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BONUS WEDNESDAY CHAPTER!

Surprise!

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Chapter 31

~X~

"We are born to die. We live to be remembered."

~Mandalorian proverb~

Din couldn't believe his eyes! Kuiil! But how could this be? Hadn't he buried him on Nevarro? Wasn't he supposed to be dead?

"I...I don't understand," was all Din could get out, staring at his former friend in shock. "I thought you were dead."

"And I was beginning to wonder the same of you, Mandalorian," the Ugnaught stated, his voice low and gravely. "I'm happy to see I was wrong."

"I buried you!" Mando stated loudly, as if raising his voice might somehow make things clearer.

"And I thank you for the sentiment," Kuiil said, nodding his head in gratitude. "Though it was fortunate you didn't bury me too deeply." He then turned and looked at Ravana, who was still holding the kid, with Zax sitting obediently at her feet. "Who is this? And what became of the bitter Shock Trooper you were running with before?"

"Cara chose to stay on Navaro…with Greef," Din explained, still unable to wrap his mind around the fact that Kuiil was somehow alive. "This is Ravana."

"Come. You will be my guests," he invited, gesturing for them to enter his home.

"I want to know what happened!" the Mandalorian demanded.

"Rest first. Talk later." And when Din began to protest further, Kuiil held up his hand. "I have spoken." With that, he turned and headed inside, leaving the others to stare after him.

"Din?" Ravana asked in a quiet voice. "What's going on?"

"I haven't a clue," he responded in a bewildered tone. "But the only way I'm going to find out is to follow him." Here he turned and held out his hand, waiting until she took it. "We will learn the truth together." And in they went.

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The home was just as Din remembered, and when he took a seat in the exact same place he sat during their first meeting, he had an eerie feeling of déjà vu. Was this really happening, or had he hit his head, and this was all some dream? He watched as Kuiil bustled around, handing a drink to Ravana, as well as a stick of bread for the kid– which he took and ate greedily. Then, when he felt his guests had been cared for, the Ugnaught sat down and began to speak.

"You know very little about my species, I take it," he stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I know next to nothing," Din admitted. Yes, he had heard that his kind were good with tools, that they could build or fix most anything - the help he'd been given with the Razor Crest still fresh in his mind. Yet, as Kuiil said, Din knew very little beyond that.

"When an Ugnaught is injured, his body shuts down," Kuiil explained. "We go into a form of hibernation as we attempt to repair the damage. This is why my species were often used as slaves, due to our regenerative capabilities. The blaster wound I took to my back almost killed me, yet I survived."

"I…I didn't know," Din confessed, sounding horrified over what he'd done. "I never would have buried you, had I known."

"And yet, by burying me in the ground, you not only showed me honor, but the action also aided in my recovery. The ground was warm from the volcanic activity in the area, thus keeping my body temperature at a comfortable level. And it also protected me from any scavengers who might have come along and devoured me while I healed." He looked up at Din, his face serious, yet his eyes held a great deal of gratitude. "I would not have recovered otherwise. You have my thanks."

"No! You were shot because of me," Din was not about to let go of his guilt that quickly. "I deserve no thanks. It is to you I'm indebted."

"I came of my own free will," Kuiil said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You should harbor no guilt over the incident." He then turned his head towards Ravana, eyeing the kid in her arms. "I see that the child has survived…as have you. Tell me what took place. I woke and crawled out of the ground only to find your ship gone, leading me to believe one of two things had happened. You had left of your own accord…or someone stole your vessel. Though I could not see any thief taking the time to give me a proper burial before doing so."

"We were able to escape the Imperials…which turned out to be more than we'd first assumed there were," Din explained. "We were pinned down in the bar, with a whole squad of Troopers surrounding us outside. That's when your droid showed up with the kid, offering a distraction as well as cover for us to strike."

"And what became of IG-11? I attempted to signal him but got no response. I assumed he had been destroyed," Kuiil reasoned sadly.

"In the process of escaping down the lava tunnels, he sacrificed himself to save the child, just as you'd programed him to," Din related, his tone also filled with sorrow.

"I did not program him to do such a thing," Kuiil denied, looking both perplexed and a bit proud. "I taught him right from wrong and gave him a sense of honor and duty…but the rest was him."

"Then you taught him better than you intended to," Din stated. "He chose to self-destruct, taking out the enemy so that the child and the rest of us could escape."

Kuiil nodded in understanding, a proud smile coming over his weathered face.

