//------------------------------// // The End of the True Mandalorians // Story: Fluttershy's First Trial: Years of Memories // by Hikarikurai24587 //------------------------------// Chapter Nine: The End of the True Mandalorians Fluttershy shivered slightly at the colder temperatures of Galidraan. Thankful that her warmer clothes had been brought as well. Her wings were hidden, wrapped around her shoulders, under the layers. It was because of this act that she knew there was kindness in the True Mandalorians. The campsite was simple and Fluttershy found herself normally studying the local flora and fauna under the guidance of Eva Lyrua. She wasn’t like most of the Mandalorians, often sharing the culture and history of them with Fluttershy and her four year old daughter Sila. Fluttershy enjoyed staying with them. Eva’s husband, Jann, took some time from scouting to spend time with his daughter. Fluttershy could tell that they all were close in the days that she had known them. The camp felt familiar, reminding her of the days she spent exploring Tython. It was about a week later when Jango Fett found an opportunity to gain information on their enemy, Death Watch. Fluttershy wasn’t sure how to feel about what needed to be done for the information. From what she had learned, Death Watch was a bunch of violent, unpredictable bullies that did need to be stopped. She just wasn’t sure about the job of going out and killing rebels. So she decided to approach Jango Fett before the mission. “Ummm… Mister Fett?” she asked, clenching the fabric of her coat as she tried to glance up at him but her eyes kept locking onto the ground. “May… Can we talk?” "Yes but make it fast, what is it kid?" Jango asked in return, looking down at the little Fluttershy. “I’m worried, what if this is a trap?” Fluttershy inquired after taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. Jango let out a laugh as he turned around. "It's always a trap." “Still… I normally want to see the best in people but if the Governor is allied with Death Watch….” Fluttershy looked to the side starting to feel her courage leave her. “Just, please… be careful.” "Don't worry about me, just stay away from everything and keep yourself safe." Jango replied as he started walking away. Fluttershy sighed as she turned around, her only company for a bit was going to be little Shae and the animals. She looked back at Jango Fett before walking towards the fire. A few days passed when the group returned, Jango Fett nowhere in sight. She was told he had gone to the Governor for the information. The feeling that something was wrong intensified. She was pacing for a while with Sila watching. Footsteps rapidly approaching as Fluttershy turned around. Jango Fett was running towards them, his pace frantic. That was when the air began to tingle, causing her to turn as people wearing robes approached from the otherside. They were led by a man with dark hair, Fluttershy moved in front of Sila reaching for her electrostaff. It was the only weapon she was allowed to have and use under the direct supervision of either Jango Fett or Jann. "Kid I'm not responsible for you if something were to happen!" Fett yelled in Fluttershy's direction. Fluttershy nodded her head saying. “It’s going to be used as a handle for Sila if I have to… take off.” The man in dark hair spoke up in a deep voice saying. "I am Jedi Master Dooku, you are all to surrender and be brought in for charges of murder!" Fluttershy’s hands went over Sila’s ears only for her to try and pull the wrist down. Eva looked at Jango Fett as realization dawned on all of them. They had been framed. The Padawan pointed her lightsaber towards the group. “Should you resist you shall all be cut down.” Fluttershy saw Eva and Jann move in front of them. Jango Fett moved forward and shouted "Everyone fire!" The Mandalorians began to shoot at the Jedi, but the blaster fire had no effect on the Jedi as they began to deflect the shots. Fluttershy backed away using her electrostaff to block the deflected bolts that got too close to them. Sila was clinging to her leg as she began to back away.  Fett backed up and took to the skies with his jetpack as he let out another order. "We're going to have to switch our tactics, blaster fire is near useless! Fire with the heaviest firepower you have!" A group of them fired their wrist rockets as Fluttershy scooped up Sila to get out of the blast radius. Her heart began to pound as she headed deeper into the forest. Sila looked up at her asking. “Fluttershy?” Fluttershy tripped just as an explosion shook the earth causing her to fall to the ground. Her heart pounded as she stroked Sila’s hair. She was no longer on Galidraan. She was back in the Underground, running from the child she thought she trusted. The one that was hunting her, she knew too much. A hand touched her face, under the veil, causing her to look down her eyes focusing on Sila. A crack of a branch, Fluttershy turning around, a figure walking towards them blade a glow. She began to shake as she let out a scream seeing the child with a chilling grin on his face. It wasn’t Frisk any longer. The large pine trees creaked before their branches slammed into the ground, one swinging towards the figure. The moment they made contact she saw that it was a robed figure being flung backwards. “Fluttershy!” Eva’s voice called out as they landed behind her, Fluttershy directed Sila towards her mother and father saying. “Get her to safety.” “What about you?” questioned Jann and Fluttershy smiled saying. “I will be by shortly, I need to get as many of you out of there, after all…” Flutterhy looked in the direction of the battle seeing a few Jedi looking in the direction. “A Caretaker must protect. Now go.” Jann and Eva nodded their head heading towards their ship knowing it would give them the firepower they needed to win the fight. This caught the attention of Dooku who started moving in their direction. The two massive creatures in the form of pine trees looked down