The stars were shining.
The kid was sleeping.
The food was cold.
"Vizsla, do you copy?" Din cursed low under his breath. This was too long. She hadn't contacted him since he left. Andora had told him she would be fine, but now it was nightfall and she was still there. He couldn't leave the kid, but the more he thought about Andora just staring into a pit of dead bodies after having to drag her away the first time in tears. Andora was fulfilling her end of the arrangement to help him find where his son's people might be. He had to keep his to be her bodyguard, and as her commanding officer, he needed to bring her back. Taking a deep breath he stood to pace the ramp of his ship, the kid safely tucked in his bunk for the night. If he locked the ship down he could go get her.
"Andora, do you copy?" Still nothing but radio static. The winds had picked up after sunset. His layers should be thick enough, but he still felt chilled. He locked the ship down, gently moving the kid into the pram, securing the lid to keep him safe. Marching off back towards the camp he used the night vision setting, his blaster drawn as he walked through in case he was surprised by a nocturnal predator. The pram was tethered to less than two feet from his body as he moved quickly. As he approached the camp he saw the lights of the sleeping tents on one end of the base, away from the graves and then the singular light on the other side closest to the ruins. He easily ducked past the gate and the guards this time, approaching the lone light to see Dr. Syille sitting on the droid operated transport, a thick cloak wrapped around her. He let her hear his footsteps so as not to startle the older woman unnecessarily. "Where is she?"
"She just...I couldn't stop her. She walked in after getting into an argument with Dr. Saroo. The temple guardians activated when she passed the sanctum threshold, it's been...been hours. I should have kept them apart." She sounded remorseful.
"What are the guardians?" He was taking stock of his supplies mentally as he looked at the dark ruins, trying to pick out where to go.
"They are ancient precursors to droids, designed to keep the temples safe from being raided." He was not excited about this option but he couldn't take the kid for this. "They were all off before she walked in."
"Take the kid with you to your tent. I'm going in after her, I'll pick him up afterwards." Dr. Syille looked to the pram and the tether control he handed her.
"So that beskar's not for research?" She said softly, a smile pulling at her lips even as her eyes didn't show any mirth. As she looked at the pram she gripped the tether and put her hand softly on it.
"If he wakes up don't let him wander off. He's good at finding trouble." He turned and started to walk down the cobblestone path towards the grand archway overgrown with vines and other plant life. He heard the older woman moving away with his son as he went after his other charge. With blasters drawn he pulled his cloak around his body to diminish his armors reflective nature. Something felt really off as he passed through the archway, like a weight had settled on him. He didn't see any guards, and as he tried to get his scanners to search for her signature he was getting error readings and his night vision shut off. Looks like he was going in without scans active. He had to kneel down to the ground, turning on his light and looking for signs of her footsteps. The only tracks he found were a single line of footprints leading off deeper into the building. He kept his weapon drawn and his senses peeled, listening for either her or the guardians.
Now by himself the wind sounded much more like sinister whispering. The dark shadows cast by the pillars and the illuminated faces of toppled monuments by moonlight. He was not sure why they were scared of these guardians if they had failed to protect this site from the Empire. Heavy metal footsteps were approaching his position and he moved up against the pillar, crouching down and his blaster gripped tighter. The guardian was easily 3 meters tall, its metal body moved stiffly and there were some chunks of rubble and plant life inside of it. It was carrying a long staffed mace, its head an elegant t-shape, with the reflective glass in its eye sockets. Din pressed against the pillar, getting ready to make a move if the guardian saw him. It passed by him, but he waited till he couldn't hear the footsteps before resuming his hunt.
