Lava is mined as a precious natural resource on this volatile and volcanic world. The opposing gravitational forces of the twin gas giants closest to Mustafar tear apart the planet’s surface to reveal the mineral-rich lava flows underneath. Once serving as the capital world for the Confederacy of Independent Systems, remnants of their past influence still linger. Massive mining facilities—originally constructed by the Techno Union—are still maintained by the native Mustafarians, an egocentric people who would like nothing more than to squeeze minerals for the purposes of trade and commerce from their volcanic planet.

Other than in the pursuit of business interests, few arrive on Mustafar save for those needing to incinerate evidence in its vast expanses of magma. What little curiosity is given to the volcanic planet is thwarted by a natural scanning interference caused by intense geological activity. Pirates, smugglers, criminals and scum all value this world’s ability to dump bodies, tracked cargo shipments and other unwanted articles—the singular reason for the Black Sun’s interest in the Outer Rim world.

Droids, machines and conveyor belts create the workings of an efficient system to extract the minerals and have it prepared for refinement and transportation. Lacking a suitable surface, metal walkways are shielded against the heat to allow workers passage throughout the facilities. Even with the worst of the heat being shielded against, Mustafar’s temperature remains less than comfortable to most species lacking exoskeletons.

Beyond the blistering heat of the volcanic world, Mustafar served as the battlefield for the fabled final duel between Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

Appius was beginning to think he should invest in some real estate on Mustafar, given how often he found himself there. It was like the Force was playing some sort of dirty trick on him, only the punchline wasn't funny.

The place reeked of the dark side. Appius only had to take a few steps on the surface to realise there was something heavy and intense about it. Perhaps it was because the remnants of Darth Vader's castle remained, forever tainting the forsaken world.

The story Appius' father told him of the battle between Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and the newly minted Darth Vader upon the molten world entered his mind, and then consequently, his fights with members of the Brotherhood. The one he had after with his first apprentice after Appius himself had succumbed to the dark side brought the most twisted, vivid memories.

It was ironic. History seemed to have a habit of repeating itself. It was just like his father used to say;

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Appius was determined not to make the same mistake again. Teebu was not his apprentice, but he was his friend. He saw in Teebu qualities that many others didn't. He was a brilliant tactician, loyal almost to a fault, and fiercely intelligent. Appius was going to have to play this carefully.

He approached the edge of a bridge connecting two separate areas of the mining facility. Lava flowed below, creating an ambivalent orange glow. The heat was almost scorching, but Appius pressed forward, for there, standing in pristine white, imperial-designed armor, staring out into the distance was his Vice-Chancellor, Teebu.

The lava spurted up, roaring like rage personified in liquid form. It gave Appius the opening he was looking for.

"I'd take a step back if I were you."

Teebu heard him, and turned around, sans helmet, holding it under one arm. At less than three feet tall, he wasn't the most intimidating sight in the galaxy, but there was something in his eyes that burned into Appius, something very familiar.

Betrayal.

"You came."

Teebu's voice was almost monotonous as he spoke.

"Of course I came," Appius folded his arms across his chest. "Did you not think I would?"

Teebu maintained eye contact with him. "Quite frankly? No, I did not. I thought the Supreme Chancellor would be much too busy to waste time with someone such as myself. Well done for passing my first test."

"Test?" Appius couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "You summoned me to Mustafar for a test?"

"Not a test. Several tests, if you listened properly, you'd know that."

Appius was thankful he was wearing his helmet. He didn't want Teebu to see the visible scowl across his face, but then he remembered why he was there, and what Teebu was feeling.

He understood it all too well.

"Teebu, I get that you are angry, but don't you think this is going a little bit too far? We can talk about this."

"Not at all. If anything, I don't think I've gone far enough," a small, eerie smile appeared on Teebu's face as he began to slowly pace back and forth. "You want to talk? Then let's talk. Tell me, when you were captured by the Children of Mortis, what happened?"

"Teebu…"

"What. Happened. Answer the question."

Appius gave the simplest answer he could. "I was rescued."

