The team of four had each become absorbed in their own thoughts as the Gauntlet travelled through hyperspace toward Mandalore.

After a while, Med headed back down to check on his patients. No one made a comment when he stepped away.

Cara noticed things got quiet in the cockpit after Med left, realizing then that the only conversation had been between her and the medic. They hadn't talked of anything in particular, just things to pass the time once there was nothing really to do but watch the stars go by.

Once Med was gone, the silence became almost oppressive. It didn't feel particularly bad, just… quiet. Cara figured everyone must be getting that post-mission fatigue that sometimes hit after all the action was over.

Not feeling all that tired for some reason – and getting bored with the silence of her other two companions – Cara wandered back down to the main hull to see if the medic needed any help. When she got there, Cara paused before fully entering the deck they'd turned into a temporary medbay.

Commander Harik and those of his people not wounded, but still worn out by everything they'd been through in the last week, were resting. Some were lying down on the spare cots not filled by the injured, while others were sitting on the floor. She was happy to see them getting rest, it was probably the most sleep some of them had gotten in at least a week.

She noticed that Med had turned down nearly all the lights on the deck, making for a peaceful atmosphere as he walked among the cots. He stopped and spoke quietly to the occupant if they were awake, asking how they were feeling, checking readouts on those he'd equipped with monitors, offering water or blankets to any who looked like they needed it.

Cara spotted ration packs near where Commander Harik and his people were resting, proof that Med had also ensured those who wanted it had gotten something to eat. She'd come down to help, only to find that the medic had taken care of every need that could possibly be thought of for his patients.

As she watched Med, Cara got that odd feeling of familiarity again. This time she was determined to figure out what it was about. She took a moment to study Din's brother, trying to discover why she'd felt as if she knew him from somewhere, despite never having met him before.

Maker, it's his armor. It looks almost just like Din's. How could I miss that?

Most of Din's clan sported mis-matched armor in an array of painted colors. They wore it with varying shades of flight suits, cloaks, capes, and other clothing. It was one of the reasons Din stood out among his people. His unpainted beskar, with the leather vest and flight suit in a muted brown, and dark gray cloak were distinctive because of their lack of distinction, standing out in a world of color.

Med's armor was the typical painted alloy used by most Mandalorians, but he kept it all one color – a silvery gray. At a quick glance, the color gave one the impression that it was unpainted metal, like Din's armor. Med's flight suit and leathers were of a similar shade of brown to Din's, though his own cloak was a slightly lighter gray to match his armor. The brown flight suit had always fascinated Cara as in some lights it looked dark gray and other times, almost black. She'd asked Din about it once and he'd said he chose the color after many years hunting, discovering that it tended to help him blend in – as much as a man in full armor could.

There was one major difference between Din and Med's uniform – their accessories. The bounty hunter was dripping in weaponry, from his belt all the way down to his boots. While the medic's gear was simpler, most of it hanging from a belt with varying sized pouches which carried medical instruments, such as scanners, cauterizers, bacta, even bandages.

Din was rigged out for battle, while Med was rigged out for healing. Med did carry weapons though, and Cara assumed he must do so at all times, judging by the fact that there were places on his belt for them. The medic had a blaster that was similar but not exactly the same as Din's old one. Though the bounty hunter now sported the double blaster pistols he'd snagged from a couple of Imps during the battle to retake Mandalore.

Med also had a vibroblade like Din's, which made Cara speculate that it might be useful for medical purposes as well, to cut through the thick underclothing and padding worn by Mandalorians so he could treat injuries.

Med was outfitted with vambraces like Din's and, by the look of them, they had flamethrowers as well. But she'd also seen Med studying them while walking among his patients, pressing keys on the small pad near his wrist. That led her to believe they could tap into the monitors he had on the people he was treating, allowing him to check on their condition remotely. It was a brilliant idea and a purpose she never would have thought of for a piece of Din's accoutrements she'd only seen utilized as weapons.

Din and Med also had similar helmets, neither choosing to sport a rangefinder as so many other Mandalorians did, even Bo and the other Nite Owls Cara had observed during her brief visit of Mandalore.

With all the similarities, Cara felt like it was almost as if Med and Din (whether they'd purposely done so or even realized it) had found a way to portray themselves as brothers, to suggest familial ties without showing anyone their faces.

