The Mandalorian Uprising

Part I

by Don J'Bar

"Luke, come in for dinner!"

"Awhh, why can't I stay outside for a while longer Aunt Beru? I will come in before dark," yells a young boy. "You know the Tuskens won't come into the yard before then!"

"Sorry Luke, your aunt is right. You must come in and get washed up for dinner"

"But Uncle Owen, I promise to stay in the courtyard!"The boy responds.

"I will not ask you again, Luke you must come in at once. My patience is wearing thin," the balding man replies.

As the young boy runs towards the house, he hears a distant drone on the horizon, pulling him up short. He stops and listens. The sound is coming closer. "Uncle Owen, we are going to be having company!"

"What is it now, Luke? I told you I would not tolerate...."

Just then an old landspeeder tops a nearby sand dune, a cloaked figure at the controls with a sparkling new R2 unit beside him. Owen Lars stares towards the vehicle. "Luke get inside now!" The boy runs the rest of the way into the house, his uncle hot on his heels. "Beru, close the shutters! A landspeeder is on his way here and we don't need anymore trouble!" the man yells, slightly out of breath.

The matriarch of the home wastes no time in sealing off the house to the threat. She is a veteran of numerous Tusken attempts at thievery, even though there is not much of value on the premises. The small family waits huddled in the kitchen, fearing the worst. The young boy whispers to his uncle, "Are we going to be alright?" "SHHHHH, not now Luke!" Owen replies sternly. "Be still."

There is a knock at the door, and a low, powerful voice intones "Owen, you there? It's me Ben"
Shock and recognition register on the old couple's faces as they realize who their visitor is. With a glance in the boys direction, knowing that the Jedi Master's presence here is no accident, Owen Lars starts towards the door "Ben Kenobi, is it really you? I'll be right there."

When the door finally opens, the young boy sees a short, lithe, powerfully built middle-aged man dressed in nothing but a dull brown robe. The man sees the boy and a smile creeps onto his face. He can't help but notice how inquisitive and fearless the boy appears. So much like his father. The thought sends a chill down his spine. He must not allow him to follow in his father's footsteps. Taking his eyes off the boy, he is greeted with a warm, friendly embrace. "Ben, what brings you here?" Owen asks.

"I do not have good news to report, I am afraid. All is truly lost. The Emperor and Darth Vader have complete control of the galaxy. I myself am fleeing their wrath. But enough of that, we can talk later." The Jedi Master looks pointedly in the child's direction. Owen catches the meaning.

"Beru, bring out the Alderaan Wine. We have cause to celebrate. Our friend has survived the Wars
and with his desert travel, he must be parched"

"Yes, Ben, come in! Where are my manners. Owen is right, you must be parched. All that time in the desert. I will put some nerf steaks on the grill." The matronly lady scurries off busying herself in the kitchen.

"And who might this fine lad be, Ben? You haven't told me that you have started a family. Keeping secrets from me, are you? What is your name young man?"

"I am Luke Skywalker! My dad died in the Clone Wars! Did you really fight in the Wars? Did you know my dad? His name was Anakin Skywalker and he was a great Jedi Knight! When I grow up I am gonna be a Jedi, too and get off this awful planet! I am gonna be a pilot too," the boy sputters off before his uncle can get him properly introduced. "Ben Kenobi, meet Luke Skywalker, the most precocious child in the universe, I swear." Luke offers his hand in greeting, and Obi-Wan shakes it, noting the strength and fortitude in the grip, making him keenly aware of the potential of this child.

"Come into the dining room," Beru calls out from the kitchen, "I have poured the wine and the steaks are near done. I'm sure Ben wants to wash up first, though. Luke show your new friend to the lavatory."

"Yes, Aunt Beru! Come this way, Mr. Kenobi." Luke runs off, without looking to see if the man is following.

"Slow down, Luke! Ben has lost you already!" Beru chides.

"Sorry Mr.Kenobi"

"That is alright, and you can call me Ben,"Obi-Wan replies.

