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HAPPY STAR WARS DAY!
In honor of May the 4th, I have a small gift for you at the end of this chapter.
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Chapter 16
~X~
"Mandalorians don't use the Force – they just use force."
~unknown~
Meanwhile, Din had asked what became of the Armorer, with Karga filling him in on the little he knew.
"After things had settled down a bit and we were able to clean up the streets, Cara went back into the sewers, looking for your friend," he told the Mandalorian. "It took her a while to locate her once more, that place is a real maze down there. The female Mandalorian managed to salvage all she could, or so she told Cara, and with a little help from us she and her cargo got off-world safely."
"Where did she go?" was Din's burning question.
"That I don't know," Karga admitted. "Yet, maybe this will tell you." Here he reached into one of the drawers in his desk, pulling out something wrapped in a piece of cloth.
Taking the item Din pulled back the covering, displaying a finely crafted object cast in shiny beskar. He picked it up in his gloved hands and turned it over several times, admiring the craftsmanship.
"Does it mean anything to you?" Karga asked.
"It does," Din nodded, covering it up and slipping it into one of his pockets for safekeeping.
His friend might have pestered him for more answers as to exactly what the item meant, but just then the two women returned, effectively halting their conversation.
"Are you all right?" Din asked Ravana as she sat down beside him once more, the kid wiggling his way onto her lap, happy that she was back.
"No," she answered truthfully. "But I suppose I'll have to be, won't I?"
He could tell this was something she'd hoped to have solved easily, but it was simply not to be. Perhaps a trip to Coruscant would be a must, anything to help her clear her name and give her back the life that had been taken from her.
"In the meantime," Cara broke in, knowing that dwelling on the subject wouldn't help. "How about I share a bit of information I learned from some old friends I still have in the New Republic."
"I thought you left their service under less than amiable circumstances," Din questioned.
"I did," she nodded. "But these are friends who can overlook such things and help a girl out who's just looking for a bit of information."
"Fair enough," he agreed.
"Anyway, while I was still serving as a shock-trooper, there were these rumors that someone in the higher ranks of the Rebellion had some kind of special powers." Here she gave a shrug of indifference. "I never put much stock in it, figuring there were those who just needed something to believe in, to boost morale when it felt like we were on the loosing side all the time. But after meeting the kid, I started wondering if perhaps there might be something to the idea."
"And was there?" Ravana asked, her voice betraying her curiosity.
"Perhaps," Cara nodded. "According to my friends, one of the generals in the New Republic - the brother to Princess Leia Organa from Alderaan, which used to be my home planet - uses powers similar to the kid's."
"He can heal people?" Karga questioned, this apparently being news to him as well.
"I don't know what he can do, but according to my friend, he has the power to move things with his mind," Cara stated. "And I figured that was close enough for me to believe that maybe he and the kid share something in common."
"Could he be one of these Jedi?" Ravana asked.
"It might be worth finding out," Din nodded, looking down at his little green charge thoughtfully. "Not that I'm all that excited to mix company with this, or any other, government, but if it's the only lead we have…" Here he left his thought hanging, leaving it open to interpretation. Yet in his heart, he knew there was no way he could ignore such a chance. It was for the kid…thus it would be done.
"Any idea where we could find this general?" Ravana asked.
"Can't say for sure. I don't think they want that information leaking out just yet, since the Republic is still so new and who knows who might be out to assassinate the higher-ups," Cara deduced. "But I would say that Coruscant is your best bet."
"And since that is one of the few places Ravana might be able to speak to someone about getting her bounty removed, we might as well start there," Din agreed, though he didn't sound very happy about it. He stood to go, extending his hand to help Ravana rise as well.
"You're not leaving so soon, are you, Mando?" Greef protested.
"No, but I wanted to make a trip out to where I buried Kuiil, to pay my respects," he explained, still feeling the loss of the Ugnaught deeply. He'd been the one to ask Kuiil to leave his planet and aid him in protecting the child, thus Din felt responsible for his death. Both he and IG-11 had given their lives doing exactly that…saving the kid from the Imps. The least he could do was go visit his final resting place while he was here.