Teebu gave a small nod. "Very good. Now, when I was captured by an enemy, what happened?"

Appius didn't like where this was going. "We looked for you."

"Clearly not very well," Teebu stopped pacing and glared at Appius. "I find it amusing that when you were captured, no expense was spared on retrieving you from the clutches of the enemy. Myself, on the other hand. Well, that's a different story, isn't it, Chancellor? I don't know if it's because I'm an Ewok, or maybe it's because I'm formerly Imperial…"

"You being an Ewok has never had anything to do with anything," Appius said. "You've proven to me that your past doesn't define your future."

Teebu took a deep breath. "And yet, in my present, I find myself questioning your leadership."

Appius unfolded his arms and shook his head. "I have nearly given my life for Taldryan. My allegiance is to the Republic, to the democracy that we created, Teebu!"

Teebu showed no visible reaction. "That allegiance should extend to those under your command. Not just yourself."

Appius quickly removed his helmet and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to say sorry?"

Teebu smiled again. "No. I want you to fight me."

Time seemed to stand still for Appius. Teebu wasn't serious, was he?

"You're being ridiculous!" Appius couldn't stop himself from chuckling. Teebu wanted to fight him? "I'll slaughter you. No fancy armor is going to be able to protect you."

"You're one to talk," Teebu seemed to have a response for everything Appius said.

Appius became stern. He felt heat rising from within, and not because of the molten planet either. "Look, this is stupid. I don't know what's gotten into your head, but I'm not fighting you. I have better things to do."

Appius turned to leave, but then heard Teebu's voice behind him.

"Not much of a Mandalorian, are you?"

That stopped Appius dead in his tracks. "Excuse me?"

Teebu continued. "What kind of Mandalorian walks away from a fight? I expected better of you. It appears you are all bark and no bite. Then again, you aren't a typical Mandalorian. Isn't that right, Appius?"

"You just love hearing the sound of your own voice, don't you?" Appius quipped.

Teebu placed a hand under his chin. "I wonder what Ankira would think of you right now?"

That did it. It was one thing to insult his position and honour, Appius was used to it. It was an entirely different matter bringing the people he loved into it.

Appius felt his body tense. He ground his teeth together before a smile stretched across his face. He slowly placed his helmet back on his head.

"Fine," Appius turned to face him. "Have it your way."

"Without the Force," Teebu placed his helmet on his head. "Or do you think you cannot beat me without it?"

Force or no Force. It didn't matter to Appius. He knew Teebu was baiting him, but it didn't matter. He was more than confident he could put the little creature in his place.

Teebu was going to regret this.

"Agreed," Appius said.

Lava and magma spurted from the flowing river below, signalling the start of their battle. Appius grabbed the lightsaber attached to his right hip and activated it. The blade sprung to life, hissing like a krayt dragon.

In response, Teebu grabbed hold of his blaster, took aim, and pulled the trigger. Appius marched forward deflecting the first, second, and third shots to the side of him. He swung his lightsaber vertically, looking to cleave the Ewok's arm from the rest of his body.

A plasma shield erupted out of Teebu's armor, protecting him from Appius' attack. It gave him the opening the Ewok needed to aim a precise shot into Appius' helmet. The shot had more force behind it than Appius expected, and he staggered back, his ears ringing from the impact.

That was not enough to stop him, though. Teebu could pull whatever technological tricks he wanted, it would not compare to over two decades of training that Appius was subjected to. Appius moved forward confidently, attempting the same strike again, though instead of bringing forth his plasma shield, Teebu dropped his blaster, and grabbed a pair of small lightsaber hilts.

Emerald collided with blue and orange. Appius held the position for a moment, too stunned to continue attacking.

"Really!?" Appius asked.

"Really," Teebu confirmed, breaking his weapons away from Appius'.

Lava spurted once again, drowning the two silhouettes in dark orange as Teebu swung for Appius' shins. The Consul parried back, stepping back from Teebu's sudden assault. The much smaller being attacked with aggression, like a snake nipping at his heels.

What happened to him?

This was not the same Teebu that Appius remembered.

