disclaimer: i do not own star wars or any of its associated characters; they all belong to their respective owners. i only own any characters or plotlines that you do not recognize. I also do not own any of the dialogue i may quote from the franchise.

Kaysh Mirsh'kyramud

Din wakes up floating, his arms and legs held still by a containment field. He is in the corner of a large room; a table with all of his weapons arranged in neat rows is near the door, a table with two chairs sits in the center of the room, and a desk stacked high with papers and books sits near the lone window to Dins right. As far as Din can tell, he is alone.

Din struggles and attempts to pull his arms and legs free of the blue field but to no avail. He gives up struggling and scans the room again. Whoever his capture is has removed all of his weapons, jetpack included, except his armor. His helmet is still on and his beskar armor is intact.

Where is Nova? A part of Din, a big part, feels immense relief that it was he that was the one taken instead of her. Then a settling sense of dread washes over him as he realizes that she will come for him no matter the danger.

The door slides open and a man walks in. He has black hair that has been mussed recently. His blue eyes are piercing, and the blue robes he wears only brings out their color. A lightsaber hilt swings at his hip. The man goes to a mirror and begins to smooth out his hair, returning it to a slicked back style.

"Forgive me for the drastic measures I had to take," the man says. "If it makes you feel better, you're not my intended target."

"Oh?" Din finds that he can still speak. For now. "And who is?"

"Your friend, the pretty one, Nova."

Dread pools in Dins stomach. "And what do you want with Nova?"

The man turns away from the mirror and goes to the table in the center of the room. "I find her skill with the Force delightful, I would like to have a lengthy conversation about it."

The man holds up his hands as if he is measuring something on the table. He frowns then leaves the room. After a while he returns with a crate floating beside him. He pulls out two tablecloths, a red one and a green one.

"Which would Nova like more? I don't know if she likes green but I feel like the red would clash with her hair."

Din almost laughs, almost. "What?"

"Which one?"

Din sighs. "Green."

"Thanks," the man spreads the tablecloth over the table. "I'm Torrin by the way. Don't really have a last name, I mean I'm sure I do it's just been a while."

"Nice to meet you," Din deadpans.

"Once Nova and I talk I will let you go I promise." Torrin says. "Now, does she like floral patterned plates or just the normal ones?"

000

"Dear Nova, I would like to cordially invite you to dinner on my ship the Dandelion. I have your friend, unharmed mind you, here as well. I don't like to threaten so I hope that you will come in good spirits. Wear something nice, or don't. See you soon, Torrin"

Nova plays the holomessage again, staring into the face of the man who took Din. This Torrin had left a holopad with this message and a set of coordinates behind when he took Din.

"Strange man," Bo-Katan says. "Spoke a written letter from himself out loud."

Grogu lowers his ears and coos.

"Will you go?" Bo-Katan asks.

"Of course," Nova says, she looks at Grogu whose ears lift a little. "Has Rey left already?"

"Just did." Bo-Katan confirms. "She didn't want to but she's got her own duties. I assured her we could handle this."

Nova takes a deep breath and sighs. "'By dinner', I assume he means as soon as possible. I don't know that we have time to drop off Grogu with Vega on Sorgen."

"We can just take him with us," Bo-Katan suggests. Nova fixes her with a glare and the Mandalorian holds up her hands. "He's been in dangerous situations before, I'm sure he will be fine."

"I can't take the kid to an unknown situation, our friend would kill me."

"You can't walk into an unknown situation alone either."

Nova sighs. "True." her eyebrows lower and she looks at Bo-Katan quizickly. "Why are you wanting to help me?"

"If what Rey said about Mandalore is true, then your friend and I have something we need to discuss. Nothing means more to me than the future of Mandalore, if I have to go on some ridiculous mission to get to that future then so be it."

Nova shrugs and powers up the cargo ship. She sits in Dins pilots chair with Grogu on her lap, Bo-Katan in the co-pilot's seat. Bo-katan takes the coordinates and plugs them into the navicomputer as Nova guides the ship into space. Bo-Katan pulls a lever and the ship jumps to lightspeed.

"I wonder what's on the other side." Nova muses. "I wonder."

000

After many hours of listening to Torrin babble about table arrangements, formal arrangements and edicate Din didn't even know existed, Torrin declares his work complete. It is a nice table, a candlestick sits in the center unlit, and a bouquet of purple and red flowers sits beside it. Torrin went with the floral plates, and the glasses for water have green swirls extending from the bottom. Overall the table has a garden look to it.

