Two Stormtroopers, one of them carrying a bag with the Child in it, come up on a ridge outside of the town after speeding across the fields on their speeder bikes. "Speeder bikes have arrived at the checkpoint with the asset. Awaiting confirmation." the first Stormtrooper said then the Child squeals. The trooper turns and punches the Child. "Knock it off!" He growls as the Child let's out a noise.
"Waiting for confirmation to continue into town." the trooper said into the comms. "That's a go to proceed, but I advise you to double-check. The Moff just touched down and already took out a squad of local troopers." the operator said. "Standing by." the trooper said then he puts away his comms while the second trooper turns to him.
"Did he just say that Gideon killed his own men?" The second trooper asked. "Oh, who knows? These guys like to lay down the law when they first arrive into town, y'know. You know how it is." the first trooper said and the Child begins to cry. The trooper punches the Child again. "I said, shut up. Yeesh." He growls as his partner looks at the bag.
"What is that thing, anyway?" The second Trooper asked. "Uh, I don't know. Maybe Moff wants to eat it. I don't ask questions." the first Trooper said. "Can I see it?" asked the second trooper. "Did you not just hear that Moff Gideon killed a dozen of his own troopers to make a point?" the 1st Trooper asked and the 2nd Trooper holds his hands up. "Okay."
"I get that point. Do you get the point?" The 1st Trooper asked his partner. "Yes." he said. "Okay." said the first Trooper said and they sit and wait, bored. Then the 2nd Trooper starts shooting at some garbage, missing everything. The 1st Trooper shakes his head and starts shooting, both of them missing.
"Should we offer that thing some water?" The 2nd Trooper asked, nodding towards the bag. "You just wanna look at it." the 1st Trooper said. "So what? You got to see it!" the 2nd Trooper said. "Barely. I mean, I grabbed it up off the ground and I stuffed it in the sack." the 1st Trooper said. "It's more than I got to see it." said the 2nd Trooper.
"Look, I'm not taking it out of this bag until I deliver it to the Moff." said the 1st trooper. "Fine." the 2nd Trooper grumbles. "Okay. Stop asking." the 1st Trooper said then he gets off his bike. "Let me check on this thing. This is crazy." he said then he turns to his comlink.
"Any update yet?" he asked "That's a negative. Still waiting on confirmation. He just killed and officer for interrupting him, so this might take a while." The operator said and the 1st Trooper sighs "Thank you. Standing by still." he said then he puts away the comlink. "Unbelievable." he grumbles.
"Hey, how long has it been since that thing moved?" the 2nd Trooper asked. "I don't know, like a minute or two. Don't worry." the 1st Trooper said as his partner gets off his bike. "Uh, it's been way longer than a minute." he said.
"Oh my God." The 1st Trooper grumbles. "Shouldn't we check and see if it's still alive? You hit it pretty hard." said the 2nd Trooper. "You just wanna see it." the 1st Trooper said. "Well, we should check and see if it's hurt. The last thing that you want is to give Gideon a bag and have him open it up and find whatever is dead..." the 2nd Trooper said. "Okay. Okay, look." The 1st Trooper said and he opens the bag, revealing the Child.
"Here you go. See? Take a peek. Everything's fine." said the 1st Trooper said and his partner looks at the Child then starts poking the little guy. "What is that?" he asked. "I don't know. It's a pet or something." said the 1st Trooper said. "A pet? I thought you--" the 2nd Trooper said and the Child bites his finger.
"OW!" he yelps, shaking his hand then turns back and punches the Child, hard. "Serves you right." the 1st Trooper said when IG-11 approaches. "Stop that." the droid said and the Troopers draw their blasters.
"Identify yourself!" The 1st trooper ordered. "I am IG-11. I am this child's nurse droid and require that you remand him to me immediately." IG said and the second Trooper chuckles. "A nurse droid? I thought it was a hunter. Aren't IGs usually hunters?" he asked. "Yeah, well, evidently this one's a nurse." the 1st Trooper said as IG approaches them.
"I'm sorry, nurse, but you're gonna have to get out of here." The 1st Trooper said and he gives a warning shot to the droid. "Are you refusing my request?" IG asked. "No. I'm telling you to get out of here." the 1st trooper said as he gets up in front of the droid.
