Being cleared with the guild made his life marginally easier but the kid was still a wanted asset. Not by the guild, but the black market was still handing out fobs. Getting rid of the imperial bought him time, but it also attracted the New Republic's eyes and ears. It had been glorious to see the Mandalorians out in full force, a bittersweet memory of his own rescue. Watching them fill the sky, armor glinting in the light before raining down blaster fire. All of them out, for this speck of a child. He wished he stayed, or insist they left planet with him. Now it was him and the kid. Clan Mudhorn.
As he landed on the new planet he had the child in the floating carrier that Kuiil had built. It was sturdy and comfortable. First he would need to get some broth to feed the kid and then start looking for leads on the Jedi. Sitting at the counter he and the kid were waiting for the vendor to turn around with the meal, the news was playing on the Holonet the vendor had on in the background. He usually ignored the news since it never involved him, but when the news started broadcasting about a story unfolding on Mandalore he couldn't help but turn his attention to it. He had never been to Mandalore but it was the homeworld of the Way he followed, so he felt that he should at least pay attention to it.
With the fall of the Empire there was unrest once more on Mandalore, the 'new' mandalorians trying to establish a stable government but there were factions that were threatening civil war again. People of the planet had been haggarded by the Empire, and many were calling for a return of a Mand'alor to unite them all once more, the pacifists strongly oppose the passing of the title to another but to the people were tired of being oppressed and believed a return to the Way and a resurgence of the warrior Houses would prevent them from being conquered anymore. It was showing a clip of the speeches being given by the Pacifist leader Senator Buma Ordot, hammering hard on the warning that a re-glorification of battle could lead to the end of their people. The other speaker was a man that made Din's skin crawl under his armor. The man was wearing a crisp uniform, and had a sigil branded into his face, Restorationist Goz Kahl. The man was speaking highly of the warrior mandalorians, but there was something off in the man's words. It felt hollow, and it fed off the fears of people terrified of being subjugated, it didn't respect the Way. Since taking the kid in, Din was finding himself able to pick up on these kind of things more, and he had been pretty good about it as part of his job before. Maybe being a father was making him even more alert to the foul intentions of others towards those weaker than himself.
The next interviewee was a woman, the description scrolling along underneath listed her as a historian from Mandalore's capital city museum. She was standing next to a very impressive helmet, made from painted beskar. She was speaking about the historical importance of the Mand'alor title, and how it had been used for great and terrible things based on who the mantle bearer was. When asked if she supported the return of a Mand'alor she hesitated, weighing her words as she looked in reverence to the helmet. The broth was brought for the kid and he moved the kid closer to help support the little guy while he ate.
"I would only support the return of a Mand'alor if they had a vision for our future. Not just the tangible future, but for the longevity of our people, warrior and pacifist alike. We may be scattered not just by houses and clans, but to systems. The Way has been tested over and over by our enemies and ourselves alike. When forging beskar it must first go through the crucible. Our generations of lost and misfortune have burned away our families and left just a few of us, ready to pour into the mold. The Mand'alor is like the smith. They choose what mold we would be put in. I would only support a Mand'alor that would forge us together." The woman wore no helmet but Din could hear her honesty and passion. She believed in the honor of the Way, even if she herself did not walk it.
"As a relative of the Death Watch supported Mand'alor Pre Vizsla you sound in support of the warrior way returning." The newscaster driod said, and the woman's eyes widened with horror and then hardened with displeasure.
"NEVER say that name to me. He was a member of my house, but he is no Mand'alor to me. He was a selfish man, refusing to accept that the people did not want him. His choices weakened us, left us vulnerable when we needed strength. He served himself, no honor was found in his plotting with a Sith to usurp the title. He brought shame to the greatness of House Vizsla, from whom Tarre Vizsla arose, the Mand'alor Jedi." That caught Din's attention. "That is whose blood is in my veins. That is who house Vizsla is. An Honorable warrior who was connected to not just his people but to all." The interview cut away and started talking about more mundane topics and he turned to see the kid was already done eating. It was one of the tenants that those who follow the Way have to obey the commands of a Mand'alor, but since he had been taken in, there had not been one. Paying his bill Din stood up, the kid once more in the carrier as he walked without purpose. Seemed like he was heading to Mandalore to talk with the historian for any leads she could give him.
She was trembling from the aftermath of her vision. Tears running down her face as the horrific screams and images lingered like a fog in her mind. The battle hymns of her ancestors burial tomb starkly absent as her meditation came to an end. The fear was so great, her heart racing. She could not allow the vision to pass. It would be the end of Honor, the end of Mandalore, the death of her people. Forcing herself to stand she drew her cloak near, hoping the physical warmth could restore the feeling to her numbed mind. Walking from the tomb she once more sealed it away, it hidden out in the cliff face across the desert of her home. She wore a life support system, the world no longer fit to live on, tainted by Sith hands and her own people's senseless deaths. Riding the speeder back to the biodome of the capital she quickly changed from her robes and support system to the more common dress expected in Sundari. She wore a flowing gown, the fabric draped across her body, the gown delicate and mostly sheer, the body tight under clothing proving she held no weapons. Everything in the city was a blur as she moved forward, following the instincts guiding her. She spoke to no one she knew as she passed, almost in a trance. As she returned to her place of work, she ascended the marble steps briskly. She had to act now, least she be too late. Going to her office she retrieved the key for the display, heart pounding louder within her ears, hearing the faint hum of her ancestors encouraging her.
