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Chapter 4 – Jarvanam

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Mando struggled to pick up the speeder with one hand. His other arm was cradled against his body.

Atohra helped him, talking most of the weight. "Is your arm okay?"

"No," he replied shortly.

Once the speeder was back up, he climbed on much more slowly than usual. He only held onto one of the handles.

Atohra got on behind him. Her body ached too from the sudden explosion. What had caused it though? The trooper must have missed or something.

But then there was that whole thing of him calling her a Jedi. Maybe he thought she had deflected the shot.

The speeder limped along, not much faster than running speed. She leaned to the side a bit to catch a glimpse of him in the mirror, but the second she caught sight of the black tee of his helmet, he pointedly turned away.

He definitely wasn't in the mood to talk.

Probably wasn't a bad thing, there were so many questions swirling around her head, it was impossible to decide where to start.

Perhaps the child was a good place to start.

The empire was supposed to be gone, and yet here they were. Not just a few, but a whole ship full, including a Moff.

Moff Ahlia.

It was proof. Proof of what Mando said. Sure, Omera lead a village of locals, but Ahlia, she commanded a platoon of troopers! And they listened without question.

A woman with control, with complete power.

The ship came into view behind a vale of trees. Mando pulled up next to it, pressing a button on his vambrace. The ramp creaked and opened. Mando rode the speeder up, closing the door behind them.

So much for returning the speeder.

Atohra got off first. The bike took up a good portion of the free space of the cargo hold, so it was a bit awkward moving around it to her bunk.

Mando audibly exhaled before swinging his leg over and dismounting. He went straight to his pilot's chair and fired up the ship.

Her back ached as she got back up to join him in the cockpit. He didn't acknowledge her presence, now only using his good arm to navigate the controls.

Was his other arm broken and he just refused to say anything about it? He did go flying into a tree, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities.

"It was that Twi'lek," he said as he sat down and pulled on the throttle.

"What about him?" she replied over the sound of the engines.

"He was an imperial spy. Sorgan's off the table for you."

They had Twi'lek spies? Even so, why did that matter for her? "Why? I thought it was you and your kid they were after."

"As I said. Grogu is out of their reach now."

What did that mean? If anything, that was a good thing. They would leave him alone.

"Can I ask why the empire wants a child so badly?"

It took a minute for Mando to reply. "I found him at an imperial hideout. They want his blood to make some sort of army of sorcerers—or something."

"Sorcerers? The kid is force sensitive?"

Mando nodded, his helmet facing the window. "He's whatever you are."

He thought she could wield the force? He must of hit his head. "I'm not force sensitive."

"You're a Jedi, like him. I saw it." He glanced back at her.

Okay, he clearly had no idea what a Jedi actually was.

"A Jedi is a force sensitive person fully trained in the light side of the force. The child may have been a padawan, which is a Jedi in training." She took a breath. "I am not any of those things. I think I would know if I was at least force sensitive."

"You blew us up." He turned to fully face her and raised his hands, then flinched, bringing his bad arm back down.

"That was the massive bolt that almost hit us."

"No. The bolt froze mid air. The explosion came from you. The only time I've seen anything like that was when Grogu deflected a flamethrower."

Her mind replayed the events. The bolt flying towards them, her hand reaching out, the wave that knocked them back. Maybe, maybe it did come from her. But what kind of force user sent themselves flying?

"I have to take you to Tython. Theres a stone there you can use to call a Jedi. Then you can go where Grogu went where you'll be safe from the Empire." He swiveled towards the front of the ship. "Hold on, we're entering hyperspace."

Atohra pressed her back to the seat before the ship lurched and accelerated. The blackness of space turned blue.

Mando got up with a grunt. "I'm going to lie down."

"You can have my bunk." Atohra followed him out. "So you don't have to climb."

Mando didn't reply, instead standing at the base of the ladder. After a minute, his chest fell with a sigh. "Yeah, sure."

She moved her bag off the bed as he sat down. "Is your arm broken?"

He laid down on top of the blanket "Feels like it."

After he settled, she sat on the bed next to him. "Can I look?"

"You a doctor?"

"No."

He sighed again, laying his head back on the pillow. "Sure."

Ever so gently, she undid the clasps of his vambrace. Once it was open, she slid the bottom half under his arm and placed it on the other side of the bed. The thing was surprisingly light for how solid it felt.

