Bespin Aerospace, Corellian Engineering Corporation, and later Republic Sienar Systems—who only joined the Golden Dragon refit project partway through—all had full confidence in the upgraded Golden Dragon carrier-battleship. The shakedown run they planned with the Mandalorian Navy was simple: take the ship straight through the Anoat Asteroid Belt.
Too bad the Ugnaughts in Anoat were dirt-poor—otherwise he could've used the trip to bill them for "route clearing," Max Vizsla thought.
On June 21, Galactic Standard Year 5, Max had just returned to Bespin Sky City aboard the Dor'bulla-class heavy cruiser Dragon. He didn't even sit down for the welcome feast. Instead, he immediately boarded the Golden Dragon carrier-battleship to take part in her first voyage after formal delivery to the Mandalorian Navy.
Besides Max, the Golden Dragon also carried a group of special guests—seventy-two Mandalorian bounty hunters and mercs who'd come over to Bespin after the Bespin Mandalorian Protectorate became publicly known.
"Everyone, my apologies. I did promise Director Elda from Intelligence that I'd come see you the moment I got back to Bespin. But the Golden Dragon's first voyage was something BAE and the Navy scheduled with me last year. Both things landed on the same day—couldn't push either—so I'm handling them together. I know that's a bit of trouble for you. Appreciate your understanding."
"Not at all, Lord Vizsla. You're being too polite."
"A supercarrier's first voyage is a milestone. Getting to be part of it is an honor—how could we call that trouble?"
"Yeah. This is the Way."
"This has to be the biggest capital ship in Mandalorian history, right? Lord Vizsla… what you've built makes the rest of us feel small."
"With all of you joining up," Max swept his hand wide, "we're going to have ships even bigger and stronger than this."
"This is the Way."
"Mandalorians are going to live better lives!"
"This is the Way."
"Mandalore forever!" Max raised his arm and shouted.
"Mandalore forever!!!" the entire Golden Dragon roared back.
"It'll take about half a day in hyperspace to reach the shakedown zone. Let's move to the dining hall—eat and talk." Max gestured. "After you."
...
When the pog soup was served, one bounty hunter lifted his glass and sighed, "More than ten years… and this is the first time I've seen this many Mandalorians in one place again."
"Can't go home," a merc beside him shook his head, clinked glasses, and smiled. "We're all drifters now—wandering the galaxy."
"I've been back to Mandalore," Max raised a finger, paused, then continued, "under a fake name. Quietly."
"Hahaha—" everyone laughed. Some raised their cups toward Max from across the room.
"I've done it too." / "Same." / "Me too."
"Everyone," Max raised his glass, "the day we go home openly—without hiding—it's close."
The dining hall fell silent. A few mercs who clearly knew each other exchanged looks. Then the one in front stood, glass in hand, and asked, "Lord Vizsla… are you planning to take Mandalore back?"
The moment he said it, someone slammed their cup down, shot to their feet, and thumped their chest.
"If we're taking Mandalore back, count me in!"
"Me too!"
"And me!"
Some stood and pledged immediately. Others kept their heads down, quietly eating and drinking. Max didn't bother watching too closely—there were cameras in the dining hall, and Intelligence would review the recording later and make an assessment. He stood, pressed both hands down, and motioned for calm.
"Everyone, easy. Sit—sit. The Bespin Mandalorian Protectorate keeps the option of force on the table, but we'll act in good faith and do everything possible to solve Mandalore the peaceful way."
"Since we formed, we've had some contact with the New Mandalorian government. More recently, we've partnered with some New Mandalorian companies on Ryloth development projects. Economically, our ties with them are growing tighter by the day."
"Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Almec personally promised me he'll do everything he can to lift the exile orders on people like us." Max raised one finger. "That means the hope for a peaceful solution is real."
Someone muttered, "Deputy prime minister? Even if he were prime minister, it wouldn't matter. With Duchess Satine—Mandalore's traitor—those exile orders are never going away."
"You're damn right," another voice chimed in. "Satine Kryze is a Republic plant inside Mandalorian society. Her New Mandalorians are tearing down our culture and erasing Mandalorians at the root!"
"Lord Vizsla," someone else stood and asked, "if Duchess Satine refuses to lift the exile orders… will you use force?"
The hall went quiet again. Everyone looked at Max, waiting for the answer.
Max didn't answer directly. He took a sip of pog soup and said, "Mandalore is prosperous right now. Anyone who's gone back—even quietly—can't deny that."
When a few nodded, Max continued, "A rich world with almost no real military force sitting in this galaxy is like a defenseless person standing naked in the Coruscant underworld, clutching a pile of credit ingots. Sooner or later, that kind of wealth draws disaster."
"For now, the Judicial peacekeeping forces keep some order in the sector. Mandalore and the Mandalore sector can stay mostly safe. But the galaxy's shifting—everyone here can feel it. When those peacekeepers get pulled away to put out fires elsewhere, the Mandalore sector won't stay quiet. Pirates and syndicates won't ignore a prize like that."
"I still believe that when the New Mandalorians—Satine included—truly feel an external military threat, they'll realize what extreme pacifism costs, and they'll put Mandalorian armor back on to defend Mandalore." Max raised one finger again. "And if Duchess Satine still can't see the mistake—if she refuses to change—then Mandalore's people will make the right choice."
"Well said!" / "You're right, Lord Vizsla!" / "This is the Way!" / …
That topic settled for the moment. Then another person stood and asked:
"Lord Vizsla, how do you—and the Bespin Mandalorian Protectorate—view Death Watch?"
PS: The Anoat Asteroid Belt has another, far more famous name—the Hoth asteroid field.
PPS: At the time of this chapter, the planet Hoth does not appear on any public star chart.
Billions of years ago, two rocky worlds collided and created a chaotic asteroid belt along the outer orbit of the Hoth system (with debris fields extending into nearby Anoat space), along with an asteroid storm that filled the entire Hoth system. The belt effectively hid the system, and for billions of years very few travelers pushed through far enough to discover the planet Hoth.
Because the Hoth system lies near the Corellian Trade Spine, a handful of smugglers and pirates did stumble onto Hoth over the years—but they never made its existence public. Later, the Rebel Alliance's Echo Base on Hoth was expanded from a hideout originally carved out by a pirate crew.
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🛡️ STAR WARS: THE RISE OF MANDALORE
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🛡️ MANDALORE WILL RISE AGAIN.
A warrior culture divided.
Clans fighting for survival.
A galaxy slowly moving toward war.
And someone determined to ensure that Mandalore will never again bow its head.
Star Wars: The Rise of Mandalore has 100+ chapters ahead available now.
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⚔️ THIS IS THE WAY OF WARRIORS
🛡️ Mandalorians
⚔️ Clan warfare
🚀 Galactic conflict
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🌌 A changing galaxy
Mandalore has fallen before.
It has been divided before.
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