Capítulo 13: Chapter 012:

Chapter 12: Beeping Test

34 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) - 2 Years before Canon

Sector/System: Mandalore

Location: On Mandalore - Clan Gryphen Compound

While Sera and I were walking towards my mother's office, we were met with a member of her personal guard.

"The chief wishes to see you in the training field, follow me." the female guard said with her helmet below her arm showing me a head full of red hair and green eyes.

"Sure, Sera meet Captain Rin, Captain Rin meet Sera." I introduced the two, Rin was one of the others with me that day when we slipped away.

"Sigh, Jack I know that look… please don't anger the chief too much this time around, even though your muscles finally got the time to recover your bones had to be broken and forcefully reset in place, we used many of the bacta patches and bacta gell we had on hand, to get you even walking properly again." Rin grumbled to me

"No worries, she should be happy she finally got what she wanted well almost…" I said with a smirk.

"Good, at least she won't be on your back on that anymore, now follow me." Rin said, shaking her head at me evading the point, turning around, and walking away at a brisk pace.

While we walked Sera talked over coms, which she most likely had set up, when I was too engrossed in reading would be my guess.

[You're looking at her lower half rather intently… are you interested in her?] I heard Sera ask in a joking tone

[Well I won't confirm nor deny… she's a captain of my mother's guard, I wouldn't try anything with her, that ship flew a long time ago.] I answered sarcastically making Sera go silent again

I ruined what I could have had with Rin, she wanted more than 'one night' and I did not care back then, seeing it as nothing more than stress relief.

I could only shake my head at the 'me' from two years ago, how desperate was 'I' to get away. Only one way to find out I guess.

"You know what she's planning Rin?" I asked while we walked

"Yes… you both will be tested, to see how good you are and if need be… get rid of the rust." Rin said the last part with a shudder, of her body.

'That reaction… oh great there goes all the rest of the medical supplies… at least good practice for the medics though… fuck' I thought, with my own body shivering as well

"Great… endurance, stamina, speed, power, and of course can't forget agility." I said sarcastically at the end

I could feel Sera look at me, likely with the look of what could be so bad to react like that?

and Rin scoffed in front of us, letting me know she agreed, she had to do the same, but in my absence likely worse… think when I left as a trader they got the brunt of her anger over them.

That kind of, made me feel bad for those who are supposed to be my friends, but yeah 'me' back then made some questionable choices.

Now I have to, pick things up and try to fix them and improve them where I can.

I just wished I also had a few memories of the old me, the only thing I remember is how I looked and was an old man, well I guess it got wiped due to the force or whatever or whoever sent me here.

"We are here, the training field… Jack about back then…" Rin tried to say when a loud voice cut her off.

"GET OVER HERE! ALL THREE OF YA!" in the middle of the training field stood my mother fully geared for war, and looking at her face… white hot in anger

All three of us made our way over quickly.

'It is almost as if I can see ripples around her as if the heat is making the air ripple like what you often see on hot days around an engine if they're too hot.' I thought looking at my mother.

However, doing so made her look my way, and when our eyes met I knew things would not end well.

"You brat! I told you to punish her and not let her walk straight! It seems you require a reminder to follow orders!" my mother growled red-faced.

All I could do was shake, because those ripples almost made me think I saw the outline of a skull, but when I saw the pure pants-wetting fear in Rin's eyes I decided on something foolish.

"Fuck you Mother, I'm not some sadist asshole, so don't get your panties in a twist." And with that out of the way, even knowing I fucked up, I did so willingly.

Maybe I'm too soft with women around, good-looking once at that but it is what it is, I would rather deal with it than watch those close to me suffer.

And looking at everyone's shocked faces including those training in the field, who mind you grabbed their stuff and used another door to get away, yea I knew 'I fucked up' hell I even heard it in that iconic voice saying it.

"Good, Good, Good! you brat finally got some balls huh." my mother growled at me, making me even take a step forward, still holding her gaze.

"I'm a man, I always have balls something you seemed to have forgotten." I growled back

Just before she came in range I jumped to the left and rolled on the ground putting my helmet on, grabbed my blaster, and shot her weapon out of her hand.

This did not end well for me, because when I stood up, I flew backward from a concussive shot.

'Second blaster… idiot she always has two, so many carry two.' I thought beating myself up on that slight misstep.

"Good, it would seem your body is fixed for the most part if you're able to react like that." a much calmer mother said.

"Now that you remember this field, you three see these white lines, line up, and when you hear a beep you run to the other line in the back, however, if you hear another beep and you have not reached it… pain will follow!" We all heard her say in pure glee.

'Fuck, the beeping test… great, and the level of difficult will slowly go up, and knowing her shots and stuff will be thrown our way as well.' I thought not looking forward to this.

Not even a moment after getting to the starting line, this started off straight away.

*BIEP*

Something compelled me to run straight away and I saw Rin quickly enough run next to me and Sera closely behind us likely surprised by how sudden it was.

And just when all three of us got to the next line and thought we were safe, once more the annoying sound came again.

*BIEP*

Making us rush back to the start as fast as possible, but I saw something bad, my mother was gleefully holding both her pistols and somehow I knew what came next.

"JUMP" And I did followed by Rin. Sera, who was keeping up, seemed a tat bit slower, most likely trying to figure out what to expect or do.

"ROLL" And again we did across the line just in time.

*BIEP*

And again we rushed back trying to anticipate what she would say next.

"JUMP, ROLL, JUMP" and as soon we did, I noticed Sera running on the other side of me now, I guess having figured out the how and what.