"I am sorry he's gone, but his sacrifice I see was not in vain," he gestured to the kid. "It is good that he survived."

"It's good that you did as well," Din pointed out. "How did you get back here? Cara and Greef seemed to know nothing of you being alive...or at least they never said anything about it."

"I did not go into town or seek them out once I revived," he revealed. "I had no idea if you had won or if you were all dead. I figured I ran the chance of being captured, or killed, if I did. So, I headed for another settlement, where I found work for a time, earning enough credits to buy passage back here to Arvala-7. I've been here ever since." He looked around the room thoughtfully. "Though I will admit that without IG-11, things are a bit quieter now."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Din asked, wanting to somehow pay him back for all he'd done and suffered on his account. "Any way I can make up for what you lost?"

"Knowing you and the child survived is enough for me," Kuiil told him. "As always, you are my guest, therefor I am in your service." He turned to Ravana, who had been taking in everything though remaining quiet. "You will stay in my home for the evening, take a meal, and rest."

"Oh…thank you," she stammered, looking to Din for direction. "But I'm not sure we can stay."

"I have spoken," Kuiil stated, turning away as he headed for the kitchen.

When Ravana opened her mouth to protest, Din held up his hand.

"He has spoken…there's no arguing with him after that," he chuckled. And suddenly a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, one he'd been carrying since he placed the final stone upon Kuiil's grave. "Looks like we're staying the night."

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The evening was very enjoyable, with both Din and Kuiil relating what had transpired since they last saw each other. The Ugnaught was very interested in hearing all about the kid's people, and how they'd met up with an actual Jedi. Ravana had laughed when he'd told her how Din had been thrown many times from the back of the Blurg when he'd been learning to ride. She could tell that Din was a bit embarrassed by this, but he'd held his tongue and not said a word against Kuiil for relating the story. It was good to see her Mandalorian acting so comfortable around the Ugnaught, the two of them having formed a comradery of sorts, one based on mutual respect.

Kuiil had whipped up a delicious meal, one Ravana was not about to let Din miss out on. Thus, she told their host how she'd rigged up a curtain so that he could eat in their company while removing his helmet. Then, quick as a flash, Kuiil fashioned something similar, allowing Mando to dine with them as well.

"Going after this Gideon will not be easy," Kuiil had warned them after they had finished their supper. "He must still have a great deal of power if he was able to command such a large number of troopers as you say. Best to avoid him, is my way of thinking."

"If we don't take the fight to him, he will simply continue to hunt us," Din argued. "I will not have us looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. He must be stopped."

"We've given this a lot of thought," Ravana added, reaching down to wipe the kid's face, which was currently covered with much of his dinner. "Gideon will stop at nothing to get his hands on this little guy. It's the only way to protect him. The only way we can all be free."

"Freedom is a precious thing," Kuiil nodded. "Long have I slaved for the privilege of dictating my own destiny. I will not try to deter you from gaining that for yourselves. I also wish to offer my assistance."

"Thank you, but no. I will not have you risking your life a second time," Din stated firmly. "I don't even want Ravana coming along, though I fear she would simply follow me anyway and only get into more trouble on her own."

"I would too," she warned him, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Which part? Follow me, or get into trouble?" he asked, his tone light with humor.

"Both," she laughed, liking this version of Din very much. Finding Kuiil alive had done wonders for his mood, and she only hoped it would stay that way. Having spent the evening within the Ugnaught's home had been nice, reminding her of their time on Pessue…before Gideon had ruined everything. Even Zax and the kid seemed to be enjoying themselves, scampering around as they chased a little frog that happened to hop too close to the entrance of the house.

This got Ravana wondering what their lives might be like after they dealt with Gideon. Would Din want to settle down somewhere? Perhaps go back to Anoah in order to help his Mandalorian clan? He'd said he wanted to marry her by the traditions of his people - whatever that entailed - but did that mean she would have to start wearing a helmet too? This was something that hadn't occurred to her before.

Oh well, she thought to herself, she'd just have to navigate that asteroid field when she came to it. Though, to be honest, there wasn't much she wouldn't do if it meant being with Din.

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she'd missed what Kuiil had been saying until she heard him mention the word bed.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked politely.

"I said, you can have that room there, while Mando will take the other one over here," he repeated, gesturing to two separate chambers, one on either side of the house. "I assume the child will stay with you?"