IG-11 grabs the Trooper's arm and twists it until it snaps, then slams him down. Then he grabs the other Trooper's head and smashes him down on his bike, repeatedly. Then he gets on the other bike and powers it up. "That was unpleasant. I'm sorry you had to see that." the droid said to the Child a d they speed off.
Back in the town, Stormtroopers, Death Troopers and Moff Gideon surrounded the common house and were watching it. Cara, Mando, Greef and (y/n) look out the window towards them.
"Is there another way out?" Cara asked. "No, that's it." Greef said then (y/n) turns to Mando. "What about the sewers?" she asked him. "Sewers?" Greef asked, confused. "The Mandalorians have a covert down in the sewers. If we can get down there, they can help us escape." Mando said. "Yeah, sewers are good!" Cara said.
"Checking for access points." Mando said, and he begins to scan the area in his visor, as Cara looks out the window. "What the hell are they waiting for?" she asked as Stormtroopers began to unpack and bring forward weapons parts. "Hold up." she said and she sees them setting up a cannon.
"They're setting up an E-Web." She said. "It's over." Greef said as Mando's visor reveals a sewer access point behind a bench. "I found the sewer vent." he informs the others. "Let's get the hell outta here." Cara said and they run to the back of the common house and pull the bench off the wall.
Meanwhile, the troopers set up the cannon. Mando, Cara and (Y/n) try to open the sewer grate when (y/n) noticed the troopers, outside, are powering up the weapon.
"It's assembled." she said. "How long until that thing's cleared?" Greef asked then Cara turns to Mando. "Blow it." she said. "I'm out of charges." Mando said and Cara grabs her rifle. "Get out of the way!" she yells and tries to shoot the vent grate off while the enemy outside watches and listens.
She tries to kick the vent in, but it doesn't budge.
"Your astute panic suggests that you understand your situation. I would prefer to avoid any further violence, and encourage a moment of consideration. Members of my escort have completed assembly of an E-Web heavy repeating blaster. If you are unfamiliar with this weapon, I am sure that Republican Shock Trooper Carasynthia Dune of Alderaan will advise you that she has witnessed many of her ranks vaporize mid-descent facing the predecessor of this particular model." Moff said and Cara looks out towards the window, shocked.
"Or perhaps the decommissioned Mandalorian hunter, Din Djarin, and the former Mandalorian, (y/n) (l/n), have heard the songs of the Siege of Mandalore, when gunships outfitted with similar ordnance laid waste to fields of Mandalorian recruits in The Night of a Thousand Tears." Moff said and Mando and (y/n) look at each other then out towards the window, while Cara and Greef look at (y/n). "You were Mandalorian?" Greef asked, shocked, and (y/n) gulps as Moff continues.
"I advise disgraced Magistrate Greef Karga to search the wisdom of his years and urge you to lay down your arms and come outside. The structure you are trapped in will be razed in short order and your storied lives will come to an unceremonious end." Moff said then Greef looks out the window.
"What do you propose?" he asked Moff.
"Reasonable negotiation." Moff replied.
"What assurance do you offer?" Greef asked. "If you're asking if you can trust me...you cannot. Just as you betrayed our business arrangement, I would gladly break any promise and watch you die at my hand. The assurance I give is this: I will act in my own self-interest, which at this time involves your cooperation and benefit. I will give you until nightfall, and then I will have the E-Web cannon open fire." Moff said and he turns and walks away.
"I say we hear him out." Greef said to the others. "The minute we open that door, we're dead." Cara said. "We're dead if we don't. At least out there we've got a shot." Greef said as Cara begins to collect weapons and ammo. "That's easy for you to say. I'm a Rebel Shock Trooper. They'll upload me to a Mind Flayer." she said.
"Those aren't real. That was just wartime propaganda." Greef assures her. "Well, I don't care to find out. I'm shooting my way outta here." Cara said then Greef turns to the two hunters.
"What about you two?" He asked them. "We know who he is." Mando said and Cara and Greef look at them, shocked. "It's Moff Gideon." (y/n) said. "No. Moff Gideon was executed for war crimes." Cara said. "It's him. He knew our names." Mando said as he gestures between and (y/n).
"So? What does that prove?" Greef asked. "Because he and I are the only ones that know those names and say our names to each other when no one is around." (Y/n) explains.