She unclipped the small piece of armor on top of his glove before pulling at each of the fingers. He flinched but quickly recovered when she tugged the glove fully off.

Under it was a strangely normal hand. So there was a human under the armor. Well, of course there was. It was hard to picture just a regular man behind the Mandalorian armor. A person, just like her.

"Even if I am force sensitive, I don't want to be a Jedi." She rolled up his sleeve. "I've learned a fair bit about the Jedi Order, and I know the training is intense. Jedi aren't just about fighting, they have a different way of life, full of rules and discipline." She paused. "The exact life I was trying to get away from."

Her eyes never left his swollen wrist. "Can we just stick to the arrangement and find a planet that the empire can't find me?"

"They will," he replied, not moving.

She placed her hand on his wrist. It was warm to the touch. "I don't think it's broken at least, just sprained."

"You don't happen to have any of those magical healing powers, do you?"

She looked him in the visor. "Healing powers?"

"Never mind." He turned away.

Was that a poor attempt at a joke or did he know something she didn't?

"Do you have a medpack?"

Mando nodded his head to the other side of the cargo hold. "In that box over there."

She scooted around the speeder and retrieved the madpack out of the box, also grabbing a bag of frozen rations on the way back. Resuming her place on the bed, she wrapped the frozen bag in a piece of blanket and held it on his wrist.

All was quiet besides the hum of the hyperdrive engines and the occasional rattle. Atohra moved the ice around his wrist which was starting to bruise.

Mando's breathing slowed, his only movement was the rise and fall of his chest. At least he finally relaxed.

After a few more minutes, she took the somewhat melted rations off his wrist and took a bacta patch out of the medpack. It was just large enough to wrap around his injury.

"What if you taught me self defense, so if they find me, I can fight them off."

"I can't help you with your powers."

"No, just as a regular person. No powers. Then I can defend myself without them."

"There's no point. If you get into the same situation, you'll use them again if you want to or not. And I don't know if you noticed, your powers aren't very convenient."

He did have a point, as annoying as it was to hear.

"Then maybe it would be a good idea to train with the force—but not as a Jedi, just on my own."

"Do you even know how they train?"

"No, school didn't cover that."

"Maybe there's a book or something?" His voice waivered with uncertainty.

"Yes, exactly!" That was a great idea. With a book she could learn what she wanted, when she wanted. A book would hold the techniques without the rules. It was perfect!

"So the arrangement stays the same?" she asked.

A sigh escaped the Mando's helmet. "Alright. And I'll help train you in the meantime."

"You will?"

"Unless you rather be an imperial test subject."

No, she didn't. Moff Ahlia was terrifying and not someone she wanted to see ever again. But how hard could it be to hide from her and the empire? Surely there was some nice planet out there like Sorgan.

Atohra let out a yawn, covering her mouth with a hand.

Mando adjusted a little, crossing his good arm over himself. "Get some rest. You can use my bunk."

Not one to argue for argument's sake, she got up and turned off the lights, then climbed the ladder to his bunk. The bed was mostly made, the blankets still a bit wrinkled. Its material was slightly thicker than hers, but just as scratchy.

She sat on the edge and took off her boots, letting them drop to the foot of the bunks. The rest of her clothing was comfortable enough to climb under the covers in. As she laid her head on the pillow, the soft sent of soap filled her nose. Like washed hair in a river or a spring.

Did that mean he had hair then? Judging by his arm, it was dark, like hers. Was it long, or short? What color were his eyes? Dark blue, green, brown?

Mando's voice broke her train of thought.

"You don't know where to get that Jedi book, do you?"

"Well… all of the Jedi libraries were destroyed. I figured we might find one on the way."

Silence. A sigh, then an exasperated voice. "I might know a place. It'll cost you though."

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A planet materialized out of nowhere as the ship exited hyperspace. The surface was covered in a vale of slivery white, only small bits of deep green peaked through. So this was Jarvanam.

Mando sat in his usual spot, preparing for landing. "It might be a rough ride. The entire planet is covered in fog."

The ships windows were quickly obscured by white as the entered the atmosphere. Atohra held onto the chair when the ship darted out of the way of a massive tree, then another, then another.

Mando did well to avoid the large branches. Leaves and pines hit the glass and scratched at the metal hull.

A small clearing came into view, and Mando quickly applied the reverse thrusters. The ship shuttered and Atohra nearly fell out of her seat from the sudden change in velocity.

