Author's Note: I've read so many great fics on The Mandalorian so far, but I wanted to look at the aftermath of the season 2 finale and our Mando trying to find his place in the order of things. And, you know, maybe find him some friends, maybe something more.
Just note – I work full-time, am a single mom and a grad student too. So I write when I find time. I make no guarantees re: the cadence of posts (though my grad program is on spring break, so I may get more out this weekend).
Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars, The Mandalorian, or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.
"Mando." Cara's voice, uncharacteristically soft, makes him blink. He looks down at the floor instead of at the lift that Grogu, the astromech, and the Jedi disappeared into. He feels something bump his arm, and he realizes that she's handing him his helmet. "Put it back on. None of us saw your face."
He takes it, slipping it back on. Even as he does, though, he thinks of Mayfeld's words back on Morak. What is the rule now? Does the Creed have meaning for him anymore? Mayfeld, the kid, and the Jedi all have seen his face. He shakes his head and turns back to look at the others, knowing he'll have to think about it later. He feels the Darksaber in his pocket, and he pulls it out. "Bo-Katan."
The woman frowns. "You can't just give it to me. This piece of bantha fodder," she motions to the still-unconscious Moff Gideon, "Was right. The legend demands that I win it back in battle."
Suddenly, he finds himself out of patience with what he considers nonsense. "I may be a so-called zealot, but I am not a slave to superstitions." He walks over to a console and puts the saber down more roughly than called for. "I am leaving this here. I do not want it. I leave it to you to decide if you want to take it. It's not my responsibility. I less than respectfully decline whatever mantle you think this thing bestowed upon me."
He looks at Bo-Katan again, his eyes narrowing under the helmet. "And don't tell me again how I am the one who follows the Ancient Way. Don't speak of my Creed with disdain when you are allowing a karking mythical sword to guide you. Don't accuse the Children of the Watch of being the zealots unless you want to be known as a hypocrite."
He turns away without waiting for a reply, looking at Fennec as the sensors light up and Slave I appears out the windows. "Can Cara and I get a ride back to Nevarro?" He looks at Cara. "If that's where you want to go?"
Cara shrugs, but he can see that her eyes are concerned for him. "I'm the Marshal, right? We'll have to take Gideon and dump his ass at a New Republic site, though." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "Or better yet, let's call Karga and see if there's a bounty. I'd guess that there is. Probably enough to get you a new ship, my friend." She lifts an eyebrow at him.
He swallows hard, thinking of the Razor Crest. He'll miss his ship. It may have been old and worn, but it was his all the same. The ball from the cockpit is heavy in his pocket, and he thinks idly that he should have given it to the kid.
Fennec nods. "We can take you to Nevarro. I like that idea better than to a New Republic site. Boba will too."
"All right." Cara looks at him. "Help me take out the trash?"
Despite the turmoil roiling in his gut, he can help but snort out a laugh. "Gladly." He walks over and shoots out his tether line, tying it around the Imp's ankles. "I hope it's fine to turn him over bruised."
"Sounds more than fine to me." Cara gives him a grin that's equal parts humor and hate for the man. Fennec laughs and then signals Boba, telling him they'll meet him in the hangar. Fennec heads out.
One last time, Din looks at Bo-Katan and Koska. "Enjoy your new cruiser. Thank you for your help." Again, he doesn't wait for her response. He just turns on his heel and goes, Gideon banging along behind and Cara following, ready to stun the bastard if he wakes up.
It's not much later that they're jumping to lightspeed. Gideon is trussed up, hands secured behind him and ankles bound. He's stripped down to shirt and pants, even his boots gone, and Cara had searched him rather aggressively.
Boba had told them about a sedative he had, making Cara shake her head. She'd taken it and injected Gideon though, and the chances of the man waking up any time soon are slim to none. She'd also called Karga, and he'd informed her that the bounty, or, in the words of the New Republic, the "reward" for the capture and surrender of Moff Gideon, was astronomical.
Fennec goes up to the cockpit with Boba, leaving Din alone with Cara and their prisoner. Wordlessly, he walks to the wall furthest from Gideon and slides down, the pace of the last few days catching up with him.
