Protect the duchess

Lana: I'm with Satine.

Pre (drawing his darksaber): I see... How unfortunate... In that case, you leave me ****.

Lana: Last chance Pre! Surrender and you can leave this place in one piece!

Pre: Far too late for that!

A squad of Mandalorians enters the throne room and draws their weapons.

Bo-Katan: Pre!

Leader of Clan Fett: How intriguing. The two contenders for the title of Mandalore face each other once again.

Bo-Katan: Nonsense! Pre is the only true Mandalore! Lana is merely a pretender! Kill her!

Leader of Clan Varad: Speak for yourself Kryze, I would only follow the stronger of the two and definitely not you! This is the way!

The rest of the group look at each other hesitantly.

Pre (igniting the darksaber): Fools! Kill the duchess's men! But leave Satine to me, I have a few plans for her! I'll handle this traitor myself!

Lana (activating your sabers): Let's finish what we started earlier!

Pre: Remember our first duel a few years ago? Think this will end differently for you?

Lana: I have learnt much since then! I have become a powerful Jedi, but more importantly, I have earned my place among the Mandalorians! I'm someone you cannot hope to match! This time, you'll be the one humbled! I won't even use the **** to fight you, I'll win this duel solely as a Mandalorian!

Leader of Clan Dar'Manda: Hah, and now she says she's holding back during a fight to the **** for the title of Mandalore! She's either very strong or she's a great fool! Either way, my bet is on her!

Leader of Clan Fett: If she can defeat Pre without the ****, she'll be truly worthy of our loyalty. None of us could match him with ordinary methods, if she can, she'll be clearly the champion of all present Mandalorians.

Pre (charging at you with rage following your claim to hold back): You daughter of a...! Aaarrr!

Ursa (waiting patiently as you two test your metal): Don't jump to such conclusions yet, she couldn't defeat him so far, what would make this one different?

Bo-Katan: I can't believe how you can so quickly betray your loyalty to our Mandalore!

Leader of Clan Varad: If he's stronger, there's nothing for you to worry about your place as Pre's right hand, give it a break and let's kill your sister's bodyguards, okay?

They open fire at Satine's men, who return the fire amidst clashes of vibroblades. The two sides battle in the background just as you and Pre fight, Obi-Wan and Satine observe the developments helplessly. As your fight progresses, more and more Mandos enter the room and join in on the fighting. Neither you nor Pre is rested, you have been fighting Gar Saxon an hour ago, not to mention Pre, who has just duelled Kenobi a few minutes earlier, which leaves both of you in a weakened state to decide this climactic duel for power and control. He is using slow, but powerful strikes, trying to cut his way through your defense, or if unsuccessful at that, at least attempting to unbalance you. This is hardly your first fight against a physically stronger opponent, you know exactly how to counter such moves with speed and agility. Since you have decided not to use the ****, your resources aren't as wide as they could have been. Your energy shield has been running low on energy since you used it up against Gar's flamethrower. Your own flamethrower's fuel reserve has been redirected to your jetpack just before arriving to the palace, leaving that out of the options too. A handful of diverse grenades, the twin blasters, and some other small Mando tricks are all that's left, if you exclude your lightsabers of course. You want to prove yourself to your people as a Mandalorian, not as a Jedi and that's exactly what you are going to do, at any cost.

During the duel you attempt to get a bit of a distance after each of his slow and strong slashes, trying to find an opening in his defense. Instead of fighting him with two sabers, you put away your left one and grab your blaster with your feed up hand. Each time you dodge his strikes, you fire a shot at his armour with your blaster in your left hand. Naturally, all your shots bounce off of his armour, which doesn't surprise you. You are just playing for a later surprise attack. That's a risky strategy however, with only one hand, you can't block his two-handed attacks, only dodge them. That's more tiring but could give you wider angles to counterattack.

Pre (slashing at you and receiving a blaster shot after each evaded strike): Disgraceful! Can't you see no blaster shot can pierce true Beskar?! Are you so simple-minded?!

Lana (dodging and shooting him continuously): Quite the contrary. Overconfidence in your impregnable defense will be your fall! Just wait and see!