"Mando." He whipped around, thinking he had heard her behind him but there was no one there. The voice seemed to come from the shadow behind him, but he had just passed through. Under his helm his eyes narrowed, trying to see if he could see what had made the sound. Nothing moved. Once more he turned, trying to trace her steps under the footsteps of the guardian that had passed. This place was playing tricks on him. He walked the full length of the hallway, the next archway opening into a large central hall. Another guardian was pacing the center of the room, pacing in and out of starlight, and he saw stormtrooper armor and the bones littering the room, plasma blasts staining the walls, and the wall on the end of the room was missing a large section of where it had been blown up. Okay, guess the guardians were a bit more effective than he had originally thought. Andora's footsteps were leading him around the edge of the room towards the open wall. He followed her path, careful to avoid the mechanical gaze. Slipping out of the room he was in an open courtyard, the winds whispering to him, and he swore he saw a shadow move, his other hand tossing the vibroblade into the shade, it clattering on the stone. Where the shade had been it was now a normal shadow. "Mando…" This time it was taunting him, but he just walked over to collect the blade. Din was not going to let this place get to him. Crossing the open space in pursuit of her footsteps he found that there was a pile of rubble where the ruins had collapsed, blocking off the entrance that would have led to what seems to be the central heart of the ruins.
The vines on the side of this building wall were disturbed, and he figured she must have climbed here to get around the rubble. He he could spend time climbing up by hand but instead he turned on his jetpack, encouraging it to take him to the only ledge he could see. It was slower than it should have been, but he hadn't really set aside time to practice with it. As he landed on the ledge he turned it off, proud that it had been a straight ascent and even speed. The ledge he was perched on was overlooking a main sanctum room, the alter in the back of the room might have once been beautiful to look at, but the grand statue that had been there was now laying shattered on the floor, the husks of defeated guardians crushed under the statue along with more troopers. Looking down he saw the small ledge below that was the only direction she could have gone.
"DIN." It was an angry shout of his name by the wind, inside his helmet. He turned to the side and fired a blaster shot, his heart beating a little too hard. The guardians in the room creaked and groaned as they tried to respond to the threat but they went dormant again after a few moments. He forced himself to calm down, taking note of the room again. There was movement down behind the altar base, Andora's head popping up in the moonlight to look over at his location. She was relieved to see him, her waving her hand to show him to follow the ledge along the wall to reach her. He shook his head, using his jetpack to avoid being exposed by crawling on the wall for so long. Landing next to her he checked her over, seeing the haggard look on her face. There were some tethered boxes next to her, the boxes levitating, and he could see her hands were covered in dirt, the ground around them dug up.
"Mando...thank goodness. I was worried you weren't coming." She looked like she was a bit off kilter, almost like she was a bit too tired to think straight.
"You didn't respond to any communication calls. It's been over 10 hours." His tone was frustrated, but her face looked puzzled.
"It's only been a few hours. The sun just set." She reached into the holster of the blade and pulled the comm link from it. "You didn't respond back when I called you to update you on my progress." Something was wrong here. She honestly believed what she was saying, but he knew this was wrong. "I need help getting the bodies back out. I can't get back up there on my own. I was calling you for backup." He looked into the boxes, finding skeletal remains in each one. Her odd behavior and genuine belief that she had been here for only a few hours, the disoriented state, his own strange experiences with the wind voices and his equipment not working.
"Andora...are you hearing voices in here?" He handed her his water canteen, letting her drink and seeing that the dirt was sticking to her hands from blood. She must have been digging so hard she broke through her flesh. There was a lot of death here, a lot of misery and sadness, and while he was not one to believe in the folklore of ghosts and spirits, he knew that they needed to leave now.
"Thish, Dr. Brezen's daughter...the troopers marched her and the other leaders here to dig up the artifact and then shot them. It's ...like a memory that I kept watching happen over and over again. But it stopped now." She drank greedily from his canteen, not seeming to recognize the pain she should have in her hands.
"Dr. Syille said you got into a fight with Dr. Saroo." He didn't know who that was, but she was starting to come out of whatever altered state she was in, so he needed to keep her talking. Din took the tether from her, attaching it to himself since he wasn't sure she was going to be able to go on her own. He tried to help her stand, but her legs shook under her weight, looking like she hadn't moved from the digging position in hours.