"Uhhh, I wouldn't bother," Cara broke in, causing Din to turn and look at her questioningly. He could see that the shock-trooper had some news but was reluctant to reveal it. "I…I went out there not long ago myself," she told him in a sad tone. "Thought I should…you know, say farewell. But it looked like the grave had been dug up, and his body drug off by something. There was no sign of it."
This news hit Din hard. First, he got the kind-hearted creature killed and now even his body no longer had a final resting place. And all Kuiil ever wanted was to be free and live in peace. So much for that dream.
"I'm sorry, Mando," Karga offered. "He deserved better, but there are more types of scavengers out there than just Jawas. You may not be able to visit his grave, but you can honor his memory. He would have appreciated the thought, though."
Din remained silent, attempting to compartmentalize his emotions over the news, when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Mando, is there anything I can do?" Ravana asked, the sorrow and concern in her tone more than evident.
"No…nothing," he told her. Kuiil was gone, and apparently his body was now as well. Nothing anyone said or did could change the past, and Din knew it. He would simply have to live with the grief…and the guilt.
"Come, Mando," Karga said, doing his best to lighten the now somber mood. "At least stay and have a drink or something. My treat!" Yet when Din cocked his helmet to the side in a sign of incredulity, the man behind the desk began to laugh, gesturing towards his helmet. "Yes, you're right. I wasn't thinking. That, and I know you're a man of action - no letting the grass grow under your feet, is there?" He stood up and gestured to the door. "At least let me buy you a bottle of something to take with you."
Din nodded his agreement and the four humans, and one alien child, headed out the door. Karga ordered the droid tending bar to fetch him a bottle of Andoan wine, as the five of them stood there talking while they waited. No one seemed to be paying them any mind now, what with the head of the Bounty Hunter's Guild and his enforcer there to vouch for them, but just then two men came stumbling by on their way out of the cantina. Apparently having had one too many, they accidentally bumped into Ravana, causing her to grab hold of Mando for support.
"Hey! Watch it," Cara scolded the two, stepping in front of them menacingly. "I think you owe the lady an apology."
Seeing that they were quite outgunned, the two immediately turned to comply, more than eager to make up for their mistake. Yet when they saw the woman they were meant to ask forgiveness from…or more exactly what that woman was holding, their eyes grew wide and their mouths dropped open.
"Well, I'll be hung! Don't that thing look like a miniature version of Koda?" one asked the other, pointing directly at the kid. "I ain't never seen another of his kind, and this one's so small!"
Like lightning, Din had the man by the front of his shirt, pulling him closer as he spoke in his most commanding voice.
"You've seen another creature like this before?" he demanded, causing the man to nearly shake with fear. "Where?"
"We…we met one like him on Katella…at the mines," he stammered, looking to his friend for assistance, but he was too busy attempting to avoid Cara, who had also stepped a little closer into his space. "He was one of the miners there, odd fellow who spoke kind of weird, but friendly enough."
"Is he still there?" was Ravana's question, her tone betraying her excitement over this news. "How long ago was it you last saw him?"
"A couple months…maybe three?" the second man assured them. "We tried our hand at digging for gems, but the work was too hard, so we left. But he was still there."
Cara and Din exchanged looks, before shoving the two men towards the door, which they made use of in a hurry, eager to get away from the frightening interrogation. Once they were gone, Ravana placed her hand on Din's arm, her eyes full of hope.
"This could be the break you were looking…what we're looking for," she corrected, feeling as if she were now a part of all this.
"They could have been lying," Greef pointed out.
"Why?" Din asked. "They're the ones who brought it up. And we didn't offer to pay for the information, so what reason would they have to deceive us?"
"I say it's worth a quick trip to Katella to find out for sure," Cara agreed. "And if you don't find anything, you're no worse off than you were before."
"I'm with Cara on this one," Ravana told him. "Let's go."
Din looked down at the kid, his big eyes staring up at him as if he held all the answers in the world. It bothered him a bit to have someone put that much faith in him, for he always feared he might end up letting them down. Yet, he had been given the commission to find his people, and if it meant a trip to Katella…then that's exactly where they would go.