Pre: Insolent kid! Should have killed you when I had the chance!

You continue your strategy until you get what you wanted all along, without Pre realizing what has been your goal. When it's done, you put your blaster away, detach a sonic grenade from your belt with a 3-second timer, and as it falls it flies and attaches itself to Pre's right foot, despite him trying to kick it off. You immediately activate your jetpack and get to just far enough not to be affected by the blast. He couldn't react to the surprise that your grenade had flown and attached to his foot instead of simply falling to the ground. Temporarily blinded and deafened, he slashes blindly around himself, trying to keep you away, but you easily knock his darksaber out of his hand and kick him in the guts, forcing him onto his back on the floor. As he hits the floor, all the fighting suddenly halts. Nobody understood what had just happened. A second ago the fight seemed like two equals dueling, and now Pre's disarmed and lying on the floor with your lightsaber pointed to his throat. All are in awe of what has just happened in front of their eyes. Bo-Katan is especially stunned by the revelation that her long-time boss has been overwhelmed by you in a fair fight.

Pre (furiously): What was that...? A Jedi trick?!

Lana: No, it was a lot simpler than that. Told you I won't be using the **** and I didn't. I said your defense will be your fall and so it was. When I was shooting at your armour, it might have seemed random or pointless, but it wasn't. After a few shots, you stopped bothering with them and just focused on your attacks. This meant you hadn't even noticed when I fired a shot at your wrist controls, pressing the button of your boots's magnetic sealing. When I released the grenade, it was magnetically locked to it. You didn't notice, since the floor isn't made of metal, so your movement wasn't affected at all. The rest is pretty easy to figure out.

Pre (grinding his teeth together): Grrr....! Damn you...!

Leader of Clan Varad: Impressive, Lana! Done like a true Mandalorian!

Leader of Clan Fett (clapping slowly): Impressive!

Bo-Katan: Noo...! Impossible...! She can't have beaten him!

Ursa (placing her hand on Bo-Katan's shoulder): She has just done that Bo-Katan... It's over. Lana is our new champion.

Leader of Clan Dar'Manda: Sooo, what happens now? Do we announce you as a new Mandalore oooor, do we all take rounds in fighting you until we're all done? Decisions, decisions...

Tiber Saxon (brother of Gar, the new leader of Clan Saxon): As the new head of my clan, following my brother's perishing by your hands, there are fewer who would have more reasons to fight you and attempt to take your life or the darksaber. However, having witnessed your strength and skills myself, I have come to realize, it would be suicidal. Hence, I, in my whole clan's name, bend the knee before the new Mandalore!

Leader of Clan Fett (as all of Clan Saxon bends the knee following Tiber's initiative): The moment you showed us the Mask of Mandalore, I knew it was destiny guiding you to us. Clan Fett and I are yours to command, Mandalore!

Leader of the Children of the Watch (bending the knee as Clan Fett does): You have the darksaber and the mask. You have earned to be Mandalore. This is the way.

Leader of Clan Dar'Manda (kneeling): I have made my bet on you and you have just delivered me a few piles of credits by kicking Pre's ass! I'll follow your lead as a token of gratitude for those credits! As long as the money keeps flowing to my clan, you won't regret having us around, I promise!

The clans bend the knee one after the other until most of the Mandalorians have done so. Save for Bo-Katan and Ursa Wren and their respective clans, and Clan Vizsla, Pre's own family. They all look at Bo-Katan to see whether she'll follow the pattern and swear allegiance. Satine sighs in relief, hoping the fighting is finally all over.

Bo-Katan: How could you bend your knees so easily?! She's half Jedi, our sworn enemy, have you all forgotten about that?! She's only half Mandalorian by upbringing, she's like an outsider! No outsider will ever rule Mandalore!

Pre (whispering to himself, while thinking on what has been happening): Bo-Katan...

Satine (whispering to Obi-Wan): My bright minded sister finally steps up to her own ideals! Out of all the numerous reasons why a random girl cannot rule the planet, whose throne is mine at the moment to add, she found xenophobia to be the biggest issue...! Not the illegitimate ascension, contradicting our inheritance laws... No, she had to pick xenophobia! Oh my, if our father was here to hear this...