Now that Cara knew why Med had felt familiar to her from the moment she'd met him, a part of her was able to stand down, one she hadn't realized had been on alert. But now another part came to attention, one that was more fascinated by the medic than before. She didn't quite know what to make of that, so she chose to ignore it for the moment. She would figure it out at some point, just as she had with the armor. For now, there was no need to dwell on it.

While Cara had been pondering Med's armor, the medic had finished checking over all his patients and settled quietly at a table set up in the far corner of the hull. It was one of the few places on the deck that had an overhead light, and she tipped her head curiously when she saw him pull out several books from one of the bags he'd dropped next to his chair. Not a holoscreen. Actual books with paper.

This, Cara had to see.

With the stealth of a well-trained soldier, Cara sidled up next to the medic and read over his shoulder. What she saw surprised her more than even the sight of actual books.

"You're studying for a medical license?"

Med gave a small start at the sound of her quiet voice over his shoulder. Though it was a lot less of a jump than others had done when she'd pulled the same move. Cara added that as another positive point toward the medic.

"Yes, I need one…uh….because…" Med suddenly felt awkward, as if he would be bragging by telling Cara what his future looked like. She only knew him as a field medic. What would she think of him if she knew everything that was in store for him on Mandalore?

"Because he's going to run our medical center," Bo finished for him, coming down from the cockpit at that moment. She kept her voice low, noticing many of the New Republic people sleeping.

"Once I saw him work while Din was poisoned," Bo continued as she walked closer. "I knew he was exactly who we needed to get our hospital up and running again."

"Running a whole hospital, huh?" Cara tried to keep her voice neutral, trying not to show just how impressed she was by that fact. Something told her she'd done a piss-poor job of it though when she caught Bo's smile. The Mand'alor nodded at them both before heading over to have a quiet conversation with Commander Harik.

Med shrugged in response to Cara's query. "Eventually, plus I'm sure I'll have help. I'm no administrator. But for now, I just need to concentrate on this."

He sighed, holding up the book of facts and figures that would be only one part of the extensive medical exam he needed to pass.

"Do you… uh… want help?"

"Help?"

"Yeah, I'll quiz you. I'm betting you've probably read all of this a few times, right?" She indicated the small pile of books in front of him.

"You could say that."

"Good, then you should know it by now." Cara snatched the book from Med's hands before he could protest, pulling up another nearby chair to sit at the table.

"All right, Rosca, let's see what you're made of."

Med chuckled as Cara opened the text to a random section and asked him a question. He got the answer right, almost to his own surprise, and she moved on to another page.

The former shock trooper kept up her questioning as they hurtled towards Mandalore. Sometimes Cara stopped to ask Med how to pronounce some of the medical jargon, a few times also asking him to explain what it meant.

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Din sat alone in the cockpit after the others left. Not much for chit-chat on his best day, he'd listened to Med and Cara but hadn't offered any remarks during their conversation. He noted that Bo was also quiet but being that she wasn't always one to chat either, he didn't think too much of it. He also tried not to think too much about his own silence. After all, it was typical for him.

Wasn't it?

Once he was alone, Din idly checked their course to see how much longer it would be until they made it to Mandalore. With his work for the New Republic still under wraps, they couldn't fly the rescued outpost crew to any planet where they might be questioned as to what a team of Mandalorians (and a Special Forces soldier) were doing with a crew of New Republic people.

They'd initially thought of trying to rendezvous with another New Republic ship, but that idea had been scrapped when Teva discovered how many wounded they'd picked up. Instead, Teva had requested that Din and his team take the crew back to Mandalore and provide as much treatment as they could with their own (currently limited) medical facilities.

Once the outpost crew were stabilized and rested, Teva would send one of the prison transport ships that often worked with Din to come get them. The prison ship crew would report that they had been the ones who did the rescue, then bring the outpost people back home.

Din contacted Teva to give the captain an update, then checked in with one of the Guardians watching over Grogu. He sent a message to say they were on their way back and to let his son know he'd see him soon.

After those duties were completed, Din went back to silence.

He finally decided to head back down to the main deck. This was his mission after all, it was his duty to check in on the outpost crew and ensure they were doing well. Not that he had any doubt that Med was doing what needed to be done, but it was still his responsibility.

When he got below, Din found Bo talking quietly with Commander Harik, while Med and Cara seemed to be in some sort of discussion. He noticed Cara holding one of Med's medical texts and realized that the shock trooper was giving the medic a quiz. It might surprise those who didn't know Cara well, but helping a person she'd just met with something very important to him was not actually all that out of character for her. Din, more than anyone, had seen how kind she was under that tough façade.

