Chapter 2 – The Walk Back

The return walk to Maz's castle was interesting to say the least. Dyn had a walking companion that wasn't the kid and therefore had the ability to form coherent sentences, and she was fascinating to observe by all accounts.
Firstly, she barely seemed to make any noise while they moved through the forest. While Ter'a moved gracefully through the trees and over boulders, Dyn made a considerable amount of noise and became slightly albeit temporarily self-conscious, feeling as though he was absolutely blundering along like a blind mud horn. Eventually he reasoned that he had the repulsor hand truck loaded with valuable liquor to manage and she did not which eased her burden and increased his.
Secondly, obstructions they encountered seemed to be of very little difficulty for her. He even started to anticipate them and became keen to see how she dealt with them, but always came out surprised when she seemed to mount them easily.
Finally, she was an extremely vexing conversationalist. She was clearly young, perhaps somewhere between twenty-five and thirty, not much younger than himself, but she spoke with an enlightened sort of tone. Not that they talked much... Dyn, after all, was more used to being alone, and was firmly introverted. Rather, she spoke more to him, saying things that didn't really require answers or indeed acknowledgement all even though she knew he was listening. Indeed, in spite of himself, she had his rapt attention. She talked about the planet mostly, its inhabitants, how old the forest was and what sort of creatures were in it, and Maz and her castle, among other things. It seemed she and Maz, from what he gathered, were indeed old friends and that Ter'a had been on Takodana for some time, though she didn't say how long and he didn't ask.

With about twenty minutes' walk still to go she stopped abruptly and said, "You never told me your name Mandalorian. Or are you concealing that as well?"
He slowed to a stop behind her and considered her for a moment. No one really ever asked for his name and they normally just called him "Mando" or "Mandalorian". And as there were so few Mandalorians left, the generic terms never caused confusion before. In addition, his profession dictated a certain level anonymity which led to him not minding the added mystery of being nameless. The fact remained however, that no one had called him by his true name in years, in fact he wasn't even sure if there was anyone still alive who knew or remembered...? Finally, he said, "You can call me Mando if you like." He began to walk again. Ter'a moved into step alongside him and asked "Is it that you don't want anyone to know or because you don't trust me yet?"

"Both."

"I didn't think Mandalorians made a habit of concealing both their names and their faces?"

"They don't... not necessarily."

"Then why do you?"

He stopped again. She was getting to root of it and he wasn't sure why he never told anyone his name. It was true that he didn't need to be anonymous... He was annoyed he didn't have a good answer, but he didn't want to tell her that either. If only to keep the streak alive. How dumb, he thought. She seemed trustworthy enough, though he didn't trust her yet, but still, he settled on the truth.

"I haven't told anyone because no one asks; it helps to be faceless and nameless as a bounty hunter; and to be honest, I'm not even sure there's anyone alive still who actually knows it. The last time someone used it was before I had my first armor."

It was the most he'd spoken all at once in quite a while. He wasn't sure why he said the last part, but it felt like it went well with the rest of his explanation.

Ter'a seemed quite placated with this answer because she nodded and walked on beside him in a contemplative silence.

About ten minutes to go... now it was his turn to ask the questions... "What sort of 'presence' is it that you felt when I arrived? And how could you feel it so far away?"

She looks sideways at him thoughtfully but kept walking. Like him, she obviously had her own mysteries that weren't quite ripe for revealing. She thought deliberately on her answer before she gave it, making him even more curious. "I felt a strong kindred presence. I sensed it because I have a special ability to do so. Perhaps, one day, when I trust you more, I will tell you about it."

So, she found him a kindred spirit? Dyn considered this for the duration of the walk, not knowing how he felt about it, and indeed still curious on how she felt it from so far away.

At long last, Dyn and Ter'a arrived at Maz's castle only to find Maz herself emerging from it. "I wanted to scold you for bringing troopers to my doorstep Mando, but I see you and Ter'a took care of them!" Maz slapped Dyn around the knees for what she clearly considered a transgression but followed it up with a small pat and a nod of approval as she began to look at her cases of Merenzane Gold. "I can always count on you, Mando, to procure my most valuable supplies... thank you." She came back around and stopped in front of him. "I suppose you are eager to leave Takodana for the time being?" She eyed him shrewdly. Smiling under the helmet, Dyn nodded and said "I just need to pick up the kid and my payment."

"Come inside for a moment, we should talk about this child before you go."

Ter'a, interest clearly piqued, said questioningly, "Child?"

Dyn wasn't particularly keen on Ter'a knowing about the child, but Maz wasn't known to hide her thoughts and opinions if she felt certain connections. She looked at Ter'a quite seriously and said, "Yes, I think you should meet him." She turned and began to walk back toward the castle with Ter'a in tow.

Another hitch in the day, he thought. Dyn wasn't happy about anyone he didn't trust outright to know about the kid. Though he was thinking in spite of himself and having just met her, that Ter'a was quite a trustworthy person, especially if Maz trusted her. At nearly 1,000 years old, Maz was particularly gifted and well equipped with the experience to decipher if someone could be trusted. Rolling his eyes, Dyn began to pull the hand truck toward the doors of the castle after Maz and Ter'a.