She disarmed the security system, waving the guards off, but knowing her weak manipulation would fade soon. Turning the key she unlocked the case, placing the helmet within her satchel. Opening her data pad she quickly sent out a message, hoping it would arrive before the wrong conclusions were made. Leaving out a side entrance she quickly hailed a ride to the nearest bank, pulling out every last credit she had to her name, and taking a different speeder to the space port. Buying a cheap ship with a pilot droid. As she began takeoff there was a massive explosion from the museum, the trance like state she had been under falling away as she turned to look back. The droid was finished calculating out the hyperspeed route and was preparing to jump to lightspeed, and she whispered a small prayer for the people she was leaving behind. Hopefully they had escaped before the blast. The ship made the jump before the dome closed down to secure the city, the woman crying softly as she hoped she had bought more time. It was the only way.
A holonet news broadcast was playing at the restaurant the next day, the kid getting on another batch of broth. Din was waiting on the local guild to have a batch of bounties for him to keep fueled and fed while he made his trip to investigate the lead he had now. It was a problematic mission since he couldn't go to the planet surface in armor, but hopefully he could reach out to her through the communications system.
"The Mandalorian armor and weapons historian, Andora Vizsla, was last seen with the relic of the Mand'alor Tarre Vizsla before the explosion. A warning signal was sent out to evacuate the building, but inside were the remains of two guards, both men having been killed by blade slashes to the throat. She has gone missing, but is wanted as a person of interest in the case. Her home was found ransacked, and her accounts empty. Information leading to her whereabouts or those of the relic is being requested by both of the political parties here on Mandalore. Due to her status as a Mandalorian, and the deaths of the guards, civilians are cautioned to treat her as armed and dangerous, reporting her to new republic patrols and to not approach."
Din was not going to give up that easy. Not when he finally had a lead on someone that might have a lead for him.
She was not sure how long the ship had been in hyperspace, but suddenly the ship jerked roughly to a halt, sending her to the ship floor, grunting in pain as she forced herself to stand again.
"A little warning next time, organics need to compensate for the deceleration." She tried to correct the droid politely. Looking out the window she could see a planetary body. "Are we getting ready to descend?"
"Negative, When exiting hyperspace transmission from the New Republic was received, your chain code matches a suspect and protocol dictates we will wait for a patrol unit to come collect you and tow me back to the starport." No! This was not supposed to happen. She needed to get further away, at least to another planet so she could escape. Stupid Droid!
"Please, please Droid, I am begging you, finish taking me where I asked! You don't understand. This is more important than protocol! My people are at stake! Please, millions of lives are endangered. You have to help me."
"Concerns recorded. Statements will be provided to Patrol unit taking custody of you. Please get on your knees and hands behind your head to make your arrest more efficient."
"Droid...Finish taking me to the planet's surface or I will...I will, I will destroy you and take manual control." Her voice was trembling. She didn't want to hurt the droid, it was just doing it's programming but… one life for many.
"Threat recorded, use of containment protocols allowed." The ships life support systems were turning down, the oxygen level lowering, designed to be low enough that she would pass out. Panic set in and she reached for a loose metal pipe, screaming with adrenaline as she rushed and stabbed the droid, the metal being wailing in pain and she reared up and brought the weapon down once more. She managed to destroy the droids power core, tossing it out of the driving seat and trying to bring the life support systems back online. Looking down at the planet's surface she gripped the steering and prayed to her ancestors for their protection, directing the ship down into the atmosphere. As the ship descended she was struggling to breathe, the oxygen lower and lower, her vision getting blurry. She focused and slipped into the meditation, the sound of her heart beat the pounding drum of the battle hymn in her soul. Her breathing calmed even as her heart raced, her hands moving with the guidance of her ancestors. The windshield was ablaze with the reentry heat as she plummeted towards the planet below, the oxygen was too low now..her vision going black, but still her hands moved, the ship decreasing speed, landing gear out, and-
The ship dragged violently along the planet's surface. When it finally came to a stop she dragged her injured body from the wreckage, the trance of her meditation giving her the strength to limp from the ship, the fresh air rushing into her lungs. The forest ahead of her whispered with the wind, her limping footsteps surprisingly sturdy as the drum beat of her heart and the will of the ancestors pushed her forward. The droplets of blood from injuries trailing her, but she didn't care. Finally her body was beyond its limits, the ancestors could do no more for her in this moment. She slumped against the strong trunk of a tree, the surrounding brush providing her some measure of cover, sleep welcoming her as she clutched her bag to her battered body.
Din had prepared for his next hunt, repairing and restocking his weapons, more food rations for him, the kid and possibly the woman. Fuel and carbonite refilled as well. He had gone to the guild house to check if any one had placed a bounty or had any leads on his new quarry and some jobs he could get done along the way. So far as anyone could tell, she hadn't even made it out of the Mandalore system. The ship she had been traveling on waiting for a New Republic patrol pickup before it's signal vanished. Setting the new destination for her last known coordinates he lifted off, the kid happily rolling the shiny metal orb between small green fingers in his pram.