The lightsaber blades Teebu possessed were shorter than normal, and were something that Appius was not used to fighting. The Ewok was able to strike Appius' left shin, a direct hit, scratching the beskar. Appius looked to counter, but Teebu leapt back out of the way, the emerald blade missing his ears by inches.

Teebu's eyes were hardened, his gaze firmly locked on Appius. One thing was clear. This was not going to be as easy as Appius initially thought.

Appius retracted the blade of his weapon, causing Teebu to raise a brow under his helmet. Appius removed his cloak, allowing it to drop to the ground. He cracked his neck from one side to the other.

"Alright, Teebu. Have it your way," Appius grabbed his second lightsaber, now holding one in each hand. The blades activated simultaneously, howling like a pair of hungry predators. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

With that said, Appius lept forward into the air towards the Ewok without any assistance from the force, both blades pulled backwards over his head as he swung them forward and downward simultaneously during his approach.

Teebu shifted his figure sideways, holding the right-most saber up in a defensive position at him while he flipped the second saber in his left hand backwards. As Appius came down to strike the Ewok quickly shifted his feet and spun clockwise at the last moment and brought his left hand forward, striking first the right and then the left saber with it before twisting his head around.

He brought his right arm around him and slashed outward offensively, using the motion of his body to increase its striking power. To his surprise, Appius was able to twirl the saber in his right hand around and brought his shoulder outward as he planted his foot onto the ground, kneeling downward to block the strike with precision.

With a hefty push against him, the Ewok was forced back a step as Appius went onto the offensive with strike after strike. Each one, in turn, was parried with extreme precision. It was at this point Teebu knew that he was questioning where this skill had come from, if he was yet again force sensitive, but it was all a facade. Instill fear in those who saw the blades, assuming just that.

While he was unable to block blaster bolts, read into the future, or sense things around him, he instead worked towards a level of combat proficiency beyond that of duelists who were capable of just that. He didn't need those powers to read a blade's movement and flow, much less to isolate specific openings presented.

Every movement and strike made offensively was met with a slightly quicker reaction time and parry, and when Teebu would do the opposite and go onto the offensive himself, he quickly noticed that Appius was having a hard time keeping up with his physical movements and attack speed. Athletically, he was a whole level above the Supreme Chancellor and it showed.

The fight between them made it's way into one of the mining shafts, a sudden kick to the chestplate sending Appius down onto a conveyor belt as Teebu jumped down onto small platforms and walkways before joining him on the conveyor.

"Ankira would be disappointed in you, your combat skills have become dull in your time as a politician. Even look like you've gained weight." Teebu slyly said with a hint of abrasion, knowing full well it would infuriate Appius further. While his own stamina was starting to show signs of wear, Appius' was as well given his own movements had begun to slow. If he could get him to burn more energy and wear himself down further, however, it could provide the perfect window of opportunity to end the duel.

Just as he predicted, Appius roared with anger and went on the offensive. Using the environment around him, Teebu dodged behind control arms which sorted out the various ores for processing, behind small pillars and other objects to further increase the energy that Appius was outputting. Once they were both back on the belt, Appius planted his right foot ahead of him and brought his sabers out from each other, hurling them in front of him and upward to knock Teebu's out of the way.

In a feign of surprise, the Ewok moved his shoulders backward. Appius took advantage of this surprise and started to bring them back down in a cross pattern, but instead Teebu dove forward and rolled between his legs. He struck upward with his lightsaber and sliced into his upper thigh where there was a break between the armor plating of his leg and his upper body.

Teebu disengaged both sabers and held onto the conveyor as he raised his legs and body upwards, throwing himself up into the air back to a standing position. At that moment however, one of Appius' sabers met his helm right on his ear, but nothing happened except making the Ewok's head sharply turn away from the blade.

The anger faded into even more surprise, something Teebu had not anticipated or contemplated in his tactics. "No way. That's not fair. Your armor is immune to lightsaber attacks?"

"Funny, you're one to talk wearing Beskar."

Appius ground his teeth together. "Beskar is supposed to do that, Teebu!"

