He looked around desperate for a way out that didn't require confrontation, for once. The stalls were busy with the daily crowds of people hoping to buy food, droids, and necessities for daily life. Everyone stole a glance at the imposing Mandalorian who carried a large bag with him. Din looked around knowing full well that multiple people were following him. The blasters at their hips, and knives in their showed pretty well what they intended. But the Mandalorian didn't stop, after all the child no longer had the protection that his cradle once promised him.
" It's okay we're almost there," he told himself more than the kid. The child looked up and cooed, seemingly oblivious to the danger.
Rounding a corner up ahead, Din suddenly dodged a bright red light that seemed to come out of nowhere. He quickly replied with whistling birds, which stopped halfway to their target. The projectiles came back at him so he dodged. Suddenly a sharp pain came from the back of his head. Someone had hit him. The Mandalorian let himself fall on the ground trying to lessen the pain, while doing so the bright light cut through the wood of a building next to sending him back to reality.
At this point Din realized someone was toying with him. He looked up at the cloaked man behind the bright light. As soon as his visor met the the yellow eyes, his throat closed. He clawed and tried desperately to breathe. Just one breath, he thought, before the world went black.
Oh my head, Din thought upon waking. Then he blinked and noticed he was laying on a table with a man sitting next to it. The man was busy examining a datapad. With that distraction Din tried sitting up but found himself restrained. And suddenly something caught his eye, gasping he realized it was his armor and helmet, all just sticking out of a duffle bag. Mourning the creed he looked down to make sure he was clothed. Luckily he was.
"Hello, there I hope you are feeling alright." Said the man next to him." We were just about to perform the procedure, it's good for you to be awake."
Din glared back before growling, "What procedure?"
"Ah Ronan has this special talent, but the procedure depends on the person" the man replied grinning.
"Who's Ronan?."
"He helps prepare the inmates for work, now you're older so..." Another man entered the room he was bald with startling golden eyes, and black tatoos around his eyes. "Here he is now Ronan, are you ready to begin the procedure?"
"Ah yes, he's a little old to add years, but we need him unrecognizable." The man said, " Taking them away shouldn't be difficult though. Begin the gas" Din jerked back at a mask being put over his face. He trashed at his restraints, until the sedative took away his coherence. Then there was pain red hot agony.
Hours later, even though it felt like days, Din awoke. He was aching and sore everywhere, but that wasn't the problem. The room that greeted him had two teenage boys on the other bunk, fast asleep. He sat up and felt lighter, his hands upon investigation were smoother. When looking down he noticed he was wearing a jumpsuit which startled him. Where's my armor he thought, even more importantly where was the kid?
He glanced across the room and saw another child this one awake, sitting on a bunk. Carefully he stood up to approach, while examining the teenager. The kids tan skin looked a little paler than it probably should have, his face was serious. He seemed to be walking forward as well. Din soon noticed the kid copying his e; his eyebrows would furrow at the same moment, both Din and the kid bit their lips. The once Mandalorian went to push his hair out of the way, watching the kid going through the same motions.
With a startled jump Din realized this teenager was him. He jumped at the mirror, trying to break it, but it held. Nothing could have done this to him, nothing. If only he had gotten to the Jedi without making that trip; maybe, then, he would still be himself.