"Then we better get the Razor Crest fueled up and ready," Din nodded, causing both Ravana and the kid to let out a squeal of glee.
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Din thanked both Cara and Karga for all their help and promised to let them know what they found.
"If you need anything, Mando," Cara stated, the two clasping hands in the customary warrior's farewell. "You know who to call. I'm always up for a bit of Imp target practice. And I'm sure that Greef can manage without me for a little while." She turned and gave Ravana a wink. "And you watch out for him, all right? He tends to get into trouble."
"Isn't that like the Pikes calling the Hutts greedy?" Din asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically, even if no one could see it.
"Perhaps, but it's still true," Cara laughed, turning and walking away, giving a wave over her shoulder in a final farewell.
"Come on," Din chuckled, hitting the button on his wrist guard and opening the Razor Crest. "Katella awaits."
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Katella was a few day's journey by lightspeed, so Din would have plenty of time to think about what he would do once he got there. He'd never been to that planet himself, but he'd heard it was known for its rough inhabitants. Most who populated the mining colonies were there to get rich, yet the planetary government made it nearly impossible to do so at any speed. One had to stake their claim and work it for years before they could eek out enough of a cut to afford to leave.
Then there was the issue of finding this Koda once they arrived, assuming he hadn't packed it in right after the other two men had, leaving no trail for them to follow. And if they did find him, would he be willing, or even able, to help them locate the kid's family? So much was riding on finding one green alien on a very large planet.
To keep his mind occupied on something other than the possibility of having to part with the kid should this all work out, Din chose to teach Ravana how to fly the Razor Crest. Nothing too detailed, but enough so that she could take off and land if necessary, and maybe get them from one place to another. At first, she was skeptical, and afraid she would break something. But after he explained that the kid had already pushed nearly every button and tugged on all the levers, and hadn't managed to crash it so far, she was a little more willing.
She was such a quick learner, taking to the job like a seasoned flyer, that Din felt comfortable leaving her up in the cockpit all alone while he worked on another project in the hold. It had been something he'd been meaning to do for a while now, but with the thought of the kid possibly leaving, he at last found the motivation.
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"What do you suppose he's doing down there?" Ravana asked the kid as they listened to the sounds of him working. There had been hammering, grinding noises, and even some welding sounds for a while now, leaving her wondering what he was making. The String-bean didn't seem to know any more than she did, so they just waited and wondered, busying themselves with flying the ship…or at least the autopilot was flying, they were just making sure it stayed on course.
Ravana had been doing a lot of thinking herself, and mostly about what she would do once they found the kid's family. If that actually happened, there would really be no more reason for her to remain on the Razor Crest. Her main job thus far had been caring for their little green charge, and she couldn't exactly see Mando keeping her on simply to cook for him.
No, if the kid went…so should she. Only she had no idea to where. Recently, her life had been so unpredictable, that Ravana could only hope that a good idea would present itself…and soon.
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"So, what do you think, you little womp-rat?" Din asked, having brought his creation up to the cockpit and placed it in the chair the kid usually occupied. He'd fashioned one of the small crates into a seat with a fake com-panel attached in front. It had originally been Ravana's idea, way before they had left her planet the first time, but he was rather proud of how he'd implemented it.
The kid was very excited about his new toy, and his little hands couldn't move fast enough to flip every switch or push all the buttons that lit up at his touch. Din could see that this would keep him occupied for a good long while, protecting the ship's important controls from his curious fingers.
"Very nice, Mando," Ravana complimented him, smiling at how much fun the kid was having. "Keep this up and you'll make father of the year."
"Is that even a thing?" he questioned skeptically. "And I'm his guardian…not his father."
"That's not what Cara told me," Ravana countered. "Apparently the lady Mandalorian said that until you found his family, you were as his father. So, that puts you in the running."