"Kid, I hope you know how much work I am going through for you." He lectured, only to get happy cooing in response as the kid eagerly looked at him. He sighed, waiting till they had cleared the planet's atmosphere before making the jump to hyperspace. The trip was uneventful, dropping out of hyperspace a couple parsecs away from the last location to avoid the New Republic ship there looking for the woman as well. Seeing the planet and a lack of debris in orbit to indicate a dog fight meant the ship was down on the planet. He let the Razor Crest drop into the new planet's atmosphere before flying under the Republic ship above. It took him awhile to find the crash site, seeing the shredded ship made him think he would be digging up remains along with the artifact. He had to maneuver carefully to land the ship between trees a couple yards away, the kid following in his pram while the ship was locked. The crash was a few days old by now, the power to the ship not working, so he had to use his scanner to help see inside.
Finding the stabbed droid gave him a small smirk of satisfaction. But that ended when he saw the blood. The woman must have stabbed the droid without any protection, the jagged metal tearing through the flesh. Her blood trail was the only remaining information in the ship, so he began pursuit of her. He kept his hand on his blaster as he followed after the injured woman. He was taking hours to follow after her. Every so often finding glittering threads on plants, giving him a confirmation of her travel. How could she have gotten this far? That crash was a nasty affair. Finally his trail ended, peering past the shrubs at the base of the tree he found himself looking at a sleeping woman. She looked uninjured, but there was dried blood on her hands, on her face, and along the left leg of her skin tight blue clothing under the glistening sheer dress. The fabric was torn in many places from both the crash and snagging. Her dark purple hair was in thick long braids, the hair disheveled and debris in it. Her skin was pale in color. Clutched within her blood coated hands was a large brown shoulder bag, and he was betting that was the missing relic.
Standing to his full height he considered his options. She was sleeping peacefully, so he could wait till she woke up, or, if she had a head injury she might not wake up without medical care. He reached forward, shaking her gently to see if she could wake.
He was not expecting the woman to pounce on him, a wild war shriek filling his ears and the sudden movement pushing him back. She landed on his body, quickly grabbing a stick and aiming it down in a strike at his heart. On reflex he spun them to slow her momentum and disorient his prey. The stick broke against his beskar chest plate, dropping her broken weapon as she looked up, her eyes losing the haze of sleep and she finally processed who was pinning her. The tension in her body he felt increased as she stared into his visor.
"Burc'ya ra aru'e?" (Friend or enemy) Her voice was dry from disuse and the strain of the scream.
"Gar rejorhaa'ir ni, Ni narir va sihada sol'yc." (You tell me, I didn't stab first.) He responded calmly, slowly easing himself into a more seated position and to keep an eye on her hands.
"Narir Goz Kahl ta'na gar?" (Did Goz Kahl send you?) She spoke it neutrally, trying to read his reaction to inform her next to his intention.
"Draar susulur gai. Olaror asas burc'ya ra aru'ela?" (Never heard the name, Coming as friend or enemy?) He stood up. Looking down at her with a relaxed posture. She stared at his offered hand, reaching up for his assistance as he eased her to her feet. He was a head taller than her, his shoulders wide and she finally looked at him in full.
"Manna." Both of them turned, the kid staring at Din, big eyes looking over his father figure for injuries. Andora couldn't control the relieved giggles as she looked at the kid.
"Your backup?" She walked to the kid, kneeling down to be level with him, about to reach out and hold the little guy when she finally saw the blood on her hands. She put them back in her lap, looking around as she processes that she was safe. "Did you pull me from the ship?"
"No, tracked you down from the blood you left at the crash site a couple clicks away." She nodded at his words, trying to remember what had happened. "You stabbed the droid. From the looks of the crash site I expected to be picking up a body."
"It was trying to turn me in. It wouldn't listen that I needed to keep going. It shut down the life support systems." Standing up she looked around, trying to find the bag she had, Din holding it up from where she had left it in her desperate attack. She rushed to it, opening the bag and he saw the helm. She wanted to examine it for damage but her hands were too dirty. Seeing her distress he knelled next to her and eased the helmet out, both carefully inspecting it. "Thank you. It looks like it was untouched by the crash." He placed it back inside, letting her sling the bag over her shoulder once more. "Are we taking your ship then?" He was glad she was going to make this easy on him, giving a quick nod. Without words he started marching off towards the ship again, the pram and her following wordlessly behind him.
They passed by a stream and she put her hands in to quickly wash away the muck from her hands, giving her face a quick wash but the water not slow enough for a reflection. As the fabric of her gown kept snagging she huffed in annoyance, and he turned to help only to see her take the sheer gossamer dress off and ball it up, using it to create more cushion for the helm in her bag. Somehow she looked far more indecent in just the skin tight under clothes even though nothing more was showing. She grabbed her braids, twisting them up into a makeshift bun, tying them up to keep them out of her way. Without much fuss she started walking again, and he had not expected the woman to be so practical. The baby started fussing, bored of being in the pram, Din ready to close the lid to keep the kid from walking off.