Torrin wipes his face with a handkerchief and leans against his desk.

"If you found that exhausting I would love to know how you fare in a fight." Din says. At this point he has given up trying to escape. Besides, as much as Din resents it, Nova is probably on her way. Not to say he resents her dedication to keep him safe, Din understands that feeling quite well. It is that she will be putting herself in potential danger to do so.

"Are you threatening me?" Torrin grins.

"Sir, she's here. Should I send her up?" Torrins comlink lights up as the message comes through. He raises his wrist to his mouth and responds.

"Yes, please. Thank you dear."

Torrin drops his arm and goes back to the mirror. He preens for a few minutes while waiting for his guest. Din feels like rolling his eyes but he refrains, even if Torrin cannot see his expressions he might be able to feel them like Nova can.

The door pings and slides open revealing Nova accompanied by two guards. The guards are familiar, the armor they wear is the same type the soldier wore when Din and Nova were held captive. Yes, these were the same types of guards who stood outside their cell as Xi'an tortured them. The same guards who dragged Nova from the room. Who guarded his stolen armor. And if these were the same guards then Torrin was the one who had them taken.

Dins eyes slide to Nova. He is relieved to see she looks unharmed. Her hands are not bound and she walks free. She seems relatively okay, if not a little agitated. Her mouth is pulled tight and her eyes are narrowed to the room and the man standing before her in a freshly laundered suit. Her eyes flick briefly to Din, giving him a once over as he did to her, before returning her gaze to Torrin.

Torrin takes her hand and kisses it, the startled look on Novas face makes Din snort. Torrin glances behind at the Mandalorian before returning his attention to Nova. "I am Torrin, and I'm very glad you could make it."

Nova yanks her hand free. "Yeah, thanks." while Torrin turns to the table Nova wipes the back of her hand on her pants before shooting the guards a timid smile. The guards usher her into the room then leave.

"I do hope you like soup, it seems to be the only delectable item of food on board." Torrin goes to one of the chairs and pulls it out, gesturing for Nova to sit. She warily walks towards him and sits. He pushes in her chair and goes to sit in the other chair.

"May I ask a question?" Nova asks. Torrin nods. "Did you kidnap my friend just so that I would come have soup with you?"

Torrin shrugs. "Well, I had wanted to serve salad but the lettuce isn't growing like it used to."

Nova sighs. Honestly, Din is glad Nova is exasperated by this man. And maybe he would not try to escape for a while so that Nova can experience what he had to experience for the last few hours. Din wonders if being tortured would have been better than listening to Torrin babble.

"May I ask you a question," Torrin says. Nova shrugs. "You've done miraculous things through use of the Force; the guards' spines' you shattered when you first escaped me, the dark troopers you crushed while rescuing your friend here, I'd like to know how these things are possible."

Nova leans back. She threads her fingers together and tilts her head. "You are attracted to power, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Do you want to know what I think?" Nova leans forward. "I think you are a leech who follows those who are stronger than you. I think you can't fathom the idea of being powerless so you steal others secrets and make them your own."

Torrin frowns. Din can see a small crease between his eyebrows as Torrin fights to keep them apart. "Lest you forget, I still have your friend hanging on my wall."

Nova raises an eyebrow. "Do you?"

In that moment the containment field fails, the technology sputtering and dying. Din drops to the floor. Torrin stands and draws his lightsaber. He ignites the blade, a deep blood-like red, and spins it, cutting the table in half. He swings his saber again at Nova, but she bends sideways to dodge it. Nova, presumably using the Force, tips her chair over backwards and rolls to her feet.

Din slides by the warring Force users in pursuit of his weapons. Behind him, Nova lands a kick to Torrins stomach. While Din wouldn't really need many weapons to fight Torrin, as his beskar armor would probably suffice, he wants to get a hold of the beskar staff so that Nova has something to fight with.

Din slides the explosives onto his belt and the vibroblade into his vambrace. He hooks the jetpack to his back and grabs the beskar staff. He is about to turn away when a cracked open drawer catches his eye. Din slides it open and inside rests two lightsaber hilts. The hilts are familiar, the diamond pattern unmistakeable. He slides the beskar staff onto his back and grabs out the lightsabers.

"Nova," he calls. Nova turns to him as she pushes Torrin away. Din holds out the lightsaber hilts and watches as Nova calls them to her hands. They slap into her palms and ignite, the white blades illuminating the broken room.

Torrin huffs in frustration and swings at Nova again, a motion she now blocks with Ahsoka's lightsabers. While one saber is locked in a standstill with Torrins blood-red blade, Nova spins the shorter white blade and slides it across Torrins hilt. The red blade sputters and dies.

