Chapter 1 – Pursuers

Plot: "Tython changed something in him. It's as if something awakened, something otherworldly."

Din Djarin firmly intends to ignore the way his instincts are faster and clearer than they ever were before. But now that he has Imperial remnants on his tail, who are again determined to take Grogu from him, that may not be a choice.

Author's Note: This was actually the first Din-Grogu fic which I ever wrote. Lol. It's three chapters, and I'll be posting every other Friday. I hope that y'all enjoy it! :D

It's actually based off a dream I had (which happens primarily in the third chapter), and I turned into Din. It was... not fun. At all. Lol.

PS. There is Mando'a in here, and I put all the translations at the end. Let me know if I missed anything! ^-^

~ Amina Gila

Tython changed something in him. It's as if something awakened, something otherworldly. At first, Din tries to chalk it up to his imagination, telling himself that it's nothing, that he's simply uneasy now that he again has a child to care for – not that he considers it a burden or anything like that, of course. Grogu is anything but; Din would never complain about having to care for him. He finds that he rather enjoys having him there. It's just that Grogu's presence makes it... a bit harder for Din to carry on with his life and his jobs.

It probably wouldn't be as hard if he had a starship like the Razor Crest, because it's not really feasible to live in a starfighter, even if it is one as beautiful as his modified N-1. There isn't really room for him to leave Grogu, especially for long periods of time. The kid doesn't like to be cooped up for long; he has so much energy, and he likes to roam and play. Not for the first time, Din muses that his current way of life is not really conducive to caring for a child.

And... he's off topic.

So. Tython. He can no longer deny what he's slowly beginning to accept; he's different. He's not really the same anymore, even if he can't really pinpoint why. His reflexes are faster than they ever have been before, and at times, it's as if he can almost feel danger a split second ahead of time. He's always had good instincts, but this is totally different. It's too unnerving for him to contemplate for long, so he always tries to refocus and ignore it. Maybe it doesn't have to do with Tython anyways. Maybe it's because he is now the bearer of the Darksaber. There has to be a more logical explanation, right? It can't be – he's not – he's not a sorcerer, okay? He can't do that same stuff that the kid can. He's not Jetii.

Even so, recently, Din has found himself feeling even more anxious and on-edge than usual. They still don't stay in the same place for long, but they do have to spend more time on planets, because again, they can't live in a starfighter. He really should look into finding them a more suitable starship, and yet... the kid is fond of the fighter. He adores how fast it can go, but they do need a better arrangement. It might help if Din had more credits to buy a better ship, though he would have to locate one first, not an easy feat.

But he feels uneasy, almost as if they're being watched. A few times, when walking through the streets, Din could swear that someone is watching them. Once or twice, he even pinpointed a person who might have been responsible. It's almost as if... he can feel something malevolent. He often gets curious stares or looks, but this is different. He's good at sensing these things, but again, this is different. It's stronger, almost as if there's something –

No. He cuts off that thought before it can be completed. He's beginning to get delusional. Maybe, he thinks with some frustration, he should have insisted that Skywalker keep training Grogu. It wouldn't have mattered, of course, because the kid made his choice, and oh, Din will never admit it aloud, but he's so happy that Grogu wanted to come back and stay with him over the Jetii. The kid should use his talents; he should become the Jetii he was always meant to be. He's so kind, so – so positive. And yet, Din can't find it in himself to regret what happened all that much. He would much rather have Grogu with him; it's selfish, he knows, because Skywalker would be able to protect him much more easily.

And that is only reinforced by the fact that someone seems to be stalking them. Din can't see anything or anyone, but the prickling sensation is only getting stronger. "Something isn't right," Din says quietly, tightening his grip on the strap of the satchel he's carrying where Grogu is. As soon as he says the words, he senses the complete truth in them humming within him. He tries to shake off the weirdness of it, even as something thrums with danger. He quickens his pace, weaving through the crowded streets as he makes his way back to where the fighter is parked. It's time for them to move on again.

Maybe this time, he can even drop by Tatooine to check in with Boba (and Fennec and Peli, of course) or stop by Nevarro to see how Cara (and Greef Karga, too) is doing. Then, he'll have to get another job, preferably one which pays a little better than the last. And also, hopefully, it'll be one that has less of a risk to Grogu. Din hates it when the kid is in any type of danger.