Din walked over to Bo and the commander. Something flashed across his awareness when he saw her talking to Harik and not with Med. Perhaps he had read too much into what he thought he'd seen earlier, when he assumed there might be a connection between Bo and his brother. Med was naturally more gregarious, of course Bo and Cara would find it easy to talk with him. But once he saw that Bo wasn't the one giving Med his exam, it made Din think that there probably wasn't anything more between them than friendship.

The commander looked up when he saw Din approaching, smiling broadly, and reaching out his hand.

"I understand from Lady Kryze here that you're the one who took this mission. I just wanted to thank you for helping my people."

"Of course," Din dipped his head.

"You've got quite the team," Harik turned to look over at Med and Cara. "Here I am talking with this fine lady, only to discover that she's none other than Lady Kryze herself. Even I've heard the tales about the Mandalorian princess who took back Mandalore."

"Which wouldn't have happened if not for this particular Mandalorian, commander. May I introduce Din Djarin, our mission leader."

For a brief second, Bo had been tempted to introduce Din as "Lord Djarin", but she still wasn't sure if Greef had mentioned the title or not. Din hadn't spoken about it and if he didn't know, now would not be the right time to spring it on him. She needed to get Din alone to ask him about it at some point.

"Good to meet you, sir," Harik said.

"Please, call me Din. Or Mando if you prefer."

"Din," the commander corrected, choosing to use the name and not the title offered by the Mandalorian. "And I notice you've got a Special Forces soldier with you if I'm not mistaken. Borrowed I'm assuming, since Teva let me know that your work is purely confidential."

"That's correct. Cara Dune was a former shock trooper."

"I had a feeling she was something like that. Those former rebel soldiers have a certain way about them that's hard to miss. And the medic? He's good. I've been watching and nothing much gets past him from what I can see."

Din chuckled. "As one who has been treated by him for many years, I can attest to that. The medic is my brother, Balmed Rosca."

"Who will be leading our new medical center on Mandalore as soon as it is built," Bo pointed out. Din turned to her with a brief look, which felt like gratitude. She gave a quick nod in reply.

The commander shook his head, blowing out an impressed breath. "As I said, quite a team."

Once assured that all was well with the rescued crew, Din followed Bo back to the bridge. When they got there, the two settled into their customary seats in the pilot and navigator chairs. There was more silence, but this time it was a comfortable one. Not unlike ones they'd experienced on previous missions when the conversation had naturally run out.

"It was a good mission," Bo finally said, keeping her eyes forward as she watched the stars.

"It was," Din agreed. "thanks to my team."

"We did make a good crew, didn't we?"

"We did. If I need another team of four again, next time I might put Cara with Med since they're getting along so well."

"Oh?" Bo tried not to allow the relief to show in her voice, still keeping her eyes trained ahead.

"I like to mix things up if I can."

"Of course."

"It's been a while since I ran a mission with Cara. Sometimes I …," Din paused.

"What?"

"I almost called her 'Bo', I had to catch myself," Din admitted with a soft chuckle.

Bo swallowed a grin that was fighting to show itself at his confession, then made an admission of her own.

"If it makes you feel any better, I may have almost called Med 'Din' once."

"Oh?" Bo wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a smile in his voice.

"Well, like you said, we have worked together a lot recently."

"That's true. We make a good team."

"We do."

They went back to their comfortable silence, resuming their typical duties as Bo brought them out of hyperspace for the last part of the journey to Mandalore. Din went about navigating as he usually did when they were on the Gauntlet together. It felt familiar, easy.

The only thing missing was a tiny green child sitting in Bo's lap.

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"Well, it was good to meet you," Cara said as she finished helping Med get the last of the wounded settled into Mandalore's medbay. "I've got to head back to my ship. I only took a couple of days leave and have to report for duty soon."

"No rest for the wicked, I guess?" Med said, tilting his head sideways that was so like Din and yet also not. In the short time she'd gotten to know him, Cara had already begun to see the differences between the brothers.

"Something like that," Cara chuffed a brief laugh.

"It was good to meet you as well," Med continued. "Any friend of Din's… as they say. Though after all that we went through on this mission, I'd like to say you're a friend of mine as well."

"Good, because I'd say the same thing. And I don't just declare someone a friend because another friend vouches for them. That really only gets me about halfway there."

"And what gets you the rest of the way?"

"For starters, being a good shot helps."

"Ah," Med gave a sharp nod. "Anything else?"