He leans his head back against the wall, sighing and closing his eyes. He hears Cara join him, sitting next to him, her blaster trained on Gideon. After a moment, she says, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"About what?" He dodges the question.
"The kid. The helmet. The Crest." She bumps his shoulder with hers. "You pick."
He's silent for a few moments before replying, "I don't know what to say about any of them."
"I think that was Luke Skywalker," Cara offers.
"Who?" He opens his eyes and looks at her.
"The Jedi." She sighs. "Who the kid went with. I'm pretty sure that was Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebellion, blew up the first Death Star and killed the Emperor." She pats him on the arm. "The kid will be safe, and if the rumors are true, Skywalker can teach him."
That information makes him relax, if only slightly. He feels a lump form in his throat, and he replies roughly, "Thank you." He's not used to contact of any kind, but sitting shoulder to shoulder with Cara is oddly comforting. Friends have been a rare thing in his life, but he knows he has one in her. "I don't know what to do now."
"What do you mean?" Cara is softer than usual, and he doesn't know if he likes that. It feels far too much like pity to him.
"I mean what I said. I don't know what to do now." He looks at his hands, now clenching and unclenching in his lap. "The quest is done. I have violated the Creed. I have no ship." He gets up suddenly, starting to pace, feeling a little like a caged animal. "I never felt the need to have a particular purpose before. I was a hunter. I did my job, supported myself. But I didn't have a purpose. Then I found the kid, and I had a purpose."
Cara gets up, stopping his pacing by blocking his path. "You think I don't get it, Mando?"
"Din, Cara. You know my name. When it's just us, you can use it." He huffs out a frustrated breath. "Not in front of Karga, though. He was half drunk when Gideon yelled it. He probably doesn't remember, and that's all right with me."
She nods and snorts. "Fine. Din. You think I don't get it? I went from being a dropper for the Rebellion to being a mercenary to being a fugitive to being a marshal. You'll figure it out. Give yourself a little time."
He knows she's right, but he can't say it right now. A wave of fatigue suddenly hits him, all of his energy draining away, and he leans against the wall, again sliding down to sit, helmeted head in his hands. She stays standing this time. "How long has it been since you actually slept, Din?"
"Three days. Maybe longer." He stretches his legs out and lets his head drop back. His limbs suddenly feel heavy, and his head spins. He blinks under the helmet, feeling the ship's vibration through the wall. He feels a blanket cover him, but he's out before he can say thank you.
A shift in the vibrations wakes him up. He knows it must be hours later, because everything is stiff from sleeping in an awkward position against the wall. He glances at Gideon, who is still out cold. Din stands, taking a second to find his balance. He's sore from his fight with the both the pirates on Morak and the Dark Trooper on Gideon's ship. He rolls his shoulders, and he thinks for a moment that he's getting too old for this.
He moves towards where he remembers the small fresher is, and he slips inside after knocking on its door to be sure no one is in there. He eyes the door and sees that it has a locking mechanism, so he locks it and then takes his helmet off. After relieving himself, he turns and stares at his reflection in the old, scarred mirror. His face, to him, looks ten years older than it did a week ago. The scruffy hair on his face is interspersed with gray, and the lines around his eyes have deepened. He reaches up and touches the mudhorn signet on his shoulder, and he has to swallow past the lump in his throat.
He runs his hands through his hair and then takes a small amount of water from a jug on the counter to splash on his face. His head is feeling a little clearer, and he guesses that he was actually asleep for a long time. A knock at the door and Cara's voice saying that they would be getting to Nevarro soon confirms that. He puts his helmet back on and steps out of the fresher.
Cara is standing there. "Feeling better?"
He nods slightly. "We're already there? How long was I out?"
"Over twelve standard hours." He starts to apologize, but she cuts him off. "You needed it. Fennec and I both watched Gideon for half of the time, and we both got some sleep. He never stirred, by the way. That sedative of Fett's was kriffing powerful."
