Andra paused outside the three idling transport ships to observe the tragedy unfolding in her village. Families of her clan streamed from their cottages onto the waiting spacecraft, huddled together, moving slowly under the burden of the belongings that they carried and suffering the effects of chantarum poisoning. Andra scuffed at the sandy Salinius ground with her boot. These would be the final moments her clan would spend on the planet that they had called home.
Calan hauled a last load of equipment from his forge into one of the ships. He struggled up the ramp as he fought against the worsening symptoms of the chantarum toxicity. Andra met him there. She helped her brother load the equipment onto the ship then stood side by side with him watching the last of Clan Crystal leaving the village, boarding the ships, and becoming refugees, losing their home in the face of Imperial destruction.
Calan slumped to the floor. "Andra." He said, breathless. "I'm sorry. I can't fly the ship. You'll have to get us to Mandalore."
Andra took one long, last look at her village. Stormtroopers emerged from the forest. She closed the ramp and rushed to the cockpit. She gazed at the village below as she piloted her ship into space. The stormtroopers that had swarmed the village made a rushed retreat back towards the mine. Metallic tendrils slithered from the mysterious boxes the stormtroopers had left. The streams of silver liquid slinked towards the village buildings.
Moments later, a brilliant orange ball of fire blossomed into the air. A deep boom sounded from below. Turbulence rocked the transport and radiation sensors alarmed as Andra piloted the craft into the upper atmosphere. Andra gaped in shock at the destruction below as her village was vaporized in a nuclear inferno.
Aclik reclined in his office chair, his elbows resting on its armrests, his fingers tented contentedly in front of him as he watched the hologram replay. He grinned wider as he watched the fiery destruction of the Salinius village yet again. Chantarum's explosive power was even more potent than he'd expected it to be.
The dark side tugged at Aclik's mind. The vague knowledge of an Outer Rim world came to mind— the world of Vrogas Vas—a rocky, inhospitable planet that hosted the ruins of an ancient Jedi temple. Aclik called to the bridge for the Chimaera's course to be set for Vrogas Vas—his plans had become clearer.
Din checked the chrono on his helmet's display—the time had come to go to Club Insomnia for the nightspot's grand reopening. Din rose from his throne. With a tap of his vambrace, Grogu's pram floated behind him, following him out of the room.
Bo-Katan, Axe, and Koska met Din in the palace hallway.
"Ready to go to the club?" Din asked.
The frown on Bo-Katan's face didn't match the triumphant occasion of the day. "We can't," Bo-Katan explained. "We've received a distress call from a tribe of Mandalorians."
"I should help." Din said, a wary uncertainty in his voice.
"We'll take care of it." Axe assured. "You go to the club, as acting Mand'alor, it's important for you to be there for such a milestone in Mandalore's growth."
Grogu cooed curiously at his dad's troubled disposition as Din led the kid's pram to Club Insomnia.
"It's alright kid." Din assured. "I just have a bad feeling about what Bo-Katan said.
Sun drenched warmth radiated from the dusty floor of the ancient Vrogas Vas Jedi temple as Luke Skywalker sat in meditation, his mind at peace, pondering the precepts recorded in an ancient Jedi text he had just discovered. As Luke sat in deep contemplation of truths within the ancient text, he failed to notice the shift in the Force from another craft that had landed on the planet.
The Imperial Lambda shuttle's ramp descended and Aclik emerged. Silently he stalked across the Vrogas Vas's rocky surface. Just ahead, in the ruins of the temple at the top of a small hill, Luke Skywalker sat deep in meditation. Aclik crouched behind a boulder. He stretched his hand towards his target and projected the power of the dark side of the Force towards the Jedi.
Luke shifted as he sat. He balled his hands into frustrated fists and shook his head, trying to break free from the sudden compelling influence of the dark side.
Luke stood, entranced. His glossed over eyes gazed blankly across the rocky landscape. He walked to where Aclik hid.
A devious grin played on Aclik's lips as the Galaxy's most revered Jedi stood before him docile, ready to receive his instructions and do his bidding.
"Come." Aclik said.
Luke followed without a word or a hint of suspicion. He stopped where Aclik stopped, outside the Lambda shuttle, looking to Aclik expectantly.
Aclik disappeared into the shuttle and returned with a box. He opened the lid.
Luke gazed at the shimmering silver beads of chantarum within.
"Take this explosive to Mandalore." Aclik explained. "You'll get past security. Spread it throughout Sundari. I'll take care of the rest."
Wordlessly, the enthralled Jedi obeyed. Aclik stood at the ramp of his ship as he watched Luke Skywalker carry the box across Vrogas Vas's rocky terrain, load it onto his X-wing, and take off on a flight path towards Mandalore.
Mandalorians crowded the Club Insomnia dance floor, celebrating the reopening of the club, finally having fun after many hard months of fighting against the Empire. On the balcony above, Paz Vizsla and the Armorer cherished the sight of the carefree crowd below. Din Djarin however, hunched against the wall in the shadows, troubled and sullen.
Paz stalked to where Din stood. "What's wrong with you?" He joked, slapping Din on the shoulder. Our people are together and you're over here acting like there's a Star Destroyer hanging above us."
Din said not a word to Paz. The Armorer stepped in. "This is a time worthy of celebration." She noted. "For years, Mandalorians have been scattered, now we are together. This is the way."
"This is the way." Paz parroted.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Din huffed. He pushed away from the wall. "We received a distress call from a tribe of Mandalorians earlier. The last time Mandalore responded to a distress call, Cara died."