Cara looked around at the wounded, finding the man Med had carried in on his own while taking out a number of combatants.

"Well, let's just say that I know I can trust someone when they can not only hold their own in the field, but do it while also helping others."

"Good to know."

"Until our paths cross… Med."

Cara offered her arm and Med took it, grasping her forearm as she gripped his in return.

"Until our paths cross… Cara."

Cara dropped her hand as soon as he said her name. She felt… something when he did it. What it was she didn't know, and she wasn't inclined to think about it. She gave him a brief nod, then turned and strode off.

Med watched her walking away. When he realized he was smiling to himself under his helmet, he schooled his expression. It didn't matter that no one could see it. He didn't know why he was smiling, so he stopped and went back to working on the wounded.

He did allow himself one final look at her retreating back though.

Cara was also smiling to herself as she walked away from the medic. She didn't know why. She wrote it off as just the usual euphoria and adrenaline rush that came after a good mission, especially one that ended well. Everyone came back alive and in one piece, and they'd managed to save all the people they'd been asked to rescue. You couldn't ask for a better outcome than that.

Yep, that must be the reason for the smile, she told herself.

Cara walked over to where Din was speaking with Harik. The commander excused himself, after shaking both of their hands, walking to Bo to give her his thanks as well.

"Well, Mando, this has been great, but I need to head back to my unit," Cara said.

"That fast?"

"Yeah, I got a message they need me ASAP so I'm going to head to my ship."

"Wait, I can walk you…," Din paused to look around at the people still being settled into beds, the junior medics helping as Med walked around giving orders.

"It's fine," Cara reassured her friend. "You need to finish up here and I don't need my hand held."

"Alright, well… until our paths cross." Din held out his arm and she grasped it.

"Until our paths cross."

Cara walked away, stopping briefly to shake Bo's hand.

"It was good to see you again, Your Highness," Cara raised her eyebrows and Bo chuckled at the tease from the shock trooper.

"And you as well. I hope you'll come back and visit us again. You're always welcome here on Mandalore, you know."

"Thanks, I'll remember that. Good luck with everything. I look forward to seeing this place turned back into what it should be."

Cara looked around thoughtfully and Bo felt like the soldier was looking at more than just the medbay where they were standing.

"It's good that you have this chance… to bring back your home."

"It is," Bo nodded, understanding in her eyes. She knew what the teardrop tattoo meant, having seen it on other people who'd lost loved ones in the destruction of Alderaan. Bo knew more than anyone what it was like to have your entire home taken away, but unlike Cara, she and her fellow Mandalorians had a chance to get their world back. It made her feel empathy for the Alderaanian, appreciating the other woman's ability to bounce back from such a massive loss.

As the soldier walked away, Bo noticed that Din didn't follow and that the two had said goodbye here rather than at her ship. It suggested a friendship but not anything more, which made Bo wonder if she'd been reading too much into Din and Cara's relationship based on how well they worked together on the mission.

Med too had noticed the brief farewell between his brother and Cara. He also decided that perhaps there was nothing more than simply a good friendship between the two. Though as he watched Bo watching Din and Cara, he still held onto his theory about the other possible female interest in Din. At least enough to keep watching and see what happened.

Din went to the Gauntlet to gather his bag, also grabbing some of Med's gear to assist the medic who was still dealing with the influx of wounded.

"Thanks, brother," Med said when Din brought everything back to the medbay.

"No problem. Do you need any other help?" Din looked around at the flurry of activity, noting that everything seemed to be under control.

"No, I've got it from here. We're going to get everyone checked out and I'm betting most will be able to go in a day or two. Many of them just need time to rest and recover from their ordeal more than anything else."

"That's good to hear."

Med noticed the thoughtful sound of Din's voice, knowing exactly where his mind was going.

"Djar, go get your son. We're fine here."

"You sure?" Din wasn't surprised Med saw through him. It had only been a little over a day, but he missed his son.

"Go, Djar."

"Thanks, brother."

But Din didn't head immediately to the training grounds, he paused first to speak with their Mand'alor.

"Everything has been cleared off the Gauntlet," he informed her.

"Thank you. I'm…uh… surprised Cara left so quickly."

"She had to get back to her unit."

"Right, of course. She seems like a good … friend."

"She is. There aren't many I can reach out to that I trust like I do you, Med, and her. I was very glad to have all of you on this job. Thank you again."

"Of course."

"We made a good team of four."

"We did."

