Din descended down the steps emerging into the dark, cool tunnels of what was once the Mandalorian Covert on Navarro. He kept going, his steps even and soft despite his armor. He might've appeared composed on the outside, but Din's mind was still racing for the right words to say in the conversation that lied ahead with the one Mandalorian that still resided here: the Armorer herself.
Perhaps it wasn't that his mind couldn't think of the right words, but was dreading the words he knew he would have to say. He knew he would have to tell her what he had done, both in his returning of the foundling, but also how he had broken his creed along the way, twice. He had shown his face, not just to Grogu, but to others. Sure, everyone who had seen his real self was either dead or were people he knew would not betray his trust. Still, he had gone against everything he was raised to believe since his days as a young foundling, and now he would have to answer for it.
As Din continued on a steady pace, nearing the Armorer's forging room, his mind also reflected on what else he had learned or experienced during his journey to reunite Grogu with his own kind. He thought about when he had met Bo-Katan, and the other members of the Mandalorian race who were direct descendants, born on the planet itself. He thought of how they removed their helmets as if they were mere tools rather than their identities. All his life, he'd been raised to believe that the Way he was taught had been the ONLY way, but now...so much had been called into question.
None of this was even to mention that he had apparently won over the Darksaber, which apparently gave him the right to rule Mandalore... something Din had no interest in whatsoever, and something he hoped he could at least get further answers about before he would likely be forced to permanently surrender his helmet, and his armor, forever.
At last, Din came to the forging room. Without hesitation, he turned into it, not the least bit surprised to see the Armorer hard at work. Routine having taught him by now that she would get to him when she had found a sufficient place to pause, he walked over and took his seat at the table near the front of the room. He sat patiently, watching as the Armorer continued her work, giving no specific indication that she had yet registered his presence. She always seemed to know everything though, so this was unlikely. Din knew very little about her though, other than that this was where she had been stationed forever, and that she was the most skilled crafter of armor and weapons he had ever seen.
After a couple minutes, the Armorer removed herself from her work, setting her tools down and walking over to the table. Taking a seat opposite him, she looked directly at him. Din had come to pride himself on being able to read what many of his fellow Mandalorians were likely thinking or what their expressions must be like under their helmets. With her, however, such an endeavor was pointless. The Armorer never raised or lowered her voice, and every movement she made, no matter how small, seemed especially deliberate.
"Since the foundling is not with you," she began, "I assume that you were successful in your task of returning him to his kind?"
Din hesitated only momentarily before responding. "Yes."
"You have done a good thing," the Armorer said. "You have ensured he will be well looked after."
Din knew she didn't mean it in such a manner, but he couldn't help but think her implication was that he could not look after Grogu properly. This idea was something that he had thought about a lot, especially as he and the child got closer and closer to their destination. His way of life was no way for a child to grow up... not like he did.
Shaking these thoughts from his head, Din spoke up.
"Yes," he replied. "I have seen how skilled the Jedi I left him with is, both in their powers and with a laser sword."
"You mean a lightsaber," the Armorer corrected matter of factly. Din couldn't help but blush a tad underneath at this. Why hadn't Ahsoka corrected him back on Corvus and saved him this embarrassment?
"Yes, a lightsaber," he said.
"Then your task is complete," the Armorer said. "You are free to resume as you were before the foundling entered into your custody."
At this, Din hung his head slightly, tilting his helmet downward.
"Unless there is something else?" The Armorer asked inquisitively, her tone curious but otherwise no different than usual.
Din swallowed lightly. He knew what he had to do. Forcing himself to face her properly, he spoke.
"On my journey, the foundling was taken from me by an enemy," Din began. "The same enemy that attacked and killed many others of us."
The Armorer moved slightly forward, but otherwise changed nothing of her posture. "Go on."
"In order to retrieve him, I had to take drastic measures," Din continued. "I had to break into one of the Empire's remnant facilities to acquire the coordinates to the light cruiser they were keeping the child on. To do so, I needed to... I needed to perform a facial scan in order to show that I was not wanted."
