The Jedi From Earth: A Star Wars Story #Wattys2023

The Mandalorians

Casterly Rock, April 4th 2016
Shawn followed Ser Kevan and twelve Lannister bannermen outside the castle, "from what we've gathered they're over there" Ser Kevan said pointing to a hill. "Can you deal with them?" Kevan asked "yeah" Shawn said nodding. Ser Kevan seemed pleased "alright then good luck" and they rode off, Shawn looked back at the hill spotting a plume of smoke from a fire. The bannermen rode off the sounds of horses galloping getting farther and farther away,

Shawn walked down the hill his focus on every sound and he stretched out his feelings in the Force to sense any approaching people but none came. The sounds of laughter became louder as well, Shawn hid behind a fallen log to get a better look and saw three ships with around thirty or more Mandalorians around. Ran Vizla stood over a holoprojecter with images flashing, "psst" Shawn heard from above, he rested his hand on his blaster and glanced up but saw Jallar in the tree, "what the hell man" Shawn mouthed but Jallar made a shushed gesture holding a sniper rifle up pointing at Ran. Shawn nodded drawing his blaster,

Jallar took aim and fired but winged Ran's arm making him fall in pain. The other Mandalorians got to their feet arming themselves, surprisingly Ran wasn't dead and staggered to his feet putting his helmet on "where'd that come from?!" One yelled, "shite" Jallar muttered jumping out of the tree. "Let's go before they see us" Shawn said, "not a bloody chance I've been tracking em for weeks with little sleep" Jallar protested recalibrating the rifle. The other Mandalorians began flying around while others let their Annobas loose, "go now" Jallar said as they dashed into the forest,

"Over there!" A voice yelled and yellow laser bolts streaked past hitting tress singeing the wood. Jallar slung the rifle around his back drawing his blaster and firing back, Shawn shot back too albeit without looking, several laser bolts cut through a tree causing it to crack the crumble to the ground blocking their path. Suddenly several Mandalorians landed ahead blasters drawn "drop your weapons!" One yelled, Shawn aimed his blaster at two switching back and forth with a worried expression over his face he didn't know what to do of they'd fire and kill them or simply take them prisoner then execute, "last chance drop em!" Another yelled getting closer. Jallar sighed "do it", Shawn was surprised "w-what?" He asked not looking back "I said drop it" Jallar said elbowing Shawn in the back twice, that was a code signal for surprise attack. Shawn lowered his blaster "get on your knees!" The Mandalorian yelled as the squad got closer, Shawn put one knee down setting the blaster on the ground as Jallar did the same.

He took a deep breath focusing, "now!" Jallar said and they thrust their hands out, the Mandalorians flew back into tress or tumbling on the ground damaging their jetpacks. "Shoot em!" One yelled and fired, Shawn and Jallar jumped off the ground, grabbed his saber hilt as he summersaulted in the air landing igniting the blade with a plain sound. Shawn deflected several bolts pushing one man back , Jallar slashed one across the chest then cut another's arm off followed by screams of pain, Shawn looked away as Jallar decapitated another with a fearsome look on his face.

Then more jetpacks sounded and several more Mandalorians landed including Ran, "so how'd you find us?" Ran inquired. "No reason what're you doing out here?" Jallar asked back, "not saying" Ran snapped back getting closer holding the darksaber hilt "there's ten of us and only two of you" Ran said walking slowly the pine needles snapping beneath him mixed with the sounds of the breeze billowing in the trees rattling the leaves "but then again you two are armed with lightsabers and are some kind of Force user" Ran said, Shawn thrust his hand out making his blaster come back to his hand, the other Mandalorians aimed blasters at him "put it down" Ran said sternly.

"No" Shawn said resting his hand on the trigger but knew it was a useless effort given they'd be dead after he'd shot Ran, "fine then" Ran said rolling his eyes igniting the darksaber and charging. Shawn dropped his pistol blocking Ran's attack and countering managing to push him off, Ran swung but Shawn ducked cutting him along the side of his leg, Ran yelled out in pain falling on one knee. Shawn turned around to strike again but a cable from behind wrapped around his wrists yanking him back to ten ground, the saber in his hand was still ignited however. Shawn wrestled with the metal cable as Ran charged in,