It was at that moment that Appius realised just how much he had been played. Teebu had done his research. He had prepared specifically for this encounter. He had toyed with Appius' pride so that he agreed not to use the Force. Teebu had thoroughly prepared every trick in the bag needed to counter Appius in his current state.

He was a little sithspit.

Appius attempted to take a step forward, but his right leg, the one where Teebu had struck his thigh, buckled underneath him. He dropped to one knee, and Teebu leapt into the air, using the opportunity to plant both feet into Appius' helmet.

The back of Appius' head crashed into the conveyor belt, thankfully protected by said helmet. He tried to sit back up, but Teebu then jumped on him, planting both feet into Appius' helmet again.

"It's not the first time I've gotten the jump on you. Is it, Chancellor?" Teebu's voice was laced with confidence and heavy breaths.

Appius, again, attempted to sit up.

Teebu grabbed the cuff of Appius' undershirt. "Why? Why do you insist on fighting?" You should just stay down. There is no honour in embarrassing yourself. Accept defeat."

Appius grabbed both of Teebu's arms and leaned his head closer to the Ewok's. "Never."

He pushed Teebu away from him, and Teebu staggered back a few paces before regaining his footing. He remained in place to catch his breath as Appius slowly, but surely, returned to his feet.

"Teh Rang, Mhi Atyaor. Do you know what that means, Teebu?" Appius was standing tall, but was placing the majority of his weight on his good leg. "It's Mando’a. It means from ashes, we rise. It's the Clan Klars saying. No matter the difficulty, no matter the hardships, we always keep going. We get back up when we are knocked down. That is our way."

"You've already failed at that," Teebu pointed out. "A couple of times."

"Yes! I've made that mistake! But you know what? I'm only mortal. I found my reason to keep going," Appius held his lightsabers horizontally in front of him. "I am the Supreme Chancellor of the Taldryan Republic. I am a Scion of Taldryan. My name is Appius Taldrya Wight. My life, my soul, and my entire being are dedicated to this Republic, and the people within it, including my family, and even you. You are going to have to kill me if you want to keep me down!"

Appius tried to take a step forward, but dropped to his knee again.

Teebu took a deep breath in and out. "So be it. For the Republic, I will do what I must."

Appius tightened his grip on his lightsabers. "You will try."

The mining facility droids buzzed about the two combatants, loading and uploading precious ores and minerals from the conveyor belt. When the path was clear, Teebu broke into a sprint towards Appius. No doubt he had calculated how to end this fight quickly, and decisively.

However, there was one thing Teebu failed to comprehend; Appius was no conventional fighter.

Teebu leapt into the air, twisting his body. At that moment, Appius dropped his lightsabers, freeing his hands. He hooked Teebu's arm whilst he was in mid-air, and slammed him onto the conveyor belt.

Teebu gasped in pain, but Appius wasn't done. The insult to his honour, bringing his leadership and family and the woman he loved into it. He poured all that raw emotion into his hold as he twisted Teebu's arm at an unnatural angle.

Teebu let out a loud cry of pain. He tried to reach for his lightsabers, but they were just out of his reach. He attempted to squirm out of Appius' grasp, but Appius' had him locked in tight, applying further pressure to the socket between Teebu's arm and shoulder.

Teebu let out a haunting howl, one laced with pain and anguish.

"Give up," Appius' tone of voice left no room for compromise.

Teebu gave no response.

"Fine," Appius said. He attached a collar around Teebu's neck. "Have it your way. I don't need the Force to electrocute you."

Appius let him go, and Teebu had no time to comprehend what Appius meant before his body started spasming. He grasped at the collar with his one good arm, trying desperately to tear it off.

Appius retrieved his weapons and Teebu's before slowly clamouring back to his feet. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. It'll explode if you apply too much pressure."

Mercifully, Teebu stopped writhing on the conveyor belt. He was still conscious, but in a great deal of pain.

Good.

The little fracker deserved it.

"It's over, Teebu," Appius held his arms out to the side. "I wi-"

He stopped, noticing that there were no droids in this part of the facility. It was eerily quiet. The reason became known when the end of the conveyor belt approached, followed by a thirty-foot drop into one of the many lava rivers that flowed beneath the facility. It was the place where this conveyor belt disposed of anything non-valuable.