Torrin jumps back, using the Force he pushes Nova back and he flees through the door. Din grabs his blaster from the table and shoots at Torrin, but the man uses the Force to redirect the bolts back at Din. His beskar deflects the bolts but Din is still thrown on his back by the impact.

"You okay?" Nova is above him now, taking a hold on his hands and pulling him to his feet.

"I'm fine." Din says. "You?"

Nova nods, panting. She deactivates Ahsoka's lightsabers and hooks them on her belt. "Just fine?"

"I've had to listen to Torrin talk about floral arrangements for an hour." Din says. To her credit, Nova looks sympathetic.

"Well I have good news and bad news," Nova says. "The good news is Bo-Katan and Grogu are with me, the kid decided to stay with us."

Elation blossoms within Din. A hole left empty now filled. "And the bad news?"

"Bo-Katan wants to talk with you about the future of Mandalore." Nova makes a face. "And to be honest, I'm not sure what her definition of talking is."

Din sighs. He shifts his weight to his right leg. "Well she will be pleased to know I've been considering Mandalore's future as well."

"You've had time to do that, with all the talk of floral arrangements?"

Din shakes his head and laughs. "Torrin asked you how you were able to do the things you can do, you never answered him."

"He is an enemy, I didn't want him to know my secrets," Nova winks. "But if I were to truly answer his question, I would say that limits only exist because we create them. We create so many rules and confinements because we don't know how else to live, but there is so much more out there if we write the rules ourselves."

Her words confirm everything that has been swimming in Dins mind. Every question about Mandalore and the Darksaber answered in one sentence.

"I know what to do with the Darksaber," Din realizes. "Maybe I have known all along, but I don't doubt it as much now."

Nova smiles. "I'd like to hear your plans, but what should we do right now?"

"What kind of ship is this?"

Nova frowns. "It's big. Torrins guards said it used to be a cruise ship, made for traveling the galaxy in pleasure. They walked me through some kind of indoor mall space too so I think it's true."

The corners of Dins mouth turn up into a grin. "We are going to commandeer this ship."

"What, all three and a half of us?"

Din nods. "I have a plan, follow me."

0

Din and Nova move through the ship, they hack a computer to get a layout of the ship which Din transfers to his vambrace and helmet. Following the map, he and Nova make their way to the hyperdrive room. Once there they deactivate it, ensuring that the ship cannot leave its current position. Next, they search for the bridge. Bo-Katan is either with the cargo ship in the hangar or in the brig according to Nova, both of those places are too far to reach.

Once in the bridge, Din and Nova take out the guards and droids stationed there. Nova continues to use Ahsoka's lightsabers, getting a feel for the glowing blades and how they swing. Once they take the bridge they lock down the escape pods using the remote access the bridge terminals give them.

"One of the escape pods has already been jettisoned." Nova says.

"Probably Torrin." Din glances up through the glass at the head of the bridge. He watches the large ship in the distance, the Dreamcatcher according to Torrin. It turns and jumps to lightspeed. "We will find him again, I'm sure."

"Probably. He's the itch that won't stop itching."

After securing the bridge, Nova and Din hack the bridge door controls and lock it so that no one can enter it. They make their way to the hangar, where the cargo ship sits accompanied by a squad of guards.

Din stands with his back flush to the wall, or as flush as it can be with the jetpack. He peaks around the corner to observe the guards formation before returning to his original hidden position. Beside him, with her back also pressed into the wall, Nova weighs the lightsabers in her hands.

"How many?" she asks.

"Twelve," Din says. He had used his heat scanner to make sure there were none hiding. "Plus two on board the cargo ship, but I think those two are Bo-katan and Grogu. One was tall the other short."

Nova nods. "I go left, you go right?"

"I was thinking pinwheel."

"Sounds good. On your mark."

Din holds up a hand and counts down using his fingers. When they all fall into a fist, he and Nova emerge from the hallway and begin the trek towards the squad of guards. The guards surround them immediately, though two remain at the ramp of the cargo ship.

Din and Nova stay back to back. Din fires his blaster with accuracy and Nova uses Ahsoka's lightsabers to slice at any guards who come too close. They shuffle in a circle, the guards continuing to close in.

A scuffle breaks out between Bo-Katan, who has left the cargo ship, and the two guards standing by the ramp. She slams one into the ground with her boot and the other she stabs with her vibro blade. Evidently when they searched her for weapons they failed to find that one.

