family, watching the fight go down. "Well, it isn't Echani Water Dancing, that's for sure."



"You could wipe the floor with both of em, honey. No sweat."

"Don't be so sure, Jakito. Temari's faced her share of enemies, among them Echani. Regardless, a fight like this is just as much luck and control as skill." I glance at the pair. "Besides, they don't call her the Valkyrie of Clan Ordo for no reason."



Grinding my teeth from the kick, I am quick to remain on Ava as she retreats. My knee now throbbed, but I couldn't allow that to slow me down now. Sliding to a stop, I fire off a powerful left side snap kick before following it up with a series of jabs to test her defense. Following the jabs, I go for another nerve strike, aiming to finish off the arm that was lagging behind the other.

I try to pull away, but I'm not fast enough. Temari's nerve strikes hit home, and this time I'm not able to fully resist. I can feel my right arm going dead. Luckily, my father trained me to be ambidextrous. Still, this was a major disadvantage. I raise my good arm to guard my face as I bounce on my feet, circling outside of Temari's immediate range. Her leg wound was slowing her down, but not very much. Fainting to one side, I bound back and roundhouse kick toward's Temari's head.

I duck the roundhouse and as she lands, launch myself into a slide, taking out her leg and knocking her to the ground. Following it up as quick as I can, I pin Ava beneath me and anchor myself so she can't escape. I then pull back my fist and deliver another blow to her exposed collar bone, and I know we both feel it fracture. "This bout is over Manda'lor. Submit."

The pain is intense, and I can't help by tear up a little. I try by best to look Temari in the face, and resist the urge to scream in pain as I speak. "I... I can't!" With a grunt of effort, I preform the dreaded kov'nym. That is to say, I headbutt Temari full force in the face. I can hear a crunch as her nose breaks, and my vision turns to stars as I fall back. I can feel warm blood dripping down my face, though I can't tell if it's mine or hers. It doesn't really matter either way as I roll onto my stomach and begin trying to force myself to stand. Despite ever part of my body telling me to stay down, despite the horrible feeling of bone scraping against bone and poking against my flesh, I still force myself to move.

I am knocked back by the force of the blow, allowing Ava to try and regain her feet. My nose was most definitely in poor shape, though the adrenaline pumping through my veins kept me from knowing exactly how poorly. As the girl struggles to her feet, I approach behind her and plant my foot solidly into her back, knocking her to the ground. Speaking softly, I bend down. "I am sorry, hibir." With a decisive pull, I dislocate her other arm and push down firmly. "Yield, Manda'lor. I will not kill you."

This time I do scream. For how long, I don't know; I seem to slip out of consciousness for a moment or two as I struggle. As I look out at the sea of onlookers, I can't make out their expressions. I can't tell if they are happy to see me beaten, or astonished that I've lasted this long, or appalled that I won't just submit already. Then, out of all of them, I notice one face I recognize... "HJ..."



I stand at the edge of the arena, forcing myself to look passive even though I was brimming with emotions. Slowly, I give Ava a nod.



Closing my eyes, I lower my head to the pavement. "I yield." I say quietly, then louder. "I YIELD!!" At the announcement, there is an uproar from the gathered Mando'ade. The voices are neither joyous or saddened or angry; They just are. Out of the chorus of voices comes a single word. it starts with only a few in the crowd, but slowly it grows into a unanimous chant. 'Mand'alor! Mand'alor! Mand'alor!'



But they aren't calling for me anymore.

I beckon towards the medical teams on standby at the edges of the crowd and they rush forwards to retrieve Ava and get her to the portable bacta tanks we had in the hotel turned command center. I allow the crowd to keep cheering as I decide on the best way to proceed. Addressing the mess with Clan Saxon was needed first and foremost, but for now, I would let the Clans celebrate the choosing of a new Mand'alor before getting them moving. We had conquered Coruscant, yes, but we had other worlds to claim and this one stank of rot my people didn't need.

After several moments, I hold up my hand and the cheering dies down, though scattered cheers of 'Mand'alor' still ring out occasionally. "My people! Today ended the chapter of Mandalore the Risen, a young girl who had the strength and courage to save our people from fighting for the Sith once more and lead the charge to stop their plots for good!" This is met by cheers and applause. "Now, however, begins a new chapter in the story of our people! There is one matter, however, that must be addressed! Kaira Saxon, come forwards!"

The crowd parts, and I step out with my helmet under my arm. A few of my closest clan mates go to follow, but I signal them to stay put. My platinum blonde hair is buzzed short on one side, but flows past my shoulder on the other. Standing before Temari Ordo, I pound a fist to my chest armor. "Mand'alor."

"Your clan was recently accused of crimes against our people and many of your youths suffered for it and it cost your father his life. Information was brought to me that these crimes were not of their doing and the one responsible was found and dealt with. Your clan is forgiven for their crimes. Have you anything to say?"

"I did not always get along with my father, and I know that is methods were often considered extreme, but he was a good man. I never believed that he could have been capable of treason, and I am glad to hear that his name, and the names of our youngest warriors, can finally be cleared. I don't know who was really responsible for this and I don't much care. All that matters in my opinion is that they have been dealt with accordingly." I bow my head. "I am more than ready to move on and work towards a better tomorrow under your great leadership."