Din only sighed, not comfortable with such a title…at least not in a way he wanted to show. He'd had a father once, and he remembered him fondly, but he'd also looked to several of the Mandalorians who saved him as surrogate parental figures. He'd needed guidance back then, including some semblance of family, and maybe the kid did as well. If that was the case, maybe he could be a father figure for him…just as long as no one else realized that's what he was doing. Still, if they were on their way to find another of his species, their time together could be ending very soon. And if he found the child's family, that would most likely mean Ravana would leave too, if he could find a safe place for her of course. The idea actually made Din feel sad, which was odd since he'd always preferred being alone. Had they changed his life so much so quickly?
Din shook his head, choosing to put such thoughts out of his mind. For now, he would simply enjoy things while they lasted, and worry about the future later.
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"It looks rather unimpressive for a planet that produces such beautiful gems," Ravana remarked, sitting in the chair to Mando's left.
"They're not just lying around on the ground," he chuckled. "You have to dig for them."
"I know that," she grumbled, sticking her tongue out at him like a child.
"That's quite unbecoming for a lady, you know," he told her, his tone a cross between a snicker and a scolding.
"How did you…?" she stammered, having no idea how he'd known what she'd done. "Oh, I bet you have some kind of camera in the back of your helmet, don't you? So you can see who's sneaking up on you or something."
"That would be a valuable tool…but no," Mando admitted, turning around in his chair to face her. "Still, reflective surfaces make it rather easy to see what's going on behind me." Here he gestured to the many glass panels that covered the cockpit window. "Or, perhaps I just know you too well."
"Oh, please, you don't know me half as well as you think. And didn't anyone ever tell you not to spy on a lady? It's not nice," she mumbled in embarrassment, suddenly attempting to look anywhere but directly at him. Her eyes settled on the kid, who was now reaching out his stubby arms for her to take him out of his new play seat and hold him. She quickly complied, taking him into her arms. "Now you'd never be so rude, would you, String-bean?"
At this the child made happy giggling sounds, reaching for something around his neck. When he had it off at last, he held it out to her.
"What's this?" Ravana questioned, inspecting the silver object strung on a cord. "Where'd you get it, little one?"
"From me," Mando answered for him. "It was mine…but he likes to play with it, so I let him do so every now and then."
"What is it?" Ravana asked curiously, never having seen such a figure before. "It looks dangerous."
"It's the skull of a Mythosaur cast in beskar," was his reply. "This has long been the ruling symbol of our leader, the Mand'alor, going all the way back to Mandalor the First. All those in my clan wear such emblems out of respect for the old ways."
"I see," she nodded, handing the pendant back to the kid. However, he had other ideas and stretched up on his tiptoes in an effort to place the necklace around her neck instead. "No," she protested. "Mando gave it to you to play with, not me." But when he kept trying, his little face scrunching up in determination, and plaintive grunts emanating from his throat, the Mandalorian stepped in.
"Here," he said with a sigh, reaching out and placing it around Ravana's neck for him. When she attempted to object, he waved her off. "Just wear it if it makes him happy. He'll want it back soon enough."
"Oh…all right," she agreed, though she felt rather odd in doing so. Was this an heirloom of his, something that held a great deal of sentimental value? It was almost intimate, in a way, and she wondered what Mando thought about her wearing such a thing. Still, it did seem to make the kid happy, so she left it around her neck.
Just then a beeping sound came from the control panel, blessedly taking the Mandalorian's attention off her. Turning around he hit a few buttons in preparation for landing.
"Better strap in," he warned. "We'll be touching down very soon. And even if the planet looks unappealing to you, let's just hope this Koda fellow is there waiting for us."
"I never said it was unappealing…I just thought it would be prettier, is all. Maybe it will look better from the ground."
"Perhaps," he agreed. "But you won't get a chance to find out. You and the kid are staying on board."
"What? Why?" she demanded.
"This is not a safe planet," he explained. "Rough characters and those looking to get rich quick are the kind of inhabitants you'll find here. It would be best if you do not rub elbows with any of them, for your sake as well as mine."
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By means of the reflection in the window, Din watched Ravana cross her arms in a huff of irritation, but at least she didn't argue with him, which he appreciated. But honestly, he didn't want to have to fight his way off the planet, should anyone down there take a shine to her. It was simply best he keep both her and the kid out of sight.