The ship made contact with the ground and Mando reached up and flipped a switch, disengaging the engines. "We're here," he said simply.

Atohra flopped back in her seat. That had been far more stressful than just a rough ride.

Mando got up and walked out of the cockpit as if he hadn't just survived a near death experience. Even if his sleeve was still rolled up and a newly applied bacta patch on his wrist, he was still far from human.

Joining him in the cargo hold, he sat on the bench putting his glove back on in an obviously carful fashion. The swelling went down a lot since yesterday, but it would still be one or two more days before it would be fully healed.

"Dress warm." His helmet turned to her.

She went to her bunk to put her boots and long sleeve gloves on. "I couldn't be colder than the ship, could it?"

"No, but it's a long walk in the dark."

They both stood. Atohra put her borrowed cloak overtop of her robe, pulling it over her shoulders.

Mando opened the door and they exited the ship. Cold damp air brushed against her face. Not at all pleasant like Sorgan, more like rain on a cold night.

Moisture from the grass seeped through her boots as they walked towards the faint yellow glow. It wasn't a city though, rather an academy according to Mando. A school for criminals. He said if anywhere had a library full of book no one else could find, it would be here.

After some time, buildings peeked through the thick mist. Many lights lit up the windows despite it being early evening and most likely off school hours. Maybe criminal schools were different?

As they passed through the campus, the buildings only grew in size and grandeur. Only a few passersbys littered the streets. Many wore all black with hoods over their heads. If her and Mando's presence was noticed, they didn't make any indication of it.

Passed another building a larger one came into view. A large sign over the entrance read "Baradis School of Technology Grand Library".

Mando wordlessly led her inside. The Canto Bight library was large, but paled in comparison to this. Multiple librarian droids carried books, extending up and down on stilt legs to reach the higher shelves.

Atohra followed Mando through the library. He walked as if he'd visited many times before, the droids unbothered by his presence. He rounded a corner where a man with long blonde hair sat behind a long desk.

He looked up from the book he read as they approached. "Well well, it's been a long time since a Mandalorian has stopped by."

"I'm looking for a Jedi book," Mando said, coming to a stop in front of the desk.

The man closed his book and stood. He had a rather charming smile. "I'm sad to say we only have a few. Come, follow me." He waved them to follow.

The man's hair swayed behind him, longer than Atohra could ever hope to grow hers. Droids and students absently moved out of the way as he passed the rows upon rows of books. Finally, they stopped in a section in the far back. A slightly sturdier looking Droid occupied the isle.

"These are all the books we have on Jedi. Was there one you were looking for in particular?"

Instead of answering, Mando turned to her, drawing the librarian's attention as well.

Her eyes met the librarians, a lighter shade of blue than hers. "A book that focuses on training methods would be ideal."

The man's eyebrows rose. "Jedi training books were hard to come across, even before their libraries were destroyed. Now, they are next to impossible to find."

There went that idea. Sure Jedi books weren't common, but next to impossible, how would they find one then?

"Fortunately for you," the librarian continued, "I have one."

He continued down to the end of the isle where a stand stood against the wall. On top of the stand was a worn book behind glass casing. The cover of the book was simple enough in design, covered in a layer of dirt that resisted being wiped away. The corners were blackened and singed.

"This book is from the great Jedi Library of Ossus. The only one recovered. However, I cannot allow you to take it out of the case."

"Can you?" Her eyes never left the cover. It wasn't even a book anymore, it was an artifact.

The librarian gave her a sideways grin. "I suppose."

He unlocked the case with a key produced from inside the sleeve of his robe. They returned to his long desk where he placed the book down and sat at his seat. Mando stood on one side of him while she stood on the other.

The librarian opened the book, revealing small writing and complex diagrams. It was perfect. Exactly what she needed to learn. Each page he flipped to uncovered more information, fighting stances, meditating techniques, focusing strategies.

"How much?"

It was Mando that broke the silence.

The librarian looked up to him. "This book is invaluable. And even if it was for sale, it has no place with a Mandalorian, one of a creed known to be an ancient enemy of Jedi."

Jedi and Mandalorians were enemies? They didn't learn that in school. Why would he help her become one then? And what about the child, wasn't it force sensitive too?

"She's a Jedi," Mando replied point blank.

She was a what now?

The librarian's head swiveled the opposite direction to face her.

"A padawan." The words left her mouth before her mind could think it through.