— — — — —

While this happened in the command center watching on a massive screen, could a small group be seen sitting in front of it, the old doctor and her husband the old armorer flanked by the Commanders of the clan. Even Chuck and Nora were there and were oddly quiet.

"There she goes, she has never been good at holding back." the old armorer stated

If I had been there I would have known the old people as my Grandfather and Grandmother, with their only remaining son sitting between them.

"... Why is Rin there as well, she should not have been added to the outsider and the Heir." the son grumbled.

"Oh you foolish boy, Rin is the leader of the Chief's guard, of course, she would be added in." the old man explained calmly

"Humph, Lark, I know you have eyes on that Rin girl but I suggest you quit while you can, that girl is not planning on anyone else and still only has eyes on your cousin the Heir, brat you will never get her." the old woman said to her son.

"Kid, don't fool yourself in thinking she belongs to you, my daughter ain't yours and never will be with that mindset." the big hulking man spoke up just after joining the group.

"Ah, good for you to join us, Butch, how is the wife Cassidy?" the old woman asked in slight worry.

"She is doing well doc, close to giving birth to my second son, I will soon have two daughters and two sons." a very happy, Butch said with a big smile.

"Speaking of daughters, sweety come here." the big man spoke to the young girl with red hair who had sent all the information during the briefing

"Dad…" she spoke in embarrassment being hugged by him in front of all the important people of the clan

"The heir is doing much better than expected, his recovery is surprising." Butch said in slight shock watching the screen

"Of course he does, He is the heir, and big sis will get the Heir... surely." the young girl said making the older people laugh at her foolish optimism.

"Now the real fun begins." a gleeful Lark stated, watching the Heir and the outsider fly face-first into the ground, soon followed by Rin, making his gleeful smile disappear.

— — — — —

Back in the field in question.

'Fuck, only heard dodge when I got hit… darn it mother.' I thought quickly getting up and running further.

*BIEP*

And once again I flew into the ground just as I crossed the line at the last moment but not on time.

"Rin, Sera take a brake, Jack you keep going." my mother said shooting at me forcing me to dodge and run to the other side again.

"LIVE!" I heard her scream making me pale

I quickly rushed across the field grabbed my weapons and used my helmet's targeting system in an attempt, to hit her weapons quickly while rolling across the floor and firing twice during the roll.

"Dam brat, good shots you hit my weapons, it seems you're still good to go." I heard her growl.

'Sigh, this seems to be a long day.' I thought trying my best to disarm my mother again, when she started shooting straight away with two new pistols she pulled from somewhere.

— — — — —

While I was being trained, drilled, or beaten into the ground, elsewhere on Corrucant's lower levels, Clan Stix found themselves there after bribing some officials to turn a blind eye to such a large group of Mandalorians.

"Uncle… why did we go here of all places?" Laara asked Old Keith.

"Because this is the only place Deathwatch would not come looking at least not anytime soon." he told her.

"Also I set up shop here years ago to supplement the money the clan needed to stay as we were. Stan was not too wasteful with money, and we never needed it before, but he still paid everyone a salary… even if most of the clan handed what they got back to me for clan expenses." Keith told her

"This was the best way my dear, that way everyone could keep most of what they got for situations like we find ourselves in now." Keith told her, as he led her and the rest of Clan Stix into a massive scrapyard called 'Keith's Scrap-Emporium'.

After they entered they were greeted by a scared and badly burned brown-skinned Zabrak with broken horns on his head.

"I can't believe it, you are back, a good thing as well the gangs are getting rowdy and jumpy." the Zabrak said in pure happiness.

"No need to worry old friend, my folks and I ain't leaving anytime soon, got everything ready?" Keith asked the man

"Yeah, with room to spare, about hundred fifty folks, can easily fit with another three or so hundred give or take a few." the Zabrak said.

"Oi brat! guide them to the living area!" the Zabrak yelled to a young yellow-colored Twi'lek girl with black markings on her leku wearing some damaged dirty coveralls

"Y-yes, at once t-tis way please." she said slightly cowering seeing so many people in full armor and fully armed.

"Go with the girly, me and him have some more catching up to do." Keith told her.

While they walked away the two men started talking in quiet voices about what and who none but the two of them knew.

— — — — —

Back with Jack in the training field, we can see a massive shootout between him and Chief Clara his mother.

Both could be seen running around the field, dodging by jumping, rolling, sidestepping, and even using their jet packs to fight in the sky.

All in all, it was a grand show for Sera and Rin watching far away, or for those in the command room.

"What's wrong boy, getting tired already?" Jack could hear his mother mock him

"Ha! you wish, just getting started." Jack stated in confidence even though he was breathing heavily, which was heard through the voice modulator in harsh puffing sounds

*PEW*

A shot rang out hitting Jack in such a way it entered through a small open area, stunning him.

Jack fell forward-looking to be knocked out, looking at Rin who stood there rifle in hand

"Rin… explain." Chief Catra could be heard growling

"Chief, he just recovered he should not even be walking with what we had to do to reset all his bones properly, and all the tears in his bones and muscles." Rin said

"It is a miracle he is moving about at all, I rather not have him aggravate anything and be stuck in bed for who knows how long, maybe even ending in a coma again… maybe longer that time." Rin continued

"Sera bring him back to his room, you won't leave until he wakes up again and I am informed. And you Rin… you will take his place." Chief Catra ordered

"By you're command." Sera spoke up walking forward, slinging an arm over her shoulder, and all but dragged Jack away, soon assisted by a guard outside.