Chapter 11: The Approach
I examined T'iana's quarters in Kriger's ship in wonder, particularly noting the warmth and comfort it exuded despite being part of a steel-plated vessel. Given the overall size of the Crusader, a class-corvette warship, the space was relatively capacious, its stark white interior boasting state-of-the-art technology and intricately-crafted furniture. It was a complete contrast to T'iana's home back on Talamh, which was crafted out of simple, earthen materials and stone. The Crusader itself was different as a whole compared to the Razor Crest, even in sheer size alone. As I sat upon T'iana's bed, I noticed what appeared to be an ancient book upon her nightstand. Curious, I peered down at the open page and began to read the first paragraph out loud:
"Here's why you can't exterminate us, aruetii. We're not huddled in one place - we span the galaxy. We need no lords or leaders - so you can't destroy our command. We can live without technology - so we can fight with our bare hands. We have no species or bloodline - so we can rebuild our ranks with others who want to join us. We're more than just a people or an army, aruetii. We're a culture. We're an idea. And you can't kill ideas - but we can certainly kill you."
"Reciting the famous words of Mandalore the Destroyer?"
I had been so lost in thought, so captivated by the words on the page, that I didn't even hear Din enter the room. Or perhaps he was just that stealthy? I greeted him with a smile as I stood, running my fingers upon the rough, pockmarked pages of what now resembled a sacred Mandalorian text. "It's beautiful and intense at the same time." I remarked, my lips pursing in thought. "Kind of like Mandalorians in general, I suppose."
"Mandalore the Destroyer was a Mand'alor - a traditional, sole leader of the Mandalorian warrior clans." Din inspected the book in turn, slowly flipping through its pages, seeming to find the words upon them familiar. "Ranah Teh Naast was her real name. She was the first female Mand'alor. Very brave and honourable."
"A sole leader of all Mandalorians?" Simultaneous disbelief and wonder lined my tone. I couldn't even imagine how difficult it would be to lead one clan, akin to Kriger, let alone all of the Mandalorians in the galaxy. What was even more fascinating was that various clans had pledged their allegiance to one Mandalorian ruler given that they, after all, were warriors, each clan with leadership of their own. "That is quite a tall order."
Din tilted his head slightly to the side, as though appraising me with amusement. "It's not for everyone," he mused. Retrieving his hand from the book, he moved a few steps closer to me and cleared his throat lightly. "Luna, I have something for you."
"Din, if it's any more bone broth, I'd rather you save it for the baby, because…"
With a curt shake of his head, Din gripped my left hand and gently turned my palm upwards. His stare bore into me then, as though asking for permission. When I nodded, he placed a blue and silver vambrace around my forearm with a hold simultaneously delicate, yet firm. It clicked into place comfortably as though it had been molded to fit me. Upon closer inspection, its edges and ridges were marked with fine craftsmanship, the unique design so detailed and intricate that it could have been mistaken for a piece of jewelry. Din then pressed a code upon its protruding buttons and, almost instantly, a circular beam of blue, transparent light emerged from the middle of the gadget, spanning at least the breadth and width of my torso. The light slightly vibrated as it continued to shine, moving with me as I twisted my arm in several directions.
I surveyed the gadget in wonder, mouth agape. "Din, what is this?"
"A Mandalorian power shield," he replied, his fingers tracing the side of my arm. "It'll protect you from small arms fire and grenades."
I programmed the code that Din had and, in the same manner as it appeared, the circular beam of light collapsed and disappeared. "I've never seen anything like this before." I was so deeply moved by his gesture that, without another thought, I freely wrapped my arms around his neck and held him in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Din."
He pulled me closer. "You deserve more than that," he stated, placing a hand at the small of my back and the other hand upon the back of my head, "but it's a start."
"Oooookay, maybe I should've knocked."
My heart jumped. Din and I pulled away from one another simultaneously, keeping our arms at our sides. Cara remained at the door, her expression a mixture of surprise, discomfort, and, of course, a hint of amusement. I gave her a look of forced nonchalance, though I knew she wouldn't buy any of it. "We were just talking," I said through reddened cheeks.
Ever so slowly, Din turned his head towards Cara, as though awaiting her response with bated breath.