Boba calls down that they're about to drop out of lightspeed and land on Nevarro. Cara and Din strap into the jump seats in the bay, with Cara securing Gideon to the wall first. As they descend, Din looks at Cara. "Part of that reward is yours. Fennec and Fett's too."
She shrugs. "I don't need much, but I doubt Fennec and Fett will refuse. But you took the risks and got the intel, Din, you took him down, and you lost your ship to this garbage. The biggest share is yours by rights." She smirks. "Karga will take a commission, of course."
"No doubt about that." He manages a wry laugh.
After a beat, Cara asks, "You good?"
He doesn't know how to answer that. Eventually, just before they land, he says, "I'm as good as I can be right now."
X
Din isn't entirely sure what he was expecting when he disembarked with the unconscious Gideon held up between himself and Cara, but it wasn't a small squadron of X-Wings, a New Republic shuttle, and what looks like an old but well-restored Incom X-4 gunship. Karga stands there as well. He looks like he's feeling a combination of discomfort and pride at the display. Karga approaches, and he says, "Mando. I hear you brought these nice people a gift."
A dark-haired pilot joins them. "Wedge Antilles." He nods to Cara and Din. "Marshal Dune, and?"
"Mando is fine," Din replies.
"Mando." The man nods, then looks over at some of the men near the shuttle. "Come and take the Moff. Secure him in the cell at the back of the shuttle. Search him first."
The two men nod, and they come to take Gideon. As they carry the man away, Cara deadpans, "A friend gave us a sedative for him. I'm getting the feeling that it might take down a bantha." She taps her temple. "Hope you didn't want his brain all in one piece. It might be a little mushy."
To Din's surprise, the pilot snorts. "That karking piece of moof fodder is supposed to be dead. You could have brought him to us that way and it would have been just as good."
Din tips his helmet towards Cara. "Shoot to kill next time, Dune."
Karga laughs at that, but he's serious as he asks, "So, is our business now complete?" At Antilles' nod, he goes on, "Thank you for the credits. We'll spend them wisely, I'm sure. Where are the coin versions we requested?"
Antilles motions to some of the men. The man brings several bags forward. One goes to Cara, another is for Fett and Fennec, which Cara takes with a nod and carries back into Slave I. As she does, a very large bag is handed to Din, and an only slightly smaller one to Karga. Greef looks at him. "I'll explain in a minute."
Cara rejoins them, and they all step back at her direction. The ramp to Slave I closes, and they move away just as the old ship lifts off. Cara looks at Antilles. "They were never here."
Antilles nods. "As we agreed. They helped do us a favor; I'm happy to pay it back." He turns to Din. "General Skywalker sends his regards. He also apologizes for not introducing himself before he left. He recognized Gideon and wanted to get the child out of there." He chuckles. "And honestly, social skills aren't Luke's strongest ability by a long shot." The man offers a small holo device. "He recorded a message for you, but he asked that you watch it when you are alone."
Din stares at it for a moment before taking it and pocketing it. "Thank you."
"Of course." Antilles nods. "But you are the one owed thanks. You kept the child safe and took down Gideon. I know you had help, but Marshal Dune's report made it clear that it was your plan and that you were definitely the key player. All joking aside, Gideon will be executed for real this time. The man is a monster." He nods again, to Cara and Karga as well. "Try to stay on the straight and narrow, all right?" He smirks. "Within reason."
At that, the man turns and leaves. He signals to the other ships, which all take off as he climbs into an X-Wing, gives them all a salute, and follows the other ships up into the sky. As silence descends, Karga says, "I like him."
Cara laughs. "Me too."
Din nods, but his eyes stay on the X-4. "Why didn't that one leave too?"
Karga grins. "About that – a friend on Takodana was looking to unload it. When Cara told me about the Crest a few days ago, I called my friend. It arrived this morning. My people already checked it over. It's in pristine shape, and it's modded for freight."
Din furrows his brow under the helmet. "I don't understand."
"It's for you, Mando." He motions to the small ship. "It's no Razor Crest, I know. Those are damnably hard to find these days. But I think it'll serve you well, whether you go back to hunting or do something else." When Din doesn't move, Karga gives him a little shove. "Go look her over, my friend. I think you'll like her. There's something in the cockpit for you, as well as in the weapons locker. You can get other supplies here in town."