"He was being a bastard. Was saying that it was the Mandalorian's fault for the Empire. I just took the coffins I needed and left. There's no point arguing with him, filthy cloner." He had to help keep her steady as he looked for another way out. While the guardians were pinned under the statue rubble he was not going to try and take her past them. Their best option was out the way they came. He scooped her up, trying to adjust her weight to get them back up to the ledge. "That wasn't nice of me, I shouldn't say stuff like that. I'm not a human supremacist. He just...it's not true." She was starting to pass out, and while it was far less graceful he was able to get them up on the ledge, having to pause to let the coffins catch up with them. Going down was much faster than he wanted, his knees and ankles protesting at the hard landing. "I failed…" She seemed to be rambling now, her body going limp and he was suddenly reminded of the kid when he had used his magic. The kid slept afterwards too.
"Why?"
"I'm supposed to be helping but instead I left you with all the work."
"You did your part." He was looking through the ruins, wondering if maybe he could just fly out completely, but without the use of his scanners he couldn't tell exactly how far he was from a safe landing spot, and if he went too fast the coffins might lose the tether. Plus with her going limp he couldn't use his knelt down, putting his cloak over his still warm jet pack. "You have to get on my back. I can't use my weapons like this." Din was thankful she complied, her arms around his neck and her legs squeezing around his hips, but not crossing to the point she would impede his walk. His rifle was in his hands now, setting it to the highest level since they would not be sneaking past the guardians like this. Approaching the opening in the wall he lined up his shot. Taking his time to breath and wait for the machine to pace through the moonlight since his scanners were still offline. He fired the shot, the ceiling crumbling and sending the rubble onto the guardian, the mechanical being pinned under the stone. He could hear the soft protest she let out at him harming it, but his job right now was getting them out alive.
He moved as quickly as he could while guiding the boxes behind him with her clinging with weakening strength to his back. He paused at the archway into the long hallway, the mace wielding guardian was marching towards them, having heard his rifle blast. He couldn't take this thing out with anything in the environment. He shot at it, the guardian pausing for a moment before it continued, the metal footsteps echoing louder.
"Don't shoot...put the rifle down…" She was speaking to him. The menacing metallic being getting closer. He didn't drop the weapon, taking aim for the beings mechanical eye. "Please Mando... put the weapon down. These bodies didn't belong here, we can pass. We aren't stealing." She begged him softly, her body weakening as her energy was fading. Din had to drop the rifle to reach back and keep her from falling to the floor, cursing as he had to move back, the guardian upon them and the mace swinging up ready to come down. With what little energy she had Andora tried to drape herself on him. The weapon stopped in it's decent on them, looming over but not advancing. It seemed to be looking over the boxes behind the pair, the weapon returning to an upright position as the guardian moved past them towards the other guardian, the two mechanical beings speaking in an odd droid dialect, content to ignore them. The guardian helping the other free itself. Din did not question the good fortune. He shifted Andora on his back, using his rifle to help him keep her legs in place as he slung her over his shoulder to carry her, the woman passed out from exhaustion. The march out of the ruins and back to the camp seemed to take an eternity before he crossed the threshold, but as he stepped through the archway his systems came back on in his helmet. The sun was rising and he realized they had lost time inside the building. The droid and it's transport bed were waiting for him, and he gratefully put her down, his back aching from carrying her limp body. He put the tethered coffin boxes on the transport as well, taking a seat as he let himself take a break. The droid took off, and Din held back the urge to sleep. He wanted to just collect his kid.
As they reached Dr Syille's tent he hopped off, tapping on the tent pole so he could get her attention. The flap opened, the older woman did not look like she had slept at all. She looked him over before looking to the transport bed, gulping as she looked at the boxes. Hesitantly Brezen walked over to the transport, the pram floating safely inside.
"She's in the third one." He spoke, going inside to collect his own child from the tent. He could hear the older woman gasp and start crying. Din noticed the pram was open, the kid looking up at him, a giggle escaping as the kid reached up for him. Reaching out his hand he was relieved to feel the three chubby digits grasp a finger and squeeze. It was a very bitter sweet moment. He had his foundling here, alive and safe, and all he could bring back were bones. The elder woman came inside, opening the flap so the droid could back up the transport.
