Chapter 5 – Taking Flight (Ter'a's perspective)

Ter'a sat and watched the Mandalorian work to maneuver the Crest into the hyperspace lane all while monitoring the ship's status and weapons systems. She was enthralled by how he worked despite his ignorance in the Force. She knew she'd have to explain it all to him eventually, but for now she was content and entertained to see him so aloof for once. She suspected that while he often flew by whichever way the wind was blowing that he rarely felt out of control and she liked that. It was nice to see someone so in tuned with who they were and so calm about the events outside their control. It was rare for her to see.

Once they had made the jump successfully, he sat back for a moment, clearly relieved that nothing had gone horribly wrong. Then he sat up again and checked the systems once more before unfastening his restraint and standing up. He turned around and looked down at her and motioned for the child as she gazed back at him. She handed him the child. He gave her chills. And not in a bad way. He was clearly at the top of his food chain and she couldn't imagine that there was much in the galaxy that would faze him terribly. He had been confused about all the Force talk last night to be sure, but she'd seen him take it in stride. She knew that when there was a free moment or when the right time came, he'd ask her to explain things to him.

As he strode past her and down the ladder to the cargo hold, she sat back and thought to herself about their initial meeting.

She felt a presence about his ship the moment it broke through the atmosphere. She was in the middle of chopping some firewood and stopped immediately to look up at the ship as it came in for a landing. Intrigued, she wandered the woods' familiar trails to Maz's castle where she saw a Mandalorian entering the castle but she felt the presence pull her back the other way, toward his ship. At the same time, she'd felt a sense of foreboding and thought it best to head to the ship and see what events unfolded. Lo and behold she saw a dropship full of stormtroopers arrive just as she reached his ship. She waited in the shadows for some time reaching out with the Force and watching his progress back to the ship accompanied by less and less troopers. Finally, he passed her unawares and break out of the trees to fly onto the top of his ship and lie in wait for the remaining two. He was smart, she thought. Lure them into false security, believing they had found their prize, they'd likely let their guards down, then strike before they'd realized he was there. She did him a favor though and took care of them for him.

She felt his apprehension when she came out of the trees. But it soon melted to a mild curiosity and she was able to coax him down. From several yards apart, they had appraised each other. Once he seemed satisfied he'd asked where she'd come from. "The trees," she'd said. This annoyed him and made her smile to herself.

"Have you been following me?" He asked suspiciously.

"Not entirely." Even through his helmet, she knew that she was confusing him, but he seemed unfazed. "I saw your ship enters the planet's atmosphere and felt a presence."

She laughed to herself that he was getting more annoyed as his confusion increased.
"How do you sense a presence?" He asked her, slightly incensed.

She gazed shrewdly at him, waiting to see what he would do next.

"I have job to finish," he said shortly.

Still feeling the kindred presence, she approached slowly as he pulled a repulsor hand truck from the cargo hold and began to unload some cases of Merenzane Gold onto it. So… she thought, he's here to run a delivery of valuables to Maz. She'd seen his ship before, she realized, and knew he'd run deliveries for the old alien before, but now there was something different. A resolve and new posture that finally made him stand out to her and not just another bounty hunter. She decided that their fates, at least for the present might be tied together and so moved to help him. The Mandalorian stopped and looked at her as she hoisted her first case. He saw in her that she had her own secrets but she wasn't ready to divulge them to a stranger, and yet, it put him at ease.

"I'm Ter'a… Ter'a Jinn," she finished, and went back to the task of the crates.

The Mandalorian seemed to sigh to himself, resigned to her help.

The walk back was fun for Ter'a. It had been quite a few years since she had taken a walk with someone other than Maz. The Mandalorian wasn't bad company, though he was very quiet. She did most of the talking with him interjecting questions here and there while she babbled on and on about the forest, it's creatures, and Maz and her castle. He seemed to find her, despite himself, just as interesting as she found him. She noticed that he was keenly aware of how little she disturbed the forest around her as she moved through it and how easily she moved over obstacles. Of course, he didn't know that she was using the Force, but she liked that he'd noticed; he's refreshingly observant, she noted to herself. She also found it funny that he'd been momentarily self-conscious about the noise he was making before recovering himself.