Leader of the Children of the Watch: You know our costumes Bo-Katan, if she had earned the right to wear our armour and wield our weapons, she is a Mandalorian like any of us.

Leader of Dar'Manda: What's the matter Princess Kryze? Have you tasted sour grapes perhaps?!

Bo-Katan (pointing her blaster at him): Don't you dare talk to me like that! Look at yourselves, what a sorry bunch of fools you are! A handful of bigot zealots, a dozen credit hungry sellswords, a group of treacherous power grabbing upstarts! You aren't true Mandalorians!

Ursa (sadly): That's enough Bo-Katan... The clans haven't been united in anything like this for the last centuries... Let's not start another civil war. We are the minority here. Madnalore, we are at your service.

Bo-Katan (as Ursa and Clan Wren bend the knee): You too?! I should have known! Fine, I'll rely only on myself, Clan Vizsla and Clan Kryze! We'll never accept you as our leader!

Lana: Bo-Katan, if you want to fight me, come, I'm ready to meet you in battle. But don't forget how our last duel ended for you!{if Bo humiliated = true} I wouldn't risk that happening again in front of all the clans! They would get to see how quick your tongue could be in other scenarios as well, not just with insults!

Bo-Katan (quiet chuckle is heard from some of the people in the room): You daughter of a...! {if Bo licked = true}Then I shall let them all know, how much I came at your face when I spanked your ass the first time you challenged me! Probably we better show them, what do you say?!{endif}{endif}

Satine: Is that what my dear sister has become? An insulting underdog?

Bo-Katan: We'll settle our differences soon enough, "sister", you don't have much time sitting on your shiny throne!

Satine: Your invasion failed, I'm still the ruler of Mandalore!

Lana: Yet, you are no Mandalore...

Satine (confused): Lana? What are you implying?

Lana: Look at you all what has happened because you could not settle your differences for centuries! Mandalorians are killing their own kind and for what? Because one man couldn't bring himself to kneel to a monarch and said monarch couldn't face the errors of her ways! This must end now! Mandalore must be united under one rightful ruler! A Mandalore!

Mandalorians: This is the way!

Satine: I am the rightful ruler of Mandalore, my ancestors have been ruling this planet for...! This is my planet!

Lana (interrupting): And I used to have Mandalores among my ancestors, so what?! One doesn't become a leader because their ancestors were leaders! One must earn their followers, not just inherit them! Besides, this isn't the planet of either you or Pre, this is OUR planet!

Leader of Clan Fett: Hear hear!

Lana: I'm putting an end to this civil war here and not by siding with either side. I intend to unite the two so that a lasting peace without an urge for vengeance could become a reality. The **** Watch has been cultivating the ancient Mandalorian traditions better than anyone in Sundari, isn't that right? However, Satine has built a stable and prosperous world. One lacks stability and peace, the other lacks the power to defend itself or its interests. I we combine them, we'll be unstoppable!

Satine: Hah! Don't make me laugh, I will never share a table with those renegades!

Bo-Katan: Not like we wanted to have a seat at your table, coward!

Leader of Clan Fett: What exactly do you propose?

Lana: A joint effort to rebuild and develop our home. To have a place both our peoples can call home. I didn't intend to become Mandalore, but fate decided it instead of me.

Satine: If you want to take my life's work, then you should kill me. I would rather go down with it than bend the knee to a pretender!

Obi-Wan: Satine, don't be so rush!

Lana: I am not going to kill you. There has been enough bloodshed already.

Satine (as Obi-Wan sighs): So you would rather have me humiliated and imprisoned or exiled? Thanks, but I don't need that kind of mercy!

Lana: No, I have other plans in mind. However, you are not going to be the ruler of Mandalore, regardless.

Satine: That is the same as killing me!

Lana: What would you say if... Let's say, you were offered a role in rebuilding Mandalore?

Satine: What do you mean?

Lana: I would grant you a certain amount of influence, which could be used to put your ideals into practice, just like before. Under my leadership.

Satine: I cannot imagine how that would be done.