Nova slices two more guards in half, and the last three Din shoots, the blaster bolts striking them in the neck. Din holsters his blaster and Nova deactivates the sabers.

"Those are Ahsoka Tano's lightsabers." Bo-Katan says. Nova nods.

"We found them in Torrins office." Din says.

"I'd be willing to bet he has Ahsoka on his other ship," Nova hooks the sabers on her belt.

"You mean the ship that got away?" Bo-Katan asks.

"To be fair there are only three and a half of us." Nova says. Before they can begin an argument Din interrupts.

"We locked down the bridge and disabled the hyperdrive." he tells Bo-Katan. "We can check the terminals in the bridge to see how many guards are left."

"You took the ship," Bo-Katan realizes. Nova nods.

"And after we secure this ship, we can go after Ahsoka to rescue her." Nova says. Grogu waddles down the ramp of the cargo ship and goes to Din, who picks him up and carries him while leading Nova and Bo-Katan back up to the bridge.

"If she is even there." Bo-Katan says.

"My gut says she is," Nova looks at Bo-Katan. "And I trust my gut."

Bo-Katan shrugs and shakes her head. "I will never understand you Jedi."

"Not a Jedi." Nova corrects.

"Whatever."

They get to the bridge. Din goes to a terminal and begins to take a tally of all the heat signatures still on board the ship. Nova sits in one of the chairs and watches him scroll through the readings. Bo-katan stands behind her and pulls off her helmet. Her hair is getting longer and the warrior grabs at the strands muttering about how she needs to trim them.

After a while Bo-Katan speaks to Din. "you and I need to discuss Mandalore."

"I agree." Din says.

"Rey said it has been overrun and taken over, we need to find a way to free it."

Din turns away from the terminal and nods. "Again, I agree. Mandalore needs to be returned to the Mandalorians."

"So we are on the same page," Bo-Katan raises an eyebrow. "I'm impressed. And what about the Darksaber?"

Din glances at Nova. She gives him a small smile, Grogu, sitting on her lap, raises his ears.

"What will you do with your rights to the throne?" Bo-Katan says. "You can't give it away, with all the Mandalorians have been through they wont accept a chosen leader. They need a leader who can fight and who has proven they can fight."

"Again, I agree." Din breathes in and out, going back to an old breathing exercise his old Covert taught him. Breathe in, one two three, breathe out, one two three, breathe in, one two three, and out, one two three. "Which is why I will keep it."

The silence that follows is deafening. A look of contempt crosses Bo-Katan's face, while a look of pride crosses Novas. At the very least Dins clan is proud of him.

"What?" Bo-Katan finally finds her voice.

"I never wanted this, I don't want to lead,"

"Then don't."

"But maybe I can do some good. If I can bring Mandalorians together, if I can unite them, isn't that worth something? Maybe I won't always lead them, maybe one day the Darksaber will be passed to someone better equipped than I, but until that day comes I have a choice. I won the Darksaber through combat, that has to mean something even if I didn't mean to. Mandalorians have been separated from each other and from their home world for too long, its as you said 'Mandalorians are stronger together'."

"They will never accept you. Clan Mudhorn consists of three individuals, two of which are not Mandalorians yet. You yourself were raised in a cult that twisted the ideology of Mandalore." Bo-katan says. "What makes you think they will follow you?"

Din glances at Nova again, why he doesn't know. If it is for reassurance and strength he receives it. "I will prove to them why they should."

Bo-Katan crosses arms.

"And you are right, I wasn't raised with the same knowledge you were. Which is why I ask you to stay, to assist me in taking Mandalore. I don't know much about the other Clans out there, but I'm sure you do. I have never been to Mandalore, you have. You know the details of what it means to take the throne. I ask you to assist me in this."

Bo-katan shakes her head. "Did you really think I wouldn't help you?" she says. "And maybe proving yourself to other Mandalorians will not be as difficult as I believe it will be. But if you wish for my continued assistance you will need to prove yourself to me as well."

"I can do that."

"I hope so." Bo-Katan looks down. "My sister, she ruled Mandalore for a time. Not as its Mand'alor but as its Duchess. I didn't agree with the way she did things, she turned our people into something they were not." Bo-Katan sighs. "I will help you, but do not turn Mandalorians into a glorified army. Do not force them to become something they are not."

Din holds out his hand. "I would never."

Bo-Katan takes his hand and they shake, the agreement set.

Kaysh mirsh'kyramud [kaysh meersh kee-RAH-mood] - he is boring me senseless