"On Mandalore?" Greef asked. "We were not born on Mandalore." Mando said. "But you two are Mandalorians." Greef said. "Mandalorian isn't a race." (y/n) said. "It's a Creed." Mando added.
Flashback
Din's father carries him, his mother by them as they flee from the droids shooting everyone in sight. They come up to an underground storage when another couple, holding a child, comes up to them. Din noticed that it was a young girl was in the couple's arm.
He has seen the girl when out in town or at their school but he never really knew her. The girl's parents asked Din's parents for their help on hiding their daughter as well. His father nods and they open the hatch and put both kids in the storage.
The parents stare at their children, who look up at them in terror, before the close the hatch. The girl grabs her little crystal necklace and holds it close to her chest when an explosion goes off.
The two kids turn their heads away when the hatch opens. The two look up and see a droid standing before them. But before it can kill them, it gets shot up and destroyed. And two Mandalorians come up and pull the children out.
The Mandalorians, one holding Din and the other holding the girl, walk back over to their crew. The two kids watch as the squad of Mandalorians fight the droids and the two Mandalorians takes the kids away, leaving the fight behind.
Present Day
"We were foundings. They raised us in the Fighting Corps. We were treated as one of their own. When we came of age, we were sworn to the Creed." Mando explains. "But he said (y/n) was a former Mandalorian." Greef said. "I had my helmet removed during a fight. So I was put in exile." (Y/n) said. "The only record of our family names were in the registers of Mandalore. Moff Gideon was an ISB Officer during the purge. That's how we know it's him." Mando said.
"That's how he knows who we all are." Cara said. "He says he needs us, which means the Child got away safely. I was worried when the Ugnaught didn't respond, but if they'd captured the kid, we'd already be dead." (y/n) said and Cara turns to Mando. "Hail them again." she said and Mando turns to the comlink.
"Come in, Kuiil. Kuiil!" Mando calls but no response. "Nothing." He mutters. "They might have jammed the link." Cara said when they head the Child squeal over the comms. "Kuiil has been terminated." IG-11 replied through the comms.
"What did you do?" Mando asked, angrily. "I am fulfilling my base function." the droid replied. "Which is?" Mando asked. "To nurse and protect." the droid replies and he speeds through town, approaching the secured gate.
"What was that? Look alive." the trooper asked and he starts shooting at the droid but IG-11 takes them out and continues into town, taking down Troopers along his way. Troopers around the common house start noticing and turn their attention.
"Look!" (Y/n) said as she points out the window. IG-1! comes speeding up the road, jumps off the bike to let the bike crash into the Troopers, then proceeds to shoot the Trooper around it. "Cover me!" Mando said and Cara and (y/n) shoot at the troopers from inside the common house.
Mando and Greef leave the common house and start taking out the troopers around them. Then Mando grabs the E-Wev cannon off its base and decimates the Trooper ranks. A Death Trooper blasts the main entry, knocking Cara and (y/n) down, but they are able to take the intruders out.
Moff shows up again and fires his blaster towards Mando's helmet head. Then he takes out the E-Web power unit, resulting in a massive explosion taking Mando down. IG-11 keeps advancing while Greef and (y/n) grab Mando to drag him to relative safety back inside the common house. "Burn them out." Moff ordered.
"Stay with me, Din. We're gonna get you outta here." (Y/n) said, slightly panicked, while Greef turns to IG-11 and points to the sewer grate. "This is our only way out. Can you clear it?" he asked the droid and the droid goes to the grate while (y/n) and Cara lay Mando down.
"Stay with me." (y/n) pleads. "If you go near this Child, I will have no choice but to kill you." the droid warns Greef. "I understand. Can you do anything to move the grate?" Greef asked. "Yes, of course." IG-11 said and he gets to work. "Oh, I love IG units." Greef said.
"I'm not gonna make it. Go." Mando tells (y/n). "Shut up. You just got your bell rung. You'll be fine." (Y/n) assures him. "Leave me." Mando said, weakly, as (y/n) pulls her hand from under Mando's head to see it was full of blood.
"I'm gonna need to take this thing off." She said but Mando grabs her hands. "No. You leave me." he gasps. "You make sure the Child is safe. Here." He said and he pulls off a necklace, giving it to (y/n). "When you get to the Mandalorian covert, you show them that." Mando said to her. "I'm a Dar'manda. They won't help me." (Y/n) said.
