Forge-Hell 3V, Command Hall – Two Days Later
The air was hot with static discharge and the reek of molten alloy. Sparks crackled along the domed ceiling as servodrones carried scaffolding across the growing walls of the Research Nexus, the Mandalorians' first high-tier facility devoted to aerospace engineering.
The System interface pinged constantly in Dren's vision:
[RESEARCH CENTER COMPLETE]New research options unlocked:– Early Atmospheric Flight (Tier 1)– Basic Spaceframe Engineering– Engine Propulsion (Ionic Pulse Drive)– Mandalorian Starfighter Doctrine (Prototype)Time to completion: Varies.
Sira leaned over the table's holo-display, brushing sweat from her brow. "We're finally entering the sky, Mand'alor. The Foundry's prepping ore molds for composite hull plating. We can start on dropcraft and interceptors within three days."
"Good," Dren replied. "And propulsion?"
"Primitive by galactic standards," she admitted, "but reliable. Small ionic drives — enough for orbital launches, short-range patrols, and planetary bombing runs."
Braal folded his arms. "It's a start. But it's not a fleet."
"It's a warning," Dren corrected. "A warning to every Lord on this rock that we don't intend to stay on it."
The Rise of Mandalorian Shipwrights
The shipwright corps were built from veterans and mechanics, volunteers from among the clan's engineers and salvagers. They called themselves the Sol'ar Tal, the Sunsmiths — proud, hard-edged warriors who viewed engineering as an extension of battle.
Blueprints glowed in the Nexus. First up: the Shriek-Hawk Interceptor, a single-pilot spaceframe inspired by old Mandalorian Basilisk droids — compact, heavily armored, twin-ion engine craft with modular weapon ports.
The Shriek-Hawk's design had three variants:
Striker-Class: Forward-facing blasters and micro-concussion torpedoes
Chaser-Class: Fast recon, sensor jammers, and cloaking modules
Talon-Class: Anti-personnel and planetary assault configuration
Dren selected all three for prototyping. "We need versatility," he said. "And we need it yesterday."
Warriors in the Sky
With the ships came a problem: who would fly them?
Piloting was a sacred skill in Mandalorian culture — not just tactical, but a rite of identity. Many warriors believed flight was the domain of honorbound elites.
"Fliers must earn the sky," one elder declared. "Not just plug into a console like a droid."
"We can't afford arrogance," Sira snapped. "We need the best. Bloodline or not."
Dren stepped into the center of the debate.
"Then we test them. The first Mandalorian aerospace pilots will not be chosen by name, but by skill. Trials begin tomorrow."
System Message – Aerospace Warfare Tree Unlocked
System Update:Lord Dren Vheyla has unlocked the Aerospace Warfare specialization tree.Available branches:– Interceptor Doctrine– Bombardment Operations– Atmospheric Transport and Dropship Logistics– Starfighter Engineering
New Building Unlocked: Tactical LaunchpadAllows deployment of aerospace units, regional strike capacity, and off-planet scouting (once orbital flight unlocked).
Meanwhile: Trouble Brews
Reports came from the north: the Kaminoan Lord had begun mass-producing biotech drones and was already launching early orbital satellites. Whispers suggested he was planning to claim a low-gravity moon orbiting the planet — a future naval staging ground.
Elsewhere, the Trandoshan Lord had developed a rudimentary cruiser-sized drydock — though its energy signature suggested brute-force engineering over finesse.
Dren knew: the others were moving.
He gathered the inner circle.
"I want orbital capability within the month. If the others beat us to the sky, they'll rain fire from above while we're still throwing axes in the dirt."
Braal grinned. "Then we make the sky bleed before they do."
A Trial by Fire
The next morning, the first Flight Trials took place — open desert, six prototype Shriek-Hawk interceptors, twelve candidates. The test: survive simulated dogfights, land precision shots on target markers, and endure high-gee maneuvers without losing control.
One by one, they flew.
Two crashed.
Three couldn't handle the maneuvering and blacked out.
But one soared — Verda Saek, a young recruit raised in the crater zones, with hands like machine steel and nerves made of fire. She hit every target, broke the sound barrier in-atmo, and pulled a snap-reversal that would've killed anyone else.
When she climbed out of the cockpit, Dren met her with a nod.
"You've just become Mandalore's first ace."
Chapter End Scene – A Shadow in Orbit
As the suns set behind the mountains, a flicker passed through Dren's HUD — a red flash across the satellite telemetry from the Tactical Tower's uplink.
"What is that?" he asked, voice sharp.
Sira froze. "Orbital sensor flare. That's… that's a stealth ship. Not one of ours."
The interface confirmed it:
[Unidentified Craft Detected – High Orbit]Classification: Unknown.Movement Pattern: Passive Reconnaissance.Signature: Stealth-Cloaked. Likely from an Advanced Lord Faction.Alert: You are being watched.
Dren stared into the darkening sky.
"Then let them watch. They'll see what Mandalorians become when we take to the stars."