So it was, after getting clearance to land, Din alone exited the ship – though he left the hatch open, just in case he needed to make a quick getaway.
"What's your business here, friend?" asked a burly man in an official uniform, holding a data pad and looking somewhat hospitable. Perhaps he assumed they had come to buy gems. There were a few others milling around, some with weapons, while others appeared to be workers, but only the one man looked to have an official position. "Name's Ruben, and I'm the director for this colony."
"Then you're the one I need to speak with," Din informed him, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "I'm looking for someone."
"You a bounty hunter?" Ruben asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "We don't want no trouble here."
"I'm not looking for anyone with a price on their head," he assured, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. "Just hoping to get some information from them on a personal matter. I don't intend to cause trouble and I'm willing to make it worth this fellow's while if he can help me out."
"I see," the man said, still looking skeptical, yet more open to the idea. "And who exactly are you looking for?"
"I'm told his name's Koda, and he's a miner here," Din informed him. "Though, I suppose there are plenty of different mining sites, and I might not have chosen the right one."
"Oh, you've got the right one," Ruben said with a grin, one that put the Mandalorian at ease. "Koda's been digging in these parts for more years than I can count. Odd little creature, but a nice enough fellow, though I'm not sure he'd be interested in doing much conversing. He's more of the hermit type."
"Like I said, I can make it worth his while," Din promised. He was about to say more, but just then there was a commotion behind him, and he turned just in time to see Ravana come racing down the ramp, with the kid held in her arms. She had her hand covering her nose and the both of them were coughing. "I told you to wait inside!" he hissed, keeping his voice low while conveying his displeasure at her not following his orders.
"I would have…honest," she almost whined, taking a few deep breaths before speaking again. "But…but Zax…he kind of…well, apparently his four months were up."
At first Din had no idea what she was talking about, but then a breeze brought a whiff of something from inside the Razor Crest, something that would have driven him out of the ship as well. Then it hit him.
"Your blasted zaktan just crapped in my ship!" he shouted, making both her and the kid flinch at his tone.
"Sorry," was all Ravana could say, waving her hand in front of her face a bit to dissipate the odor.
Not knowing what else to do, Din hit a button on his arm brace, shutting the hatch and trapping the smell inside. He would have to deal with that later, but right now he still needed to find a way to speak with this Koda. Yet, when he turned back around, he saw that this was now the least of his worries. For every man or alien who'd been standing around had approached, all of them looking right at Ravana.
"A female!" one of them said at last, pointing a clawed finger in her direction. "Are you for sale? I can pay handsomely."
"NO! I saw her first!" another spat, shoving the first one to the side as he stepped forward, holding up a bag as he gave it a shake. "I have credits…and gems! Good ones!"
"You can't just offer to buy her like that!" a third one spat out. "It should be fair to everyone! There should be an auction."
"A what?" Ravana gasped, not liking the sound of that at all.
"The woman is not for sale," Din shouted, drawing his pistol with one hand while using the other to push Ravana and the kid protectively behind him.
Things might have gone ill, but just then Ruben stepped in between them all, holding up his hands as he signaled for everyone to be silent.
"Now, let's all settle down! I don't want any trouble, and you know there's laws that govern situations like this," he said, shooting the excited men a stern glare. "Now, you all just go about your business and I'll figure out the best way to handle this." When no one seemed to move, he turned and shouted at the men. "NOW!"
At last they dissipated, each one turning back several times, either looking upset or whispering to each other conspiratorially.
"I think it's best you three step into my office where we can talk," Ruben suggested, gesturing to a stone building to his right.
"We're not going anywhere if you think she'd be willing to sell herself to the highest bidder," Din stated, gesturing to Ravana.
"Then the smartest thing for you is to come with me, because the longer you leave her out here for all to see, the less chance you have of living past the next few hours, friend," Ruben said with all seriousness. "Now come."