"Kapr Ni taylir gar garkiryu?" (May I hold your foundling?) He was not used to hearing Mando'a spoken without the distortion of a modulator nor having it spoken so casually. It was typically reserved for important discussions that should not be overheard. He simply looked back at her and the kid, nodding as he slowed his pace to be in step with her, keeping his eyes on her as she happily picked up the kid, speaking to the kid in Mando'a as well, mostly just praises of his cuteness. Din allowed himself an eye roll under the helm, all the women got like this over the kid. Maybe it was actually a defensive mechanism though...since the kid was 50 and still helpless, being so cute that females of other species got all soft and excited to take care of him was proving advantageous to the kids' survival. "Has he been named yet?" She asked curiously, the kid all too excited for new faces and the bouncing game she was playing with him.
"No."
"Nothing has come to you?" She guessed about him, wiggling her finger and poking the child's tummy lightly, gurgling giggles escaping. "No worries little guy, He'll figure something out for you eventually." The kid was reaching towards the ground, and she helped, checking the ground before setting him down, taking some of the fabric from her dress, shredding it into a strip and gently tying it to the child's waist before letting the child walk. She offered Din the end of the leash, but he allowed her to hold it. "How come you aren't asking me questions?"
"How come you aren't asking me more about where I am taking you?" He watched the kid pick up a bug, the little guy looking up into his helmet, slowly bringing it to his mouth, waiting for a reaction. He reached down and quickly freed the bug from the three stubby claws.
"You brought your son." She answered easily. "You did not kill me despite having grounds to, and you have not taken the relic from me." She looked into his visor and smiled warmly. "For these reasons I wish to count you as my ally, and trust that you Mando will show mercy on a poor dar'manda." Her calling herself that made him feel funny in his chest. For her to call herself doomed as soulless did not sit well with him.
"And if we don't help you?" He asked, but even as he spoke he handed her a canteen of water. She dripped it into her own mouth before stopping to let the kid drink too.
"Then hopefully you would at least give me a ride to my destination." The trio walked on in silence, a thankfully peaceful travel. As they approached the ship she saw the debris of her own landing, seeing it finally. "Oh wow...thankfully my credits and data pad are still in my bag, if they had gotten lost in this we'd never recover it all." He opened the walkway for his ship and let her and the kid go first. He gently put a hand on her arm to let the kid waddle in ahead of them.
"The kid seems to like you...so...carbonite or handcuffs?" He removed the bag from her shoulders, holding it carefully.
"Is this because of the stabbing? It wasn't personal." She didn't seem scared of him, smiling up at him as she put her hands behind her back for him to put the cuffs on.
"In front, I want to see what you are doing." She obediently turned to face him, her wrists still out for him. He put the cuffs on. He let her continue on, closing the landing pad as he returned the kid to the pram. "Up the ladder." He was glad she wasn't putting up a fuss, no protesting, no whining, just a smile and acceptance. She moved to the ladder, struggling to climb up with the cuffs on, her shoes slippery from the mud outside. He saw the issue before it happened, his hands reaching up to steady her so she didn't slip further. He was glad for the helmet, it keeps anyone from seeing his discomfort as his hands pushed on her rump to keep her in place.
"Maybe handcuffs after the ladder next time?" She said nervously, her cheeks bright pink as she struggled to right herself and enter the cockpit. Quickly she sat down, eyes looking down since she did not have the benefit of a helmet to hide behind. He let the event drop, knowing it had been uncomfortable for both of them. The kid crawled up into the padded seat on the other side behind Din. He took off, staying low to the forest tree line till they reached the other side of the planet before they exited the atmosphere. He looked at his bounty pucks, seeing which one was on his way. One was a simple bail jumper, and he input those coordinates.
"We are going to make a stop. Don't try anything." She gave him a small nod, showing she understood as her eyes were staring off at the stars.
"Don't worry...I don't know how to fly." He turned to look at her, his head tilted and she blushed again. "I'm the reason the ship crashed..." She was looking upwards still, and he didn't hear anything false in her tone.
"Commander Kahl, the ship's wreckage was found...no traces of her, or the relic. But we took the droid's recording of her on the ship." The voice was distorted by the modulator.
"Anything usable?" A voice answered from the other side of the com-link.
"Yes sir, with a little bit of editing we can get just what we need." The data was already being spliced by the others on the ship.
"Good. I want to see it before we broadcast it. We need it to be just right. We need the people on our side. Par Manda'yaim." (For Mandalore)
"Par Manda'yaim."
When they had landed on the planet Andora had elected to stay inside as soon as she saw the sand, occupying herself with reading from her data pad. Din cuffed her ankle to a part of the bench as a precaution, her hands still cuffed as well. She did not respond more than asking for some water to be close at hand, him leaving a canteen and some ration bars within easy reach for her. She reached out with her cuffed hands, putting it on his gloved one, closing her eyes as she did. Din did not pull away out of curiosity, her hands on both sides of his. A few moments later she opened her eyes, the green flecked with blue staring not at him but past him.
"Don't follow him inside, his friends will ambush you." Her voice was strangely vacant before she blinked a few times, slowly pulling her hands away. "The kid and I will be fine as long as we are locked inside the ship."