"Oh, that's not good…" Appius felt a sudden pang of dread shoot down his spine. "Teebu! We've gotta get out of here!"

Teebu tried to raise himself, but collapsed back onto the conveyor belt. In a few seconds, they'd fall into the lava.

There was nothing else for it. Appius limped over to Teebu, his leg feeling like he was being stabbed. He ground his teeth through the pain, trying to ignore it and the sweat pouring down his face. His heartbeat thundered in his chest with each step.

When he stood over Teebu, he scooped the Ewok up in one arm, never having been so thankful that he was so light. He had moments before they fell.

With reckless abandon, he threw Teebu over to the side, just off the conveyor belt, and onto the durasteel walkway.

Appius had little time to care about Teebu's rough landing. With his one good leg, the Taldryan Consul mustered as much of his strength as he could into his left leg, and jumped.

It wasn’t enough.

Appius crashed into the durasteel platform, holding onto the lower railing to keep himself from falling. He was about to pull himself up, when the silhouette of Teebu stood above him, clutching his dislocated shoulder.

To Appius' surprise, Teebu didn't stomp down on his hand as he expected. Instead, he used his one good arm to try and help him up.

Teebu didn't have much strength to offer to someone nearly three times his size, but Appius could appreciate the gesture nonetheless. The two collapsed beside each other, both taking their time to absorb the fact they were inches from death.

Teebu broke the silence. "Now… we are even."

"Even!?" Appius' head snapped towards him. "The whole reason this happened is because you wanted a damn fight!"

"And you proved yourself."

Teebu was damn impossible when he wanted to be. Appius inspected Teebu's lightsabers, the Taldryan crest emblazoned in gold upon them. Appius then unclipped the shock collar from Teebu, surprising him, though he gave no verbal response.

He didn't need to. Appius had a feeling he wasn't going to need it now.

There was, however, one burning question in Appius' head. "Where did you learn how to do all that?"

Teebu answered the questionwith one of his own. "Who do you think?"

"His Excellency, of course…" Appius said with the title with as much derision as possible.

Teebu rubbed his arm tentatively. "For what it's worth you passed…"

"Teebu, I really don't care about your stupid tests. All I care about right now is getting you and me off of this planet and into medical care. Mark my words, Teebu. When we get back to Kasiya, you have got some explaining to do," Appius activated his comm-link. "This is the Supreme Chancellor requesting an immediate evac for myself and the Vice-Chancellor. Sending you our co-ordinates now…"

It was at that moment that Teebu thought about it for a moment. Appius had intended to take his ear off.

He reignited his sabers and moved straight towards the Supreme Chancellor once again, striking offensively. They both were already showing signs of wear, Appius remaining on the defensive to conserve more of his energy. This was precisely what Teebu was hoping for as they progressed along the conveyor, weaving between mining equipment and smashers before making their way onto a platform with a control panel.

One of Teebu's sabers struck the panel as they moved onto a large catwalk above several large magma tanks. The catwalk began retracting from behind Appius, the both of them moving toward the end of the approaching section of catwalk.

With a graceful frontflip, the Mandalorian hopped over the Ewok and went on the offensive himself now. This surprised Teebu as he did not expect this sudden shift, and with the narrow catwalk already he had little maneuvering room. Appius kept his attacks centralized, clearly to keep him from going between his legs once again without being caught by his sabers.

It was only a dozen seconds later that they were at the edge of the catwalk, which had now stopped. Teebu's foot was on the edge as the four sabers struck each other and it became a stalemate between the two.

"End it," Appius scorned as he held the Ewok in place. "Or else."

"Fine, it's done. Alright?" Teebu conceded as he let off on his strength against the opposing sabers.

"Good."

Suddenly, a boot was in Teebu's chest. Inside his helmet, his eyes widened in surprise as he fell backward and downwards. Appius only stared down at him, his sabers unigniting as the Ewok plummeted straight into one of the magma tanks.