Din swallows hard and heads over to the ship, leaving Cara and Greef to walk back into town alone. He's fond of Cara, but he's glad she let him go to the ship alone. She's been hovering like a concerned sister, something that's probably as uncomfortable for her as it is for him. The ramp to the little ship is open, and he enters.
One of Karga's techs is still there, and he smiles nervously. "This is a great ship, sir. Perfect condition." He offers a data pad. "Specs are here, and she's fueled up. There's spare fuel in the hold, too."
Din takes the data pad, and the tech scurries out, clearly intimidated. Din looks around. Karga and the tech are both right. From what he can see, the ship is in perfect condition. He sees a ladder, and he climbs up. He realizes that there are two full sleeping areas up here, one larger than the other, and a fresher. He grins when he notices that there's also a gun turret, and he climbs up into it, grinning wider when he sees that it's intact, the gun ready.
In the larger sleeping space, there's a locker he can see. He walks over to it, opening the door. "Karking hells." The locker, a cabinet built into the wall, is basically a small armory. He sees blasters, knives, two large rifles, and several detonators. He pulls his beskar spear off of his shoulder, and he places it in the locker. He scoops out a generous handful of the credits – he lost everything and also needs to possibly buy food for the small galley he'd seen down below.
He puts the credits into a pocket and puts the rest of the large stash into the weapons locker, closing the doors. He knows this kind of lock, so he quickly programs it to respond to the control on his vambrace. In moments, the locker doors are secure.
He climbs back down the short ladder, heading to the cockpit. He can see that it has been modified from what he knows of these ships. He sees weapons control, and he gives the controls a once over. He can see that it won't be hard to fly. He drops into the pilot's seat, and a small piece of parchment catches his eye. He picks it up and opens it. On it, he sees his initials and then, in Mando'a, he sees the words for covert, compartment, and message.
He looks out the viewscreens for a moment. It has to be from the Armorer. He rises from the seat. He goes to head into town to go down into the tunnels to the covert, but he pauses and looks around. There is space for cargo here, and there's a small carbon freezing unit, not as big as on the Crest, but not bad. "Well done, Greef. Well done."
Before leaving, he checks the small galley. He's surprised to find it stocked with essentials, though he plans to buy a few fresh things at the bazaar before he leaves. That, and some spices to cook with. This kitchen is admittedly a little better than in the Crest, so he might be able to coax some decent food from it. There are even several very large containers of water, more than enough to last weeks, if not longer.
At the door control, he again programs it quickly to respond to his vambrace. He leaves, only to find two of Karga's techs outside, one the man from before. "Sir, Magistrate Karga asked that we watch your ship if you go into town. Jawas."
Din nods. "Thank you. I won't be too long." He hits the button that closes the ramp to the ship.
"It's fine, sir. Take as long as you need."
Taking off towards the town, Din shakes his head. Since when did people call him "sir"? He follows his familiar path through the bazaar, stopping a few times to get bread, some biscuits and crackers that will keep well, spices, a bag of dried meats, and some berries and root vegetables.
Along with the food, he buys clothes from a vendor he's known for years. The wizened old woman looks happy enough to see him, and she pulls several of the things he usually buys. He takes them all as well as some new gloves and a pair of extra boots, literally having lost everything on the Crest. When he hands her the credits and a generous tip, she calls her grandson over. Moments later, the young man is getting a small cart to take his food and new clothing out to the X-4.
That done, he heads for the entrance to the tunnels, ducking into the cool, dark space. He flips on his helmet's night vision, making his way quickly and quietly down the familiar hallways. As he walks, he tries to think of a name for his new ship. He considers calling it the Mudhorn, but he doesn't want to have to explain the name to people.
It occurs to him that the ship came from Takodana. There is a species of bird on several planets, Takodana being one of them, that is owl-like, clever and sneaky, good at fending off predators. "The Convor," he says softly as he walks. The moment he says the word, a warm wave passes through him. He stops, looking around with his heat sensors. There is nothing except his own tracks. He shakes his head and keeps going.
