Clan of Three

Part Seventeen

As soon as he stepped outside, Mando began to shoot down troopers with a single shot. Rael followed him outside and activated her sabers. She heard someone follow them and glanced behind her as she deflected a blaster bolt to see Greef Karga fighting with them.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Mando getting thrown to the ground, but he easily kicked the trooper in the chest and was back on his feet, shooting his attacker square in the head. What she didn't notice was a one of Moff Gideon's personal guards running towards her with a Z2-stun baton.

At the last second, she saw him and crackles of electricity rang in the air as her light sabers pushed back against the baton. While blaster bolts zoomed past them, Rael and the trooper were locked in a fight. It was clear the trooper had some sort of combat skill other than blaster training, but he was no match for a Jedi. She let the Force guide her attacks and movements.

No more than 30 seconds had past when Rael pierced his chest with one of her blades. As he dropped to the ground, Rael heard the child's cry through the chaos and looked around, desperate to catch a glimpse.

Her eyes found IG-11 still shielding the child, but being forced to crouch to the ground as six troopers slowly approached, firing at them. Rael ran as fast as she could towards the droid and kid, cutting down any trooper who crossed her path.

Just as she reached them, she jumped on top of a near by crate and launched herself into the air. As she landed in front of the troopers, she summoned the Force and threw her hands out towards them. The four troopers were thrown back 10 feet and into the building behind them, knocking them unconscious.

"Imperial scum...", Rael hissed as a dull ache crept into her bones. But, she didn't have anytime to think about it, because a new group of troopers zeroed in on them. Rael lunged forward and began to deflect the bolts sent towards her and IG-11. "I can't hold them off for long!", she grunted at the droid, trying to not break her concentration. "I am calculating the best strategy.", he replied.

But before a plan could be made, the sound of the E-Web being fired drew their attackers attention. Rael didn't dare look away from them, but IG-11 reported what was happening. "It would seem that the Mandalorian has taken control of the E-Web blaster." He announced.

The young Jedi quickly cut her eyes over, and sure enough, Mando had taken the heavy blaster off of its stand and was no turning in a slow circle, cutting down every trooper in sight. "He couldn't have done that earlier?", Rael mused as she helped the droid stand back up.

As she was covering IG-11's back, a loud explosion went off and Cara's machine blaster went silent. "They're inside!", Rael gasped and made a start to go help Cara, but a new figure caught her eye. Moff Gideon had reappeared and was walking calmly into the middle of the square.

Moff Gideon raised his blaster and fired a bolt straight at Mando. To his dismay, Rael threw a hand out and deflected it. The bolt hit the ground by his feet, still making the bounty hunter whip around to see who had fired at him. When he realized who it was, Mando raised the E-Web back into position, prepared to end the battle.

But Moff Gideon was clever and fired at the power cell right next to the Mandalorian. A huge ball of fire appeared and a shockwave knocked Mando into the air and he hit the ground hard. Rael had been thrown off her feet and crashed into the transport the reinforcements had arrived in.

"We must go." IG-11's voice brought her dazed mind back to the present. She pushed herself to her feet and felt blood drip down her face. She looked around and saw Mando laying flat on his back, unmoving. The droid moved forward, firing his blasters as Cara appeared from the safe house doorway.

Rael watched the woman showcase her impressive strength as she hooked her arms under Mando's and almost carry him back towards the door. Karga walked backwards next to her, providing cover, along with IG-11. Rael shook her head, trying to get her vision to clear up and reconnected her hilts, reforming her staff-saber.