"Stay in my tent so you two rest up. I'll start the data transfer." Din nodded, picking Andora up again and putting her on the doctor's cot. "I have food and drink in my personal stores, help yourself." She smiled, trying to be hospitable despite her sadness. She sat on the transport bed, her hand resting lovingly on the third box, and the droid moved away. The kid was looking at Andora asleep on the bed, his head tilted curiously. Din took a chair and sat next to her, taking her hands and glad she was asleep as he began to wash the mud from her shredded flesh, noticing just how much blood was coming off as he washed. She had really damaged herself. The skin was lacerated and the nails torn in painful ways. He was worried thinking he saw bone. He opened his med kit, using a bacta gel on her hands before bandaging it up. Glad to see that the blood was not soaking through his field dressings. He had been unnerved by the experiences, but seeing what she had done to herself, her words about a memory replaying till she was done digging. His mind drifted back to the ship wreck, and considering what he was starting to understand, it might have been this force magic that caused her to push her body to these painful extremes. With a sign he settled into a seat, pulling the kid's pram over to him. The kid crawled out and into his lap, looking up at him, and Din swore he could feel his stress leaving him, a small smile on his lips.
"Hey kiddo. I need some sleep, think you can stay in the tent?" The child was focusing on his masked face, and the large eyes seemed to be shining with understanding. "Ni vercopaanir gar kar'taylir tion'solet Ni baatir." (I hope you know how much I care.)
"Sayr." He tapped his sleeping Dad's helmet, standing on the chest plate to reach. It had been hours since the adults had come back from the scary dark place, and he had explored everything he could in the tent. He was bored and wanted to go outside. There was a soft groan as Dad woke up, and he couldn't help but cuddle and try to climb on the shiny helmet.
"Is it time to get up?" Dad was chuckling before the gloved hand came up to support his body while Dad sat up in his chair.
"Sayr." He said firmly, trying to express his boredom.
"How about some breakfast before you drag me off." Dad was going to take him outside! Okay, if Dad needed food he would be good. He allowed Dad to put him back in the cradle and close the lid, rolling around in his blankets as he waited for playtime outside.
Din checked that Andora was still asleep before grabbing some food, his helmet off as he ate quickly. He had slept as well as he could in the chair, needing to stand and stretch his muscles. He barely tasted the food, not feeling secure enough to keep his helmet off for a long time. Besides, his kid was waiting for him to go outside. Helmet firmly in place Din opened the screen, the kid popping up excitedly as he reached up for him. Din picked him up and walked out of the tent, letting Andora rest. Having been through the kid's own unconscious bouts after using powers he was less worried about her. He carried the kid away from the camp so they could be alone, wanting to be away from the camp.
Andora slowly woke up, feeling heavy from exhaustion, her hands aching terribly but she was too tired to be bothered by it. She ate the food closest to her reach, the food helping her restore some energy, and she finished what she recognized was fruit. Grabbing another piece she pushed through the pain in her hands, eating more as she tried to direct her body towards healing itself. She had eaten five pieces of fruit before she could feel enough energy to not be ravenous. She finally saw that her hands were bandaged, and took in the tent and cot. Mando wasn't here. That trance had been a terrible experience. Warrior deaths in armor while sad had at least acceptance from the wearer. It had been a risk, they understood that. But hearing civilians begging for their lives was horrible. As the real world settled in her hands hurt worse and worse, her body finally registering the injuries. Mando had saved her, treated her wounds, and she knew her crush was getting worse. Her delirious brain had memorized the way the moonlight shone on his beskar as he carried her out of the ruins, and it was impossible to not recall. The hard plates of armor pressed into her soft body, his aim steady even with her burdoning him.
Standing up, she walked out of the tent, seeing she was in the sleeping section of the expedition camp. She walked out towards Dr. Syille's tent, the entire area a flurry of activity. Andora opened the tent, waiting in the filter lock to grab the doctor's attention.
"Thank you for finding her." The older woman came over to the door, smiling through the tears in her eyes.