She pursed her lips in judgement and crossed her arms, wholly skeptical. "If this is the Grádian equivalent of 'just talking', then I'm curious to know what it's like when two people -"
Din didn't allow her to continue her query and rightfully ushered her out of the room. "Hey, aren't we supposed to be meeting at the headquarters right now?"
Cara snorted. "Yeah, why do you think I'm here? I came to get the two of you." She threw her head back towards me as Din continued to shoo her away. "You coming, Luna?"
We followed Cara through the encampment and the entrance of the headquarters. The command centre was now bustling, with various species, including Mandalorians from Kriger's clan, manning the numerous computers and screens that were scattered throughout the interior. As I had seen him when we had first reunited, my father stood at the centre of the space, poised to brief beside a holographic image of Grá. Kriger was at his side, studiously reviewing tactical maps and aerial photographs upon a datapad with Captain Stridende.
"Luna, Din, there you guys are!" T'iana approached us with a grin. "Thought you guys were going to be late for this big pow-wow thingy!"
Cara smirked knowingly and gave her a nudge. "Found them in your cabin."
T'iana's expression went from excitement to pure horror in a split second. "Wait." The slits of her eyes narrowed as her gaze jumped to Cara. Her tone was laced with suspicion. "What exactly were they doing?"
Cara's fingers turned into air quotes. "Talking."
"Oh for the love of…" T'iana dramatically placed a hand on her heart and stepped back as though the most shocking thing in the galaxy just occurred in front of her. Her face contorted as if she were in pain. "Those sheets were brand new…"
Din released an irritated grunt and stepped in between them. "You," he first pointed a stern finger at Cara, "and you," the finger now moved to T'iana, "need to stop spending time with one another."
Cara and T'iana both raised their brows and gave each other a look.
"Someone's got their knickers in a bunch," Cara muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Must have put them on too fast to make it to this meeting on time," T'iana offered in return, shaking her head.
"Meeting," Din pointed to the crowd gathering around the holomap, "now."
I bit my lip to stifle a laugh at their interactions. The two women merely murmured to one another, choosing to ignore Din's seething stare at this point, as we made our way to join the others. Din placed a hand at the small of my back as I took my place in between him and my father. When the key individuals of the coalition were all present, we lined the circular map table, attentions fixed to my father.
"We need to consolidate our plans and determine our first move as a coalition," my father stated, his eyes gazing upon us alternately. His orbs landed upon Din last, his expression thoughtful. "I know that you have some ideas, Din."
"Cut off the head of the snake." Din replied concisely, pointing to a red circle upon the map before us. "We target Neart."
My father nodded in agreement, enlarging the map with his hands and double-tapping on the image of Neart with an index finger. "We hit Diabhal hard and we hit her fast. We have the element of surprise on our side."
I considered their plan, particularly concerned about the size of Diabhal's troops in comparison to ours at this point. "We'll need some aerial support to give us intel on what's happening on the ground. Possibly reinforcements if the marauder troops are dug in deep."
Kriger gave us a knowing glance, a small smirk appearing on his lips. "Leave that to me."
"We need to do a reconnaissance of Neart first," Cara pointed out as she leaned upon the map table. "Just a few task forces so we lessen the attention on us. We have some intelligence reports of the surrounding area of the city and its core already. We could use that as a guide to do a reconnaissance sweep."
My father seconded her suggestion. "Conducting a recce is always prudent. We'll need the most up-to-date intelligence reports as soon as we have boots on the ground. I don't imagine Diabhal's troops to be stationary."
The plan for the conduct of the reconnaissance of Neart continued until all around the table were aware of their parts in the first phase of our operation. My father seemed impressed with the outcome, grateful to have allies with the requisite knowledge and skills.
We just might win this.
When the meeting adjourned, I sought to speak with Kriger, who had begun to make his way through the headquarters in order to speak with some of his clansmen. "Kriger?" I called out, the question burning in my mind since the night of the celebration.
"Yes, Luna?"
I eyed him sheepishly. "Before you go, could I ask you something?"
He approached me and placed a steady arm upon my shoulder. "Of course. What is it?"
I pronounced the foreign words slowly. "Do you know what 'gar cuyir mesh'la' means?"
"Ah." He chuckled lightly, crossing his arms upon his chest. "Did someone say that to you?"
"Yes. I thought it was some form of the Mando'a language or something…"
"Well, you're right," he smiled warmly. "It means 'you are beautiful'."