Obi-Wan: Satine, let her explain, I'm certain Lana has good intentions!

Satine: Whatever you say, Obi-Wan. I'll give it a thought. So, let's hear your proposal.

You turn around and look at the many followers you have freshly gained. They are quite the colourful bunch, and it's not their armour cosmetics you mean. Glory seekers, credit driven bounty hunters, zealots, pacifists, revengists, relatives, terrorists, to only mention the major clans... If you could convince them all to cooperate, Mandalore would be stronger than ever. It will be no simple task to keep them united for more than a week without them killing each other though.

Lana: We are going to have to rebuild Sundari after the massive destruction and casualties the city suffered. I want cleanup units organized to gather the corpses of both the defenders and attackers. They deserve to be buried in the city and their homeworld since they all died fighting, like heroes. This is where they belong. This is the way.

Mandalorians: This is the way.

Lana: Furthermore...

You look at the door leading to the room, two Mandalorians enter, carrying a third, wounded one on their shoulders. It's Rantar and he's alive!

Rantar (joking): I hope I haven't missed all the fun...! Heard through the comlinks what happened here... Couldn't stay in the medbay and not salute the new Mandalore personally!

Lana (relieved): Father! You are alive!

Rantar (sarcastically): Have you ever had any doubts about that? Our clan is tougher than any other!

Leader of Clan Varad: Hah, care to back that up in a challenge?

Rantar: Don't think I couldn't beat you right now, even in my current state!

Leader of Clan Varad: Very well! I'll see you in the cantina in an hour and we'll see how much Ne'tra gal you can drink before throwing your feet up!

Ranter: Black ale? Don't be childish, I'm drinking only Tihaar, kid! Clean, no water!

Leader of Clan Varad: Hm, well said, you old hound, see you on the battlefield of bottles!

Lana: Khm. I am planning some significant changes on Mandalore. I am going to organise a government, where the heads of all the major clans will have oversight of different branches of government. This should keep you all reliant on each other, whether you like it or not. So you all better get started on improving relations with the rest of the clans! This is what you could be a part of Satine. Let's say, a minister of internal politics. You could continue your policies, make the lives of the every day Mandalorians better the way you have been for years. How about that?

Satine: A minister or internal politics? Hmm...

Leader of Clan Harangir: A government...? You would really trust these good for nothings with doing something important besides fighting?! Not to mention the duchess's pacifist weaklings! They could barely hold their rifles straight!

Leader of Clan Fett: Speak only for yourself, Harangir! "These good for nothings", have been leading their respective clans for decades now. They might have some insight to managing things. But we at least know now that you are definitely not fit to be a part of it all! Though, this idea is greatly unorthodox... Pragmatic, but greatly unorthodox.

Satine (to Leader of Clan Harangir): Solving problems without drawing your blasters out straight away requires more than you could possibly imagine, warmonger!

Leader of Clan Harangir: You two dare question my abilities?! How about testing them against both of yours?!

Leader of Clan Fett: Name the time and place.

Satine: I have no time for such pitiful squabbling!

Lana (rising your voice): Silence! No more infighting until I say so!

Leader of Clan Dar'Manda (laughing): But Mandalore, a government?! For real?! We need only one Mandalore to lead us! Or are we going to pay taxes too to upkeep this, "government"?!

Lana: Don't worry, there will be salaries too!

Leader of Clan Dar'Manda: Then why didn't you say that?! We support the decision!

Satine (kneeling): Alright Lana, I accept, not as if I had too many options to pick from anyway. If I must bend my knee to serve my people best, then so be it. But I am uncertain how the work with my future "colleagues" will be done...

Lana: I am certain we will find a way for all to find a common ground.

Leader of the Children of the Watch: Common ground?! With a pacifist?! Fools! Such decisions will ruin our culture and traditions!

Satine (rising her voice): Maybe your "culture and traditions" are not worth preserving in the first place! We were greatly well off without any of them for hundreds of years!

Leader of the Children of the Watch (pulling out her vibroknife): Watch what you say, or my knife might end up scratching your throat from the inside!

Satine (pulling out her mini pistol): I am not afraid of oppressors, I have my own ways of self-defence!

