π‘οΈ This is the Way.
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ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β βοΈ MANDALORIAN CONTRACT BOARD βοΈ β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ£
β Objective: Launch the story into hyperspace β
β Reward: Extra chapters for the crew β
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β Review Bounties: β
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β 2β3 lines is enough: β
β β’ "I loved ___ becauseβ¦" β
β β’ "Best scene so far wasβ¦" β
β β’ "My theory isβ¦" β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ£
β Thank you for backing Max Vizsla and the β
β rise of Mandalore. β
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This is the Way.
"Recruiting Rishii to bolster our manpowerβwhat do you think?" Max Vizsla asked as they made their way down the mountain.
After reaching a verbal agreement with Big Brother Black Lightning on food procurement, Max wanted to press the momentum and secure cooperation with the H'kig ascetics in the lowlands as soon as possibleβsolving the fleet's drinking-water needs and broadening the range of food.
Chieftain Black Lightning personally escorted Max Vizsla, Christopher Rayne, and Kaelden Johnson out of Black Feather Nest, and reminded them, "Good brothers, go quick, come back quick. When you return, we eat together."
"Roger. Thanks, big brother! Before and after nightfall, we'll definitely be back."
Wenban Jaren did not go down the mountain.
"Any brothers and sisters who're interested can come up and take a rideβfeel the ultimate speed and passion. Long live friendship, no charge!" Max Vizsla left Wenban Jaren and the T-6 shuttle at Black Feather Nest, then headed for the lowlands with Christopher Rayne and Kaelden Johnson.
"Will that work?" Kaelden Johnson scratched his head. "Are theyβ¦ smart enough? No matter how you look at them, they seem more like birds than peopleβ¦"
"KJ, don't judge by appearances. The Rishii make and use tools, have their own language, and can learn other languages through study. They're clearly sapientβso even if they're birds, you should respectfully call them bird-people."
"Yes, Chief. Understood."
"Chiefβcan armor even cover a Rishii's upper limbs?" Christopher Rayne asked.
If Chris hadn't asked, Max honestly wouldn't have thought about it.
Christopher Rayne was a noble, upright Mandalorian warrior. He asked because he genuinely regarded the Rishiiβonce recruitedβas Mandalorians, as brothers and sisters, and he was worried about their safety.
But what Max Vizsla had been thinking was: give the Rishii blasters and thermal grenades, strap on jetpacks, and use them as airborne assault troops in future landing operations. Their safety had never really entered his calculations.
("Beskar is expensive. Synthetic diamonds aren't. If a batch of Rishii die, recruit another batch. For a great cause, a little sacrifice is necessary.")
The whispering voice rose again. Max shook his head and said, "Making a wing-sleeve isn't hard, but if it's too thin, it won't provide real protection. Then it can't really be called wing armor or bracers."
"Then it'll be dangerous."
Max could feel how sincere Chris's worry was, so he preemptively laid down a warning for his squad leader.
"Yeah. It'll be dangerousβmore dangerous than you're imagining. I'm not just thinking about bringing in a few elite Rishii to become Mandalorian warriors. I want large-scale recruitment on Rishi. And beskar armor can't be widely issued to non-Mandalorian Rishii soldiers."
"Chief⦠are we going to expand the army on a large scale?"
"Yeah. We have to. The galaxy's age of great conflict is coming, and we must prepare early. A few thousand or even ten thousand Mandalorian warriors might win a few beautiful battles, but they can't win a Star War."
Whenever Max Vizsla thought about expansion and war prep, he couldn't help but feel awedβGrand Army of the Republic discipline and violence-of-action were absurdly, terrifyingly abundant.
Trillions of natural-born soldiers, 3.2 million elite clonesβwho could be viewed as Mandalorian warriors with simplified gearβand over ten thousand Jedi commanders. It was an unbeatable forceβ¦ if the enemy weren't on Coruscant.
"Chief, can we buy some droid troops?" Kaelden asked.
"We can buy some combat droids to study, but we can't buy a whole droid army."
"Why not?" Christopher Rayne and Kaelden Johnson asked in unison.
"Two main reasons. One: they're hard to buy. The Trade Federation has already started preparing for warβthey're producing and stockpiling combat droids at full capacity, and export capacity is very limited. Two: we can't risk it. We're severely short on electronic warfare and information warfare talent. If the droids we buy come with backdoors, they could blow up in our faces at the worst possible moment."
"We need to push hard on hiring or training more specialized EW and infowar talent. What we're doing right now, if we do it well, can also ease our manpower crunch to some extent: first, expand into remote colonial worlds and recruit indigenous natural-borns like the Rishii; second, if we can find Kamino and obtain advanced cloning tech, we can cultivate clones for military service."
"This is the way." Chris and Kaelden nodded.
They'd reached the valley entrance.
β¦
"Who goes there?"
"Mandalorians."
"What do you want?"
"To purchase drinking water and food."
"We don't trade."
"Hahβ¦" Max Vizsla let out a long breath. "Two respected sirs, would you permit us to enter the valley and speak with your leader?"
"No." "Hereticβthere's no point talking to anyone."
("Yeahβ¦ not having Jedi mind tricks is really a problem in situations like thisβ¦")
As Max was thinking that, the whispering voice echoed again: ("Force choke. If they won't listen, squeeze harderβthey'll change their minds.")
"Sorry to trouble you." Max gave a slight bow. "We will choose another place to draw water."
"And if we don't agree?"
β¦Huh?
("Kill them. Kill one to warn a hundred. Kill them, kill themβstart killing!")
Click. Click. Max Vizsla put on his helmet; Christopher Rayne and Kaelden Johnson followed suit.
"Wenbanβpatch me through to the flagship."
"Roger (chirpy!). You're patched to the Vast Silence."
"Chief, this is Tracy Reeves. Your orders?"
"This is Max Vizsla. I order you to transmit immediately to the Galand Governor's Officeβ"
"N-noβughβ¦" "Y-you can'tβughβ" The two H'kig sentries tried to cut Max off, but Max caught them by the throat with the Force.
Max Vizsla continued, "Tell the Governor we have located the remaining H'kig traitors who fled. Ask him how many credits he's willing to pay for the coordinates to the insurgents' location."
"Roger."
Thud. Thud. Max released the Force and dropped the two sentries to the ground. "Prayers can be recited however you like. Words can't be spoken however you like."
"Hereticβ" "Smack!"
One sentry who was cursing Max got slapped by the other.
"Honored guests, please wait. We will go request instructions from the Bishop at once."
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π‘ Star Wars: The Rise of Mandalore
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The Rebirth of Harry Potter
Star Wars: Relics of the Past
R18: Reincarnated in Her World
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