"You tell them it's from Din Djarin. You tell them the foundling was in my protection, and they'll help you." Din adds and (y/n)'s eyes start to tear up. "We can make it." she said, her voice shaking.
Outside, an Incinerator Stormtrooper walks up to the house and (y/n) tries to push and pull Din. "Come on! Let's go!" she said, frantically, as Cara tries to help but Din shakes his head. "I'm not gonna make it, and you know it." he said to her, weakly.
A blast of fire bursts through the window and (y/n) covers Din with her body while IG-11 continues to work on the vent grate. "You protect the Child. I can hold them back long enough for you to escape. Let me have a warrior's death." Din said to (y/n) as she sits back up and she places her hand on his chest, tears running down her face.
"I won't leave you." She cries and Din places his hand over hers and runs his thumbs across her fingers. "This is the Way." He said and (y/n) closes her eyes then Din raises his other hand and places his pointer finger and thumb under her chin and brings her head up to face him.
She opens her eyes as he removes his finger and thumb off of her chin then placed his hand on her cheek. A few tears run down her face and he uses his thumb to wipe away the tears he could before she starts to lean in towards him and places her forehead against his forehead, a Keldabe kiss as they call it.
The Incinerator Stormtrooper blasts fire through the open door and the Child crepts out of his bag and stands in the middle of the room. The Stormtrooper enters the common house and everyone looks on in horror as the Child is directly in the way of the flamethrower, holding off the flames.
Then he pushes the flames out, throwing the Trooper out in an explosion, saving them all. The Child falls over, spent once again, and IG-11 kicks in the vent grate. "Come on! It's open, let's go!" Greef shouts as (y/n) pulls her head back up. "Go. Go." Din gasps to (y/n) as Greef shouts. "We have to move. Now!"
IG-11 grabs the Child and walks over to (y/n), Cara and Din. "Go." Din tells (y/n), rasping, and Cara places a hand on (y/n)'s shoulder. "C'mon." She whispers and (y/n) gets up when IG-11 shoves the Child, in the bag, into (y/n)'s arms.
"Escape and protect this child. I will stay with the Mandalorian." the droid said and (y/n) looks at him, shocked. "Promise me you'll bring him." she pleads. "You have my word." the droid promised and (y/n) nods at him then her, Cara and Greef leave with the Child.
IG-11 kneels down by Din. "DO it." Din growls. "Do what?" the droid asked. "Just get it over with. I'd rather you kill me than some Imp." Din said. "I told you, I am no longer a hunter. I am a nurse droid." affirms the Droid. "IGs are all hunters." Din sneers. "Not this one. I was reprogrammed. I need to remove your helmet if I am to save you." said the Droid and he reaches to grab the helmet but Din raises a blaster to his face.
"Try it and I'll kill you. It is...forbidden. No living thing has seen me without my helmet since I...swore the Creed." Din said. "I am not a living thing." IG-11 tells him and this makes Din think for a moment then he lowers the blaster, letting the droid remove his helmet.
"This is a bacta spray." The droid tells him as he applies the spray to Din's wound. "It will heal you in a matter of hours. You have suffered damage to your central processing unit." He tells him and Din furrows his brow. "You mean my brain?" he asked. "That was a joke. It is meant to put you at ease." the droid tells him and Din gives a labored chuckle.
In the sewers, Cara, Greef and (y/n) turn as they hear footsteps behind them. It's IG-11 with Din, helmet back on, (y/n) let's put a surprised gasp as Cara goes to IG-11 and takes over helping Din. "I got you." she said and they lead him over to (y/n), who gives a small smile at him.
"Don't scare me like that again." She said to him and he let's out chuckle. "I'll try not to." He said and they make their way through the sewers.
"Do you know which way to go?" Greef asked Din. "No. I don't know these tunnels. I've only entered from the bazaar." Din replied. "Well, if we get the smell of sulfur and we follow it, it'll lead us up to the plains where the river flows." Greef said. "And the Imps will catch us before we make it to the ship. We need the Mandalorians to escort us to safety." Din said as they make their way further into the sewers.