She noted that despite all she told him about the planet, he didn't ask her how long she'd been there. It seemed that he was being polite.

Suddenly, she realized that somehow she'd let him get away with not providing his name. Knowing that it wasn't strictly a Mandalorian custom or that part of the Creed prohibited it, she said, "You never told me your name Mandalorian. Or are you concealing that as well?"

He slowed to a stop behind her and she turned and saw him consider her for a moment. She realized the answer, at least in part, before he gave it: no one bothered to ask. She also sensed that, by and large, he didn't mind being unknown. Undoubtedly, it made things a bit easier for him. "You can call me Mando if you like," he said as he began to walk again. She danced 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." He hesitated and did not elaborate.

"Then why do you?"

He stopped again looking at her and she stopped too. She felt that she might have struck a bit of a nerve accidentally. She didn't want to upset him. And she found that she wasn't necessarily prepared for his very honest answer…

"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."

Ter'a looked at him for a moment. She was taken aback despite herself. She was however, content with his answer and it gave her much to think about regarding the Mandalorian. She nodded and they walked on in a contemplative silence.

With about ten minutes to go in their walk he asked "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. She was really beginning to like this observant behavior he had. But, like him, she had secrets of her own that she wasn't quite ready to share. She thought carefully on her answer before giving it. "I felt a strong… kindred presence. And 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."

The Mandalorian seemed lost in thought for the duration of the walk.

At long last, though she wasn't keen for their walk to end, Ter'a and the Mandalorian arrived at Maz's castle and saw Maz emerging from it. "I wanted to scold you for bringing troopers to my doorstep Mando," the alien stated, "but I see you and Ter'a took care of them!" Maz slapped the Mandalorian around the knees for what she clearly considered a transgression but then gave him a small pat and a nod of approval as she began to look over her cases of Merenzane Gold. "I can always count on you, Mando, to procure valuable supplies... thank you." Ter'a watched as Maz came back around to face him and eyed him shrewdly, "I suppose you are eager to leave Takodana for the time being?" Ter'a knew he couldn't hide his intentions from Maz. The Mandalorian seemed to smile to himself as he 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?"

Feeling instantly that she'd trod on his privacy here, Ter'a scolded herself, but Maz wasn't known to hide her thoughts if she felt connections between things. She looked at Ter'a quite seriously and said, "Yes, I think you should meet him too." She turned and began to walk back toward the castle without another word and Ter'a followed without hesitation. She felt behind her with the Force and felt the Mandalorians' reservations about this new turn of events. He still didn't trust her yet, which was fair, though he had no reason not to. Ter'a also saw that despite his hesitation, that if Maz trusted her he wouldn't argue and soon she felt him draw closer and he followed them in.

Ter'a and Maz were seated in her study with the kid when he walked in behind them. They were talking quietly about the kid, whom Ter'a found fascinating and adorable. She wasn't particularly keen on children, but this one was fifty years old and still a toddler. She was interested. The Mandalorian sat himself across from them, folded his hands on the table and waited.

"So, this child…" Maz began.

"This is the presence I felt," said Ter'a.

Maz gazed at the child and told Ter'a that there was something special about him, that he seemed strong in the Force. Ter'a looked at the child and raised a hand to let the him grasp her index finger and closed her eyes as though in concentration and then opened them again, looking into the child's eyes while he looked back into hers. She saw it there. The Force. Powerful and raw as it would be in someone so young. She felt connected to the child now. There were many thoughts racing through her head all of a sudden. She should help this child channel his Force power. He would need a teacher as he aged, but his species aged so slowly… even Luke Skywalker would die before this child's training could be completed. There were so few Jedi left, let alone one that was as long lived as this little one.

Maz broke her train of thought. "Mando, I think you should take Ter'a with you on your journey to find the child's home and species." Maz looked at the Mandalorian as she spoke. "I think that she can help you with the child and assist you with your work."