The Armorer did not move at this news, remaining still. Din had no idea if she was shocked or was simply taking this in, but he took her silence as a prompt to continue.
"I had an ally with me at the time. He killed everyone else in the room who saw my face. He sought to help preserve my honor as best he could, for which I let him go upon completion of our mission."
Finally, the Armorer spoke up.
"So, to complete your mission," she began, her voice even, "in order to save the child's life that is, you removed your helmet?"
"Yes," Din said, his tone matching hers now.
"And I trust there was no other way to get the information you required?"
"No."
"This is...not unprecedented," the Armorer said, a revelation which would've surprised Din more had he not encountered Bo-Katan and her party. "You did what you needed to do to fulfill your duty, a task others have given up on before."
"Thank you," Din said, grateful for such recognition.
At the same time, he knew he wasn't finished yet.
"There is more though," he added.
"Oh?" the Armorer said. She had been about to get up, most likely to continue her work, but his words had stopped her and caused her to resume her previous position.
"When the time finally came for me to say goodbye," Din continued, "the child and I...we had grown close. He reached up with his hand to touch my face, but was only met with the Baskar of my helmet. I felt that he deserved more, so I removed my helmet in front of him and those who had helped me, so that he could see me."
"You're telling me that you removed your helmet a second time, purely of your own free will, to indulge the child?" the Armorer asked. Despite the question itself, her tone was not accusatory, even if what was coming seemed inevitable.
"Yes," Din answered, "and I recognize what this means."
He stood up, letting out a small sigh. He reached up to remove his helmet, which would mean the surrendering of his way of life. However, his hands had only barely touched the cool Baskar when the Armorer stopped him with a raised hand.
"Before you shed your helmet and leave behind all we have taught you, I have a question for you."
Din's hands slowly lowered, eventually dropping to his sides. "Okay."
"If you had the situation to do over again," the Armorer began, rising to her feet now, "would you repeat these actions?"
Din only needed to think for a couple of moments and his response came swiftly.
"Yes."
"No hesitation," the Armorer replied.
"No," Din answered. "Like I said, I believe the child deserved as much, but I am prepared to face the consequences of my actions."
The Armorer simply stared at him, body position unchanging. Finally, she spoke up.
"You speak with conviction," she said, "and the lengths that you speak of are ones of honor. From where I stand, I would say this journey has made you a better Mandalorian, not a disgraced one. You may keep your helmet."
Din was completely and utterly shocked at this declaration. He never in his wildest dreams would've imagined hearing those last words in particular. For a moment, he just stared at her, dumbfounded. The Armorer had always been strict when it came to the laws of The Way. Yet, here she was, making an exception.
After a few moments of prolonged silence, Din could only find it in himself to utter two words.
"Thank you."
The Armorer nodded and started to turn away again, but stopped once more, her eyes locked onto something. Din quickly traced her eyes to the Darksaber, strapped to his hip.
"How did you come by that?" the Armorer asked, slowly raising a hand and pointing to the blade.
"Moff Gideon, the enemy I mentioned, had it in his possession, and tried to use it to kill me," Din answered. "After defeating him, I tried to surrender it to one who had helped me, but they refused to take it."
"They refused because they cannot," the Armorer responded.
"I know," Din responded. "I have been told of the history and cultural significance of this weapon, but I am no leader."
"It is often those who do not want such power that are the most deserving of it," the Armorer said.
"There has to be another way," Din said.
"You are the owner of this blade now," the Armorer said, turning back to her work, "and with this blade comes responsibility. You must either convince someone to accept it, or... you must accept that responsibility for yourself."
"I will find someone," Din answered, his voice determined.
"Be careful," the Armorer responded, turning to face him again. "Wherever you go, you seem to attract trouble. Perhaps next time you come back to me, it will be I who is answering to you."
"I wouldn't count on that," Din answered.
"We shall see," the Armorer replied. "This is The Way."
"This is The Way," Din responded, and turned to leave.
Hope you all liked it! Let me know what you thought: the good, the bad (politely please), all of it!
Praying for you all. Stay safe and healthy out there!
"Then Peter came to himself and said..." Acts 12:1-19