Sorry for the delay, guys. I was on vacation and had no computer to work on.
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Lunch continued with light banter and delicious food. Before they knew it, it was time for the final battle royale.
All the teams from each clan were in their designated areas, eagerly awaiting their clan leaders. Each clan consisted of 35 kids, all excited to get into battle after a restful lunch.
Rayden stood with his team next to Georges' team. Each clan needed to designate a leader who would stay at the base to coordinate the battle. Only team leaders were allowed to communicate with other clans to form alliances.
After a quick discussion among all the teams, Rayden was chosen as his clan's leader. Although he was one of the younger members competing, he had proven his skills throughout the competition.
Additionally, as the clan heir, learning strategy and command were essential for him.
After the selection of team commanders, each leader led their team to stand before the hover stage, where the clan leaders awaited them.
Looking to the side, Rayden noticed that Lexi had also been chosen as a commander.
In front of Tov'ra stood a tall boy with shaggy brown hair, their chosen Commander. The Commander for Drav'korr was a muscular boy who was already growing a beard, while a lanky boy from Vhar'kar had been selected as their Commander.
About a minute later, the clan leaders stood before the teams on the hover stage. Each leader delivered a brief speech to encourage their clans and wish them all good luck.
Each team had 30 minutes to discuss strategy, form alliances, and set up their defenses before the final match began.
Clan Tov'ra's base was a fortress made of duracrete walls and elevated platforms, defended by 25 warriors positioned strategically to cover each other.
Tov'ra opted for a defensive strategy since they were tied for first place with Clan Knight. They designated 10 attackers to form a special strike squad that would stealthily inflict damage on the other clans' bases one by one.
Tov'ra's leader coordinated from a central tower, his voice heard shouting orders over the comms. They planned to outlast the other teams, allowing rival clans to weaken each other before launching their own attack.
Drav'korr and Vhar'kar allied. These two underdog clans, eager to improve their standings, combined their 70 warriors into a mobile strike force. Both leaders decided to split their teams: 40 attackers would target Serdran's base, aiming to exploit their lower points, while 30 would defend their flags at adjacent swamp bases. Their strategy relied on speed and numbers, utilizing sticky gel launchers to hinder their enemies.
Rayden stood near his clan's base—a rocky outcrop surrounded by metal barricades and topped with a glowing blue flagpole. His team—Dave, Ashley, Robert, and Jacob—checked their stun blasters and shields nearby, while George's team prepared their defenses. Across the field, Lexi approached under a temporary truce flag, her armor scuffed from the earlier forest match. Her team trailed behind her, their green flag visible in the distance.
Rayden lifted his visor to meet Lexi's gaze. "So, LexI, are you ready to take down Tov'ra with me?"
Lexi smirked, taking off her helmet and shaking her hair, a resolute expression on her face. "We are ready if you are, Ray. But take a look at Tov'ra, they are holed up like a krayt dragon in their fortress. They're playing defense, which means they'll be tough to crack."
Rayden nodded, glancing at Tov'ra's base—a heavily fortified ruin with multiple teams patrolling its perimeter. "Drav'korr and Vhar'kar are allied, but they're weaker. We hit Tov'ra first to thin the field, then deal with the underdogs."
Lexi crossed her arms, her tone serious yet playful. "Agreed. My clan has 23 troops on offense and 12 defending. How about you?"
"Same split," Rayden replied. "Ashley will lead a team of snipers from the high ground, and Jacob and Robert will lead the defenses. Dave and George will lead the attack. I'll lead from the command center. We flank Tov'ra—your teams take the east ruins while mine hits the west forest. Draw their defenders out, and we'll go for the flag."
Lexi raised an eyebrow. "And when it's just the two of us left? Are you planning to stab me in the back, Ray?"
He grinned and leaned closer. "Only if you try to do it first, Lex. Let's make a deal: we split the glory until Tov'ra is down. After that, may the best Mandalorian win."
She laughed, extending a gloved hand. "Deal. But don't cry when I grab your flag, Ray."
He shook her hand firmly. "Bring it, Lexi."
As they parted ways, their teams exchanged nods, solidifying the alliance. Rayden felt a mix of excitement and nervousness, with butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Winning would not only secure first place for his clan but also mark the first time he was leading such a large group instead of a small squad.
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The horn blared, and the battlefield erupted into controlled chaos. The arena, a kilometer wide, was a Mandalorian proving ground: swampy pools slowed movement, forest patches offered cover, rocky cliffs provided vantage points, and ruins created choke points. Each clan's flag glowed brightly—Knight's blue, Serdran's green, Tov'ra's red, Drav'korr's yellow, and Vhar'kar's purple—making them tempting targets.
Lexi commanded her attack group to rush Tov'ra from the east while her troops spread out to prepare for a possible ambush. Rayden watched as Dave and George led their troops from the west. Both clans communicated to coordinate their attack effectively.
As they advanced, both teams encountered obstacles that slowed their progress. A few wild animals had been released into the area to add an element of surprise. While the animals were not deadly, there were adults on standby to intervene if anyone was in danger. However, if an adult had to step in, that child would be removed from the game.
Observing the attack team from Serdran was a group of kids from Vhar'kar and Drav'Korr, equipped with scopes and sensors, who watched them approach Tov'ra's base.
