There can be only one Mandalore

You patiently wait for them there, imagining how your duel is going to be with Pre, strategizing about the tricks and moves you should use. Soon enough, Satine and Obi-Wan return to the room, not expecting to see you so soon.

Satine: Is something the matter Lana? You said you would be meditating in your chamber.

Lana: Yes, about that... I contacted my father and told him about the mask.

Satine: What was his reaction?

Lana: As expected, he outright suggested me to challenge Pre Vizsla to a duel for the title of Mandalore.

Obi-Wan: That's what we were hoping for, isn't it?

Lana: Yees, but, I feel a great uncertainty. If I can defeat him, we could avoid the whole invasion and might resolve this matter peacefully. However, if I lose, they will be further fueled to attack with never seen vigor. I feel I might not be up for the task...

Satine: Lana, great men and women must face difficult tasks from time to time. They do not face them to become or remain great, they become great because they are fighting for something bigger than themselves. With one fight, you could save thousands if not more! Think of them, their families!

Lana: It's not that I lack the motivation, I just feel... Uneasy. What if I manage to win, yet they wouldn't listen to me anyway? I would be just an upstart.

Obi-Wan: The **** will be with you Lana, it always has been and always will be. If there is a Jedi who could regulate such a rough bunch like a few Mandalorian clans, that is you. What if you are bested? Nothing, you stand up and fight on with us behind you. What if you win and they will not respect your right of strength? Nothing, we will still stand by you and help you defend Sundari. But what if you win and you succeed in finding a solution to the matter without bloodshed? Then, Lana, then, you will be hailed as a hero by the citizens of Sundari, for saving so many, non could have saved otherwise. We Jedi never go to battle with utmost certainty in our hearts. That would be arrogance or overconfidence, those are not Jedi traits. We go to battle out of necessity because we must fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, we fight for them and for a higher cause. That is what the **** respects and it will undoubtedly help you achieve it, as it has helped you to get to this point.

Lana: I suppose you are right, I have nothing to lose and a lot to win by challenging him. I'll contact him right away!

Satine: You will be a hero of Mandalore Lana, regardless of the outcome!

Lana (sarcastically): Now that I think about it, a statue of me would look good at the main square...

Satine: We will see what we can arrange, a miniature would be budget friendly and easily doable!

Lana: Sure, just make it a miniature for a Rancor, not for a Jawa!

Obi-Wan (shaking his head): Pride is no Jedi trait either...

Satine: Alright Lana, but first things first. Pre must be beaten before we can discuss any statues.

Lana: Okay, here goes nothing.

You activate the holotransmitter and start an open channel, broadcasting your message to the entire Mandalore System, ensuring that Pre and all his men will see it.

Lana (as the broadcast begins): My name is Lana from Clan Ordo. I am a Mandalorian like so many of you. Fate has brought our people to the brink of yet another civil war...

Pre (as they activate their holotransmitter and start watching the broadcast): What in the...? What is she planning?

The clans watch the broadcast awaiting what you have to say.

Lana: ... The previous ones have left us all scared and weakened. That should not be the case again! We might have our differences, different cultural, traditional, and political views. Yet we are all Mandalorians. I am not here to ask anybody to surrender, quite the opposite in fact! I am here to declare a challenge! Pre Vizsla, I challenge you for the title of Mandalore and leadership of all the clans! I want to let you all know one thing though...

Pre: Silly girl, why do you want to get yourself killed?!

Lana (showing the mask): I have found the Mask of Mandalore, the oldest and most sacred relic of our people! I don't have to explain what significance it has. You have the darksaber in your possession, a similarly powerful relic. Let them both be in the same hands, let's settle this dispute, once and for all! End the long time division of the clans and let there be one Mandalore, to be followed by all Madnalorians! I will be waiting for you at noon, tomorrow, outside the Dome of Sundari. The strongest shall rule us all! For Madnalore!

The transmission ends and you step away from the console, waiting for a response. Meanwhile, Pre is put into a difficult position. He had made great plans and preparations for the invasion, now all could be in vain. Yet, he could also gain Sundari without attacking it. As he thinks his options through, everybody is staring at him, waiting eagerly for an answer. His prestige and authority cannot allow him to decline such a challenge, anyway.

Pre (through an open channel within a minute of your broadcast's end): I, Pre of Clan Vizsla, accept your challenge Lana Ordo! We will meet on the field of battle tomorrow! The strongest shall rule as all! For Mandalore!

Lana: Well, everything goes according to plan so far.

Satine: You have done well! Now, finish the preparations of the city, if Pre or his men will not stand down, we must be ready for anything!

Obi-Wan (with his hand on your shoulder): Go Lana, rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long and hard day, you will need all your strength.

Lana: You are right Obi-Wan. I must be centered when it comes to settling this. I will be in my chamber, should either of you require anything of me.