Lana (**** pulling them apart): That's enough ladies, save your energies for the reconstruction of the city!

They both put away their weapons and turn away from each other with words better left unsaid.

Leader of Clan Fett: I see no point in arguing with some moderate reforms of our society anyway. If Mandalore wants it, so be it.

Leader of Clan Ha'rangir: My clan has no reason to object, we obey the command of Mandalore!

Ursa: Clan Wren as well!

Tiber: My brother died fighting you, because he thought you to be unfit for this job. Maybe he was right... We shall see.

Leader of Clan Varad: Your brother was weak, just like your clan, and the weak must obey!

Tiber (gripping his vibrosword): You want to check how "weak" we are?

Lana: That's it, it's settled then. First things first, I am going to need an overseer who will help me keep everything under control. An arbiter, who will be my voice and ear in any temporary absence of your Mandalore. I name Rantar Ordo, my father, the arbiter of Mandalore. Follow his words as if they were mine!

Rantar: Thank you, Mandalore, it is an honour to be your arbiter!

Leader of the Children of the Watch: Already delegating power away? Maybe we were too hasty in following you... You might not be ready for this responsibility yet.

Ursa: She has defeated all who dared to challenge her, she has the right to lead us, regardless of our approval or disapproval!

Leader of the Children of the Watch: Our traditions were formed for a reason! We shall see if she is up to the task of following them...

Satine: Or, if she is brave enough to make a difference at last.

Leader of Clan Fett: Only the strong has the right to dictate, if you lack the strength to **** your will onto others, you are just a complaining child. We are Mandalorians, we follow the strongest, no matter what!

Leader of Clan Varad: That's right, but don't forget the Mandalores, who were only strong in arms, not in their heads! They might have ruled, but only briefly!

Leader of Clan Dar'Manda: Hey, I'll follow anybody regardless of the political staff! As long as I get paid well, of course!

Lana (somewhat sarcastically): Thanks, that is quite reassuring, all of you! I will do all I can to lead you well, if I fail, well... You know what happens to the Mandalores who are defeated in a challenge.

Pre (standing up as you say that): Huh... About that... I have been defeated... I had hoped to be the new Mandalore to lead you all into a new era. But that won't be my role in this new chapter of our history. As much as it hurts my pride, I must bow my head in front of one who could unite you far better than I ever could. This historic unity of the clans cannot go to waste because of the pride of one man. Our traditions dictate, that only the strongest shall rule as all. I, Pre Vizsla, uphold our traditions and accept the consequences of my actions, which is execution. Hereby, I entrust Paz Vizsla, my closest relative with leading Clan Vizsla.

Paz Vizsla (as Clan Vizsla kneels): I will make you proud, uncle!

Pre: As for you, Bo-Katan... I thank you for your unwavering loyalty to me! But times are changing, I am no longer your leader. Serve the new Mandalore as well as you have served me.

Bo-Katan: Pre...! You are the true leader of the Mandalorians! Don't give up your life's work like that!

Pre (kneeling and bowing his head low to be beheaded): Lana... I have said my part. Finish the challenge. End my life and claim your place as the new rightful Mandalore and lead the clans to glory, like I never could!

Lana (puzzled): I... I do not intend to kill you Pre.

Pre: That's not up to you. Tradition demands it. Anyone who loses a challenge for the title of Mandalore must die in the challenge. I have come to accept my fate and I will face it with dignity, having witnessed the true potential you possess as a new leader and unifier. Do it. Give your brother this final honour. This is the way.

Many, but not all Mandalorians: This is the way!

Bo-Katan: Blast the damned way, you deserve to live!

Satine: We could imprison him if you wish... But that would be mercy for what he has done...

Pre (closing his eyes): I would rather be executed than to rot away in a prison! Lana, do what I asked you to do! I will not beg for my ****.

All the Mandalorians and the men of Satine are watching in silence, waiting for your strike to finish him.

Lana (thinking): What should I do? I know I have the duty to kill him per tradition, but... He's still a formidable soldier and has much respect from some of the clans. They might never truly accept me as Mandalore if I kill him now...