The librarians face lit up with excitement. "Really now?" His expression then shifted to something more stoic. "Where is your master?"

Her eyes fell back on the open pages. "I don't have one, which is why I need the book."

"Show me then. Show me you can wield the force." The librarians voice betrayed his excitement.

How was she going to do that? She might not even be force sensitive. Mando was the one convinced, not her. Plus, the only instance of it was an explosion, which wasn't ideal for a library. Or really anywhere for that matter.

Mando reached into the side of his belt and pulled out a small metal ball, maybe a knob or something?

"Take it," he said, holding it out between his finger and thumb.

She reached out but Mando quickly recoiled his hand. "Not like that, with the force."

"Oh." Well he could have clarified what he was doing before she embarrassed herself in front of the librarian who watched intently. "I don't know how to do that."

"Do the hand thing." He held out the ball again.

The hand thing? What hand thing? Wave, wiggle fingers, make a fist?

He sighed and took her hand with his other one. His grip was feather light probably due to his injured wrist. He pulled her arm so she was reaching out toward the ball without actually touching it.

"Now use the force to take the ball."

So she was supposed to make it float to her? Force wielders were about to manipulate objects around them. This must be one of the exercises. Maybe Mando did it with the child.

"Focus."

She looked at the librarian who spoke.

"Without focus, a jedi will accomplish nothing," he said.

"Look at me, don't get distracted," Mando said, drawing her attention back to him.

Okay. Focus on the ball. Nothing but it. Just the ball. Her eyes glanced upwards to Mando's helmet. Was he watching her just as intently as the librarian? Did he believe she could do it?

"Atohra, concentrate."

Her eyes darted back down to the knob. That was the first time he said her name. Even if he sounded annoyed, it filled her stomach with butterflies.

No. She closed her eyes. Time to concentrate. The image of the knob and Mando burned into her mind's eye. She pictured it rising out of Mando's hand and into hers. Over and over.

The image grew in clarity the more she focused on it. It glowed with a strange outline. The air felt heavy, as if she could wave her hand and feel the resistance. Everything was lighter in contrast, her body, Mando, especially the knob.

Like it could float.

"I can't believe it," came the librarian's voice.

Atohra opened her eyes just in time to see the knob land in Mando's hand.

Was it actually floating?

"Good job." Mando put the ball back in his belt pocket. He didn't sound nearly as impressed as the librarian.

Said man stood up from his seat and placed his hands on her shoulders. "My grandfather was a Jedi knight. Like many others, he was a victim of Order 66. I thought all were lost." He let her go and picked the book from the table. "I want you to have the book on the condition that once you finish it, you will return it to me." He placed it in her hands. "You must stay true to yourself and use this book as guidance. Do not like the dark side sway you."

She nodded, words escaping her. The man's generosity was surprising, especially when the library was a part of a criminal organization. "Thank you. I'll take care of it."

Saying her goodbye, she followed Mando out of the library and back to the ship. Out in the campus, she covered the book in her robes as the librarian instructed. No one could see it.

Once they entered the misty forest, she broke the silence. "I wasn't expecting that from a man on this planet."

"If there's one thing I've learned on my travels, is that you never know what to expect." His helmet turned down to her. "Just be grateful that it worked out."

"I am."

They walked further into the forest. Hopefully Mando knew where they were going, because she didn't have a clue. Her mind focused on something else entirely.

She looked up at Mando. "Did I actually make the knob float?"

"You did."

She raised her hand, analyzing it. "But how?"

"You're the one that did it. You tell me."

When she lowered her hand, the ship peeked through the fog. "I don't know. I just pictured it floating."

"It didn't look that easy to me."

"Well I had to keep doing it until it felt light enough to. It had a weird distorted aura around it." She paused. "You did too, actually." Did that mean she could have made him float too?

They stopped in front of the ship, Mando opening the door.

"How did you know that would work, anyway?" she asked, following him in.

"Grogu did it pretty easily, so I figured you could too." Mando said nonchalantly while making his way to the pilot's seat.

She took her place on the seat diagonally behind him. "Oh. Well…thanks for believing in me."

Mando started the ship up. "Just don't go all evil like that guy warned."

Oh, now he was being funny? "I'll try not to."

The ship took off, rising up past the fog of Jarvanam until the planets surface was a blanket of white.

Her thoughts wondered to the librarians parting words.

A Mandalorian training a Jedi, what strange times.