Chapter 17: The Departure

I had never placed on clothing so quickly in my life.

Though my thoughts were still reeling from what had occurred with Din - and, frankly, still contained remnants of what I currently wanted to do to him and every single part of his body - the gravity of the situation firmly took hold. My heart pounded at my chest as I hastily gathered my belongings, moving throughout the room akin to a veritable tornado.

"Din, come on!" I cried, tugging down at my tunic. My eyes flashed to his form, then briefly at my reflection in the mirror at my side to ensure that my appearance was decent.

Din, who had turned his back to me in order to give me some privacy to dress, twisted his head to face me once more. He didn't appear to share the same panic. "I just...need a few moments."

My head tilted back at him quizzically as I reached the door. "What do you…"

He cleared his throat, wholly abashed, and gestured in the general area of his nether regions.

"Oh…" My back and face straightened, eyebrows raising in realization. "...Oh!"

A shaky breath sounded from beneath the helmet. His deep voice held an accusatory note. "This is your doing."

I felt the overwhelming urge to kiss him at that moment, to show him just how much I wanted him in return, but somehow managed to push away the temptation. Thinking that his situation didn't appear to be too bad, I teasingly rolled my eyes and tugged at his arm. "No one is going to notice. Let's go!"

Din took hold of my hand as we made our way through the ship's narrow corridors, zigzagging through several Mandalorians who moved at the same, brisk pace. It was a wonder that we didn't collide with any of them. As we made it to the ship's bridge, Din scanned the bustling space, not seeming to be bothered by the furor surrounding us. He remained calm and steady, as always. "Where's Kriger?"

A nearby Mandalorian clad in deep-green armour looked up at his query. He nodded towards one of the ship's side exits. "He was called to the headquarters and left just a few moments ago."

Without wasting another breath, Din and I sprinted through the encampment, which was now alive with activity. The scene was akin to a controlled pandemonium; though everyone moved at lightning speed, there was enough discipline in the crowd that those present somehow managed not to trip over one another. Nearby ships were beginning to be prepared by ground crews as their pilots scurried towards their respective cockpits while concurrently donning their flight suits. Combatants merged into their formations, standing in several ranks, their commanders striding alongside them barking sharp orders. Civilians and supporters did what they could, loading the ships with supplies and transporting arms to those being called into the foray. There was tension in the air, but the sudden call to arms brought about an intense sense of fortitude amongst those present. They seemed to draw strength from one another, the camaraderie binding them as they prepared to face the enemy.

Din took my hand once more as we entered the headquarters. The scene within the space was akin to that of the encampment outside, though these personnel focused on their tasks within the control room. Various-sized holocharts flashed around us, showing the movements of the marauders as well as our own troops. Those who manned the control stations wore headsets and established communications with the outgoing troops, guiding them through the operation. Though I was aware of the curious eyes that Din and I were drawing, I held onto him firmly, scanning the space for my father.

"Hey, there you are!" Cara, followed by the waddling child, jogged up to greet us. "It's nuts in here."

The child extended his arms out towards me, and I lifted him into my arms. "Cara, where's my father?"

Cara nodded her head to the centre of the room. "Meeting with the Officers and Troop Commanders. We were waiting on Din."

Roughly two dozen Coalition leaders surrounded my father, who stood in front of the circular map table. As he acknowledged our presence, he began his briefing. "By now, you all know the severity of the situation. The marauder troops have somehow tracked our general location and are now just outside of Kalevala's atmosphere. The current intel shows that they still don't know precisely where we are. We need to ensure that does not happen." His eyes scanned his audience, who met his gaze with the same intensity. "No change from your previous assignments. We still have the element of surprise. We take them down as soon as we can and cover our traces. Keep your comms online at all times and send SITREPs often on our closed channel. I know we hadn't planned on going on the offensive at this point, but we all know that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. We'll adapt and overcome. Any questions?"

A chorus of "no, General" resounded around us.

Kriger weaved his way to the crowd towards Din. With an unwavering expression, he placed on his helmet. The look in the Mandalorian's eyes had been indescribable; it was that of deep-seated determination that was so rare to see on his face. "Din, prepare your warriors. We need to get ahead of these marauder troops and lead the charge to bring them down before our location is compromised. If they find out where our base is, our lives will get a whole lot harder."

Din's spine stiffened as the same conviction emanated from him. The hardened warrior had come to the surface. He gave Kriger a curt nod. "On it."

I followed Din outdoors. Adrenaline began to rush through me as the realization of what was to come became crystal clear. "Din, w-wait a minute…" I moved in front of him, placing my free hand upon his chest as I balanced the child on the hook of my arm. "You can't...you can't go…"

My lips quivered in my attempt to suppress my tears. Though those surrounding us were mainly focused on their own tasks, a part of me refused to exhibit my weakness during this critical time. Din, after all, wasn't the only one leaving. In the end, it was selfish of me to put my own wants before others' needs.

