As they neared the hilltop, they could see that the structures there looked more like a makeshift raider encampment than permanent dwellings.
"Looks like they're still here," Tobi observed, studying the large transport ship parked beside the main building.
"Alright, we need to spread out and reconnoiter the area. Count the raiders and identify any other variables. I don't want a repeat of last time," Fennec ordered, his final words directed pointedly at Dax.
"How was I supposed to know they had a squad of battle droids hidden in reserve?"
"Because you were supposed to thoroughly scout your assigned sector. That's why."
Dax muttered something under his breath as he separated from his companions, using the tall grass and scattered trees for concealment while advancing up the hillside. From all three positions, they could hear conversation and raucous laughter.
In Fennec's sector, he crouched behind a large boulder, his green armor helping him blend with the vegetation as he observed the group of raiders occupying the building.
They were a diverse bunch—humans, Twi'leks, and Weequays comprised most of the group, but among them was a Devaronian. He was the largest of the raiders, laughing boisterously while draining an entire bottle of alcohol.
"Dax, Tobi," Fennec said over their comm channel. "What's your count?"
"I've got about fifteen on my side," Dax reported, lying prone while studying the cluster of mercenaries.
"Seventeen here," Tobi added, crouching behind a narrow tree on the hillside's right flank. "Two more just emerged from the building."
"Alright, vode, this should be quick work," Fennec said, kneeling and adjusting his position slightly. "Wait for my signal."
Dax and Tobi prepared themselves, signaling their readiness to Fennec.
"Now," Fennec commanded, launching a missile from his jetpack's ordnance pod. Dax and Tobi followed suit, and three explosive projectiles struck the front of the ramshackle building simultaneously. The deafening explosions drowned out the screams of the raiders caught in the blast.
The Protectors emerged from concealment as their jetpack thrusters ignited, lifting them into the air.
The surviving raiders were systematically eliminated by the Mandalorian trio. Some managed to grab weapons and return fire at the airborne Protectors, but their aerial advantage made it easy to evade the desperate blaster shots.
The only real challenge was the Devaronian, who roared a defiant battle cry while wielding an oversized blaster rifle. The three warriors exchanged glances, then shrugged before concentrating all their firepower on the horned raider. Their combined assault brought him down within seconds.
They landed and quickly swept the area to ensure no threats remained before beginning their investigation of the bodies.
"These raiders are carrying some serious hardware," Dax noted, examining a well-crafted blaster rifle.
"But clearly no proper training," Tobi observed.
"Wonder where they acquired all this equipment," Fennec said, studying the weathered building. "Any idea what this place originally was?"
Fennec cautiously entered the dilapidated structure, drawing his WESTAR-34 blaster pistol as a precaution.
The building was abandoned. The interior looked no better than the exterior.
He peered around a corner into what appeared to be a main room. There were chairs, shelving units, and in the center of it all—a massive pile of assorted items.
Fennec tilted his head and removed his helmet, setting it on a nearby table as he approached to examine the collection more closely.
"Quite the primitive organizational system," he commented sarcastically.
Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see Tobi and Dax entering the building.
"What did you discover?" Dax asked.
Fennec simply gestured toward the pile where his two companions gathered around it.
"What is all this?" Tobi asked, approaching the large mound of discarded materials left behind by the raiders.
It was an eclectic collection—clothing, blasters, damaged armor, trinkets, and even several books.
"Looks like the raiders couldn't find anything valuable in this junk," Fennec said, picking up a particularly large but heavily damaged blaster rifle. "Think the forge master could repair this? I rather like the design."
"Depends on the extent of the damage."
Dax stood on the opposite side of the pile, scanning what appeared to be mostly worthless debris. Nothing seemed particularly significant. Where had the raiders obtained such a collection? More importantly, why had they bothered transporting it?
Something unusual in the stack of books caught Dax's attention. He reached forward and extracted a volume from the pile.
Physical books were rare these days, with most information stored on data tablets.
Turning the book to examine its cover, Dax's eyes widened as he immediately recognized the emblem emblazoned in the center of the worn hardcover. He traced his thumb over the symbol.
The sigil of Clan Ordo!
Carefully opening to the first page, he drew a sharp breath.
"Canderous Ordo," Dax read with awe and disbelief. "Impossible."
Turning to the next page, he found a faded photograph showing a group of distinctive individuals standing together. There was a human, a Wookiee, a Twi'lek, a Cathar, and some type of utility droid.
At the bottom of the photograph was handwritten text:
To our eternal friends and companions, with whom we changed the galaxy.
As Dax began reading through the pages, he absorbed every word his ancestor had written.
What many didn't realize was that besides sharing the legendary Mandalore's surname, Dax also shared his bloodline.
While Dax became absorbed in the journal, his teammates continued their practical mission tasks. They were so focused on their duties that they didn't notice Dax's discovery until they heard a soft gasp from across the room. Turning toward Dax, they saw him holding the book with obvious shock.
"What the hell's wrong with you, Dax?"
Dax said nothing but handed the journal to Fennec and Tobi, waiting to observe their reactions. After several minutes of reading, they displayed the same astonishment that Dax had experienced.
"This... this is..." Tobi stammered.
Fennec was equally stunned. "Dax, how did..."
"We need to report this immediately," Dax declared.
"Absolutely," Fennec agreed, reaching for his communicator.
"Transmission connected," Dax announced.
After a brief delay, Spar's holographic image appeared before them.
"What's your status? What emergency requires immediate contact? Are you encountering difficulties?"
"Negative, sir."
Spar frowned with confusion. "So the mission is still active, or..."
"Mission complete. We were about to contact you with our findings anyway."
"Did you locate—"
"Unfortunately no, Spar. But we have a promising lead on his whereabouts," Fennec reported. "More importantly, we've discovered something else you'll definitely want to see."
"Such as..."
"Canderous Ordo's personal journal."
This revelation clearly surprised Spar. "Fascinating."
"That's what we thought, but that's not the most significant discovery," Dax continued. "There's information here that could benefit our entire cause."
"Including detailed schematics for a Basilisk war droid."
Spar remained silent for several moments while the three Mandalorians watched him process this information.
"Please tell me this isn't some elaborate joke."
Dax chuckled and shook his head, holding up the journal to demonstrate their sincerity. Spar stared at the artifact with obvious disbelief.
"It's all documented here, Spar," Fennec said with a grin.
Spar considered this new intelligence carefully. "This would certainly help increase our numbers and morale." He paused thoughtfully. "It might give us a real chance against our enemies. The timing seems fortuitous for what's approaching."
The three Protectors exchanged glances, uncertain about his implications.
"I was actually planning to contact you later to conclude your search anyway. I've found what we were looking for. Proceed to these coordinates. I'll meet you all there."
"Are you certain, Spar?" Fennec asked.
Spar nodded confidently.