"Ugh, this place is a maze." Cara grumbles. "Stop. I can stand." Din said. "The bacta infusion is working." IG-11 said and Din turns to the others. "I'll try to find tracks." he said and he begins to look around a bit then points. "We're close. Turn here." He said and they come upon a pile of Mandalorian armor, mostly helmets.
Din and (y/n) drop to their knees in front of it, Din takes one of the helmets while (y/n) covers her mouth with her hand. Cara steps closer and said, gently. "We should go."
"You go. Take the ship. We can't leave it this way." (Y/n) said then Din turns to Greef. "Did you know about this? Is this the work of your bounty hunters?" Din asked him, angrily. "No. When you left the system and took the prize, the fighting ended and the hunters just melted away. You know how it is. They're mercenaries. They're not zealots." Greef said then Din and (y/n) get up and round on Greef.
"Did you do this?" (Y/n) asked him, angrily, then she gets up in his face. "Did you?!" She asked. "No!" Greef said. "It was not his fault." a voice said and everyone turns to see the Armorer standing nearby. "We revealed ourselves. We knew what could happen if we left the covert." she said as she takes a piece of armor from the pile and added it to a floating cart.
"The Imperials arrived shortly thereafter. This is what resulted." she said. "Did any survive?" Din asked her. "I hope so. Some may have escaped off-world." she replied. "Come with us." Din said to her. "No. I will not abandon this place until I have salvaged what remains." said the Armorer and she leaves and everyone follows her into the forge, where she melts down armor pieces.
"Show me the one whose safety deemd such desruction." she said and (y/n) walks up, holding the Child. "This is the one." Din said and the Armorer turns to her. "So it is true. The Dar'manda is the one that was traveling with you." She said. “I may not be part of the Creed anymore, but I will never turn my back on those who need me.” (y/n) said as the Armorer looks her over.
"She has saved my life multiple times." Din said and the Armorer turns to him then back to (y/n). "Good." She said then she looks at the Child in (y/n)'s arms.
"This is the one you hunted, then saved?" The Armorer asked Din. "Yes. The one that saved me and her as well." Din said as he points at (y/n). "From the mudhorn?" the Armorer asked. "Yes." he said. "It looks helpless." She points out.
"It's injured, but it is not helpless. Its species can move objects with its mind." (y/n) explains. "I know of such things. The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi that fought with such powers." the Armorer explains.
"It is an enemy?" Din asked. "No. Its kind were enemies, but this individual is not." the Armorer said. "What is it?" Din asked. "It is a foundling. By Creed, it is in your care." she said. "You wish me to train this thing?" he asked her. "It is too weak. It would die. You have no choice. You must reunite it with its own kind." she said.
"Where?" Din asked. "This, you must determine." she said. "You expect me to search the galaxy for the home of this creature and deliver it to a race of enemy sorcerers?" Din asked and the Armorer turns to him. "This is the Way." she said.
"Hey. These tunnels will be lousy with Imps in a matter of minutes. We should at least discuss an escape plan." Cara said. "If you follow the descending tunnel it will lead you to the underground river. It flows downstream toward the lava flats." The Armorer said. "I think we should go." Greef said. "I'm staying. I need to help her, and I need to heal." Din said.
"You must go. A foundling is in your care. By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father. This is the Way. You have earned your Signet." The Armorer said and she attaches the signet to his pauldron. "You are a clan of three." She said and Din and (y/n) look up at her and she gives them a nod. "Thank you. I will wear this with honor." Din tells her as (y/n) smiles and nods at the Armorer.
"There is something else." The Armorer said as she turns her back away from them and goes over a table. "I had made these awhile back, hoping to give them to another Mandalorian. But I would feel better if they were in your hands." She said as she picks something up and walks over to (y/n).
The former Mandalorian raises an eyebrow as Armorer holds out arm gauntlets that looked like it was made out of beskar. (Y/n) gives her a confused look. "Me?" She said. "You have proven yourself worthy." The Armorer said and (y/n) hands the Child to IG-11 before she takes the gauntlets and puts them on.
She noticed there was a switch in the gauntlets and she pushes it, making both the gauntlets turn to shields. "Thank you." (Y/n) said as she retracted the shield.
An explosion goes off and startles the group as Stormtroopersbegin entering the tunnels. "We should go." Greef said and Armorer turns to the droid. "IG, please guard the outer hallway. A scouting party draws near." she said and the droid heads out.