But with Din about to risk his life, how could I not?

Din placed a hand on the side of my face and the other upon the child's head. "I'll be back soon, Luna. Please do not worry."

The child released an excited squeal and reached for his father. Din held out his index finger, which the child quickly latched onto with his tiny hand. With a sigh, Din held the two of us in a long embrace, my hand gripping his waist as he placed his own on the small of my back. The child rested his head on his father's chest, briefly closing his eyes.

"Look after him, alright?" Din said tenderly.

"Of course I will," I nodded, then followed the child's lead and rested my head on his chest. The feeling of being in Din's arms was forever etched in my memory. It was a feeling of security that couldn't be replicated.

"Luna, know that I -"

Kriger placed a hand on Din's shoulder as he walked past us en route to a nearby landing pad. He appeared apologetic for interrupting us. "Din, we must go."

Din released an exhale, but nodded in understanding.

I placed a slow, lingering kiss upon the side of his helmet. As I pulled back, Din briefly grazed the backs of his fingers upon my cheek and lovingly stroked the child's head. He paused for a moment before he finally willed himself to sprint towards the awaiting ship. He looked back at us one last time before disappearing up the closing ramp.

The sounds of the whirring engines were almost deafening, but I remained still. I held on to the child closer as he shifted in my arms, as eager to observe what was occurring. I used my body to shield him from the dust kicked up by the large vessel as it began to steadily rise towards the night sky.

"I'll be waiting for you, Din Djarin," I said to no one in particular.

And then, in the blink of an eye, Din was gone.

(V)(V)(V)

The first wave of the Coalition combatants had all departed; the mission was to neutralize the marauder scouts as stealthily as they could and return to base as soon as possible. The outside of the encampment began to settle down for the night, most weary from the rush to launch the combatant ships, but tensions remained high within the headquarters as the operation truly began. I resolved to remain in the headquarters to keep abreast of the situation, occupying an empty space in the corner of the room so as not to be in the way of others. It wasn't long before the child, who remained cradled in my arms, began to grow weary himself. When the green being could no longer keep his eyes open, I placed him gently on a cot at my side and started to soothingly rub his forehead with the backs of my fingers. A part of me wondered if he had any idea about what was going on.

Perhaps it was best that he didn't.

"Hey." Cara appeared at my side as she handed me a plate of food. "Thought you could use something to eat. You've been going at this for a while."

There were so many other things going on through my head that it never even occurred to me just how famished I was. My stomach rumbled then, as though making a point. How many hours had I been here, listening to SITREPs, watching holocharts with our troops' movements? I smiled at Cara and nodded in gratitude. "Thank you."

She plopped down on the seat beside me as a knowing smirk appeared on her lips. "So, Din finally fessed up, huh?"

Though I originally attempted to suppress it, the blushing upon my cheeks was uncontrollable at this point. Cara was always so perceptive. It would be difficult, perhaps near impossible, to fool her. "Yes, he did."

"About time." She let out a laugh at the recollection, her eyes crinkling in delight. "I have never seen that man so scared about anything since I've known him."

A small smile played upon my lips at the thought of Din being fearful of...feelings. Perhaps the unknown was really something to be afraid of. "Really?"

"Hell yeah." The dimples on her pretty face became even more prominent. "Take that as a compliment, because he and I have been through hell and back together." She playfully nudged me with an elbow. Her voice softened. "He really cares about you, you know. It's pretty obvious."

My heart skipped a beat. I frowned despite her disclosure. "Cara, I'm worried."

She sighed. "I get it. I do." Her consoling hand rested on my shoulder. "Just have some faith in him. He's fighting for you, Luna. That'll get him through."

Cara remained with me until she called it a night herself. Though she urged me to get some rest of my own, I knew that my mind was unwilling to let me sleep, even though my body was undoubtedly exhausted. So there I remained, caressing the child's wrinkled head as he slept while I continued to listen to the control room operators communicating with the various Coalition ships. This was not a scene that was new to me, given the life that I had when my father and I lived on Grá. What was new to me now, however, was how personal the stakes had become.

"General Láidir! General Láidir, do you copy?"

The sound of Din's tense voice gave me a start. After checking on the child once more, I raced to the centre of the space and stood beside my father at the circular map table. Din's large, almost life-sized, hologram was projected in front of us, the image and sound choppy and intermittent.

"Din, your signal is weak, but I copy." Though my father could sense my disquietude, his attention remained focused on Din's blue, almost transparent image.