Grogu coos in agreement, tilting his head to peer out at the crowd around them. The humming of danger only seems to increase, and Din obeys the instinct to duck, spinning sideways up against a building. A blaster shot flies through the spot where he just was, and that's the only signal he needs. He can contemplate – obsess over, really – his reflexes at a later point in time. Right now, his only priority is getting the kid to safety.

The crowd begins to panic as more blasterfire tracks Din as he dashes the rest of the way to a side alley, slipping into it and drawing his own blaster. Whoever is after him probably counted on the terror of the passersby to slow him down. He peers out around the corner, trying to locate the shooter, ducking back when another blaster bolt hits the wall behind which he's standing. Another glance gives him the target, and he fires his own blaster, the bolt connecting with an all-too-familiar white helmet. The stormtrooper's body falls down into the street, and Din doesn't look back, stepping from his hiding spot and trying to lose himself in the crowd.

It's not going to work, he knows, because he can still sense eyes watching him, blasters tracking his every movement. He keeps his left arm pressed next to Grogu, unwilling to let him be injured. Even if the kid is wearing chainmail beskar'gam, that doesn't mean he can't be hurt. That beskar'gam will stop blaster bolts from going through him, but the impact will still leave a bruise.

The most important question is why are there Imperials here, tracking him – and Grogu? He suspects they're after the kid, but he doesn't know why, because they already captured Moff Gideon. He's in a New Republic prison. The Imperials shouldn't still be chasing them. At least Din hadn't thought they were. That's why he agreed to let Grogu stay with him – not that he could or would have refused anyways, but it's a moot point. At this rate, it doesn't seem like either of them will ever be safe until every last Imperial is dead and gone.

More blaster fire rains down around him, some stray bolts hitting unfortunate civilians, others pinging off Din's beskar'gam as he pushes his way through the panicking crowd. He spins, shooting down a couple snipers up on one of the roofs and knows they're dead without looking. If they can make it to the starfighter, they can escape. He doesn't have the ability to take on an entire garrison of Imperial remnants alone.

He reaches the last street before the open area where he'd parked the fighter, but a swift glance around the corner brings him to a standstill. There are stormtroopers swarming around the ships there, especially around his own – and where did they all come from so suddenly? How did they get here? What do they want?

But none of that matters right now. If Din can't get off world with the kid, then he'll have to find a safe hiding place for the both of them until their chances of escape improve. He doesn't know this planet too well, so it won't be easy, but it's manageable, of course. He's not a bounty hunter for nothing, after all. Besides, Din will do anything for his kid. He backs away, mentally calculating the best route of escape. He knows of a few places where he can go in the city to hide, but unfortunately, this is more of a town than a city. It's sparsely populated with much of the activity happening in the main market square around noon.

It's around noon right now, and the further he gets into the city, the further apart the buildings are. But some cover is better than none, so Din moves sideways along the building next to the lot where his fighter is parked, before ducking into another alley and moving at a brisk pace further into the city. Hiding in a sewer would not be ideal, but it's probably their best option right now. Finding an entrance is a whole other story though.

Din stills when he hears stormtroopers talking in the next alley over. "Spread out and search the area," one is saying. "He's here somewhere. They want the asset alive."

So, they are after the kid then. Din remains silent, waiting until they move on before he steps out into the alley, taking a winding route deeper into the town. The number of hiding spots will rapidly decrease as he moves away from the city center. "We're in a bit of a tight spot, ad'ika," he murmurs to Grogu as he walks, body tensed for action, blaster gripped tightly in his hand.

The kid makes a quiet noise in response, burrowing deeper into the satchel until only the tips of his ears are visible. Din can tell that he's scared, and for good reason. It's not as if he has any good memories associated with Imperials, and besides, the last time they captured him... it wasn't very pleasant for any of them. For a moment, Din remembers the fear that had gripped him then, after Grogu's capture on Tython, and shudders internally. Never again. He'll never let it happen again. If he has to sacrifice himself to keep the kid safe, he will.

Thankfully, he manages to make it all the way to the other side of the town before he spots a group of stormtroopers. He crouches behind a stray crate, absently laying a hand on Grogu while they walk past. Much as it's creeping him out to have such clear instincts, he's been trying his hardest to listen to them more closely. They've never served him wrong in the past, and they've only grown more accurate as of late. After Tython. He wants to ignore it, but he knows that he can't do that anymore. It would be selfish and needlessly put Grogu at risk.

