Killshot had always drawn fear from her counterparts, whether they be stormtroopers, mercenaries, or townspeople, seemingly everyone she encounters knows of the legends of the scope in her head and blaster in hand.
Everyone is scared of the title besides those who control it.
The one person who isn't scared of the assassin is Moff Gideon, in fact, he feels more assured with her by his side. Especially since he had claimed control of her mind.
Killshot's eyes are empty as she stares out to the space on the other side of the glass bridge of the star cruiser, hands held folded behind her back, and the newly tinted black of the Death Scope on proud display, an assassin's honour to carry.
She had been made into a perfect soldier; compliant, skilled, and prepared to go to whatever means may be necessary to complete her missions, as seen by her merciless assault on Fondor.
Despite her newfound perfection though, sometimes there are flashes of a life she doesn't recognize. Glimpses into a past on a desert planet, a set of mischievous twins, a ship she can't remember, a child's incoherent babbling, as well as a three letter name that makes her heart race, but that she can't seem to recall. However, as soon as they appear, the implant shocks them straight out of her mind, keeping the woman a blank slate. The Empire's favourite weapon.
As she always has been.
---
"Lower your shields, disengage all transponders, prepare for boarding," The enemy ship's demands are simple, and yet the tenor of his voice sends chills through the transport crew's bodies. They had been pursued by a strange ship across parsecs, and the lingering threat of it makes the air around them uneasy.
Dr. Pershing leans forward to the two co-pilots, fear flooding him, "They're pirates. Shouldn't we fight?"
"I don't have a death wish, do you?" A co-pilot counters, hitting the appropriate buttons to disengage the shields around their ship, eyes following the ship that had pursued them as it hovers over them, attaching to them for boarding. The vessel is massive, and dangerous looking, again intimidating the small crew.
There's a thud, and after a long moment of silence, the doors to the cockpit open, and in walks Din Djarin in his full Beskar armour, blaster raised and spear on his back.
The two co-pilots and the Doctor rise from their seats, hands lifted in the air at the sight of him. His armour demands power, the arsenal as intimidating as ever.
"Before you make a mistake, this is Dr. Pershing," One of the Co-pilots states.
Din cuts them off before they can continue, "We've met," The Mandalorian snaps, "Is the Kid alive?"
"Yes," Dr. Pershing nods, "He's on the cruiser."
"And Killshot?"
Then, before Din can get an answer, the same co-pilot that had spoken puts an arm around the doctor, and raises his blaster against him, making the man whimper. When he moves, Din's backup, Cara Dune, strides into the cockpit with a weapon of her own.
"Stay back, dropper," The armed co-pilot immediately spits.
Cara lifts her gun higher, making the other co-pilot flinch, "Easy, Pal. Okay? I'm not with him. We can work something out."
The Pilot holding Dr. Pershing is quick to shoot his partner, putting the blaster back on the hostage in his arms once it's done.
"Drop your weapon," Cara bluntly states.
"No," The pilot sneers back, "No, you listen to me. This is a top-tier target of the New Republic. This is a clone engineer. And if they find out that he's dead because of you, you're gonna wish you had never left Alderaan," Cara's expression doesn't change, and the pilot's smirk widens as he gestures to the small tattoo on Cara's cheek, "I saw the tear. You wanna know what else I saw? I saw your planet destroyed. I was on the Death Star."
"Which one?"
The pilot laughs mockingly, "You think you're funny? Do you know how many millions were killed on those bases?"
"Drop your blaster."
"As the Galaxy cheered?"
"Last chance."
"Destroying your planet was a small price to pay to rid the galaxy of terrorism."
Then, the pilot having accomplished his goal of getting under the drop trooper's skin, Cara shoots, her blast accurate and missing Dr. Pershing, only singing his ear slightly and killing the pilot that had been taunting her with the tragedy of the loss of her homeworld. Cara turns and swiftly exits the cockpit, leaving Din to collect the Doctor.
Once back aboard Boba Fett's ship, the Slave One, they stop once more only to convince Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves to join their effort, knowing they have a common goal of bringing Moff Gideon to his knees and rescuing the Child and the Sharpshooter. After what could be called a small scuffle, they agree.
With the entire crew composed of three Mandalorians, Cara Dune, as well as Fennec Shand and Boba Fett watching, Bo-Katan pulls up a hologram, "This is Moff Gideon's Imperial light cruiser. In the old days, it would carry a crew of several hundred. Now it pirates with a tiny fraction of that," She explains.
"Your assessment is misleading," Dr. Pershing interrupts.
From where she stands, Cara Dune rolls her eyes, "Oh, great. An objective opinion."
"This isn't subterfuge, I assure you."
"Let him speak," Bo-Katan mutters quietly, effectively giving the Doctor the room.
"There's a garrison of dark troopers on board," Dr. Pershing informs, "They're the ones that abducted Killshot and the Child."
"How many troopers do they have armed in those suits?" Din asks, stepping forward and remembering the shreds of empty suits Jana had left in her wake on Tython. He, Fennec and Boba had spent a while trying to track whoever as in them for a while, but came up with nothing. They had assumed they were taken back up to the cruiser.
"These are third-generation design. They are no longer suits," Dr. Pershing informs, making Din feel foolish for wasting time on Tython, "The human inside was the final weakness to be solved. They're droids."
"Where are they bivouacked?" Fennec asks, stepping forward.