"I know." He said dismissively, standing once more and opening his weapons locker to take what he would need. Her warning was in his head, and he grabbed a flash grenade as a precaution. He left without much more than patting the kid on the head before walking out into the desert sun. Once she heard the firm lock of the ship door she reached down and uncuffed herself from the bench, it taking longer to remove the cuffs on her wrists. She stood up and rubbed the skin to ease the discomfort, stretching as she finally had some time away from his intense aura. The baby was looking up at her, and she felt it probe at her with its own wild force energy. She let her energy drop and be open to the baby, letting him feel she meant him and his father figure no harm. The baby was soon satisfied with what he was looking for, returning to rolling the small metal ball across the floor as Andora helped herself to the restroom. No way had she been willing to ask while he was here. Her bodily needs eased she washed up and moved to the ration bars, opening one and taking a tentative bite, shrugging at the bland taste. It definitely could use some spices. She picked up the toddler, offering him some of her bar, but he shook his head, obviously not excited by the object.
Laying out on the bench she looked through her data pad, pulling up the information her colleagues at the museum had been collecting about historical battles, hoping to read it now since she had time. Looking to the little green foundling she smiled and decided to pick a battle that was so old that it wasn't completely clear if it was a story or fact. She started to read it out loud like a mother would read a story book, the little metal ball still rolling around but his ears twitching as he passively absorbs the words.
It had been around five hours, and she had put the child down for a nap after he became drowsy from playing and listening to her read. Andora hoped the Mando was okay, she would not want this child to be without a parent. A tingle went down her spine and she rushed back to her spot, re-locking her ankle before putting herself back in the cuffs, trying to calm her features so he would not know her disobedience. The door opened and a wave of sand came flurrying inside the ship, causing her to close her eyes and turn away. Thankful she had closed the pram so the child was safe from the stinging bite of the wind-born stones. The door went up just as quickly, the Mando and the prey both dusted in the sand. They still were struggling, but not for long as the Mando punched the bounty in the face, sending the stunned alien into place. It was really impressive how quickly the freezing happened. She watched in interest as he lifted it up and slid it into place in the holding rack.
He turned to look at her, then at the pram, and she realized her error. The pram was too far away for her to reach it cuffed, and he had left it open. He rushed to her, blade to her throat as he checked the cuffs. She could feel his eyes under the visor scanning her body, blushing a little because the body hugging outfit was making it easy for him to see that she had no weapons. She was calm and did not move or resist when he pressed it to her neck. Slowly he pulled back from her, checking on the kid, who was peacefully asleep. He seemed to be thinking over what to do with her. He put the vibroblade back, satisfied with the kid's safety. He marched over, unlocking her ankle and hoisting her up. She didn't struggle as he pushed her towards the carbonite, closing her eyes so they wouldn't get damaged.
"Why did you get back in the cuffs?"
"I had to go. There's no door so I had to wait till you left. Then he and I played for a little bit before he fell asleep." He let go of her cuffs, her standing there waiting for him to freeze her. There were silent moments before she heard a resigned huff, he dragged her forward out of the freezing area.
"That wasn't the answer."
"Oh...I want to keep you as my ally, I figured if you saw me still in them it would help."
"So lie to me to get me to trust you?"
"You are right, when you say it like that, it would have been better just to tell you I would get out of the cuffs." The ship was tense between them, and she was worried he was about to freeze her but instead he removed her cuffs.
"Your compliance is part of your strategy or your nature?" He accused her, and she didn't deny his accusation.
"Strategy...to survive in the Imperial re-education camp. If you wanted food, you obey. If you wanted them to stop hitting you, just be quiet and they leave sooner. The more obedient you are the more they think they have you." There was no shame in her voice, no sadness, just fact.
"You were in a re-education camp?" It did not sit well with him that she had been through imperial control. He had heard what happened to people sent to those places. The prisoners there would be broken down, their culture and minds striped and filled with Imperial approved thoughts.
"At 16...I was only there a few months." She answered him. "My father bribed the officer for my freedom." She sat down again, looking at her hands to avoid letting him see her face.
"That must have cost a fortune." He said, and she figured he didn't believe her. He was standing across from her, hand on his blaster.
"He paid them in beskar. Said he didn't want to lose another child." She sounded bitter to his ears, and he watched her fingers move against each other as she walked down the paths these thoughts were on.
"Where did he get it?"
"When I found out...I wish father had just let them keep me." There was sadness in her voice, and he believed her. "He traded my Brothers armor."
"I thought armor is banned?"
"It is...my brother went off world, promised when I was older he would come take me with him. Instead, Ner vod taabir chaaj'yc be'chaaj." (My brother marched far away.) She wiped away the small tear before it grew, and he understood, her brother was gone and her father had bought her freedom with his armor.
"Ni cuyir mando, cuyir ori'haat meh gar vercopa at cuyir ner tomad." (I am mandalorian, be honest if you wish to be my ally.) Din spoke to her, putting the cuffs back in his gear.
"I learned how to get in and out of cuffs at the camp. But I have no desire to escape you. You might be the only ones that can help me. If not in my mission, in at least getting me where I need to go. And yes, being compliant is a strategy to survive, both friend and enemy alike. I have been doing it since I was 16...Half my life now." Andora looked up, hoping that he could understand. She was not trying to deceive him, she just...it was how she lived.
"What else do I need to know?" He felt his stomach rumble, taking a ration bar for himself and planning to eat after he settled this.
"It all sounds bad out of context." He rolled his fingers, telling her to continue and Andora was not surprised he didn't care about the context. "I killed before...and...well like I said, it sounds bad out of context but...I wore armor made from human bones. I was sent to the re-education camps because the imperials called me a savage."