Something nudges at him to climb to the rooftop of the building across the street, so after the coming speeder passes by, Din stands, firing up his jetpack and making an effortless landing on top of the roof. There's a locked hatch covering an entrance to the interior, and Din pries it up, dropping down into the building. They're in an attic, and from the dust covering the many items here, it hasn't been entered for some time. This is as good a hiding place as any, and Din really could care less if he's in someone else's home. He doesn't hear any noise, so he settles down in a corner, partially behind some haphazardly piled containers, and waits.

Grogu climbs out of the satchel, but he crawls on top of Din's leg and stays there, pressing himself against the beskar'gam. He looks up at him, and Din can see the fear in his brown eyes. "It'll be okay, kid," he reassures him. Even if everything seems hopeless, Din will find a way out. He picks up the child, cradling him in his arms. He wants the comforting reassurance of Grogu's presence – with him, safe – as much as Grogu himself needs comfort.

Grogu's answering noise is dismal. He doesn't believe it, is afraid to, even. Din smooths a hand over Grogu's head, holding him a little closer. They need to leave; they probably don't have long before the Imperial remnants search the entire town, and Din doesn't know how many stormtroopers are here, but there are a lot. And he might be a Ma- no, he's dar'manda now. Din forcefully quells the pang in his chest at that. He has Mandalorian training, though, but he is only one man; he doesn't have the ability to go up against dozens of stormtroopers, especially not while he has his child to care for as well.

As a bounty hunter, Din has naturally encountered his fair share of enemies, but this is something different entirely, and it makes him feel... helpless. He can handle fix, six, eight, even a dozen people ganging up on him, but this? Having an organized group which consists of hundreds – thousands, probably – focusing on him, intent on taking his foundling from his arms... no, nothing in Din's past could have prepared him for this. And again, he finds that he is scared.

He was scared, terrified when the droids kidnapped Grogu from Tython. He was afraid he would get to him too late, that he would fail the child in his care in the worst way possible. And now, again, he's feeling that same fear. He does his best to control it, to tamp it down and focus, but right now, they need to wait. It might be easier after nightfall to sneak past the stormtroopers and escape in the fighter. Hopefully. But that leaves him with many hours of free time where he can do nothing but think and worry. And Din knows that Grogu can, somehow, sense his apprehension and anxiety, and that alone is enough to trouble the kid.

Din shifts, pulling out the shiny metal ball – the only thing he has left of the Razor Crest now – and handing it to Grogu. The kid coos excitedly with a grin and starts playing with it quietly in Din's arms. It's a good distraction. After a few minutes, Din finds a diversion for himself – he really needs to stop fretting and obsessing over all the possible ways this could go very wrong, because it's not as if he can do anything about their situation right now; they need to wait it out – by studying all of the cracks in the attic and trying to estimate how long it's been since someone was last up here based on the amount of dust layering everything.

Time seems to pass infinitely slowly, and Din keeps his senses attuned for the sounds of a search party, but nothing happens. After a while, Grogu seems to deem it safe enough to venture from the comfort of Din's arms to the floor. He toddles around, poking around in the dust and cobwebs, stirring it enough that he sneezes a few times, but he stays close. Unlike usual, Din doesn't need to warn him not to stray. On one hand, Din is glad, because that allows him to relax somewhat, but on the other hand, it means that Grogu is probably scared. Din hates that, hates that the Empire won't stop haunting them, even with Moff Gideon's capture.

Hours pass, and it's more instinct from his many years as a bounty hunter which tell him once it's past sunset. They can either continue sitting here and waiting until the stormtroopers come to them, or they can try to escape. It's not really much of a choice. "It's time to leave, ad'ika," he murmurs, scooping Grogu into his arms and settling him back into the satchel.

The child makes a noise, part interested, part apprehensive, and Din distantly notes that he's probably hungry. Din gave him a ration bar some time ago – one of the few he had on him – but Grogu doesn't really like them. Well, there's nothing he can do about it now. After making sure that Grogu's favorite toy is safe, he climbs atop a crate to reach the hatch on the roof. He pushes it open and climbs up. The sky is dark, and much of the city is already plunged into darkness, though there is still ample light streaming from windows throughout it.