(V)(V)(V)
The mood around the encampment was almost palpable, the mixture of apprehension and passion infecting the majority of combatants. I wondered whether the facade of courage that I wore was wholly obvious to those with whom I spoke and whether anything that I had said succeeded in encouraging them. Knowing that sleep would once again elude me tonight, I made my way to the Razor Crest and towards Din's tent, my movements automatic as though a part of me asserted that that was where I needed to be at that moment. However, as I reached the makeshift shelter, I found myself torn as to whether or not to go to Din or return back to my own tent. My fingers traced the flap of the entrance, thinking twice about disturbing him. Before I could make a firm decision, I heard:
"Can't sleep either?"
I felt embarrassed then. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, Din."
He lifted the tent flap without hesitation and gestured for me to come inside. I obliged with a small smile.
"Did you want something to drink?"
"No, thank you," I shook my head and sat upon the solid ground beside the child's closed crib. Realizing that he was probably asleep, I ensured not to make too much noise.
Din eyed me curiously. "Is something bothering you?"
I looked up at him, surveying his silhouetted form in the dim moonlight. Though he was still clad in full armour and could have been seen as menacing by a stranger, the kindness that emanated from him was easily recognizable to me. "I'm afraid," I finally confessed, hugging my knees to my chest.
"I understand. There is a lot at stake." He took a seat beside me, propping his arm upon a bent knee. "If a warrior, a soldier, ever told you that they weren't afraid on the eve of battle, or even during the battle, they are liars. Fear is always there. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to overcome it - and having the will to act in spite of it. That is honourable. This is the way."
I nodded in understanding. Guilt suddenly overtook me as my eyes observed the child's crib. My voice came out as a croak. "Din, I don't know if you should come."
He visibly reared back as though he had just been dealt a physical blow. "What?"
Anxiety overtook my countenance. "You are a father, and you need to -"
"- do what's right," he finished for me, his tone stern. He gestured to the crib. "He needs to learn that this is the right thing to do. That you don't run in the face of adversity. That you don't hide because of fear." He shifted closer to me, a palm reaching out to cup the side of my face. "Besides. It was his idea to follow you, remember?"
"How could I forget?" I smiled at the memory, meeting his gaze. Our stopover at Arvala-7 seemed so distant then. "A clan of two, pledging to fight by my side." And, in truth, I wanted him to come, to be at my side when we faced our foes head-on. I couldn't imagine being without him at this hour of need.
In the moment of silence that passed between us, Din merely stared at me. He appeared deep in thought, perhaps slightly conflicted. I patiently waited for him, reveling in the comfort of his presence alone.
"Did you…" his fingers traced the outline of my jaw and placed a loose strand of hair behind my ear, "...want to stay with me tonight?"
He failed to mask the eagerness in his tone. I paused for a moment, feeling my heart drumming upon my chest, noticing a slight tremble in my hands as I pressed them upon his chest. "Yes."
Shivers plagued my entire body then. It seemed almost irrational. I had been in this position with Din before - many times. And yet, as he stood there before me, removing his clothing in order to prepare for bed, I felt...nervous. Things were somehow the same between us, yet different. I recognized the man before me, knew him on a level that I didn't know I could ever know someone - but the feelings coursing through me cast a different light upon him, reflecting a man that I felt like I was seeing for the first time.
I almost stumbled as I walked to the other side of the makeshift bed, my knees feeling as though they couldn't hold me up any longer. Despite having removed my outer shirt, I still felt the heat emanating from my body. As Din adjusted his sleeping position, I pulled back the covers and took my place beside him, doing my best to calm my nerves. Though I had my back turned to him, I faced him briefly and whispered, "Goodnight."
He didn't reply. Thinking that perhaps he was already half asleep, I faced away from him and finally found a comfortable position.
Light fingertips then began to trace the length of my arm, sending shockwaves throughout my entire body. Din shifted closer to me in a slow but steady movement. His arm wrapped around my waist, tugging at my shirt in a plea for me to move even closer to him. With a light exhale, I ceded to his desire. My cheeks burned at the heat of his touch, which enveloped my body in violent, uncontrollable waves.
What I heard next made my heart stop entirely.
The familiar hiss of Din's helmet sounded as he deactivated its seal. I felt Din shift for a few moments, then go still.
