The Protectors all turned around to see a Mandalorian wearing blue and gray armor. It wasn't regular traditional armor though. No, this armor bore a distinctive three-pronged red symbol on his left shoulder—a traditional jetpack with missile pods, and a special hilt mounted on his right shoulder.
His helmet was also quite different from the usual designs, with yellow highlights and markings indicating his clan affiliation.
"Vizsla," Spar said coldly.
"Ah, yes, the pretender Mandalore," Vizsla removed his helmet, revealing a sneer, slicked-back blond hair, and cold blue eyes.
"Look who's talking, savage," Fennec retorted. "We follow the true path of the Mandalorians, not the barbaric old ways that led to destruction."
Vizsla scoffed, then looked toward the oldest Mandalorian present.
"Skirata," Vizsla said, placing his free hand over his chest in a gesture of respect.
"Vizsla. Long time no see," Kal said neutrally. "I'm surprised to see you in these parts after everything you've done."
"What have I done?" Vizsla asked in a mocking tone.
"Oh, let's see—I've got a long list here," Kal shot back. "Murder, terrorist attacks, assassination attempts against our own people. Need I go on?"
"I'm afraid you have it backwards."
"That's rich, coming from you," Spar retorted, raising his blaster.
"Oh, what are you going to do with that, clone? Kill me?" Vizsla scoffed.
"Don't test us," Alrich warned, drawing his blaster pistol.
"Do not challenge us, Vizsla," Spar declared, pointing his rifle at Vizsla's face. "You, of all people, should remember that every time Death Watch challenged true Mandalorians, they were defeated. Your kinsman Tor had to resort to lies and treachery to defeat Jaster and Jango."
"Not to mention giving us all a bad reputation while we're trying to restore honor since the war," Fennec added.
Vizsla simply glared at the Protectors with pure hatred.
"Is this how you address a Mandalorian?"
"No, this is how we address a madman who would lead our people to destruction," Spar said, his weapon's power cell humming with energy, indicating it was now armed.
"I'm giving you one chance, Vizsla," Spar warned. "Leave now. No bloodshed is necessary."
Vizsla stared at the blaster defiantly before his expression transformed into a maniacal grin.
Suddenly, a voice crackled over Spar's wrist comm, alarming everyone present.
"Mandalore! We're under attack!"
Blaster fire and explosions erupted around them from within the village and beyond, putting the Protectors immediately on high alert.
More Death Watch members suddenly appeared, soaring high into the air with their jetpacks, raining fire down on the Protectors.
One was shot down, and the rest fell back into the warehouse, returning fire at the attacking Death Watch forces.
Vizsla reached for the hilt on his jetpack and drew it, igniting a black-bladed lightsaber. He then fired into the air with his jetpack as several Death Watch members stormed into the building. "Secure the Basilisk! We cannot let it fall into their hands!"
"Protectors, get to the village," Spar ordered. "It's those damn Death Watch fanatics."
"We're under attack here too, Mandalore," Saxon interrupted over the comm. "We can only spare a few."
"Something is better than nothing," Spar announced, breaking from cover and firing at the airborne Death Watch members, downing two of them. "Protectors, move! Keep them away from the Basilisk!"
"Leave this to me," Kal said, rushing to a nearby workbench where his jetpack, additional armor, and weapons were stored.
Meanwhile, Spar flew out of the warehouse with Fennec and four remaining guards to engage the Death Watch attackers.
Mandalore charged straight at Pre Vizsla, the Vizsla leader raising his darksaber overhead, ready to strike. Thanks to the personal combat training that Kal Skirata and Jango Fett had given him and his clone brothers on Kamino, Spar's helmet connected with Pre's midsection in a devastating tackle.
The two combatants fell briefly before engaging in aerial combat.
Meanwhile, Fennec valiantly battled Death Watch members who greatly outnumbered her and her squad, forcing them to resort to hit-and-run tactics, constantly moving between cover positions.
Fennec dove behind a wall for protection and was pressed against a house when she heard screaming. Her eyes widened as she turned back toward the village to see civilians running in terror.
She gritted her teeth and launched from cover at full jetpack thrust, flying toward several Death Watch members. She first used her flamethrower to disorient them, then eliminated them with quick, precise shots. Fennec turned to see a Death Watch warrior torching a house while the occupants inside fled for their lives.
A glowing red symbol bent inward like a double-cross. The symbol of Fennec's most hated enemy.
"Gar!"
Saxon turned and spotted his old rival, growling with recognition. "Fennec."
The two Mandalorians opened fire on each other, ducking and rolling to avoid their opponent's shots.
"Should have known you'd be with these extremists," Fennec shouted, holstering her blaster rifle and drawing her pistol.
"Ha! How hypocritical," Saxon yelled back.
"God, I'd forgotten how grating your voice is," Fennec muttered.
"Fennec!"
Fennec glanced behind her and smiled with relief as she saw her allies Tobbi and Saxon leading about two dozen Protectors to reinforce them in the battle.
"What took you so long?" Fennec called out to them.
"Oh, you know," Saxon said, already firing at Death Watch members.
"They're attacking the civilians and the settlement," Fennec reported. "Tobbi, you help keep the noncombatants safe and secure this village. The rest of you, stay with me."
"What about me?" Saxon asked.
"See that large building?" Fennec pointed to the warehouse and Saxon nodded. "There's a Mandalorian in there named Kal Skirata. With him is a Basilisk war droid."
"Basilisk war droid—"
"Yeah, that one," Fennec interrupted. "Get over there and don't let it fall into Death Watch hands. The last thing we need is for them to get their hands on something like that."
Saxon simply nodded and activated his jetpack at full power, taking off toward the warehouse, weaving through the battle, which only intensified as more fighters joined the fray.
Fennec looked back just in time to see Gar flying toward her, but the Mandalorian grabbed him by the throat and the two rose into the air to continue their fight.
Tobbi led his detail through the village, engaging Death Watch members while shepherding villagers to safety and away from the combat zone.
Spar was still locked in fierce combat with Pre Vizsla, and neither warrior was giving ground.
Back inside the warehouse, Kal and Saxon were facing off against several Death Watch fighters. They were forced to fall back as they were being outgunned.
Saxon looked around and spotted the control console connected to what they'd come here for in the first place. Knowing what needed to be done, he called out to Kal while gunning down one of their attackers.
"Cover me!"
"You're insane!"
"Probably. Just need to activate the droid."
"Don't you dare!" Kal fired his only remaining rocket at their opponents, expending his last heavy weapon.
Saxon had rushed over to the war droid and immediately began working on its systems.
"Yes, I absolutely do, Kal!" Saxon frantically worked the controls and wiring, trying to recall how the entire system functioned based on what the journal had described. "It's psychically linked, semi-sentient."
"Saxon, now!"
Saxon tossed one of his backup blasters to Kal and continued with his task. "This has to work, or we're all dead."
While working the controls, Saxon had to rapidly input commands and designations to determine friend from foe, and since all Mandalorians bore their clan markers, it would be easier for the droid to filter targets.
His task was made considerably more difficult by having to occasionally dodge blaster fire, with some shots impacting the rear of the console.
"You're taking your sweet time there, kid!" Kal shouted.
"It would go faster if I didn't know what I was doing!" Saxon yelled back, slamming a access panel shut.
Finally, Saxon pulled the activation lever. Sparks flew, and the droid's optical systems soon illuminated. Mechanical sounds echoed through the warehouse, accompanied by a metallic roar. It swayed slightly, then moved forward with predatory grace.
Saxon could only grin as the cables disconnected, then issued a simple command.