Din briefly regarded me before looking at my father. "Our ship has been separated from Kriger's. We're not following the planned flight path." His image became distorted, momentarily exhibiting a wavy texture. Din appeared to press some of the controls in front of him in an attempt to steady the call. The frustration in his voice was evident as he continued, "They were drawing us out. We walked into a trap." Just as he finished his sentence, a thundering explosion sounded in the background, almost making him lose his balance. He grunted as he attempted to keep his stance firm.

My face blanched. I moved closer to Din's image and gripped the edge of the table more tightly.

My father placed a steady hand on my shoulder. His expression and voice remained hard. "We will send reinforcements. Hang in there and keep them busy. Attempt to reassemble with Kriger's ship and take on the marauders together." My father leaned forward, determined. "We'll chase these bastards throughout the galaxy if we need to."

"Roger that." Din gave my father a quick nod, then glanced behind him. The image began to shake and break apart once more. Appearing more distressed, Din fixed his gaze upon me. "Luna, I -"

I reached out for Din's image as it faded into nothingness.

My eyes widened, breath catching at my throat, as I looked up at my father. "What...what's wrong with the comms? Where's Din?"

He remained tight-lipped as he stood stalk still. "It's not our comms, Luna."

With a sharp intake of breath, I croaked out, "Din?" Uncontrollable tears began to cascade down my face, though I made no other sound to accompany them. I locked eyes with my father, who did his best to keep his composure and his expression neutral in front of his troops. My chest rose and fell as I found it more difficult to breathe, the surrounding room quickly suffocating me. "Father, what are his coordinates?"

With a nod, my father instructed one of the nearby Grádian operators to pinpoint their ship's last known location. The operator eyed me with sympathy, then began to work diligently to do what he had been ordered. "We received their last coordinates before we lost contact. They seem to be somewhere here," he pointed to the map upon the dark screen in front of him, "within the Grá system."

My hand trembled as it hurriedly wiped the streams of tears from my cheeks. It took every part of my being to maintain my composure. "We need to find them."

My father didn't need to consider the words. "We will." He nodded to the four officers who assembled in front of us. "Get your ships ready. You and your troops leave at once."

Before my father could speak to me once more, I had darted back to the child, my mind racing. Careful not to wake him, I gingerly took him back in my arms and ran out of the headquarters to find Cara.

In truth, I didn't precisely know what I was going to do.

All I knew was that I had to do something.

"Cara!" I called out at the entrance of her tent, my voice trembling. "Cara, wake up!"

She appeared shortly after, entirely awake and alert. Her brows furrowed at my distress. "Luna, what's going on?"

I rapidly informed her of what had occurred. Her neutral expression swiftly hardened. "Cara," I began, attempting to quell my tears, "could you look after the child for a while? I don't want to put him in danger…"

She reared her head back, already reading my mind. "Whoa, Luna. I don't know what you're planning, but you can't go." She repeatedly shook her head and gripped my upper arms. "If anything, I should go with the others."

"Please, Cara! I need to do this." The desperation in my voice was unmistakable. "I need to find Din."

Her lips twisted, exhibiting her discomfort. She remained silent for a few moments, spine straightened, as though weighing her options. "Nothing I say is going to stop you, huh?"

I shook my head firmly. "I'm afraid not."

It was evident that she was still not in accord with my decision. However, she eventually sighed with a nod and took the still sleeping child into her arms. "Just try not to get yourself killed, alright?"

I embraced her in thanks, then sprinted to Kriger's ship and made a beeline for my cabin. I brushed aside the questioning looks from the Mandalorians on board who, in the end, allowed me to go about my business uninterrupted. Apprehension had me in its grasp, though I refused to allow it to debilitate me.

Not this time.

I pushed the exhaustion from my mind as I entered my destination. I ripped my bag open and began to pack as much of my belongings as quickly as possible, ensuring that it contained enough rations for at least a few days. It wouldn't be long now before the other Coalition ships would move out, reinforcing the first wave of fighters and trying to make contact with Din and his crew. There was no time to waste. Once my bag was filled to the brim, I zipped it closed and hurled it over my back.

Just before I rushed towards the door, however, the glint of T'iana's helmet caught my eye.

I hesitated for a few moments, just staring back at the t-visor in silence.

No matter what happened, it would be prudent to keep my identity secret from marauder troops. It would even be best, at this point, that the other Coalition members, aside from the Mandalorians, weren't privy either. But most of all, in the end, it wasn't a certainty that my father would permit me to go with the second wave, knowing just how dangerous the mission had become.

This was no longer a recce or a stealth mission.

This was outright war.

There was no more time left to waver. I set my bag down once more, then placed on a long-sleeved shirt. Piece by piece, I donned the beskar armour, from the shin guards, to the thigh guards, then working my way up to the vambraces, breast plates, and pauldrons. Though the individual pieces didn't have much weight to them, the entire ensemble added a few pounds onto my form, the effort of putting it on already making my body heat rise.

