Chapter 21: The Redeemer

My embrace with Din endured, his tight grip upon my body unrelenting. Despite what I had recently undergone, there was no pain throughout the contact. In truth, I felt perfectly alright - having experienced more recovery and regeneration than I thought an emergency bacta treatment would ever elicit - which made me wonder even more just what had happened before I had come to. Ultimately thankful for my current state, however, I resolved to remain in place, merely holding Din firmly in my arms, recognizing that perhaps he was the one who desperately needed even a moment of respite at the moment. It was touching to perceive that a warrior such as he exhibited such compassion, such vulnerability.

I felt a pair of taps upon my forearm.

"Eah?" the child called out, head tilted to the side, both of his hands held up high in his usual signal to be carried.

It was only then that Din and I pulled away from one another. With a laugh, I fondly rubbed the child's forehead, then sat up entirely in order to take him in my arms. Din rested a hand upon my back while the other rested upon the child, supporting his little neck. "Did you need a hug, too, baby?"

The babbles that we heard in response unequivocally meant yes.

"He showed me where you were," Din said delicately, his thumb rubbing the back of the child's head. "He healed you, Luna, as I resuscitated you. Your injuries…" he swallowed, as though having trouble forming the words, "even I...even I couldn't have saved you."

My quizzical gaze fell upon both of them in turn. "Din, his powers can...heal people?"

He nodded. "I have seen it. He...chose to heal you."

"Baby," I breathed out, holding the little green being more tightly, all while attempting to push away the thought that I was at death's doorstep, "I thank you." I kissed Din once more, cupping the side of his face in my palm. "I thank both of you."

The child rested his forehead upon my cheek as my orbs continued to roam upon Din's countenance. When we had first met, I had been so desperate to see his face. To see the fire in those eyes. To, at first, be really face-to-face with the man who I then believed had contributed to the destruction of my life and, inevitably, the fall of my planet. When that feeling had begun to change, however, it was as though the desire to see his face dissipated, only to be replaced with the realization that I had truly began to learn who he really was; what was upon the surface beneath his armour did not matter, because despite all of the things that he had done, and despite all of the demons that still haunted him, the man before me was, in the end, good - whether or not he believed that himself.

Distant explosions and passing aircraft brought us back to the present.

Din's head snapped up at the sounds, surveying the skies above us with intensity. He gripped my elbow. "Are you alright to stand, Luna?"

I nodded and did so as hastily as I could with his help, carrying the child on my right arm.

Din continued to look at me affectionately as he placed his helmet on once more. As he prepared his armour, I picked up the scattered pieces of my own, including my now scratched and dented helmet, placing them on as quickly as I could. Din beckoned for me to move towards him and lock my arm as best as I could around his neck. I simultaneously clung on to the child, my arm coiled protectively over his tiny body, as he held on to me. Din wrapped an arm around my upper back as the other curled around my knees, securing me in place. We began to fly, the movement fluid and steady. The sound of his jetpack thrusters and the strength of his body filled my senses. Though I was nervous about flying in this particular manner, I sought strength from the child, who cried out in delight through the journey back to the top of the escarpment.

My uneasiness during the flight morphed into dread as we neared our destination. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat as we began our landing and surveyed the battlefield - or, what was left of it. Abandoned weaponry remained motionless, some still engulfed in fierce flames, while others exhaled billows of smoke. Active combatants were no longer in our lines of sight. In their stead, bodies from both sides of the battle littered the landscape, brutally mangled in some instances; the shadows of their lifeless bodies crawled as the sun continued to rise, as though their very lifeforces were being visibly drained from their flesh. Regardless of which side they had fought on, in the end, these were children, fathers, mothers - and now, their families will never see them again. My hands began to tremble at the reminder that this was the sacrifice for my planet - the sacrifice that seemed to always be needed for freedom.

A neverending price to be paid.

As we landed upon solid ground once more (for which I was eternally grateful), I briefly looked down at the precipice - from a safe distance from the edge this time - and used the controls upon the side of my helmet to survey the darkness from whence we came. The technology thoroughly scanned the still raging depths below for any heat signatures, for any sign of a humanoid lifeform.

After a few moments of searching, the scanners came up empty.

"Luna?" Din's questioning voice came from behind me. He strode to my side and gently took the child from my arms. He rested a hand upon the small of my back. "Is everything alright?"

"Diabhal," I momentarily halted what I was doing and met his gaze with a rigid expression, "she fell with me."

His head tilted to the side, then shook. "I did not see any other lifeform but yours."

The overwhelming relief that I had been feeling was washed over by worry. No body means no proof of death. My brows knitted. "Din, I have a bad feeling about this. If we do not know if she's alive or dead, we still need to be careful."

He nodded in agreement, activating the comlink upon his vambrace. "I'll send word to the others to keep an eye out for her. If she's still on Grá, we will find her. I promise."