"I have one more gift for your journey. Have you trained in the Rising Phoenix?" The Armorer asked Din. "When I was a boy, yes." Din replied. "Then this..." she said as she turns and holds out a jetpack. "...will make you complete." She said. "Thank you." he said, appreciatively.
"When you have healed, you will begin your drills. Until you know it, it will not listen to your commands." said the Armorer. "I understand." Din said as blasters were heard for a few seconds before it goes quiet.
Then IG-11 returns. "You are protected." he informs. "More will come. You must go." the Armorer tells them. "Come with us." (y/n) said to her. My place is here. Restock your munitions." she tells them then she turns to IG-11. "IG, carry this for Din Djarin until he is well enough to wear it." She said as she passes the jetpack to the droid.
"Now, go! Down to the river and across the plains. Be safe on your journey," she tells them. "Thank you." Din said and they began to escape.
Moments later, they arrive at an underground lava river. "This is the lava river." Greef said as Din goes up to the ferry. "The ferry droid is fried." Din said. "Yeah, but if we push the boat out we can get it to float downstream. Come on." Greef said as he goes up to the ferry. "Looks old. Will it take the heat?" (Y/n) asked him. "You got a better idea?" Greef asked her. "Guess not." she said.
They push the boat, but it doesn't budge. "Push!" Greef said and, frustrated, Din kicks at the boat. "Come on! What're you doing?" Greef asked as Din grabs a pole. "Let's try this." he said and they began to push. "Push!" Greef yells as he and Din push but then Cara unslings her rifle.
"You guys mind getting out of the way?" She asked and they step out of the way. She shoots at the cooled lava locking the boat in and it finally comes loose. "Good job." Greef said. "Watch your feet. It's molten lava." IG-11 said and they get into the boat. "No kidding." Cara mutters, sarcastically.
The ferry droid comes to life and everyone turns to train their blaster on it. It gets up, beeping. "I don't suppose anybody here speaks droid?" Din asked. "I believe he is asking where we would like to go." IG-11 replied. "Down river. To the lava flat." Greef tells the ferry droid.
The droid beeps and starts moving the boat along. Then Greef points to a light at the end of the tunnel. "That's it. We're free!" he exclaims but Din scans ahead with his visor. "No. No, we're not. Stormtroopers. They're flanking the mouth of the tunnel. It looks like an entire platoon. They must know we're coming." Din said and Cara turns to the ferry droid.
"Stop the boat. Hey, droid, I said stop the boat. Hey, I'm talking to you. I said stop!" She yells and she shoots its head off and everyone looks around. "We're still moving." (y/n) said, worried, and the Child curled up to her chest then grabs onto her crystal pendant.
"Looks like we fight." Cara said. "There are too many." Din tells her. "Well, then what do you suggest? Cuz I can't surrender." Cara said. "They will not be satisfied with anything less than the Child. This is unacceptable. I will eliminate the enemy, and you will escape." IG-11 said and Din turns to him.
"You don't have that kind of firepower, pal. You wouldn't even get to daylight." He tells the droid. "That is not my objective." IG-11 tells him. "We're getting close. Saddle up." Cara said a she gets her weapon ready. "I still have the security protocols from my manufacturer. If my designs are compromised, I must self-destruct." IG-11 said.
"What are you talking about?" (Y/n) asked him. "I'm not permitted to be captured. I must be destroyed." IG-11 replied. "Are we gonna keep talking or we gonna get outta here?" Greef asked as IG-11 puts the jetpack down. "I can no longer carry this for you. Nor can I watch over the child." he said as he hands the Child back to (y/n).
"Wait. You can't self-destruct. Your base command is to watch the child. That supersedes your manufacturer's protocol, right? Right?" Din asked the droid. "This is correct." said IG-11. "Good. Now grab a blaster and help us shoot our way out." Din tells him. "Victory through combat is impossible. We will be captured. The child will be lost. Sadly, there is no scenario where the child is saved, in which I survive." said the droid.
"Listen, you're not going anywhere. We need you. Let's just come with a--" Din started to say but IG-11 speaks up. "Please tell me the child will be safe in your care. If you do so, I can default to my secondary command."
"But you'll be destroyed." (Y/n) said as she steps forward. "And you will live, and I will have served my purpose." IG-11 said as she gives him a sad look. "No. We need you." Din said, his voice rough with emotion. "There is nothing to be sad about. I have never been alive." IG-11 said.