Din's first inclination was to turn around and re-board the Razor Crest, zaktan crap be damned. But when he saw at least five well-armed men now blocking their path, he decided that maybe going with this Ruben fellow might indeed be their best option. Oh, if only Ravana had just stayed on board, he thought to himself. Why was this woman so much trouble?
Once they were all inside the man's office, Ruben shut and locked the door behind them – and whether that was for their protection, or to keep them prisoner, Din wasn't sure.
"I'm sorry about that," the man said with a sigh. "You've got to understand that we don't get many females here on Katella. It's a rough job, being a miner, and most ladies don't want this sort of life, so I'd say the majority of the males on the planet are single. We get a barge though every now and then with those who are willing to service the workers for a price, but very few hang around for long and even less choose to stay."
"So, what then?" Din asked in a terse voice. "You just kidnap any woman who happens by?"
"No! Of course not!" Ruben protested. "It's just that some women do come here for that reason. They want a rich husband…or at least they want to be rich. So, they offer themselves up to the one that has the most credits. The majority only stay with the men until the money runs out, or sometimes less than that. You can't blame the men for just assuming that's why she came."
"Well, they're wrong!" Ravana stated firmly, doing her best not to shout, since the kid was now snuggling down in her arms and falling asleep. "I'm not for sale."
"Now, that might be a problem," Ruben sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. "And you getting off this planet just got a whole lot more difficult. Seems as though your ship is being guarded until this all gets solved…preferably to their satisfaction."
"I'll be happy to give them satisfaction," Din hissed, patting his holstered blaster, both willing and able to back up his threat.
"Well, before it comes to that, let's see if we can handle this legally," Ruben offered, reaching into his desk and bringing out another data pad, tapping at it as he brought up something on the screen. "By law, a woman is exempt from offering herself, or her services, if she falls into one of these categories," he said, looking over at Ravana. "Are you currently with child?"
"NO!" she barked back, at first offended by his question, but then remembering he was only trying to help, she calmed down and shook her head. "No, I am not pregnant."
"Then, are you perhaps already married, a nursing mother, a Tuluvian going through your molting cycle, or have you recently tested positive for the motholayen flu?" he continued listing off the other stipulations.
Ravana had just opened her mouth to inform him that she didn't fit into any of those categories, but Din beat her to the punch.
"The first one," he said, his tone clear and firm. "She's married…to me."
Ummmm, say what?
Wow, looks like Zax isn't the only one who just dumped a load of crap. ha ha.
What will Ravana have to say about this little declaration?
**In honor of Star Wars day, if you leave a review for this chapter, I will send you a small snippet from the next chapter, if you would like it. I will ALSO be posting the next chapter early...as a bonus on Wednesday...so you won't have to wait till Friday to find out what's gunna happen. Then there will also be a regularly scheduled chapter on Friday as well. So send in a review and get a sneak peek!** (I can only send snippets to those with accounts, however...sorry. There's no way to send them to guest reviewers.) :o(
Thanks.
Guest Reviews:
Phantom Guest: Yep, they will be good pals, no worries. Din should be the one to worry however, if they decide to gang up on him or something. ha ha. And now that you found out what Cara had to say about the kid...was it anything you thought it might be? Thanks!
Guest 1711: Awwww, thanks! And wow, already re-reading it and it's not even halfway done yet! I'm glad to hear I'm not repetitive, I do worry about that sometimes, and if I go back and read a chapter and find something I've said before, I do try and fix it. Having a good beta or two helps in that department as well. ha ha. As for your request, I think you are safe. I'm not a smut writer, maybe a little bit of Smut-light (same refreshing taste but half the calories) ha ha. There will be some kissing scenes, IF Din will ever take off his stupid helmet, but there will be no sex scenes. I'm all about the tender moments but as soon as things get serious, I fade to black and pick up the next morning. My mother reads my stories, and I can't go shocking a 70 year old woman! I hope I continue to write clean enough for you. You are also guaranteed never to find a curse word in my stories, unless it's in Mando'a but even then it's still a non-offensive word. That's one thing I found I like about Star Wars...no one every says dirty words that we recognize. Thanks again for your kind review and I hope you continue to enjoy my story. T.O.W.G.