The wind carried the scent of dust and wild grass across the ruins of the ancient Dantooine Enclave. Kaelen felt the shift in the air before he saw them — a tightening of the Force, a sharp edge like hardened steel drawn across the horizon.
HK-47's photoreceptors flared bright crimson.
"Alert: Hostiles incoming. Armor plating detects Mandalorian alloy. Threat level: extremely enjoyable."
Obi-Wan tensed. "Mandalorians? Here?"
Kaelen's stomach dropped. "Master… I think they know about the holocron."
Before Obi-Wan could reply, dark shapes crested the ridge — armored figures with T-shaped visors reflecting the dying sunlight. Their jetpacks hissed as they descended the slope with military precision.
Their leader stepped forward, helmet marked with the unmistakable sigil of Clan Vizsla.
"Jedi," the Mandalorian barked. His voice carried the clipped bite of a war commander. "Hand over the relic."
Obi-Wan folded his arms calmly. "Afraid we can't do that."
Kaelen tightened his grip on the holocron. The object pulsed faintly — responding to danger.
The Vizsla leader tilted his head.
"That artifact does not belong to you. It is Mandalorian spoils from the Jedi-Mando wars."
Obi-Wan raised a brow. "Spoils? Funny — I don't recall the Mandalorians defeating the Jedi during that conflict."
A few armored hands drifted toward blasters.
HK-47 stepped forward with a mechanical purr.
"Polite Inquiry: Might I incinerate them now, Master?"
"HK—no killing!" Kaelen hissed.
"Disappointed Sigh: You never let me have any fun."
The Vizsla leader's visor locked onto HK.
"Is that… an HK unit?"
HK straightened proudly.
"Affirmation: Indeed. Would you like a demonstration of my superior ability to—"
Kaelen grabbed HK's shoulder. "No demonstrations!"
Obi-Wan sighed. "HK-47, please restrain yourself. We're trying to avoid a war."
HK vibrated slightly, as if sulking.
The Mandalorians spread out, flanking them with tactical discipline. Jetpacks primed. Blasters charged.
The leader pointed a gauntlet toward Kaelen.
"Do not make me repeat myself. Hand over the relic. Or we take it from your corpse."
Kaelen felt the Force swell around him — danger, rising and sharp.He whispered, "Master… they won't let us leave peacefully."
Obi-Wan nodded once. "Then we leave quickly."
The Vizsla leader fired a wrist rocket.
"Down!" Obi-Wan shouted.
The rocket slammed into a fallen column, shattering it into dust.
HK immediately returned fire with precise, pinpoint accuracy — disarming two Mandalorians with blaster bolts that struck their gauntlet joints.
"Cheerful Taunt: Your armor is impressive. But inefficient… for staying alive."
Kaelen ignited his saber, deflecting a barrage of shots. Another Mandalorian drew his vibroblade and charged, only to be intercepted by Obi-Wan's swift parry.
Jetpacks flared. Blasters thundered. The air filled with the metallic ring of Mandalorian steel meeting Jedi sabers.
But Obi-Wan was already calculating an escape route.
"Kaelen!" he called, cutting through a jetpack strap and sending a Mandalorian tumbling. "We're heading for the ship!"
Kaelen nodded and sprinted toward the landing pad —
—only to skid to a halt as two more Mandalorians descended in front of him.
HK fired past Kaelen's shoulder.
"Clarification: You are blocking my Master. Please move… or explode."
They launched smoke grenades in response.
The area filled with thick gray mist.
Obi-Wan shouted through the haze, "Kaelen—use the Force! Find the path!"
Kaelen closed his eyes.
The world disappeared.
The smoke.The shouts.The blaster fire.All dissolved into the soft hum of the Force.
Through the fog, he felt threads of life, pulses of intent — Jedi, droid, Mandalorian.
And a single path through the chaos.
Kaelen opened his eyes, grabbed HK's arm, and dashed forward.
Obi-Wan emerged from the mist, deflecting blaster bolts. "This way!"
They sprinted together across the field. The Mandalorians gave chase, jetpacks igniting with violent blue flames.
One fired a grapple line at Kaelen. He spun, slicing the cable clean in half.
Another lunged at Obi-Wan with twin blades. Obi-Wan kicked him back with a Force-assisted strike.
The ship came into view.
The Mandalorians weren't slowing.
"HK—cover us!" Kaelen yelled.
"Enthusiastic Affirmation: With pleasure!"
HK unleashed suppressive fire with terrifying precision, forcing the Mandalorians to dive for cover.
The group reached the ramp just as blaster bolts streaked inches from Kaelen's back.
Obi-Wan slammed the hatch button.
The ramp sealed.
"Go!" he ordered the pilot.
The engines roared.
The ship shot into the sky, leaving the furious Mandalorians shrinking below.
Aboard the Cruiser
The ship broke through Dantooine's atmosphere, stars swirling into view. Kaelen collapsed into a seat, clutching the holocron as it pulsed gently in his hands.
HK hovered beside him.
"Reassurance: You handled yourself adequately, Master. Not perfectly, but adequacy is rare among organics."
Obi-Wan glared at the droid. "You are remarkably unhelpful."
"Response: Thank you."
Kaelen finally exhaled. "Master… the Vizslas were hunting this. They knew exactly what it was."
"They came prepared," Obi-Wan agreed. "Too prepared."
He looked at the holocron.
"It seems more than the Jedi are concerned with your lineage."
Kaelen swallowed hard. "I didn't ask for any of this, Master."
Obi-Wan's expression softened. "I know. But the Force chose you for a reason. And now the stakes are far greater."
HK chimed directly in front of Kaelen.
"Observation: The artifact is awakening, Master."
Kaelen looked down.
The holocron glowed faintly, like a heartbeat.
Obi-Wan leaned closer. "What is it sensing?"
HK's tone lowered to a mechanical whisper.
"Answer: Blood."
Kaelen stared at the device — and it pulsed again, stronger this time.
Obi-Wan stiffened.
"Kaelen… we need the Council. Immediately."
Kaelen nodded.
"Set course for Coruscant."
The stars blurred into hyperspace.
The holocron throbbed in Kaelen's hands like something alive.
Waiting.Listening.Remembering.
And very, very awareof its rightful heir.