"I'm not sad." Din replies. "Yes you are. I'm a nurse droid. I've analyzed your voice." IG-11 said then he caresses the Child in farewell. Then the droid begins to step off of the boat and into the lava stream. "IG! What're you doing?!" Greef calls out as IG marches through the lava stream to the mouth of the tunnel, where the Stormtroopers are lying in ambush.
"Manufacturer's protocol dictates I cannot be captured." he said as his breastplate opens to reveal an active grenade. "I must be destroyed." He said and he explodes, taking out all the Stormtroopers.
As the boat emerges from the tunnel, a TIE fighter appears. "Moff Gideon!" Cara exclaimed and the TIE fighter opens fire on the group and they shoot back. "He missed!" Greef said as they take cover. "He won't next time." (y/n) said. "Our blasters are useless against him." said Cara.
"Hey, let's make the baby do the magic hand thing. Come on, baby! Do the magic hand thing." Greef said and he waves his hand at the Child. The Child smiles and waves back at him then Greef turns to the others. "I'm out of ideas." He said. "I'm not." Din said as Cara looks out and sees the fighter coming back.
"Here he comes!" She shouts. Under grunts of pain, Din attaches the jetpack and fires it up as the fighter approaches again. He shoots up just before the TIE fighter passes above them, then turns and hooks on to the fighter with his grappling hook.
He mounts the fighter, nearly getting bucked and loses a charge. But he was able to manage to stick a couple of charges to the TIE fighter before letting go. The charges explode and the TIE fighter crashes while Din falls. (Y/n)'s heart races then she hands the Child to Greef. "Hold him." She said and she runs and activates her jetpack and flies towards Din.
She just gets to him and grabs his hand just as he manages to re-engage his jetpack. The two stop in mid-air and, while still holding hands, the two land safely. "That was impressive, Mando. Very impressive. It looks like your Guild rates have just gone up." Greef said as he walks up to the two and sets the Child down.
"Any more stormtroopers?" Din asked. "I think we cleaned up the town. I'm thinking of staying aorund just to be sure." Cara said. "You're staying here?" (y/n) asked her and she nods. "Well, why not? Nevarro is a very fine planet. And now that the scum and villainy have been washed away, it's very respectable again." Greef said.
"As a bounty hunter hive?" Din asked him. "Some of my favorite people are bounty hunters. And perhaps, this specimen of soldier might consider joining our ranks." Greef said as he gestures to Cara. "Yeah...I've got some clerical concerns regarding my chain code." she said and the Child waddles up to Din and (y/n).
Then he grabs onto Din's leg with one hand then grabs (y/n)'s leg with his other hand, standing between the two. "And if you would agree to become my enforcer, clerical concerns would be the least of your worries." Greef said to Cara then he turns to Din and (y/n). "But you, my friends, you two will be welcome back into the Guild with open arms. So, go off, enjoy yourself. And when you're ready to return, you will have the pick of all quarries." He said and Mando picks up the Child.
"I'm afraid we have more pressing matters at hand." Din said as (y/n) nods. Cara then steps forward and rubs the Child's ear. "Take care of this little one." she said as she steps back and Greef touches the Child's ear gently. "Or maybe...it'll take care of both of you." he said.
The two hunters nod and engages their jetpacks and take off with the Child in Din's arms. They make their way back to the Razer Crest and see Kuiil's dead body. They bury him and once they were done making a burial mound, they make their way towards the ship.
They enter the cockpit and Din sets the Child down and he powers up the ship as (y/n) sits down in the second seat. Then they hear a sound and they turn to the Child, who has something in his hands and sucking on it. "What do you got there?" (y/n) asked and she takes the pendant from the Child.
She holds up the pendant and Din reaches out for the pendant as well. "I didn't think I'd see this again." he whispers then he looks up at the Child. "Why don't you hang on to that?" he asked as they hand the pendant back to the Child to suck on it.
They take off and leave Nevarro behind and Din steers the ship for awhile but lowers his head a bit. "Everything okay?" (Y/n) asked once she noticed his demeanor. Din sits there for a moment, thinking back at that moment in the common house.