"I understand how important it is to have family together." Andora was keeping her hands behind her back, wanting to keep her injuries private. "I promise you...the list...we aren't going to do an-"
"It's for the child. I do not know if the list will help. There are only two known Jedi that look like the child, their home planets are not listed, but I highlighted the names of Jedi that were not purged by the Empire who might be able to help." She was holding up a data card, putting it through the slot, letting it move to Andora's side of the lock. Andora picked it up and secured it in her pants pocket, pushing through the pain she felt picking it up. She needed to change her bandages soon, she could feel the blood soaking through the wrappings.
"Thank you Dr. Syille." Andora was turning to leave and go find Mando so they could leave the research camp to their own devices while they handle their own business. "I hope that I can invite you to the opening of my heritage project."
"I would be very honored to make the trip. When is it unveiling?" She knew Andora had been working on this since the Empire had fallen.
"I...don't know...things on Mandalore aren't-" Andora signed, wishing she could explain to her mentor what was happening. "I'll make sure to leave a message with your assistant." Leaving the tent she pulled out the comm link from the blade holster, clicking it. "Mando, I have the list."
Pirpak was trying to get close to the singing woman but she was avoiding him for the past two days. Her hands hurt and he wanted to help. His little steps couldn't keep up with her as she picked up her grass outfit and walked off towards the tall trees, Dad was inside the ship, and he remembered that the last time that she left it had made Dad mad. He chirped loudly.
"Sayr." Metal footsteps came at his call, Dad standing at the ramp, talking with the woman who had stopped moving.
"Andora. Your hands are in no condition to be hunting. I will go out." Dad said, the woman turning to look back.
"I was just going out for a quick walk, try and get the lay of the land. I won't hunt." Her voice sounded a little higher than normal.
"Then leave your ghillie suit." She slowly walked back, putting the suit under the ship once again. She wasn't looking at Dad, her face slightly pink. "Head south of camp." Dad sounded serious, not mad but firm. The woman nodded, her bandaged hands still hurting, the muscle and flesh cut up and bleeding.
When they first got home he had tried to heal her, her own power watching him, but she had pulled away from his little clawed hands when he had started. After that Dad and the woman talked about him and Dad had felt worried. He didn't know what Dad was worried about, but after that Dad had kept her separated from him beyond eating times. She was walking off again, this time towards the water. Dad watched her before scooping him up and taking him inside to keep an eye on him. Dad was cleaning his weapons, talking to him as he did. Names, parts, what they did, type of hunt to take them on. Dad took time to explain how to also protect himself from the weapons. It was a lot of words he didn't understand but he was trying to make the sounds back. After the weapons Dad started to point to pieces of armor and naming them too. Dad said the words, this time letting him touch the pieces so he could learn them more. Dad was holding him up to the shiny helmet hiding his Dad's face, tapping on it and saying a word.
"Buy'ce. Helmet." Dad tapped his fingers on the helmet, repeating the words slowly.
"Boo-sey." He could hear the chuckle from Dad, listening to it again, his little green face scrunching in concentration as he tried to get his lips to say these sounds. "Bo-cey." No, that wasn't right. "Boo-chay."
"Oh wonderful! You're such a fast learner!" The lady was back, and a food smell coming from outside. She felt healthier, no more hurt hands.
"I told you not to hunt." Dad sounded annoyed with her, setting him down into his lap.
"I didn't, I just caught some fish. And found some berries, but I wanted to scan them before trying to eat them." She held up her hands, the bandages off and her skin looked fine, as if she had never been injured. "I'm all healed, I didn't push myself." She was trying to be reassuring. "I felt bad for not contributing. Let me be useful." She smiled and there was something sad in her tone.
"Thank you Andora." Dad's voice sounded a little deeper, but it was hard to tell through the modulator. She blushed and came to pick up her flute. Dad was tilting his head slightly to watch her, the woman going back outside and sitting on the cargo box as she started to practice her song again. He wanted to go outside and play now, crawling out from Dad's hold and going out the ramp, hearing Dad stand to follow him, watching from the door as he went to chase his own snacks of those yummy bugs with the crunchy legs.
Chapter End