"Who did you kill?"
"Imperials."
"Why?"
"They killed my friends." They were silent as he mulled over her words. "Should I get in the freezer?" She wasn't going to resist, and her compliance now made him uneasy. But if he froze her to make himself feel better...then he was harming a woman asking to be his ally because he was scared.
"No." He turned to go up the ladder, the pram floating up after him. "Stay down here." He then locked the hatch leaving her there unbound, with only the frozen bounty as company. Andora felt the ship lift off after a while, figured he had used that time to eat and drink. Laying back down she stared at the ceiling, humming to herself before drifting off to sleep.
"Senator Buma Ordot. We have the message that was sent to trigger the evacuation at the museum. It seems it was sent from Vizsla's data pad. There are some more files attached, marked for you." The data specialist was standing at the Senators desk, waiting on the man's direction.
"Pull them up." The senator said calmly, watching on the holoscreen as the documents were opened. The letter was a proposed plan for the reunification of the mandalorian tribes. The second was a very large plan for the rehabilitation of the planet surface, with references to the technology that was being used on other planets and how those systems could be adapted. The last document was a hastily recorded video message.
"Senator Ordot. The Death Watch is still active, they are plotting to unite the warriors under a Mand'alor and enslave any who oppose them on the planet. They want to use Vizsla's relic to prove their right of succession. I can't let that happen. I don't care what happens to me, you have to investigate Goz Kahl. Once Death Watch loses its leader I will surrender myself to make amends." The video ended, the senator taking a deep breath.
"What do we do sir?" Senator Ordot's aides were all unsettled by the idea of the Death Watch being on the rise again. The terrorists had been an ongoing problem, kept silent from the public after the re-establishment of the pacifists.
"Keep her message quiet. We don't want a full on revolt or panic. We can't take her word on any of this. Send someone to investigate Goz Kahl, but be discreet about it."
"What about the other documents?" One of the aides said.
"She's a historian, not a politician. It's a lovely sentiment to try and bridge the gap between the two sects of of our culture. But it won't work. We had to banish warriors because they would never live in peace with us."
"But...what about the rehabilitation? There may be parts of it we could use." The aide was highlighting the artificial atmosphere plan.
"It's too expensive. We don't have the funds for it, not without getting help from the New Republic. We can hardly afford our current state, but to get that kind of help would cost us dearly." The senator spoke firmly, the aide closing the holoscreen. "Now, please get a press conference ready. I need to put the public at ease, the terrorists will likely take credit for the museum." The aides left, after the door closed the senator sat down, opening his private chat channel, the image of a helmeted soldier on screen. "She gave Goz Kahl's name. I sent someone to investigate. Make sure they find an answer."
"Yes Mand'alor." The soldier responded, saluting before the communication was cut off.
Din hadn't slept in a few cycles, parking the ship on a rocky moon and finally coming down to the main cargo hold. She was asleep, or looked like it. He watched her breathing, it steady and even, her eyes moving under her eyelids. Satisfied the woman was actually asleep he walked to the cabin, putting the kid in first before locking himself inside. The cabin locked from his side and the pram closed he removed the helmet, brushing his hair, cleaned his teeth and washed his face. Laying his head down, he fell into a dreamless sleep.
He was unsure how long he had slept but when he woke it was to the sound of a crying child in the dark space. He put his helmet on and turned on the light, opening the carrier and seeing the child was very upset. He opened the cabin door, and he saw that Andora was purposely not looking in his direction. He stood up, taking the child out of the Pram and trying to assess what was bothering the child. The child's eyes were large watery, and looking up at him for help.
"He probably needs to eat...it's been 12 standard hours." Andora spoke up softly, Din surprised he had needed to sleep so much. She opened up a ration bar and held it out for Din to feed to the kid, the kid taking the pieces of it, not happy about the taste but desperate for sustenance. The crying stopped when the ration bar was finished, the child eager to be set down to stretch his little limbs. "Are you okay Mando?" Her voice was still soft, like she was worried about being overheard. "You were having a fitful sleep." She continued when he offered no response.
"Don't remember anything of it." He answered back honestly, wanting to stretch out himself and bath, but he couldn't while she was here. He looked over the ship, seeing she hadn't touched more than another ration bar for herself and the water. The ship was a bit colder since the engine was off, and he saw her curled up to keep warm. She wasn't saying anything so he let it be. "Might have been the kid whining."
"I won't hurt him...you can leave him out here while you take care of what you need." She still was not looking at him, and he realized she didn't know if he was wearing it or not.
"I'm wearing my helmet, you can look." He said, pulling his gloves and boots back on, donning his armor.
"Just being sure. I know the rules about faces are different for foundlings." He stopped strapping his chest plate to look at her, glaring at her through his visor.
"How did you know?" He didn't like that she was guessing so much about him.
"Because even in Death Watch they take their helmets off outside the battlefield. They were born Mandalorian and so the helmet does not make them. For foundlings though...the old life can't show anymore." She said it like it was obvious, but not something she agreed with.
"Were you part of Death Watch?"
"No, but members of my house created and led them, filled their ranks. It's a shame too. If they would just...just approach it differently...than the pacifists wouldn't be so scared. Me and my brother would have worn armor with pride instead of secrecy. They harm their own cause by making warriors and brutes synonyms." The kid was looking for his favorite orb, little feet padding softly on the ship. Andora stood up slowly and walked over to help extract it from the netting it had rolled into.