Ter'a sat up now and pulled her hand away from the child. "I can't leave this planet. It's too dangerous. Besides, I'm no bounty hunter…" she trailed off looking between them.

Maz looked at her, pity in her eyes. Only Maz knew about Ter'a's past… how she'd lost everything at such a young age… "The Empire is gone child. There is peace now. As much as there can be in this galaxy." She put her hand on Ter'a's. "You don't have to fear the Emperor, his Inquisitors, or the Sith anymore. You should be able to live freely. Perhaps you can seek out Luke Skywalker?"

"No," Ter'a pulled her hand away, suddenly decided. "You're right of course… but I won't seek out Skywalker. My time in that world is over and I've heard he found others to rally to his cause. I live in the Grey. But," she paused and looked at the child, then at the Mandalorian. "I will go with the Mandalorian and help him and the child. You're right Maz, I've been in exile too long."

The Mandalorian sat back. He seemed annoyed that she and Maz had made all of these decisions without his input, but he didn't object.

Ter'a seemed to catch on to his thoughts. "I will accompany you, Mando, if it doesn't bother you?"

He leaned forward again, crossed his arms on the table, and bowed his head. She knew he was weighing the options: what she could offer him and the child, if they grew tired of traveling together…

"Ok," he said, "I don't mind. But keep in mind that bounty hunting is dangerous, and the kid can be a handful."

Ter'a smiled. "And you keep in mind," her eyes looked knowingly through his mask and into his eyes, "that I'm not a babysitter, but a mentor. And, I can handle myself."

On that, Ter'a knew he had no arguments.

After Maz left them alone, the sun was setting and hung low in the sky; the day was coming to a close. Though she knew he was eager to get away from Takodana, Ter'a sensed that the Mandalorian was lacking a good nights' sleep. He seemed ready to speak, but she beat him to it. "I know it's been some time since you've had a quality night's sleep Mando. Perhaps you should take a room here at the castle and sleep a full, helmetless sleep before we set out."

He looked at her and she knew what he was thinking. He was surprised that she seemed to know more about Mandalorians than she was letting on. He wasn't wrong.

But all he said was, "Thanks. You're right, I think I will… I'm too exhausted to go back to the Crest tonight."

She knew though that he could if he'd wanted to, but she also suspected that he needed some time to himself away from the child to decompress. Who knows how long it had been since he'd been able to be alone with the silence and his own thoughts? No doubt, after the days' events, he'd have a great deal to think over.

"I'll meet you at the castle door at first light?" he asked.

"Sure," she said, then added, "I am well-rested so I'll gather supplies tonight and load them in the ship. That way, we will be ready to leave first thing."

The Mandalorian nodded his understanding, thanked her, and left.

Maz and Ter'a relocated the ship closer to the castle and loaded it with supplies they'd need for their travels while the child slept. Ter'a left the child with Maz before setting off for her home. She'd get him from her study and thank and pay her when she returned later in the night. She traipsed through the woods for the final time thinking idly about the Mandalorian, the child and what the future, and the Force, might bring them all. After an hours' walk she reached the front steps of her stone exile home and went inside. Though she had loathed the home for some time after first coming here, she felt that she would miss it once she'd left. It had served her well after all… She walked around gathering her clothing and books. As a former Jedi padawan, she didn't have many possessions. It took too little time to say an unceremonious goodbye to her home, but once she left, she didn't look back.

Once she reached the ship and dropped off her stuff, Maz came out and walked up the Crest's ramp.

"I was going to meet you in your study so you didn't have to come out." Ter'a said as she followed Maz to the child's bed.

"Don't worry child," said Maz quietly placing the sleeping child in his bed. "I wanted to talk to you before you leave."

Ter'a was surprised but not surprised. Though she wasn't a Jedi, Maz knew the Force. She was almost 1,000 years old after all. She'd been around the block, and Ter'a would always hear what she'd have to say.

"The Mandalorian is not used to long-term traveling companions. Give him his space when he needs it."

Ter'a laughed, "That's what you came to tell me?"