"Luna, please…"
"...don't turn around," I finished for him, my body tensing. My breaths were heavy as I attempted to remain calm. I held his arm closer to my chest, feeling almost lightheaded.
His free hand then brushed away tendrils of my hair, fingers dragging along the nape of my neck, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.
His lips followed.
I gasped as the warmth of his mouth made contact with my skin, the feeling enough to ignite trembles all over my body.
I tightened my grip on his arm then, which moved to the side of my waist, slowly lifting the edge of my shirt.
"Din," I sighed, lowering my head to allow his lips more access to my skin, "this is torture."
He paused then, breaths tickling my cheek. "Do you want me to stop?"
"No," I said quickly. Fervently. "But I want to kiss you."
He appeared to consider the request, his hand resting on my upper arm. He pulled away for a moment. Then, I heard what sounded like the ripping of fabric. I furrowed my brows in confusion, finding it difficult not to turn around to see what he was doing.
"Close your eyes, Luna."
I did as Din asked without question. He proceeded to bind the piece of cloth around my eyes and head. Though I knew Din only wanted to keep the sanctity of his creed, the act succeeded in fueling my desire for him even more.
As he completed the final knot, I promptly turned to face him, my palm grasping for his face. When I found my anchor, I pulled him towards me and captured his lips in a searing kiss, the urgency to do so too difficult to contain. His lips were soft and full; his taste, sweet. Din's touch, his scent, invaded my senses and destroyed any resistance that I had left in me.
I was once more his captive.
The unbridled emotions that he stirred within me wholly possessed me. Slight stubble tickled my cheek as our kiss deepened, so rough and wanting that it was as though we only had a few moments to spare. I whimpered as he continued his onslaught, his hand trailing the side of my body as he pressed himself upon me. My reaction to his ministrations seemed to drive him to continue even more. His tongue begged for entrance into my mouth, and I obliged without hesitation, running my fingers through his mussed hair as we moved even closer to one another.
Din rested his hand upon my hip as he slightly pulled back. Catching his breath and resting his forehead upon mine, he admitted huskily, "I've been wanting to do that for the longest time."
"I know," I whispered wantonly, almost teasingly, as I nipped at his bottom lip.
It was as though Din intended for his fingers to graze upon every inch of my body, to memorize its every curve and plane. And I wanted him to. With a low groan, he grasped the side of my shirt and pulled me towards him, claiming me as his once more.
(V)(V)(V)
A/N: This chapter was inspired by Lady Antebellum's song "Just a Kiss" and Sara Bareilles' song "Gravity". Once again, perfect songs to accompany this chapter. The Mandalorian passage at the beginning of the chapter (in italics) is by Karen Traviss, found in the pages of her book 501st: Star Wars Legends (Imperial Commando): An Imperial Commando Novel. I wanted to tie that paragraph in as I thought it fit really well with this chapter.
A couple of folks asked why Kriger and his clan are able to take their helmets off and Din still doesn't. Starting with Chapter 6, when Kriger Onóir's backstory was introduced, I've established a "neo-Mandalorian splinter group", as it were, following in the footsteps of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and the Mandalorian storylines within the show. I'm not going to spoil what happens in SWTCW for those who haven't seen the show but, in general, there were several Mandalorian splinter groups that form throughout, and all of these Mandalorians freely took off their helmets (same with the Mandalorians in "Star Wars: Rebels"). "The Mandalorian", which happens later in the SW timeline compared to SWTCW and SWR, established that Din's larger clan/tribe followed a creed where you couldn't take off your helmet. So, somewhere in the SW timeline, the Mandalorians had been decimated and some clans/tribes believed that leaving their helmets on at all times (and only coming out one at a time) was their means of survival (the Armourer alludes to this in the show). I'm sure "The Mandalorian" Season 2 will delve more into this Mandalorian history. In this story, I'm establishing that, post-Empire, some Mandalorians are rebuilding and are no longer afraid of being hunted. They don't want to hide anymore, in all respects. In comes Clan Onóir and being able to take off helmets! Din, given his character and deep-set religious beliefs, still doesn't take his helmet off in front of living things (for now?), as that is how he was raised since he was a Foundling. Hope that explains things a bit! Lots more to come, so stay tuned! Love y'all. xx IFHD