"You wore your enemies bones as armor." Din pointed out, not sure how she thought she wasn't a savage.
"There was no beskar on the planet, and no armorers to forge anything for me. I did what I could with plaster and bones." She sounded embarrassed by the event, not ashamed, just embarrassed.
"You could have taken their plate armor." He pointed out, his armor fully donned again.
"If I beat them with sticks and stones, their armor wasn't that effective. I had to put something stronger on top." She pointed out. "Besides, I was 16, we all make really stupid choices at that age." She was smiling a little, thinking back on something. "I ran away from home to go play soldier on a planet and my friend Kejena shaved her hair and tattooed a face on her skull. Bad choices all around."
"Why was it a bad choice for her? She didn't get arrested for it." Andora rolled her eyes, giving him a look that said that barb hadn't been effective.
"She did it herself with a mirror, the whole thing was crooked and uneven. She had to wear a wig for months. I got to go have an adventure." She was sitting up a bit more, but still trying to hide her shivering.
"Playing at being a soldier." Din said as he easily lifted himself into the cockpit, restarting the ship so they could finish their trip. She glared at his back. That had been effective, and so she let him have the victory instead of chasing a fight that only ended in her being hurt more. The little one walked to her and put the ball in her hand and she smiled, not bothered by the slobber on it. He crawled up on the bench next to her, and she began rolling the ball back into his hands. He squeaked in delight, trying to copy the motion, it was hard with his three fingered hands but she was patient and helped him. Like all toddlers, she never knew if they would grow bored with something quickly or become obsessed with it, needing to do it over and over. It seemed rolling the ball was an obsessive behavior for him. His face in stern concentration as he seemed to be trying to do something more than roll it. She started talking to the child in Mando'a, encouraging him in whatever task he had assigned himself. She felt his energy building, and realized that his force sensitivity was far larger than she had believed at first.
Finally the ball was no longer rolling on her hands, but levitating between them. The baby is focusing on the ball, spinning it now without any contact with their hands. She was amazed. Levitation. This child was gifted. She had visions and foresight, but tasks like this were at the edge of her power. For such a tiny being to do it before mastering basic speech, he was special. She kept encouraging him, telling her she was proud of him. All the praise finally drew her escort back, him seeing the kid levitating the ball. The baby turned to look at Din, the ball dropping once more into Andora's hands. He quickly moved to scoop the kid up, checking him over, the kid just giggling excitedly and making the Manna sound again.
"Don't worry, gar ad'ika was careful." (your son) She was smiling excitedly, wiping her hands on her body suit as she stood up to remove the dried spittal. "It would take much more to exhaust him. He is eager to practice with his powers."
"Do you know what it is?" Din felt little fingers gripping his plates of armor, the kid trying to crawl up him like a playground.
"Yes." She reached into her bag, pulling out the helmet. "He is like Tarre...he has the force. He's much stronger than I can ever be, but he has no real use of it yet. It is mostly emotional and instinctive." The kid reached out for the helmet, excited by the new object she was offering to him. Setting the kid down while she held it for him to touch, Din watched cautiously. The kid tried to put the helmet on, it was taller than him, and his ears were sticking out through the open face. Andora giggled at the image, wishing she had a way to capture it. "Not yet little one. You haven't even learned to talk. But for a sweetie like you, I would gladly sponsor your beskar. You'll need more for those ears of yours." She pulled the helm back, re-wrapping it in the bag for safe keeping.
"His sponsorship is my responsibility." Din said firmly, not liking that this woman would even offer that to the kid. He was the kid's father now, he provided for him. She blinked up in surprise at his hostility.
"I didn't mean to over step. Of course, gar ad'ika, gar buirkan." (your son, your responsibility) Putting her hands up in a manner to show she meant no offense. " I just...I haven't met any others with the gift since my brother marched. To have another Mandalorian with the force...I feel the need to offer what I can. There are no Jedi around to teach him the control he will need, and even then, they would not raise him as a Mandalorian."
"We'll be landing soon." Din was not happy with her forwardness, taking the kid back up with him and leaving her down here once more. She turned to the still frozen bounty. "Once I get this bounty off, we have to talk."
"He's as pleasant as a new barabel mother." Andora huffed, waiting for him to lock himself away before allowing herself to walk around and stretch.
When they landed on the planet it was nightfall, but the distant glow of volcanic activity and the bright moon above gave the world a nice glow. He had taken possession of the bag, marching off into the night with the kid in his pram, the ship parked in the shipyard. She followed him out, wishing she had a coat or something at this point but she wouldn't let him know she was uncomfortable.
"If I blindfold you will you still be able to navigate from the ship to enclave?" Din asked before taking her into the walls of the city.
"It will make it slower for me, but eventually yes. I would." She wouldn't lie to him, he already didn't trust her.
"Skill, or the gift you have?" He was walking a different path from the one he had been shown. Trying to disorientate her as much as he could.