As Din spoke through the comlink, passing information about our safe return and the need to continue to track Diabhal, familiar figures approached us through the fire and smoke. Kriger, clad in his imposing grey-black Mandalorian armour, moved in steady strides, accompanied by two other Mandalorians who flanked him. He relaxed as he caught sight of us, entirely lowering his weapon at his side. He removed his helmet and bowed. "Buy'ce olar, kar'ta ogir."

"Buy'ce olar, kar'ta ogir." Din greeted in return with an appreciative nod. "Thanks for the backup. You got to us just in time."

We shared an armshake. "Good to see you, Kriger."

His green eyes softened as he surveyed me with fondness. "The armour suits you, Luna."

My eyes plummeted to the ground as I suddenly felt guilt consuming me. I remembered once more that what I had done was improper, that it debased the creed that the Mandalorians followed, no matter which clan they belonged to. Despite it having been bequeathed by a Mandalorian, I wasn't deserving of this armour - at least, not in the way that the Mandalorian culture decreed. What's more is that it was originally T'iana's armour - the armour of someone who had actually sworn the creed, and died because of it.

Died while saving me.

I could feel Din's eyes boring into me, as though he was able to read my mind.

Kriger noticed my hesitation. His voice remained light. "We were worried about you. I am glad you are safe." He smiled warmly. "I have news. Your father has ordered that the Coalition forces pursue the enemy until we are sure that the strongholds throughout the planet have been destroyed. It will take a while to ensure that we've eradicated the scum entirely, but we will continue to press forward until we do so. We have sustained some losses, but not substantial enough that the enemy will be too great a threat moving forward."

"Good." I finally met his eyes once more as determination filled my expression. "Let's end this."

Kriger appeared proud at my reply as he turned his attention to Din. "Brother, we have prepared for your guest's departure."

I eyed Din quizzically as he nodded. We followed Kriger and his clan members to an awaiting ship. Coalition members busily completed final pre-flight preparations, moving through ordered chaos. Through the cloud of the silver-grey smoke from the thrusters, I perceived Moff Gideon in shackles, knelt down beside Cara and surrounded by other Coalition combatants that formed a solid perimeter around him. Though defeated, he maintained the menacing sneer upon his defiant face, teeth bared, eyes scanning his surroundings as though plotting his great escape. He was akin to a rabid animal, awaiting to be released. The energy that exuded from him was dark, filling me with discomfort.

Apprehensive, I placed a stiff hand on Din's forearm, stopping him mid-stride. "You're taking him in alive?"

He twisted his head to face me as he nodded, then covered my hand with his. "It seems as though the New Republic is interested in him. Moff Gideon was an ISB officer. The information that he has could prove to be valuable - for them, and for us."

Though Din's reasonings made sense, I couldn't help but feel as though he was making a mistake. I discreetly eyed Gideon, the sinking feeling in my stomach not abating. He met my stare briefly, though, ultimately, his gaze landed upon Din.

"Ah. The hero has returned." The tone was acerbic with a hint of sarcasm, surely meant to provoke Din.

Din's gaze fell upon the smirking Moff.

"Could we at least gag him?" I snarled, staring daggers at his arrogant smirk.

Ever so calmly, Din rested a hand on the small of my back, handed me the child, then strode directly to Gideon.

The Moff shifted his weight upon his knees and tilted his chin up, meeting the stare of Din's t-visor without a flinch. "You may think that you have won, but now that it is yours, you will just have another target on your back." A menacing chuckle came from deep within his throat. Gideon was seemingly pleased with himself. "There are others who seek it, keen on making it their own. If peace is what you are seeking for in this galaxy, Din Djarin, you will not have it. Not as long as it is in your possession."

Din's fingers curled into fists, but he ultimately said nothing in return. After a few moments, he cocked his head to the side, signalling to Cara and the Coalition troops surrounding Gideon. They nodded in understanding and brusquely lifted Gideon to his feet, not even phased as the Moff stumbled to walk. They pushed him into the awaiting vessel, coaxing him to move faster up the ramp.

A snide laugh came from Gideon, coupled with a side smile, as the ramp closed.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," he said.

(V)(V)(V)

Hours passed. Eventually, the sounds of the local battle faded as our company managed to secure our area of operation. We were then able to turn our attention to re-establishing our forward command centre, sifting through the rubble, salvaging what we could, and providing support to other companies where we could. The news of Diabhal having gone missing - and presumed dead - had apparently spread quickly. With the marauder leadership, which had been focused in Neart, in utter shambles, the marauder troops around the planet shortly followed suit. Throughout the morning, reports continuously came that the other companies dispersed throughout the planet were, one by one, experiencing the same successes as we had - not only destroying the marauder strongholds, but also managing to expel them from the planet itself. There were even reports of planet-wide uprisings by Grádians who were enslaved, intent on regaining our planet back, conviction renewed and inspired by the Coalition forces.