With a sigh, I said, "T'iana, give me your strength."

I placed on the helmet.

It sealed with a soft click.

Breathing with the helmet on wasn't as difficult as I had expected. I shifted the vambrace that Din had given me into a more comfortable position on my left arm, then pressed a code which I had learned from Kriger on the vambrace on my right arm. The armour's system initialized, and I could see through the visor perfectly given the state-of-the-art technology. As the armour had been made for T'iana, it wasn't entirely a perfect fit, though it wasn't uncomfortable either. It would be enough for what I needed to do.

I snatched my belongings and took another route out of Kriger's ship to avoid the bridge. I moved in the dead of night, following the sounds of those preparing to embark on the second wave. The closest ship, being boarded by a platoon of mixed species, became my ultimate target. I strode as casually as possible towards the awaiting vessel. Just as I reached the end of the rear ramp, a voice sounded behind me:

"Even beneath the armour, Luna, I know it's you."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

As I turned my head back, I caught sight of my father.

He marched towards me, spine straight, hands behind his back. His deep-set eyes bore into me. "Have you taken the Mandalorian creed, then?"

A knot in the pit of my stomach tightened. My head dropped. "N-no, father, I…"

His sharp chin lifted, the concern growing in his dark eyes. "Then I think I know what is going on here."

A lump formed in my throat as I walked to him. Though a wave of remorse engulfed me, I stood by my decision. "Father, you know I can't just sit here and wait. I can't." The following words escaped my lips even before I had a chance to think: "I love him."

"Luna." He said my name almost scoldingly, but his face bore a sympathetic frown. "I understand, but you do not know what you are walking into."

Frustration overtook me. I refused to argue about this and waste precious time. "Father, you need to let me do this. You can't keep me safe forever." I pointed in the general direction of the sky above us. "So many combatants are out there right now risking their lives for our people - our fight. We don't know what has happened with Din and those aboard that ship. I must go. I will not rest until I find him."

A male Twi'lek strode down the ramp to my side, wholly unaware of the conversation between me and my father. "Mando, we're about to head out. Are you coming on board?"

I twisted my head back and gave him a curt nod. As the Twi'lek disappeared into the ship, I took my father's hands in mine. "I will be back as soon as I can, father."

Tears began to well up in my father's eyes as he nodded. "I love you, Luna."

"I love you, too."

As the General within him began to emanate from his posture once more, my father placed a fist upon his heart and said, "Courage above all!"

I mimicked his movements and bowed my head to him, my voice steadying. "Courage above all!"

He took a step back from me, and I, from him. The ramp whirred and began to ascend, and we shared a final wave of farewell.

The ship's thrusters engaged, shaking the durasteel ground beneath my booted feet. I placed a gloved hand on the side of the ship to steady myself due to the momentum of the takeoff. When the ship began to slowly stabilize, I was able to firmly keep my feet under me, determined to make it to the ship's bridge.

As I began to move, however, a slight movement at my feet caught my eye.

I physically jumped. "Holy Being, you scared the hell out of me!"

The child merely looked up at me inquisitively, tilting his head slightly to the side while he regarded me.

I took a knee beside him, my heart racing. "What are you doing here?" My voice was lined with panic, the dread within me growing as I realized that we were now careening through space. "How did...how did you even get on the ship?"

He merely stared at me as though blankly, then waved.

I raised a brow in his direction and crossed my arms. I now knew what my father must have felt like earlier. "Baby, you shouldn't be here!"

The child waddled towards me with a neutral expression, wholly undeterred by my scolding. He raised both arms up in the air in his universal sign to be carried.

Though my distress didn't recede, I took him in my arms once more, placing my forehead on his. He patted my helmet-covered face, as though attempting to soothe me.

"Okay, baby," I sighed, meeting his gaze. "Let's go find your father."

(V)(V)(V)

A/N: Hey, everyone! What did you all think about that update? I'm definitely taking more time to craft these later chapters to ensure they're as I've imagined them, but I'm hoping they are worth the wait. Following the TV show, I definitely want the story to be threaded together nicely but to write each chapter uniquely. I'm hoping that's been showing, particularly in the last few chapters.

This chapter was heavily inspired by the songs "Anywhere For You" by John Martin and "Higher Ground" by Martin Garrix ft. John Martin.

Biberflub, I totally wish something like this story will happen in the actual TV show…or, yes, they can make a spin-off! To all of my reviewers, followers, and to those who favourited this story, THANK YOU!

Thank you, dear reader, for supporting this story. Hope you're all enjoying the ride so far! Cheers! xx IFHD