"Both, it's hard to tell the two apart." She was looking around the city, seeing many life forms she hadn't encountered while on Mandalore, and she was kind of wanting to wander off and explore. The architecture was different from what she was used to, and he walked off ahead of her, trying to see if he could lose her. She looked around when he vanished from her line of sight. He was testing her, and she knew she should go follow him but...the temptation to go and look at all the new stuff was really difficult to pull away from. The same calling to go off from her youth. With a heavy sigh, she forced herself to turn around and go after him, biting her lip as she looked back at the bright lights of the main town center to go after his footprints in the soil. She eventually followed them to a small doorway that was covered by a cloth, it looked dark and was set deep into the ground. Looking around she didn't see a posted guard, but she also was not dumb enough to walk into a base full of trained warriors. Not knowing what to do now that he was not here to give her the proper escort into the base she looked for a place she could wait that would not draw attention. A hand reached out from behind the cloth and dragged her into the doorway. She didn't scream, just looking up at his familiar helmet. "Nice to see you Mando." Din just turned and walked down the stairs with her behind him. Andora did not follow him immediately, the first bit of resistance she had shown. Her face looked pale, and she was trembling, but it didn't seem to be cold.
"Mando...Why are we here?" Her heart was breaking. She could feel the recent deaths, the valor of warriors as children were rushed off to safety, Their battle song one of great loss, and she tripped as Din tugged her down the stairs. She could hear the blasters firing, the sound of armor clashing as they made an attempt to protect their home. "Tion'solet taabir be'chaaj olar?" (How many marched away here?) Din did not answer her, instead leading her further into the base, a stack of broken armor knee high there in the center, the warrior within them gone. Instead of waiting to let her recover Din approached the Armorer who sat silently in front of the forge, waiting on the beskar to be melted into a form that would be easier to transport to a new home. Din pulled Andora to her knees, both kneeling before the forge as they waited for the Armorer to acknowledge them.
"Have you found the child's family?" She did not turn to look at them.
"I believe this woman may have a clue, but I do not trust her, I have come to see if you can provide clarity to her words." Slowly the golden helmeted woman came to sit in front of them. Din opened the back and pulled out the ancient helmet.
"So you are a thief then." The Armorer stated to start as she looked over the helm.
"As the head of the armor and weapons department, it is my job to protect the artifacts. I took it to fulfill my duty to protect it. Death Watch is growing in numbers, they have a leader once more wishing to calling himself Mand'alor. I won't allow them to use a Vizsla relic ever again."
"What proof do you have?" The golden helm turned to the side as she examined the woman before her.
"None I can show you." Andora sighed, visions were not transferable.
"So nothing." The Armorer stated firmly. "Do you know the Resol'nare?"
"Ba'jur bal beskar'gam, Ara'nov, aliit, Mando'a bal Mand'alor—An vencuyan mhi." Andora spoke almost lyrically, a well rehearsed rhyme.
"If he is calling himself, Mand'alor, why refuse?"
"Because a Mand'alor should be our leader, not just for warriors, but for all Mandalorians. Kahl doesn't want to lead all of us. He will take his warriors and turn them on the peaceful Mandalorians." Her hands were clenched in her lap as she sat. "Goz Kahl wishes to declare another civil war. The civilians won't last a chance. It'll be a slaughter. And all we will gain for it is fewer and fewer Mandalorians. That goes against the Resol'nare. A Mand'alor should keep us alive, all of us." Andora spoke with deep sadness, the weight of the deaths here oppressively pressing on her mind. "There maybe a short excess of food and money for the survivors, but a leader that does not know how to rebuild after the war will only leave the planet worse off. It's the same over and over again."
"What do you mean again?" The Armorer asked, her voice giving away nothing of how she felt about the woman's words.
"Ever since the Mandalorian and Jedi wars, our homeworld has suffered, and our numbers diminish. The war was the end of our expansion. After that, we joined with the Sith empire...and our reward for it? Mandalorian territories lost, and our homeworld of Mandalore began turning to a wasteland. The domed cities built. Once the Old Republic rose, our warriors were the face of assassins and enemy to the Jedi again. The dishonor that came with it, and the loss of livable land...begot the banishment of the Warrior clans. Our reward for that? Occupation by the Republic after another Sith used Death Watch. We can't leave the domes without life support systems, and the cracking of Condorn Dawn and then the Purge by the Empire. When the Jedi were wiped out, the Empire turned their attention to us, banning our heritage, stealing our armors, some heirlooms passed down for hundreds of years, and melted for their own use. Every one of these events...a selfish Mand'alor sold their people for their own greed. For only one way of life."
"The Warriors way of life." Andora nodded to the Armorer's statement, wishing she was in a less oppressive place. Fighting tears at the amount of loss she could feel.
"Mandalore used to have fields, farmlands, forests, we use to have warriors and the home front. Somehow everyone forgot the two pieces fit together. Self defense, that's part of our ways. We had to have something worth protecting."
"And you and the peaceful Mandalorians are the home front? You wish for warriors to return and protect it?"
"No, You and yours are free to do as you wish. I am protecting the home front by stalling the warlord Kahl. I am not asking for help beyond reaching a place I can leave the relic to be guarded."
"You call yourself a warrior?" There was amusement in the Armorer's voice.
"Ni narir va ne'waadas at juha nii mayen. Ni cuyir Mando." (I don't need to call myself anything. I am Mandalorian.) Andora spoke firmly, shoulders squared, her head held high.
"What clue did she offer that you doubt?" The Armorer spoke while turning to Din.
Chapter End