"Oh…um, yes, that's fine," she agreed, though looking to Din in hopes that he might speak up and ask if they could share a room. Sadly, he didn't.

"Then I will bid you goodnight," Kuiil said, heading for his own chambers as well. "I will cook breakfast in the morning and then show you around my place a bit before you go." And even though she was not about to argue the fact, he still raised his hand in a gesture of finality. "I have spoken." And then he was gone.

"He certainly knows how to end a conversation," Ravana chuckled, finding that she really enjoyed the Ugnaught's quirky ways. No wonder Din had been so despondent when he'd thought the fellow had died.

"That he does," Din agreed, stepping over to the chamber he'd been assigned and pulling back the curtain that served as a door. There were several windows cut into the ceiling, which sadly didn't have any coverings or way of blocking out all the light. "Looks like I'll be sleeping with my helmet on," he muttered. "Probably best that you have a room of your own."

"Oh…right," she nodded, seeing the wisdom in his words, but not liking the idea of sleeping without him. Funny how she'd become used to doing so in such a short time. "Well…I guess this is goodnight then."

"Yes," he agreed, though she thought he sounded as pleased about the idea as she was. "I'll see you in the morning."

"All right," she nodded, reaching down to scoop up the kid. It was then that she realized that the frog they'd been chasing was nowhere to be seen. Narrowing her eyes, she stared at the goofy grin on his little green face. "Please tell me you didn't catch that thing and eat it…did you?" The only response she got from him was some childish babble, and a loud burp, making her shut her eyes and groan. "You did, didn't you?"

"Most likely," Din agreed, sounding more amused by this than she thought he should. Still, he wasn't the one who would be sleeping with the kid either, so why wouldn't he be?

"All right, but if it doesn't agree with him and he gets sick all over the bed, you're the one who'll be cleaning it up, understand?" she warned Din, giving him a stern look.

"Highly unlikely," he told her, stepping inside his room and grabbing hold of the curtain. "He's got a cast-iron stomach. Good night." And pulling the cloth barrier, he disappeared from her sight.

"Would serve him right if I sent Zax in to sleep with him," she muttered to herself, heading for the room Kuiil had designated for her.

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Once again, Din had removed his armor, and stripped down to his pants, choosing to sleep bare chested. He spent the majority of his life encased in beskar, it was nice to feel the fresh breeze coming through the windows on his skin. It would have been even better if he could remove his helmet as well, but with no way to block out all the ambient light, he was resigned to keeping it on. Din had just slipped into bed when he heard a whispered voice.

"Are you awake?" It was Ravana…since who else would it have been?

Rising, he headed over and pulled the curtain back, finding just the one he'd expected, and always longed to see. Oddly though, she stood there wearing a piece of cloth tied around her head, covering her eyes from view.

"What's this?" he asked, reaching up and running his fingers along the edge just above her ear.

"A temporary solution to an ongoing problem," she grinned. "Since you can't remove your helmet due to the light…I thought I could remove my ability to see anything. Will this buy me a few kisses and some time in your arms?"

"I think it will," he laughed, pulling her inside and guiding her over to the bed. He wasn't sure why, but the thought of having her completely at his mercy had a thrilling appeal to him. Still, he would be a gentleman, and not press his advantage in any way. "I do have to ask…when did you put the blindfold on? What if you'd gone to the wrong room? I'm not sure what Kuiil would have done if he'd found you sneaking into his room."

"Wait…what? You mean you're not Kuill?" she gasped, placing her hand over her mouth dramatically. "Oh dear, my mistake."

"That's not even funny," Din growled, a spark of jealousy springing to life in him, even though he knew she was joking. Yet, where Ravana was concerned, he found himself lacking any humor in that department. She was his, marked by the bonding bracelets they still wore, though one day soon he hoped to make it permanent…Mandalorian style.

"Oh, right, I forgot that you have no sense of humor," she stated, attempting to sound repentant, but the wide grin on her face gave her away. "Still, I think you've improved in quite a few other areas lately."

"And what areas are those?" he asked, easing her down on the bed as he assisted her under the covers.

"Well, this, for one thing," she told him, gesturing to where she currently lay. "You have really begun to excel in the romance department. In fact, I hardly remember that stuffy, emotionless man I first met on Pessue. I like this Mando much better."

"Do you, now?" he snickered, removing his helmet before climbing in beside her and gathering her in his arms.

