Promises and Deals | The Mandalorian

.109

The droid beeps out a frantic response.

"What?" Peli replies. "Of course, you are. You're supposed to be piloting starfighters across the galaxy and fighting tyranny."

As the droid shakes its head, Mando says, "It's falling apart, and besides, I got no room for it on the ship."

"Not entirely true," Alora mutters as she glances at Grogu's space. "To be fair, an astromech can go spelunking easily, depending on the model. Plus, I'm sure Peli would be willing to help out in repairing it and perhaps giving us a family and friends discount?"

Peli's eyes widen. "Of course! Maybe it could do with some polishing, but R5-D4 is as good as the day it came back from serving the Rebellion. The baby could co-pilot, and I'll even give you half-price, and throw in a free oil bath."

"See?" Alora smirks as she turns to Mando. "It'll work. It'll be fine. And who can resist an oil bath?"

Mando stares at her before he lets out a heaving sigh and nods. "Fine. It'll do."

Peli excitedly starts getting everything together. It takes most of the afternoon before they manage to get R5 into the repurposed droid port of the ship. Grogu sits on Alora's lap and she begins to chart their course for the Mandalore system.

"Oh come on, don't be a coward," Peli tells the droid. "You're an astromech, act like one."

"Plus, we're Rebellion veterans together," Alora says without turning to the astromech. "We can exchange war stories. One last adventure."

Peli sighs. "I wouldn't rely too much on this one. Its circuitry is a little fragile."

"Peli, I sided with you," Alora clenches her jaw. "Built for adventure, remember?"

Instead of responding, Peli closes the ship as it starts to whirl. "Sorry! I can't hear you!" She shouts as she hops off the ship and gets far enough away to avoid getting harmed when they take off.

Fireworks explode in the sky around them as they take off, preparing to leave the atmosphere. "We shouldn't have gotten that droid," Mando mumbles.

"Yeah, well, if you're hooked on Mandalore, we need something, and we weren't going to get a better deal." At the silent answer, Alora glances at him. "I'll deal with the droid, don't worry. Maybe it knows R2."

With a sigh, Mando looks down at Grogu. "All right, kid. You ready for an adventure?"

✦✧✦✧✦

Alora had decided to take a nap once they got into hyperdrive. Once again, her dreams were plagued by voices and memories she hoped would eventually stop haunting her: images of a sprawling metropolis with no ground in sight, the vague symbol of the Old Republic on white clone trooper armor, yellow eyes approaching her, suffocating her.

When she woke, she decided to remain lying down instead of sitting up and going back to work. She listens to Mando teaching Grogu about the ship and how to fly it, and it warms her heart. Eventually, she stops shivering too.

"It looks scary, I know," she hears Mando say. "But it was once green and beautiful, back when the songs were written. It's Mandalore, the homeworld of our people. Every Mandalorian can trace their roots back to this planet, and the beskar mines deep within. And you know what? I've never been there either. I grew up there. On that moon. Concordia. And that's Kalevala where we visited Bo-Katan. It's in the same system. A Mandalorian has to understand maps and know their way around. That way, you'll never be lost."

Alora feels her chest tighten. Of course, Mando would teach his foundling his people's ways. Of course, she knew that going into this adventure. It still pains her to hear.