"Cara Dune died a warrior's death fighting against Imperial tyranny." The Armorer said. "Because of her sacrifice Nevarro is free."
"And we've beaten the Empire, now we are free." Paz added. "It's time to celebrate all of that."
The display in Din's helmet lit up with the notification of an incoming message. Din held a holoprojector in his hand. The image of Bo-Katan hovered above it. "Clan Crystal has arrived." She said, "Come to the palace for a briefing."
Bo-Katan, Axe and Koska stood waiting in front of council chairs as Din entered the far end of the long throne room. He stopped short of the dais on which his throne stood. "Alright, tell me."
"Clan Crystal is from the planet Salinius." Axe began as he referenced a holo map hovering above Koska's vambrace. "Salinius has been invaded by Imperials seeking to mine its stores of the explosive mineral chantarum." The hologram switched to a graphic displaying chantarum's explosive and toxic effects."The Imperials' unscrupulous mining practices have contaminated Clan Crystal's waters. They were poisoned and forced to flee."
"Imperials?" Din repeated. "The Imps could've followed them here!"
"Doubtful" Bo-Katan rebutted. "The Imperials were likely mining chantarum to make weapons to use on another planet. Clan Crystal's village was collateral damage."
"Much of Clan Crystal is still suffering from chantarum toxicity." Koska added. "There is no cure, only supportive treatment. Most will survive, but we won't be able to save everyone."
"I'll come with you— to help at the hospital, or get them into housing." Din offered.
"No," Bo-Katan insisted, "We need to project that Mandalore is a thriving society now. We need you at the party."
Din pondered what Bo-Katan, Axe and Koska had said as he walked back to Club Insomnia. Grogu growled in his pram— the kid had grown increasingly grumpy over the past hours.
"Mandalorian!"
Din spun around at the unmistakable sound of Luke Skywalker's voice. The Jedi stood on the empty street a few steps behind him. Din looked at Sundari's landing platform that lacked an X-wing, then back to the Jedi "How did you get here?" Din asked, confused.
"I'm parked in the hangar." Luke answered.
The Jedi seemed—off— his eyes dull, his voice flatter, and his movements stiffer than usual. On instinct, Din's hand drifted towards the Darksaber. He sighed, excusing away the suspicion, the paranoia triggered by the reopening of the club and the unusual circumstances of Clan Crystal. He chalked the dread he felt up to nerves, and Luke's unusual behavior up to a long flight and the late hour.
"Grogu's been fussy." Din admitted. "Maybe your Jedi training can help him."
Luke patted the kid's head. Grogu snorted and tilted away from his hand.
"It's late. He's tired." Luke assessed with a wave of his hand toward the kid. "Get him to bed."
"Will do." Din said. "Heading to the club?"
"No." Luke answered. He glanced down at Grogu then back to the Mandalorian, "It will be a busy day of training tomorrow. I need to go meditate."
Din watched Grogu who whined and growled as he fought sleep. A group of familiar faces approached out of the crowded club. Din greeted the Ghost crew, again thanking Hera Syndulla for her help with the battle of Mustafar. He welcomed Sabine back to Mandalore.
Ezra Bridger noticed the tired, irritable Grogu.
"I don't know what's wrong with him." Din admitted. "He's not usually like this."
Ezra glanced around the nightclub thoughtfully. "I heard about what happened here— the poisoned death sticks. Grogu could be sensing remaining dark side energy from that."
"Maybe." Ahsoka said as she picked up the squirming, snorting baby. Grogu blinked his heavy, half-open eyes and laid his head on Ahsoka's chest. "Or maybe he's just tired."
"That's what Luke said." Din concurred. "I'll take him back to the palace and put him to bed."
"Alright, kid." Din turned to the pram that had followed him into the palace's royal bedchamber. "You ready to sleep?"
Grogu's eyes were heavy but his claws clung to the cold beskar rim of his pram and his ears pressed flat against his head as he fought to stay awake— to stay alert to something that scared him.
Din held Grogu close, trying to comfort him while also trying to take off his armor. The agitated, squirming bundle he held made the nightly ritual difficult. Din loosened his cuirass. Grogu pushed it back into place.
Din sighed. "Buddy, you're tired. We have to go to bed."
Grogu sobbed and started to whine. A trickle of tears ran from both of his big eyes.
"I don't know what's wrong." Din said, a hint of exasperation mixed with concern in his voice.
Grogu's pleading eyes gazed into his dad's visor. He pointed out the window and growled into the nighttime darkness.
Resigned to the baby's whim, Din let out another long sigh. "Fine." He said as he snapped his armor back into place. "If it makes you feel better, we'll go take a look."
The coolness of Sundari's night came as a comfort to Din. He had hoped that it would soothe Grogu as well. With most Mandalorians still celebrating at Club Insomnia's grand reopening, the streets near Sundari's palace sat quiet and still.
Nighttime tranquility did nothing to calm the kid. He huddled close to Din's cuirass, his brow furrowed and his ears flattened. He snorted, growled, and groaned. One claw clung to Din's cape, the other pointed into the night, urging Din further into the darkness, towards a threat that only the Force could warn of.
To assure Grogu that there was no danger, Din adjusted the sensors on his helmet and inspected his surroundings. Every surface in Sundari lit up with blobs and tendrils of a volatile material. Din froze in horror as he recognized the explosive from the briefing— chantarum.