A moment later, he gets to the covert. The forge is mostly cold, though the lava here still runs underground in this area, so the walls glow with warmth. He scans the room, looking for any hidden spaces. After a few moments, his eyes widen. There is a place in the wall where the surface must be thinner, as it glows brighter than the rest. When he gets close to it, he crouches down. That's when he sees it – a mudhorn symbol that matches his signet.
He traces the mudhorn with his hand, and as he does, a section of it presses in. There is an audible click, a mechanical sound, and the entire wall slides back and up. In the space revealed, there is a box. He grabs it and pulls it out. There is another parchment here, and he opens it, reading it by the dim light from his helmet and the walls.
It's from the Armorer, as he'd suspected. She tells him that she finished melting down the beskar and was able to leave Nevarro. She also said that, when the time is right, the remains of the covert will find him. The note closes with, "This is the Way." That sentiment makes him a little uncomfortable given recent events, but he is glad to know that she was able to leave safely while also being oddly sad to not find her here. He's honestly no longer sure of the Way, though, no longer sure what it even means.
He opens the box, and in it there is a stock of whistling birds, ammunition, tools to repair his armor when needed, and a new set of beskar knives. The box is wooden and nondescript, so he re-covers it, and he stands, looking around. With a sigh, he takes the box and heads for Cara's office.
When he gets there, he's not surprised that Karga is still there. Din walks in, putting the box down on Cara's desk. He looks at Karga. "Thank you for the ship."
Greef shakes his head. "The payment for it came from the reward. It was the biggest reward I've ever seen. I even paid for the new weapons and the food out of your share."
"Either way, I still appreciate it." He inclines his head.
"So, what's next?" Cara asks.
"You are welcome to rejoin the Guild, Mando. Your ship is outfitted for it." Karga must notice that he's hesitant, because he adds, "When you want to. You don't have to rush, my friend. The Guild will be here."
"Thank you, Greef." He puts his hand on the box, gripping the side of it tight.
"She's really gone, isn't she?" Karga looks curious.
Cara looks confused. "Who's gone?"
"The Armorer. She finished her work and moved on." He taps the box. "Left me some supplies, though." He glances at each of his friends. "I need to move on myself, at least for a while. I am a call away. I imagine Greef has the frequencies."
Karga nods. "Yes, and I scanned the X-4 for tracking beacons. She's clean."
"The Convor," Din corrects.
"Those sneaky, defensive little owl birds?" Cara looks amused. At his nod, she grins. "That's actually pretty perfect. The Convor. I like it."
She stands, holding her hand out. He shakes it, and then he does the same with Karga. "I'll see you both soon." He pauses. "Karga, if we hadn't gotten the reward, you were going to give me the ship but make me work it off, right?"
Greef has the good grace to look slightly embarrassed. He shrugs. "Yes."
He picks up the box and goes, wondering if they'll try to get him to stay if he looks back. He thinks, though, based on the look on Cara's face, that they won't. She was right back on Fett's ship. She may be one of the only people who truly understands how aimless he feels right now. He needs to jump to the hyperspace lanes and clear his head.
When he gets to the ship, he dismisses Karga's guards with a tip handed to each, and then the young man from the market helps him bring his purchases inside. After tipping him as well, he sends him on his way. He then hits the door close button and heads to the cockpit. He'll unpack everything when he's at lightspeed.
After briefly studying the data pad with the ship's specs, he climbs into the pilot's seat. In moments, he's lifting off, and he's glad to feel that the ship handles smoothly. It's a good ship. Not the Crest, but a good ship. He realizes that he has no idea where he's going. A thought occurs to him, though, and he sets in a course that takes him to a hyperspace lane leading to the other side of the galaxy.
Once he makes the jump – very smoothly, he notes – he sees that it will take the better part of two days to get to the planet he's heading for. He sets an alarm to alert him to any issues with the ship or when the ship is thirty minutes from leaving hyperspace, and he leaves the cockpit.