Later, after the meal is finished, Obi-Wan begins his tale, "The Clone forces were overwhelming. 10000 Jedi have been slaughtered, including your father, Luke. It was an atrocious waste of life and the sacrifices were many. I knew one Jedi Knight. He told me this story....."

Obi-Wan surveyed the battlefield, tears stinging his eyes. Friend and foe alike lay oozing their life blood into the ground. Some empty Jedi robes lay crumpled in heaps, their bodies claimed by the Force. They were the fortunate ones. Others were strewn across the plain, bodies like ragdolls,some with limbs torn off. The Mandalorians were not spared from the carnage. They too lay everywhere, heaped like firewood. The clones had no regard for honouring their dead. After all, they are completly alike and more can be regrown as needs arise. Obi-Wan recognizes the futility of this war. It is one the Republic cannot hope to win, having to fight an army that can rebuild itself as easily as the clones.

Suddenly, the serenity that has overtaken the deathscape is shattered by the sound of an approaching vehicle. Obi-Wan stares in the direction of the sound, his hand instinctively searching for the hilt of his lightsaber, knowing full well that even he cannot deflect all the laser beams of an armoured ship of any sort. The Jedi looks around, searching for a place to hide. Any bolt-hole will do, but to his dismay none are in sight. Frantically looking for anyplace to hide, Obi-Wan reaches out with the Force to see if the approaching vehicle is a friend or foe. He feels nothing but black and recoils from the shock. "A Sith here?" he thinks to himself. No use in looking for a place to hide now, the Sith knows exactly where he is. The Jedi Master, bracing himself against attack, feels a serenity overtake him. The fallen Jedi in the field are watching over him he realizes.

Roaring out of the hills to the west a jetbike vectors in on his position. Obi-Wan brings his lightsaber to bear, knowing full well that this will be a supreme test of his strength and skill. The bike closes the distance in a heartbeat, and without allowing the bike to stop, the figure is somersaulting off and into an offensive position. Incredibly, the assailant is bedecked in complete Mandalorian armour! Obi-Wan has no time to reflect on this strange development, as the clone already has his blaster in firing position. The man lets loose a volley of blaster fire at the Jedi Master.

Obi-Wan's blue-bladed lightsaber immediately goes to work deflecting the blaster shots with a speed that is simply astonishing! The blade dances and slices through the air in an ancient ballet of life and death. The energy bolts are flying in every direction, the Jedi Master not able to direct them back from where they came-there are simply too many! Finally, the blaster's battery pack runs dry and Obi-Wan closes for hand-to-hand combat.

The armour-clad warrior throws down his blaster, and reaching into his boot, grabs an eighteen inch dagger. Obi-Wan does not dismiss the gesture, he has had first hand experience with the knife-fighting techniques of the Mandalorians. And this one looks to have been exquisitely trained. The warrior feints in to the right, and thrusts. Obi-Wan easily deflects the blade away, but takes an upper cut to the chin from his opponent. The Jedi Master steps back, even more wary. Suddenly, in a speed blinding to the eye, Obi-Wan presses the attack, his lightsaber flashing in a roundhouse blow meant to sever his opponent in two. The warrior's dagger is there for the block, but the energy weapon slices right through the steel. It turns into a molten mass of iron, and the clone drops it. The warrior uses the momentum of the blow to roll away from the full effects of the lightsaber.

Coming to his feet, the warrior already has another small pistol in his hand levelling it at Obi-Wan. The Jedi sees the weapon out of the corner of his eyes and turns to face his opponent, but not before feeling the sting of a burn on his right arm, almost causing him to lose his grip on the saber. He tightens his grip, and through the smell of singed hair, deflects another blaster shot that would have caught him square in the chest. This one returns in the direction it came from, and catches the warrior in the thigh, sending him sprawling. He is back on his feet in an instant, the armour having absorbed the energy and dissipating it. "I am weaponless, Jedi, kill me now"

Obi-Wan thumbs the switch, deactivating the lightsaber. He keeps it in a ready position against possible treachery. His vigilance is rewarded. Seemingly from nowhere, the Mandalorian has a lightsaber in his hand! With an evil hiss, the blade springs to life, and the warrior again closes with the jedi in mortal combat. This time, one man will die.