"In part," said the alien with a smile. Then she grew serious. "Those who are after him seek the child for his power. They don't know about you or other Jedi. Or if they do, they are after smaller fish like this child, who is defenseless." She paused looking thoughtfully at the child then at the sky before continuing. "You will travel a dangerous road with Mando, trust each other, trust in each other, and you will be successful. Undoubtedly, there will be times where you will each be powerless to the events unfolding before you, other times you will each need to lean on the other for survival." Ter'a took in Maz's word's like a sponge. Maz knew the Mandalorian better than Ter'a so she accepted her words, all of them, without question.

"Lastly," said Maz, a smile spreading on her lined face. "Try not to stare so much child. You will make him blush." Maz looked up at Ter'a still smiling as she blushed furiously. Maz laughed a opened her arms for a hug. Ter'a didn't know when she'd see Maz again, but she felt this wasn't goodbye, so she gave her a grateful hug and offered her some credits. "Keep them child, you'll likely need them more than I will," Maz remarked as she turned as began to walk back towards the castle.

Ter'a watched her until she disappeared inside and then turned up the ramp and into the cockpit. She checked that the child was still sleeping soundly as she switched on the radar sensor and began the watch Takodana's airspace for intruders. She spent the next three or four hours casting a watchful eye over the skies as a few merchants came in and went out, she meditated a bit, and watched the child some. She also thought about Mando. She liked him. It was a bizarre feeling. Having been training to be a Jedi where romance was strictly forbidden… but now with the Jedi Order gone, she had been unable to maintain a complete grasp on the light side of the Force without a proper master and settled comfortably in the Grey with Maz to guide her with what she knew of the Force. She knew that if it felt right, she would be able to have a relationship, but… the Mandalorian… he couldn't even take his helmet off. If he did, he couldn't don it again. Not in the purest sense of the Creed. She knew she wouldn't be the one that caused him to break the Creed. Besides, she thought, you hardly know him. She didn't know what he looked like or more on his personality yet. Granted she'd tried to use the Force to see his face, but then stopped before she'd really tried. She liked his voice. It was sure, steady, and attractive. Even his body language and movements were sure, steady, and attracting. She saw that he was smart, and jarringly observant… In the end, she compromised, that if the Force led them down that path, that she would follow his lead. After hours of nothing, what she'd expected since the setting of the sun had come to fruition with the reappearance of it in the earliest hours of dawn.

Ter'a sat up and double-checked what she thought she saw. When she was confident that she'd in fact seen an Imperial drop ship coming out of hyperspace, she got up pick up the child, who was beginning to stir as it was, and headed to the castle to wake up the Mandalorian. As she mounted to stairs two at a time, she thought to herself that she hated waking him, she had sensed how exhausted he was last night, but this couldn't be helped. She made a mental note to ensure him another full night's sleep at another, safer time. She reached his room and banged on the door. Nothing. She banged again and felt movement inside. After a moment, the comm flicked on and his voice came through: "What is it?" He sounded harassed and sleepy.

"They're coming," she stated. "Let me in."

"Just a second," came his reply after a moment. She waited with the child while he undoubtedly got dressed on the other side of the door. She thought fleetingly of what he normally slept in before forcing the thought to the side… How inappropriate at the moment, she scolded herself rolling her eyes. As soon as the locked clicked off she opened the door and burst in. For the first time in a while she felt tired and slightly flush, but she stopped dead when she saw him.

He stood before her, clothed in very little by Mandalorian standards. He was wearing his tunic and trousers that went under his armor, as well as his boots, which were still undone, and his helmet. She thought Maz's words and realized too late that she had stared too long.

"What?" he asked her looking down and then back at her. Dammit, she thought. She hadn't intended to make him self-conscious.

She played it off. "Nothing, really. I've just never seen a Mandalorian so underdressed." She laughed at him as she set the child down onto the bed where he sought out the Mandalorians' scent and started to climb into his sheets which were surely still warm from his body heat.