His heart sinks when he hears the rhythmic marching of stormtroopers. They're patrolling in twos up and down each street. Something inside him is warning him that this is a bad idea, that he's in danger now no matter what he does. The thought of staying in this attic any longer is also bad, though, so he creeps quietly to the edge of the roof, trying to calculate the best path from here to where the starfighter is parked.

"We can try walking through the streets," Din comments to Grogu, touching his head to reassure him, "Or we can try flying. Or we can try going from roof to roof." Flying isn't a good idea, he knows because they'll be quite conspicuous to say the least. Jumping from roof to roof might make too much noise, and it will be hard in some places since the buildings aren't evenly spaced, not to mention that some of them are too high up for him.

He looks down at the kid, just to see if he'll say anything. Grogu coos, reaching out with his hand, seeming to point downwards. That's what Din was thinking too. He hums in agreement. "We'll be walking then. Carefully," he agrees. Glancing both directions, Din swings down from the roof to the street below.

It's a slow process because he has to keep ducking into the alleys and behind available hiding spots to avoid the stormtrooper patrols. The further they go, the worse his bad feeling gets. Somehow, he knows that if he goes straight to where the starfighter is, the kid will be taken from him if he's not careful. It puts him on edge, more on edge than he already is. It would help if he could cause some sort of diversion to distract the stormtroopers and draw them away to the other side of the town.

But unfortunately, he can't be in two places at once. If someone else was here, it might help. And, of course, his ability to fight is being impeded, since he refuses to put the kid down. If he keeps Grogu with him, he'll be able to be assured of his safety. Leaving him in some random place isn't a good idea. His every instinct screams that if he does that, he'll never see the kid again. No, he won't leave his foundling behind. Ever.

He makes it about halfway before he's spotted. It's easy for him to pull his blaster and shoot down the troopers in his path, but Din knows that more will be coming. He tries taking a more circuitous path, using the alleys which are small and dim, ones which he hopes the stormtroopers won't think to search as he moves towards his eventual goal. When he's a few blocks away, he waits until another patrol goes by, talking about him, trying to find him, he pulls himself onto a roof, leaping onto another, one higher up, to give him a better vantage point by which to see what he's up against.

Once glance is all he needs to know that it will never work. Even if he snuck in and used the whistling birds from his vambrace, even if he went in with the Darksaber, he knows that he would never make it out. They'd probably destroy the fighter before he got airborne. It's not a chance he wants to take, not with the kid here. This is different from the time when he broke into the Imperial base on Nevarro to get Grogu out of there. This is more like the time right after that when he was trying to get off Nevarro with Grogu. Or the time when he, Cara, and Karga were trapped in the cantina there.

Din hates to reach out to someone for help, but he doesn't know what else to do. He has no idea if there's a Star Destroyer in space or not, and he won't do something which could get Grogu killed. Or worse. Because he's beginning to suspect that death would be better than whatever tortures the Imperial remnants have in mind for him. This – this determination to get the kid is – it's scaring him if he's being honest. Grogu would have been safer with the Jetii.

"We're in trouble, buddy," he confesses, looking down at Grogu. He's made it a habit to explain everything that's happening to the kid. Even if Grogu doesn't fully understand, Din thinks that he likes it when Din talks to him instead of ignoring him. Besides, understanding some of what's going on is better than understanding nothing.

"They're everywhere, looking for us. I'll try to get in contact with Cara. You remember her, right?" Grogu babbles happily, and Din recognizes that as a 'yes' though probably with something else which he can't quite make sense of yet. "Good. We'll ask her for help and then we'll lay low for a while until she can come." It could be a while, he knows, but a few hours of waiting is better than nothing. He considers contacting Boba, but he knows that the other Mandalorian is busy on Tatooine. Asking him to spare Fennec right now probably isn't a good idea either.

Now, all he needs to do is find a long-distance transmitter. His personal comm won't reach Nevarro from here, but Din knows that there is one in the city. He saw it a couple days ago, and he knows the general area, so that's where they're going next. Hopefully, they won't encounter any stormtroopers on the way there, though, because if they figure out where he's going, he'll be left on his own; he'll never get out a transmission. They'll probably destroy the transmitter, or at least make sure he can't get to it.

Mando'a Translations:

Jetii - Jedi

beskar'gam - armor

ad'ika - little one

dar'manda - not Mandalorian (not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and his soul - regarded with absolute dread by most traditionally-minded Mando'ade)

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