"Oh yes, he's much more…relatable," she finished, having had to search for the right word. "When we first met, you were so stiff and rigid that I could almost imagine you'd been raised by a protocol droid. You had your code, your programming, and nothing would sway you from it. But now…" Here she reached up and stroked the side of his face with her hand. "Now you're this real man…and I love every inch of him."

"I'm always going to have that programming, as you say," he told her, placing his own palm over hers, loving the feel of her skin on his. "I'm a Mandalorian. And though I might not have been born into the creed…it's a part of me, through and through. Is that something you can live with?"

"Day after day for the rest of my life," she assured him. "Just…try and remember to simply be Din Djarin every now and then, especially when it's just you and me. Don't get me wrong, I love that whole Mandalorian warrior side of you, but I know that's not all there is."

"I promise that the role of your husband will always be my first priority," Din swore, sealing his oath with a tender kiss.

"Your role as a father should come in a close second, though," she reminded. "The kid needs your time and attention too."

"Hmmm," he muttered, his tone one of humor. "That's a lot for one man to take on so quickly. Husband and father…what's next?"

"Whatever you want," Ravana giggled. "The universe is endless, and we can go wherever you want - do whatever you want. Just lead the way and we'll follow."

"That sounds nice," he told her with a smile. "But first things first. Gideon needs dealt with, and then we get that price off your head. After that, we'll decide together what our future holds. Deal?"

"Deal," she agreed, snuggling into his side as she gave a yawn. "I better not stay too much longer. Can't have Kuiil finding us here like this. Bonding bracelets or not, he might not understand."

"True…especially since I never did mention we were sort of married," Din nodded. "I guess I'm still just getting used to the idea myself." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Rest for a bit and I'll wake you when it's time."

"All right," Ravana said, another big yawn escaping her lips. "I love you, Din."

"And I love you," he assured her with a happy smile. Din could tell she was ready to doze off, her voice much lower and her words slurred just a bit. So, cuddling her closer he let his mind drift, trying to decide the best way to take on Gideon. There was always the chance that where they were heading would turn out to be a dead end, but if not, he had to be ready. He still had no idea what Gideon wanted with the kid to begin with. Sure, it had to have something to do with him being Force sensitive, but for what purpose? He recalled the Client talking about extracting the necessary material, yet he never did find out what that was.

Still, it really didn't matter what that maniac wanted, for there was no way Din was going to let anyone touch the kid. He'd spent a lot of years tracking down bounties, capturing them and bringing them back in for the money…but now his priorities had changed. This time he was hunting with a purpose, one more near and dear to his heart. Gideon had no idea what he was capable of, nor what he was willing to do to keep those he loved safe. Din would end this once and for all. That was his goal.

When he too began to yawn, sleep threatening to take over, he blinked his eyes a few times and reached for his helmet. Once it was securely back in place, he gently removed the blindfold from Ravana's eyes.

"Hey, beautiful, wake up," he whispered, brushing his fingers gently over her cheek. "Time for you to go back to your own bed."

"Just five more minutes," she begged, snuggling in closer to him without even opening her eyes.

"All right, but then it's back you go," he chuckled, leaning against the headboard and shutting his own eyes. Five more minutes wouldn't hurt, he decided. Unfortunately, that was the last thing that crossed his mind before sleep overtook him as well.

Shhhhh, they're sleeping. Awwww, aren't they cute.

Well...how did you like my theory on why Kuiil is still alive? Granted I did make up most of that, since there is practically NOTHING written down about Ugnaughts...that I could find. BUT, I am basing my theory on a small threat of evidence from a scene during the final episode of Rebels. Hondo was mourning over his dead Ugnaught crew member, Belch, who had been shot. Only for the little guy to miraculously wake up and be all right. So, I say he went into a state of hibernation, healed himself, and was all better! And even if that is not what happened, I'm going with it...call it creative license. ha ha.

And even though Kuiil is not going with them on their mission to take down Gideon (because Din couldn't take him dying a second time) I just HAD to bring our favorite Ugnaught back. He really did have a lousy death scene...I mean come on...the ONE time those Speeder-bike troopers actually hit something, and it HAD to be Kuiil? He deserves better. Hence, he's back!

See you all on Friday!

Guest Review:

Phantom Guest: yes, Embo is pretty honorable. And who wouldn't like Din? I like the forehead bump too...since really that's ALL they can do with that helmet on. ha ha. Well...are you happy it WAS Kuiil? Thanks for the review!