"Well, I was asleep when you started banging on the door," he quipped grumpily and began to finish dressing. She saw him spare her a glance. Whether self-conscious that she was here while he dressed, or something else, she didn't know. For his part, aside from looking harassed at being woken up out of turn, he looked alert. He'd clearly come here, showered and gone straight to sleep. She noted that the room smelled strongly of the earthy soap that Maz supplied to the rooms of the castle.

"Where are they?" he asked, breaking her thoughts.

"They just came out of hyperspace about five minutes ago. I've moved the Crest closer to the castle, so it's only about a three-minute walk now. I also finished preparing the ship and supplies a few hours ago and I've been monitoring the skies from the cockpit for the last three or four hours."

The Mandalorian paused to gaze at her momentarily. She could tell the he was impressed with her though she'd not done anything extraordinary yet, but they were still getting to know each other. She looked back him with her arms hanging limply at her sides. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just didn't know you were actually going to finish all the prep stuff during the night."

"I told you I was. You didn't trust me? Or didn't believe me?" She felt a little hurt. Maybe he thought she wasn't up to the task? She had told him she was…

"It's not that… I just… didn't know if you'd be finished, or if you got tired…or" he trailed off.

Ter'a looked at him annoyed. She didn't know what annoyed her so much. "I told you that I can handle myself. Did you not believe me?" She felt and sounded offended.

Now he stopped attempting to fasten his cloak, which now hung precariously from his right shoulder and walked over to her coming rather closer than was really necessary. The Mandalorian was considerably taller than she was but she felt unfazed and she glared up at him through his helmet and into his eyes. His voice was low timbre she hadn't yet experienced, "I never said that I didn't think you were capable, or that you couldn't handle yourself." She looked up at him and saw that he gazed back watching her weigh each of his words, looking for a lie. He took a step back and she felt the breath escape her lungs. She didn't realize she'd been holding it in. "I just thought it was going to take you longer since you had to look after the kid… I told you he was a handful," he finished. Then he turned away and began to rearm himself with all his many weapons.

Ter'a waited for him to finish rearming himself before sighing and stepping close behind him and taking up his trailing cloak which was still only half-attached at his right shoulder and tried to finish fastening it to the hook on his left. She struggled slightly to see the hook that the cloak attached to. The Mandalorian was at least six feet tall and she was only five foot four. She became acutely aware that in her efforts she was brushing against him rather more than was necessary and stilled slightly. She sensed his amusement at seeing her struggle as he turned his head left and down to look at her and was mildly annoyed at his smugness. Obligingly however, he bent his knees slightly to lower himself so that she could see the hook and finish attaching the cloak. Her hands betrayed her by lingering too long at his shoulder before brushing down his arm and sending a shiver down her spine to her fingertips, as well as her eyes once again, by lingering on where she knew his eyes to be.

Suddenly, they were shaken from their tender moment by the sound of a ship entering the atmosphere nearby. The Mandalorian turned away and grabbed the kid while Ter'a opened the door and they ran out.

Ter'a led the way downstairs as they sprinted towards the ship while looking up at the sky and the approaching drop ship. Once they were up the ramp Ter'a hit the button to close it and then turned to accept the child as Dyn offered it to her so he could get up to the cockpit and get them off the planet and into hyperspace.

As he climbed the ladder and disappeared, Ter'a wondered vaguely, how did they know he was here with the child? Tracking? Perhaps the Mandalorian's enemies had spies? Soon after she thought about the possibilities, the ship rocked with the impact of cannon fire. They were under attack. She was still in a dazed set of thoughts about a million things as the ship was hit a couple more times.

Suddenly, the Mandalorian hit the comm and called Ter'a to come up to the cockpit and strap herself in. Once she came up and buckled her restraints she held tight to the child. Moments later, they entered space and found themselves the target of a dozen TIE fighters. She watched the Mandalorian use all of his skills to fight them off while preparing to make the jump to light speed. She saw that he chose Coruscant as their destination all while guiding the automatic weapon systems to fire on the TIE's. Ter'a watched him multitask, determined not to disrupt his concentration and she used the Force to communicate with the child who remained quiet but observant. He seemed to know that this was a serious moment. Ter'a felt two more hits come as the stars became lines of light and they left Takodana's system.