For a moment, just a moment, he almost died and almost lost the opportunity to tell (y/n) his true feelings. Ever since the day they were rescued, he always felt some sort've feelings for her. Being so young, he wasn't for sure what he was feeling. He thought he was being protective of her as they lived in the same village and he felt she was the only one who could understand him.
But as he got older, his feelings would grow for her. And what really sealed the deal and made him realize what he was feeling was when he and (y/n) were on one of their early missions. They were fighting a crew of men and he had taken out a few on his own. He turns and sees that she had about three guys surrounding her.
Panicked, he ran towards her but, before he could make it to her, she punched, kicked and shot the men off of her. And this shocked Din but also made him feel proud of her. He remembered her teasing him about coming to her rescue and that's when he started to realize that he was developing feelings for her.
After her incident, Din was devastated to hear that she has been exiled from the clan despite it not being entirely her fault. And at the time they had to say goodbye, Din was so close to confessing to (y/n) how he felt about her. But he held back maybe because he knew he’ll see her again or maybe he didn't want to bring it up as it was too late to bring it up as she was turning to leave.
It's better this way He thought as he watched her walk away, feeling defeated for the first time in a long time.
He turns to her then looks over at the Child to see that he had fallen asleep. He looks back at (y/n) then sighs. "There's...There's something I wanna do but....I need you to close your eyes." He said and she raises an eyebrow at this. "Just, trust me." Din said and she lowers her eyebrow and smirks. "Okay..." she said, with a suspicious tone in her voice.
Eventually, she closes her eyes and Din felt a lump in his throat. He was nervous, hell, he could feel himself trembling slightly as he removes his helmet, which hissed once he started to pull it off, revealing his dark hair, matching eyes and tan skin. He stares at (y/n) who still has her eyes closed with a furrow look of suspicious and confusion crossed over in her features as she awaits for what comes next.
Hearing the sound of the helmet being removed causes (y/n) to let out a short gasp of the revelation.
Din removed his helmet.
But why? She thought to herself. Fearful for him breaking the creed, she kept her eyes shut, knowing full well of the consequences of revealing themselves to anyone. They both knew it was dangerous, but as long as she doesn’t see, he’ll be safe from the same fate she had years ago.
Then she felt the warmth of his hands cradling her chin and her head is gently tilted upwards where she felt the breeze hitting her lips, which gives shivers down her spine. The former Mandalorian reached her hands up, feeling that he had a bit of facial hair above his lip, then her fingers linger up to the back of his head, finding slight curls that have been slightly dampened with sweat.
The feeling of her fingers through his hair made Din close his eyes as she gently runs her fingers through his dark hair.
Her hands than wander back to his face, feeling the features on his face. She often wondered what he looked like now after all those years hiding behind that beskar mask. Last time she saw his face was when they were mere children. The boy she had known for a long time had grown handsomely before her, at least from what she could tell from just touching his face with her fingers.
“Is this okay?” He whispers to her, his lips nearly touching her lips. Her heart jumped at hearing his voice clear as day and not modulated from the helmet. “I trust you.” She responds, softly, pulling him closer to her by wrapping her arms around his neck. She presses a long, tender kiss that nearly stole his breath away.
Din immediately responded back, passionately, as he savors this moment. As they break the kiss, just to catch their breath, Din presses his forehead against hers. “I thought I was supposed to make the first move.” he asked her.
“Too bad, you were taking so long that I had to take matters into my own hands.” She chuckles as she smirks back at him, her eyes remained closed but she could tell he rolled his eyes at her response. He then presses a quick kiss to her lips once again before he pulls away from her, her hands go and rest by her side.
He smiles at her as he picks up his helmet and puts it back on. "Okay." He said and she slowly opens her eyes to see his helmet was back on his head. She smiles at him and she had a feeling he was smiling as well, which he was, then he reaches out and places a hand over hers.
They stare at each other for a moment before (y/n) clears her throat. "Anyway, where to next, oh fearless leader?" She teased and she heard a small chuckle come out of him as he turns in his chair and starts to punch in some coordinates in. "I think I know." Din said and puts the ship into hyperspace.
Back on Nevarro, some Jawas come up to the crash site of the TIE fighter. They start to pick the wreck apart when a blade of a laser weapon cuts through the hull from the inside. The Jawas ran off in fright as Moff Gideon steps out and on top of the wreck, wielding the Darksaber.