After taking the time to sort through his purchases, he puts the food away, and then he takes the box from the Armorer and his new gear up the ladder. He unpacks things into the few drawers in the small living space, and he hesitates briefly before taking off his helmet and armor, only leaving on the vambrace wired to the cockpit alarms.
He pulls off his boots, and then he leans back on the small bunk. Despite the amount of sleep he was able to get on Slave I, he's still tired. He's pleasantly surprised that the bunk is very comfortable, and he settles against the wall, still sitting up. Next to the bunk, there's an open shelf with a ridge to keep things on it, and he realizes he still has some credits and the kid's ball in his pockets.
As he empties the small objects onto the shelf, he starts when he sees the holo device from Skywalker. He stares at it, painfully aware of the quiet of the ship. It's a silence that was gone when the kid was here, and he's honestly shocked by how much he misses the sounds from having another being on the ship with him.
He's not sure he wants to watch the recording on the holo device. He fears that it will be very final, and he doesn't know that he's ready for it. He swallows hard and shakes his head. "Face it, Djarin. You have to face it."
He clicks the activation button on the device, and an image of the Jedi from Gideon's ship pops up. The man is younger than Din, but while he's clearly not old, he has scars and lines that make it clear that he hasn't had an easy path. Taking a deep breath, Din starts the recording, and the image of the Jedi speaks. "Greetings, Din Djarin. I am Luke Skywalker. Grogu told me that is your name, and based on my limited knowledge of Mandalorian culture, you have my word that it won't be shared with others."
Din pauses the recording. It never occurred to him that the kid knew his name and could communicate it, even if only to others like him. He restarts the holo. "Grogu is well, and he is already making progress. You should know that he is the second member of his species that I have encountered. The other was my Jedi Master, Yoda, who died before the end of the war with the Empire. He was over 900 years old then. I do not know of any others of their kind or where they come from, but I have been able to learn that they age very differently than humans."
The man pauses, looking at something off camera. "He misses you greatly. Attachments are dangerous for Jedi, but I do believe they are valuable for us to truly develop empathy and understanding. As much as Grogu has become comfortable with me, you are the one he is bonded to. If you feel a blast of warmth now and then, it's probably him trying to find you in the Force. In the thoughts he has shared with me, it's clear that he sees you as his father and protector. I have respect for that. When I think he's ready, when I believe it won't be disruptive to his training, I will contact you if you are willing to visit him. The visits will need to not be too regular, but I think they will be needed for him to remain focused."
Din feels tears welling as they had when he watched the kid disappear behind the lift doors on Gideon's ship. The man on the holo bends, and he stands up with Grogu in his arms. He says, "Grogu, look to the camera. This is for your father." Grogu's ears perk up, and he waves at the camera, leaning forward. "You'll get to see him soon, little one." Skywalker looks at the camera again. "I will contact you, Mr. Djarin. It may be through Wedge Antilles. Wedge is a good, loyal friend. You can trust him, so if he calls you, take the call."
Glancing down at Grogu, he goes on, "I'll keep him safe, Mandalorian. You have my word. See you soon. May the Force be with you."
The holo de-activates, and Din places it on the shelf. The recording had offered far more than he'd been expecting. It had never occurred to him that he might be able to spend time with the kid again after he was placed with a Jedi. He has half a mind to go down and change the course, to go to Corvus, just to tell Ahsoka that they found a Jedi. He snorts, then, and mutters, "She probably already knows."
He slides down in the bunk and stares at the ceiling above him. He's never felt so adrift, and he doesn't know what to do about it. Even his choice of destination, Takodana, was chosen because he's curious about the planet the ship came from.
He's never actually been there, but he hears that it's beautiful and that there is an operation run by an interesting woman there. It seemed as good an idea as any. He's hoping, at a minimum, for some quiet, but when the thought had come to him earlier that Takodana was a good destination, it had felt oddly right.
For the first time his life, he's operating with no direction, just going with what feels right. He honestly can't decide if he likes it or not, but for now, it's enough. He knows he needs to figure some things out, even what the Creed means to him now that he has, without question, placed others, mainly the kid, ahead of it. He taps his vambrace, turning off the lights in the room. He hopes that when he wakes up, he can start to figure out what's next.