The battle rages on for hours, both men evenly matched. Finally, the Sith stumbles over a fallen comrade and is slow to regain his balance. It is the break the Jedi needed. His blue blade comes down on the top of the warrior's head, splitting the helmet in two. Obi-Wan's blade stops on the Mandalorian's head, singeing his hair. "Who are you," the Jedi asks in a raspy voice, out of breath from the ordeal.

"That is of no concern to you, Jedi Knight. I am defeated, strike me down!" gasps the Sith.

"Who sent you then?" Obi-Wan grasps for any information he can get, knowing Master Yoda would analyze the events with a fine-toothed comb.

"I am a student of Darth C'baoth!" and with only that information surrendered, he impales himself onto Obi-Wan's lightsaber, ending the duel forever.

Obi-Wan drops to his knees, exhausted. He tries to analyze the words of the warrior."Darth C'baoth? But he was killed hundreds of years ago in the first Dark Jedi uprising. Could another have taken his name?" he thinks solemnly.

Obi-Wan rises to his feet, pushing the exhaustion away from him. He calls forward to the Force and sends a query out to Coruscant, to the Jedi Council. Master Mace Windu immediately feels Obi-Wan's mind enter his own and reaches out to the Jedi."Yes Obi-Wan, what is it ?"

"More problems, Master. I have just defeated a Sith apprentice in combat, who claims he studies under Darth C'baoth!" Obi-Wan responds.

"But that is impossible-he has been dead for hundreds of years!" Mace Windu replies with incrediality.

"I know Master, but that is what he claims. I am merely repeating...."

"Yes Obi-Wan, I realize that. The prophesy is true then, the Dark side is growing. Return at once to Coruscant and address the Council," and Mace is simply no longer there.He has broken contact.

"and that was how we found out about the original cloning experiments," Ben Kenobi finished.

Luke Skywalker looked at the man, spellbound. Finally, he sputters out a few words" WOW. Mr. Ben what happened to Obi-Wan? Did he find out who the Mandalorian was? Hey, did he know my father?"

"Yes, he did Luke. He spoke very kindly of your father. He was deeply saddened to learn of his death and it bothered him to the bitter end. He said he will always have a special place in his heart for Anakin and will miss him dearly." Obi-Wan struggled to keep the tears at bay, not wanting to have any further explaining to do.

"Well, Luke, get washed up and ready for bed. It is very late and Ben looks tired from his travels and probably wants to get some sleep himself. Run along now!" Aunt Beru intones.

"Ahh, do I have too? I'm not tired!" Luke tries desperately to escape this sentence, but to no avail. He looks at his Aunt and receives a stern look in return. He knows he better do as told, she means business.

After the youngster is in bed, Obi-Wan breaks down and lets the tears flow. He has endured much. Owen and Beru look with sympathy on their friend, realizing that the galaxy is truly facing dark times......As a Jedi Master weeps, utterly defeated.

Cast

Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi - Jedi Master
Luke Skywalker-son of Anakin Skywalker
Owen Lars-friend (or brother) of Kenobi
Beru Lars-wife of Owen
Mace Windu-Jedi Master
Darth C'baoth-long dead Sith Lord
Mandalorian Warrior-Sith trained Darth C'Baoth clone.

 

Part II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer

All images and graphics and assorted fan art are © The Staff of the Expanded Universe. They are not to be used without permission unless otherwise stated., in which case credit will be given where credit is do. Remember people we worked hard to bring this stuff out to you , so at least acknowledge where it came from!

Thanks to the greatest Jedi of all time, the mighty George Lucas and his vision for bringing us this epic tale. Again all items belonging to George Lucas and all of his associates are© of his companies, and I take no reponsibility for their use. Enjoy!!!