They stood awkwardly for several seconds, neither knowing quite what to say.

Din wanted badly to relax around Bo, to drop his beskar walls a bit like he did with Cara. Being around his old friend again had reminded him that he was able to do that sometimes, with some people. He'd told Bo on Life Day that she was basically family, so why couldn't he act the same way with her that he did with Cara? It didn't make sense to him. Bo was naturally a bit more standoffish but not terribly so, not enough for him to think she'd be upset with him if he were to act the same way, and yet he still couldn't do it.

"I guess you're leaving now?" Bo felt foolish even as the words came out of her mouth but wasn't sure what else to say.

"I was going to get Grogu from the training grounds and make his dinner. I'll stay in the beroya's quarters tonight if that's all right. I'd rather not leave for the cabin until morning."

"You don't need to ask my permission, Din. The beroya's quarters is your home here on Mandalore. You can come and go as you like." Bo sighed internally at his need to ask her to stay in the home she'd given him. Still the gentleman.

"Right, sorry. I'm still getting used to having my own place here. Thank you again for that. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. So, I guess I'll see you," she said awkwardly, turning to leave.

"Bo?"

Din's quiet voice turned her on her heel.

"Yes?"

"Like I said, I'm making Grogu dinner. I stocked up before the job took us away, so I have plenty. Would you like to join us? Or technically join him, since I won't be eating with you."

Bo paused, not entirely understanding the feelings that hit her at her invitation. She didn't realize she'd actually forgotten to speak until Din's voice broke through her muddled thoughts.

"Unless you're too busy."

"No, I'm not."

"Good because…actually dinner is kind of a bribe."

"A bribe?"

"I.. uh… need your help with something. I wanted to see if I could lower Grogu's bed and it's not as simple as the one at the cabin. I could really use a second pair of hands."

"I'd be happy to. And you don't have to bribe me with dinner to help you, Din. Though I won't ever turn down your cooking. You're getting quite good at it, judging by that late Life Day dinner you made all of us."

"Thanks. I would've asked Med, but he's got the wounded to attend to, and studying to do. Besides if I did ask him, something tells me I'd need to at least give him dinner to take with him."

Bo laughed lightly, knowing that Din was probably right – if only because she happened to know that the medic didn't like to cook.

"I will admit I'm happy this deal does include a meal though, because I'm starving after that mission. Aren't you hungry? Can you wait that long to eat?"

"I'll live. I do it all the time," he shrugged.

"Well, tonight you're not. We're having dinner before we fix Grogu's bed. And you're not waiting until I leave, either. I'll eat with the green bean in the kitchen, and you're going to eat in your room."

Din chuckled at the way she took over his plans, just as she had when she put herself on the mission and decided they'd be taking her ship. For some reason he found he didn't mind it when she took over things sometimes.

"Is that an order?" he asked affably.

"Do I have to make it one?" she challenged, just as good-naturedly.

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "No, my lady. That sounds like a good idea to me. Now that you mention it, I feel like I could eat a bantha myself after that mission."

For some reason Bo didn't mind the "my lady" this time. Maybe because he'd also asked for her help. Not only that but there was… something about the way he said it. Almost as if he was using it as a nickname, much like he called Grogu "buddy" or "kid." She realized too that she hadn't heard him call anyone else by a nickname other than his son. Except when he referred to Med as "brother".

Also, if she didn't know better, she'd swear that he was teasing her, just a smidge. Not quite the same way he did with Cara, but still. Maybe this was just Din's way – being polite and acting like a gentleman, but also having just a bit of fun. She decided she liked the balance of having the gentleman and the relaxed friend.

She and Din did have a different kind of friendship. But no one ever said different had to be better or worse. It was just… different.

Both were smiling as they walked off together. Din's grin was hidden under his helmet but no less wide than the woman walking by his side.

The two wrote it off as just the usual feelings of relief, almost elation, that came after the adrenaline rush of a difficult mission that ended well. They'd rescued the lost crew, the New Republic were going in to clean up the Imps, and none of them had gotten injured. It was the best resolution on all counts.

Yep, that had to be the reason for the smile, they each told themselves as they walked together to pick up Grogu.

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There you have it, folks! Another episode of this series is done. What are we thinking about the slow burn(s) so far. I know Cara and Med's just started, but what about Bo and Din's? Is it too slow or just right? I'm already working on the next chapter and curious if I should speed things up or keep with the current pace.

As always, thanks for reading, liking, commenting, reviewing, etc!

-Moki