You walk back to your room, lay down on your bed, and stare at the ceiling, as thoughts storm through your head. What if you aren't strong enough? What if he won't even appear? What if you lose? What if he deceives you somehow? What will your father think of you either way? What will become of your Jedi status once you become Mandalore? So many questions, yet you cannot answer any of them right now. Only time will tell, as it usually makes a habit of doing so. You attempt to meditate late into the night when you finally manage to fall asleep. The next day you get ready and fly towards the entrance, while observing the more or less prepared city. At the gate, you find Obi-Wan and Satine waiting for you.

Lana: What are you two doing here? Wouldn't it be safer to stay in the palace?

Satine: You didn't think we would let you walk out alone, did you? I won't be sitting in my palace and watch my city's future be decided from afar!

Obi-Wan (checking his armour): Two Jedi are always better than one, isn't that right? Besides, my units will keep the interior quarters secure, should we have to fall back, we'll be escorted safely. Lana, could you hold my lightsaber while I fix my bracers? They seem to be a bit loose.

Lana (holding his lighstaber): Sure.

Obi-Wan: Ah, thank you, much better now! Shall we go now? Let's not make them wait!

Clone captain: Sir, our men are in position, the palace is tightly secured! No man will go through us!

Obi-Wan: Good work captain, let's hope there won't be a need to test that defense. Yet, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Satine: My police **** is also ready to defend the dome with their lives if they must. **** Watch should not attempt that invasion of theirs, or they will fail trying to take my throne!

You, Obi-Wan, and Satine exit the dome into a small village-like outskirt, not much before noon and wait for your opponent to show up. And he doesn't disappoint by being late. Just as you get out of under the protective barrier, you hear the thundering noise of engines bursting. **** Watch and the rest of the clans have arrived with their starfighters, frigates, and transport ships. They land not far from you, making the final mile with a jetpack. Pre and nine of his highest ranking warriors arrive, among them Bo-Katan, Rantar, Ursa and the other leaders of the most prominent Clans. They are all well-armed of course, ready for anything, despite coming here to only watch a fight, not be a part of it. They form a semi-circle behind him and wait for events to unfold.

Pre (stepping forward): You are truly here, it is honourable. I value honour above most things, as you already know. But you are mistaken if you believe you can defeat me and save the duchess from her fall. You should have joined me instead, we could have accomplished much together!

Lana: Maybe. But maybe you are the one mistaken here. Had you not been so insistent on forcing your way of life onto the people of Mandalore, you might have made a high ranking politician, a president even. Your capabilities could have been spent on unification and building without having to massacre anyone.

Pre: Maybe. Yet, we will never know now, will we? You know... We could just simply overpower her royal "majesty" and her Jedi bodyguard with ease. You could have been a hero for delivering them both to me like this, under the rouse of challenging me.

Lana: Yes, but where would have been the honour in that? I will not bring shame to my clan with such actions.

Pre: Spoken like a true Mandalorian. One thing is for certain now, only one of us will be walking away from this.

Lana (putting on your helmet and igniting your lightsabers): That's right. On guard! For Mandalore!

Pre (rising the darksaber into the air and activating it): For Mandalore!

He charges at you, saber swinging, clashing the darksaber against your sabers again and again. His strikes are strong and precise, attempting to unbalance you or break through your defense. You however won't be giving in so easily. Following a few more slashes back and forth, you **** push him away from yourself to gain a few seconds to catch your breath. He isn't pushed back far though, as his jetpack immediately helps him gain control of himself and plunge back at you, with you being ready to defend yourself from the coming strike. Unbeknownst to you both, there is something neither of you expects. Your Jedi senses alert you to something, they sharpen, time slows down as Pre is flying towards you, but he's not the cause of the alert. A sniper bolt is shot from afar, passing next to Pre's head and at you, thanks to your training you are able to deflect it, though only narrowly. The shot is, even if unintentionally, redirected against Pre, blasting into his left shoulder, and knocking him out of the air right away. Beskar or not, the shot pierced through his armour, penetrating into his shoulder, and leaving a nasty wound with a hole in his armour. Everyone is shocked by the interruption of your duel, all looking in every direction to find where the shooter might be.

Pre (groaning on the ground): Argh...! Which son of a Hutt fired that?!

Lana: Ths shot came from the direction of your Mandalorians... Question is, which one of us were they targeting?

Pre: Aaah! I'll find the bastard! The duel has been interrupted! Damn the challenge, it has been compromised! Mandalorians, attack!

Lana: What?! But...!

His men look at each other, uncertain whether to follow the order. A few of them open fire at you and Obi-Wan, essentially making the decision for all belligerents to engage, unless be killed on the spot. You and your allies retreat back to the Dome's safety while Satine's bodyguards occupy the members of **** Watch. Bo-Katan and Rantar rush to Pre to check his condition.

Bo-Katan: Pre!

Rantar: Pre, are you alright? I have a medkit, here!

Pre (sending them away): I'll be fine, this is nothing compared to the time I was trampled by a Mudhorn! Find the one responsible for ruining my glorious victory! I'll get a medic and join the ****! Plan Besh in effect, spread the word! All clans go to their respective positions! The dome shall fall today! Forward, for Mandalore!

The plan to settle the dispute with a duel and evade the bloodshed has failed. Now, there's only one way to end this, by sheer ****, and that favors the Mandalorian invaders of the city.