I exited the re-established headquarters by our original landing zone with Din at my side, holding the snacking child in his arms. The Crusader completed its landing cycle before us and touched down upon solid ground once more, joining the reconstitution of our forces. Coupled with a prolonged hiss and the whirring of the internal machinery, the rear ramp began to descend. I immediately caught sight of my father, standing beside Kriger, before the tip of the ramp even touched the ground. For the first time since I could remember - since our plight with the marauders had begun - there was a stark stillness in my father's eyes - an abatement of the pressures, fears, and worries that he had kept in his heart for far too long. With tears brimming at the sides of my own eyes, I ran to him, removing my helmet as I did so.

"Father!" I wrapped my arms around his neck with a sigh.

He returned the embrace with equal measure, resting a steady hand upon the back of my head. "My dear girl. I have been so worried about you."

"I am alright, father." I released a sob. "I am so happy that you're here."

"We have won, Luna," he continued to hold me, his deep voice wavering, succumbing to his emotions. "Eliminating the marauder remnants will take time, but...my dear girl, we have our planet back."

It took everything in my being not to break down in front of him - in front of the crowd that was now beginning to form around us. Din and the child appeared in my line of sight, the child releasing sounds of pure joy. I sought strength in their presence as I pulled away from my father, finally allowing relief to wash over me. My hand balled into a fist as I placed it upon my heart. "Courage above all."

My father then stood at attention, the movement swift and commanding, and promptly returned the gesture. "Courage above all," he replied, his expression hardened. His gaze swept through the members of the Coalition, fist remaining upon his heart, and proclaimed once more, "Courage above all!"

A chorus of echoing cries erupted around us.

My father's attention turned to Din. He beckoned for him to come closer. "Din, I believe you also have a matter to discuss with your brothers and sisters in arms."

My brows automatically knitted at this, but I remained silent.

He nodded and placed the child down at his feet. It gripped the side of his leg, as though in support. I made my way to their side. "Din, what is my father talking about?"

Din appeared pensive for a few moments, his posture suddenly hardened. The crowd became still and silent, all of their attention now solely on him. In a swift movement, he pushed his cape back and retrieved something that was fastened to his belt. At first, it appeared to be just a long, rectangular piece of metal with intricate designs. However, as Din gripped the object, pressing upon its controls, the weapon emerged with a low pulse, the lightning-like white marks appearing upon the dark blade in waves.

The saber that Moff Gideon had wielded.

The power that it exuded was almost blinding. Din turned his hand in a clockwise motion, the crackle and buzz of the weapon now more prominent.

Murmurs began to bubble within the crowd, rejuvenating the life in the former battlefield. The Mandalorians who were nearby moved forward, gradually surrounding Din. Some removed their helmets, their expressions laced with shock and awe. The other Coalition members stepped back in respect, allowing more and more Mandalorians to come closer. I merely stood beside Din and the child in silence, confused at what exactly was occurring.

In a wave-like motion, the Mandalorians began to kneel before Din, one by one. Only a few of them remained standing, side by side, heads held up high towards Din. They each carried their helmets upon their left arm, then spoke in turn:

"Clan Styrke is with you."

"Clan Drage is with you."

"Clan Slass is with you."

Kriger joined the line, then placed a fist upon his heart. "Clan Onóir is with you, brother."

The child took in the sights of the Mandalorian clan leaders in turn, then cried out gleefully, with both of his arms - along with the blue biscuits that were held in between his fingers - held up in the air.

I couldn't help but smile at this as I squeezed Din's hand. "It looks like the rest of Clan Djarin is with you, too."

Then, simultaneously, all of the Mandalorians bowed reverently.

"Din," I hissed as inconspicuously as possible, attempting to speak from the side of my lips so as not to draw any attention, "I get that they've all just pledged their allegiance to you, but...why?"

Kriger, with pride and poise evident in his posture, was the one who replied with: "Din is now our Mandalore," he closed his eyes and bowed his head once more, "Mandalore the Redeemer."

(V)(V)(V)

A/N: Woo hoo, got this one done just in time for the New Year! I hope you lovely readers enjoy this little gift. :) As always, thank you all for your reviews, saves, favourites, and messages. Your continued support to this story is truly appreciated. You inspire me to continue and put digital words to word processor! I had no idea last December that this story would evolve the way it has, but I am definitely proud of it, and it makes me so happy to know that you are enjoying it as well.

Fun fact: many of the character and planet names are Irish Gaelic and Norwegian. For example, "Láidir" means "strong", and "Kriger" means "warrior". I love using this literary device. Just thought some of you would appreciate that. :)

As for what's in store, I have planned out the next few chapters and what's next for this story, but there are still some minor details and plot threads that I have to finalize. I've always been interested in rooting this story, and its characters, in reality - particularly, in realistic romantic relationships; and, as we all know, real romantic relationships are not always sunshine and rainbows (though I love my husband to bits)! What will be great is that some of these veritable "forks in the road" will probably make for good character development, so we will see what feels right as the story progresses.

In the meantime, I wish all of you a very safe and festive start to 2021. Love you all! More to come very soon. Cheers! xx IFHD