The lead figure among them was a kid from Vhar'kar. After seeing Serdran leave for the base, he lowered his binoculars and said, "Get ready; it looks like Serdran and Knight are planning a pincer attack on Tov'ra. This is our chance to take one of them out."
Hidden nearby was the combined team of both clans. Forty troops rose and made their way toward Clan Serdran's base.
The leader of the Drav'Korr half came and discussed their attack plan. They decided to launch a ranged attack to confuse the defenders before rushing in with the entire group.
The Vhar kid added, "Good, we'll wait for Serdran and Knight to begin their attack. When they're preoccupied, we'll strike."
On the other side of the area, the 10-man special team from Tov'ra was making its way to the base of Drav'Korr.
They carefully avoided animals and defensive scouts to get as close as possible. Their captain, a tall girl, raised her fist, signaling everyone to stop.
She opened communications to the command center. "Commander, we are 20 meters from the base and so far there are no alarms. Should we proceed now?"
The Commander replied a moment later, "You can attack whenever you see the opportunity. Remember to get as close as possible before opening fire. The faster you can get in and out, the better."
"Copy," she acknowledged, then turned to her squad. "Get ready, guys. Try to make it into the base before attacking."
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The audience held their breath as they watched the chaos unfold through a hidden camera.
In a special observation room, Varn and the others discussed what they were seeing.
Elyse: "There are some good strategic choices being made."
Camren: "Yes, look at our group and Drenar's clan. They are waiting for the fighting to begin before making a move. Those boys have good heads on their shoulders."
Drenar felt both happy and frustrated. "I agree with you, Camren, but if only those boys had left a few more troops at base, there wouldn't be so many openings for the Tov'ra strike team."
Ravik replied, "Don't be too upset, Drenar. Maybe your clan's kids can hold their ground, but to be honest, I doubt it. Look, the strike team is almost inside, and they still haven't been noticed. After this is over, you should work on their defensive skills."
Torin laughed at his brother-in-law's misfortune as he watched the kids from the Knight and Serdran clans surround the Tov'ra base.
Varn said, "Ravik, you should consider your own base. Even though they were discovered, the combined attack of two clans should be able to overwhelm your defenses."
Ravik replied, "That's possible, but don't forget that Serdran is about to be attacked by two clans as well. If we can hold out longer than they can, then when the flag is captured, their troops will have to withdraw, leaving only the Knights to attack us."
Veyra looked at the holograph as she was also annoyed at how Lexi was leaving herself wide open and not having scouts and sensors to pick up the combined attack about to happen.
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The Tor'ra strike team had just made it inside the base's wall when they were discovered.
Serdran and Knight attacked simultaneously from opposite directions, effectively splitting Tov'ra's defenses in half.
Drav'korr and Vhar'kar's strike team of 40 attackers crept through the underbrush, gel launchers primed to slow down Serdran's defenders. The Drav captain signaled to the Vhar captain, "Fire now, then charge!"
A volley of sticky gel rounds rained down, immobilizing a Serdran's snipers and pinning another defender to a tree.
Vhar'kar's captain led a strike team aiming for the green flag, but Lexi's 9 other defenders, led by her second-in-command, responded with stun grenades, scattering the attackers.
Drav'korr split into two groups: half of the warriors launched an attack while the other half lay in wait to block any reinforcements from Clan Knight.
Rayden was observing the assault on Tov'ra from the command center when he heard the distant sounds of battle coming from Lexi's direction.
Feeling slightly worried, he called her to see if she needed assistance.
"Don't worry, Ray. From what I can tell, there are about 40 attackers. It's a lot, but I left my base well-defended," Lexi reassured him.
"Okay, Lexi. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask. We both need to survive until the end to determine who will win," Rayden replied.
With a smile, she ended the call and opened communications with her defenders to request a status report.
The sniper had managed to free himself and had taken out two attackers so far. He kept a group of seven attackers pinned behind some trees.
Lexi had already lost one defender, and she could not afford to lose any more. So she deployed her key defense: a heavy repeating blaster turret set to stun.
This was the same blaster turret that commando droids used against Domino Squad in the Clone Wars (Season 3, Episode 1).
As she set up at the command center, she had the perfect vantage point to fire at all the attackers. However, she wanted to draw them in a little more.
Opening her comms, she ordered, "Fall back to the command center and the flag."
The attackers pressed forward as they noticed her team pulling back.
"Perfect," a sweet and predatory smile formed on Lexi's face as she gripped the turret.
Verya watched her daughter's actions, and a smile appeared on her face as Camren and Drenar sighed, wearing looks of resignation, knowing what was about to happen.
Torin wore a stupid shit eating grin as he decided to add insult to injury for Drenar.
"You should take a look at that Tov'ra strike team, Drenar."
Turning his head to the screen, Drenar's expression shifted, looking like he had eaten a fly; he noticed the strike team directly in front of his clan's flag. The captain carefully retrieved the flag while her team held the door and provided covering fire.
"Commander, we have the flag and we're making our way back," the captain reported over the comms.
"Good. Head back, but be aware that clan Serdran's attack team is positioned between you and their base. Exercise caution, and see if you can disrupt their attack, but your main priority is to get that flag back to our base," the Commander replied while firing his rifle at a knight troop, hitting him square in the chest.
"Roger that. Team, it's time to move out." The captain glanced at the six members still with her, noting that three teammates had already been taken out as they rushed into the flag room.