The forge hissed with heat, glowing like the heart of a star. Shepard stood over the creation printer's concealed chamber, feeding in raw chunks of beskar, trace minerals, and power cores scavenged from wrecked transports. The machine whirred in silence, breaking matter down at the molecular level before rebuilding it into something new something greater.
Piece by piece, the first set of armor emerged.
It was a fusion of two worlds: Mandalorian tradition and the soldier's vision Shepard carried from Earth. Beskar plates curved seamlessly over reinforced polymer, providing both flexibility and unyielding defence. Built into the spine was a compact nuclear microreactor, capable of sustaining power for decades. The backplate carried a streamlined jetpack, balanced perfectly for thrust and manoeuvrability.
Inside the helmet, a sensory HUD bloomed to life at Shepard's touch. Readouts tracked motion, heat signatures, and atmospheric conditions. Friend-or-foe markers could be tagged with a glance. A secure comm system linked every soldier in the squad, with frequencies shielded against jamming.
The weapons were no less advanced.
Laser pistols that punched through armor with precision beams.
Plasma launchers capable of liquefying cover.
Blades of superheated energy plasma edge vibroblades that cut through steel like cloth.
Shepard stood back, watching the armor's glow fade as it cooled. He could almost hear his old squadmates whispering. This is what we should've had. This is how we could have survived.
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Fifteen suits. That was all he dared produce at first. He summoned the elite warriors of Clan Fett the veterans, the champions, the ones most loyal to Jaster Fett.
When they entered the chamber and saw the armor standing in perfect rows, their reactions ranged from awe to suspicion.
"This isn't Mandalorian," one muttered."It's heavier," said another."Too much reliance on machines."
Shepard stepped forward, helmet tucked under his arm, his voice calm but commanding.
"This is beskar, reforged. Stronger, lighter, faster. The jetpack gives you skies as your battlefield. The HUD lets you see more than eyes alone. The reactor keeps you moving long after your enemies have run dry. And the weapons " he gestured to the racks, " will cut down Death Watch before they even know what hit them."
A silence fell. Warriors glanced at one another, skepticism flickering in their eyes.
"Try it," Shepard said simply. "If it fails, you can execute me for dishonor. But if it works… Mandalore survives."
They didn't have to wait long. Scouts reported Death Watch gathering in the valleys of Korda, preparing to raid Fett-controlled villages. Shepard and his chosen fifteen rode out at dawn, their new armor gleaming like midnight steel.
The battle began with blaster fire, as always. But this time, everything changed.
The elites soared into the sky with jetpacks, raining fire from above. The HUDs highlighted enemy positions hidden in the rocks. Plasma blades cleaved through Death Watch warriors, shields absorbing impacts that would have crippled ordinary beskar.
Skepticism vanished the moment their weapons cut through enemy armor like paper. Warriors who had once grumbled now laughed with exhilaration.
"By the moons!" one shouted as his plasma pistol vaporized a Death Watch heavy gunner."Death Watch has no chance against this!" another roared.
Shepard fought at the front, shield flashing as it absorbed blasts, blaster fire striking down enemies in clean bursts. He moved with efficiency born of two lives, every strike calculated, every motion purposeful.
By midday, the valley ran quiet. Death Watch corpses smoldered in the dirt, their banners trampled. Not a single Fett warrior had fallen.
That night, the elites removed their helmets around the fire, still buzzing with victory.
"You've given us more than weapons," one said, lifting his visor. "You've given us dominance.""Death Watch feared us before," another added. "Now they'll whisper our name like a curse."
Shepard nodded, saying nothing, but their eyes lingered on him. Not just as a brother-in-arms, but something greater.
In their hearts, a truth had already taken root.
Shepard was not just Jango's older brother.He was the true leader of Clan Fett.
And with him at their head, Mandalore might finally rise above endless war.