at Fluttershy. She realized that she had to instruct them. Taking a deep breath she spoke. “Protect those heading towards the ship, make sure they get there.” The pine trees shifted before walking after the Lyrua family, their footsteps shaking the earth. Fluttershy looked at Dooku backing away slightly but keeping a firm grip on her staff. "You do not appear to be affiliated with the Mandalorians, who exactly are you?" Dooku asked as he bent down to eye level. Fluttershy took a step back, she couldn’t reveal herself here. She had to think of a name and quick. “I am the Caretaker. You are Jedi.” "Caretaker you say? How curious that someone such as yourself would be a caretaker. I see in your eyes that you hold secrets but I will not pry." Dooku said with a smile. Fluttershy glanced at the battle waged behind him curious before saying. “Is this why you have come? To talk? With the battle I would almost forget that the Jedi were peacekeepers. Especially with the tongue on your Padawan….” Fluttereshy bit her lip as she realized what she had just said. “That was rude, I’m sorry.” "No need to apologize, that is quite alright she will be disciplined accordingly. I'm afraid that this is no place for you, is there any way I could be of assistance?" Dooku asked, the smile still on his face. Fluttershy looked away for a moment before remembering a lesson that Satele Shan had taught her. If she couldn’t cease the destruction of the True Mandalorians she could leave Dooku with a sign they had been deceived. “If you will not halt the battle that will end in the death of noble warriors then remember this: Deceit will always be present. Do not believe yourself immune to its effects.” Fluttershy took another step back preparing to run. “Return to your battle Master Jedi, I will see to it that the innocent will escape.” Dooku chuckled as he stood up and said. "Very well, you seem confident in yourself. It was a pleasure meeting you…'Caretaker'." He gave her another smile as he ran back towards the battle. Fluttershy saw Jango Fett being overwhelmed. He looked directly at her as if giving the signal for her to run. Fluttershy held out her hands as she began to focus. The trees bending, others growing, until the way behind her was blocked. She turned to run, almost collapsing but she had to keep moving. She was making her way to the ship when she collapsed. Strong arms picked her up as she struggled for a moment feeling her gift activate. “Easy now.” Jann’s voice spoke softly. “We had a call from Mand’alore, he ordered us to leave. We’ll find him Fluttershy, we just have to gather our strength.” Fluttershy’s eyes began to shut as her whole body went limp. In her mind she could see Jango Fett being arrested by the Jedi, the order to hand him over to the Governor. She hoped that Dooku would remember her words, in time, that Jango Fett would be free of his wrongful imprisonment. Dooku returned to the battlefield, the Caretaker's words in his mind. He wanted to stop the violence, yet his orders came first. He looked around with dismay and said a silent apology to her, hoping that things would still work out somehow. He thought of the Caretaker, hoping she was at least alright. “We have to go back for him Eva!” Jann’s voice stirred Fluttershy as she woke up. “Without Mand’alore Death Watch will terrorize the New Mandalorians! We aren’t enough to aid them!” “Do you think I don’t know that Jann? We can’t go back for him, he gave the order. The least we can do is return to Mandalore and do what we can.” Eva replied as she began to pace back and forth as Fluttershy sat up. The two took note of this as Eva knelt by her side. “How are you holding up Fluttershy?” “I….” Fluttershy grabbed her head, she knew she had to help but she couldn’t risk the Jedi tracking her and finding them. “I’ll be fine. I just need rest.” “Just let us know if you need anything.” Eva spoke softly, sadness deeply ingrained in her voice. One that spoke volumes of the situation. An idea popped in Fluttershy’s head before saying. “I need to go to the Tython System.” “The Tython System? That’s a world in the Deep Core, why would you need to go there?” Jann questioned, suspicion in his voice. Fluttershy held up her hand saying. “I have friends there that could help, but it would also keep the Jedi off of your trail. Using my abilities in such a way would have caught their attention and I don’t want to put you in danger until you are ready to fight.” Fluttershy looked at Sila who was climbing on one of the consoles causing Eva to pick her up. Jann shook his head, sighing for a moment. “Alright, we’ll get you there, it doesn’t feel right. No one lives in the Tython System. Not anymore.” Fluttershy just smiled, she intended to keep the rumors about the planet just the same. No one could know where she lived or was planning on bringing people to. Once the course was plotted it was only a matter of time until they came to the system. Fluttershy’s eyes landed on the station close to Tython. From there she could grab one of the shuttles and bring it to the surface. She said her goodbyes at the airlock before entering the station. The air was stale but everything was barely functioning, something she knew they would have to rectify. The shuttles were easy enough to find, getting them working again was harder. It was a patch job, one that would surely cause her to crash to Tython. She was glad when she managed a landing without too much damage to it. She climbed out before looking up at the sky lifting her hands. She focused, her ability, to warp the perception of those around her to make it seem like she wasn’t there. She could use it, she had to. The air warped around her as she pushed it outwards, spreading it further and further, engulfing the whole planet. No one could know that they were there. She would make this place a Haven. A safe place for the lost, the hurting, and those who wanted to start anew. The True Mandalorians may have been defeated but the Mandalorian Civil War still continued.