Dr. Pershing rises from where he had been seated, heading up to the hologram of the cruiser, "They're held in cold storage in this cargo bay," The display changes, zooming on on the room he mentions, "They draw too much power to be kept at ready."
"How long to power up?"
"A few minutes, perhaps," Dr. Pershing answers.
"Where is the Child being held?" Din asks.
Dr. Pershing changes the view again, "This is the brig. He's being held here under armed guard."
"What about Killshot? Where is she?"
Dr. Pershing's brow raises in confusion as he looks at the Mandalorian, "Killshot isn't a prisoner."
The words make the entire crew look to the doctor, who barely shrinks as Din steps closer to him, tilting his helmet in a menacing manner as he speaks, "What do you mean Killshot isn't a prisoner?"
"Since she was taken on board she has been at Moff Gideon's right hand."
Cara furrows her brows, "Who holds the title?"
For a moment, Din is in speechless disbelief. He hadn't even assumed that in the time they'd been separated that someone else could take the scope from Jana. And if someone else had become Killshot, it would mean one thing; Jana Calmiken would be dead, and Din would have been too late.
But, Dr. Pershing's answer brings Din's calm back to him, "The same woman I worked with on Nevarro."
"Where will she be?" Bo-Katan asks.
"I don't know."
Bo-Katan nods at the information, "Very well. We'll look for her. We split into two parties-"
"I go alone," Din interjects.
Bo-Katan glances at him over her shoulder, "Fine. Phase one, Lambda shuttle issues a distress call. Two, we come in hot and we emergency land at the mouth of the fighter launch tube, cutting off any potential interceptors. Koska, Fennec, Dune, and Myself disembark with maximum initiative. Once we've neutralized the launch bay, we make our way through these tandem decks in a penetration maneuver."
"And me?" Din wonders.
Bo-Katan doesn't miss a beat, "We'll be misdirection. Once we draw a crows, you slip through the shadows, and get the kid."
"Those dark troopers are gonna be a real skank in the scud pie," Cara comments.
Bo-Katan examines their map further, "Their bay is on the way to the brig," She turns to look at Dr. Pershing, "Can he make it there before they deploy?"
"It's possible."
Then, Fennec swipes something off of the Doctor's belt, handing it to the Mandalorian, "Here. Take his code cylinder and seal off their holding bay. Anyone else, we can handle."
"And what if that someone is Killshot?" Cara asks, words slow out of her mouth and quick to draw the crew's gaze to her.
"What do you mean?" Bo-Katan wonders.
Cara shifts in her stance, "Jana told me she'd rather die than serve the Imps again. There's no way she's there willingly."
"They've used someone she loves against her before, they could be doing the same with the Kid," Din suggests, remembering what Jana had told him as she repaired his arm with a cauterizer on Arvala-7.
"So then what do we do if we see her?"
Fennec is the one who steps forward, "Leave her to me, I'm the only one with a chance of out-shooting her," The mercenary makes a point of looking to the Mandalorian, "I'll set the blaster to stun."
Din's helmet nods once, "We'll meet at the bridge."
Once everything seems to be set, the team moves.
With all of the crew aboard the Lambda shuttle besides Boba Fett, who captains the Slave One in pursuit of them as they soar through hyperspace towards the star cruiser's co-ordinance.
Bo-Katan, who pilots the ship, speaks over her shoulder, "Moff Gideon is mine, got it?"
"He's ex-ISB. He's got a lot of information," Cara fires back, "I need him alive."
"I don't care what happens to him as long as he surrenders to me," Bo-Katan mutters back just as Boba Fett's voice comes through the comms.
Din, however, doesn't care about Moff Gideon. He had told Bo-Katan several times; he only cares about Grogu and Jana. Getting them back is his only priority.
---
When the alarm starts to go off, Killshot barely bats an eye, hearing a comm open up, "This is Lambda shuttle two-seven-four-three, requesting emergency docking. Repeat, requesting emergency docking. We are under attack!"
The assassin follows her commander up to the star cruiser's window, looking out to see one of their shuttles being pursued by an older model that looks oddly familiar to Killshot. Tilting her head slightly, she recognizes it from her time with Vader, something her implant doesn't remove from her mind.
"Copy Lambda shuttle, request received," A female lieutenant says through the comm.
From beside Killshot, Moff Gideon makes his first demand, "Launch TIE fighters."
"Stay clear of launch tube," The lieutenant instructs, "Deploying fighter squadron."
Sure enough, the small fighter ships are deployed, shooting past the shuttle to the enemy chasing after it, one of them barely missing.
When she sees the shuttle heading the launch tube, Killshot raises a brow, looking over to Moff Gideon, who's cold stare is fixed onto the incoming ship.
The lieutenant continues her communication with the shuttle, "Request denied! Please clear launch tube until fighters deploy!"
"Negative!" The pilot of the shuttle shouts back, "Negative! We are under attack!"
"Clear launch tube immediately!"
They don't listen, whether it be out of panic, or desperation, Killshot doesn't know, all she knows is that they did not obey a direct order.
"Killshot," Moff Gideon calmly says from her side, making the woman turn to face him, "Go meet the boarding party. Re-introduce yourself. Meet me in the brig as soon as possible. Don't take long."
The woman nods, "Yes, Moff Gideon."
As she turns, exiting the bridge, she hears her leader demand, "Activate the dark troopers," And chills run up her spine.
Killshot doesn't know why Moff Gideon needs the dark troopers, she doesn't ask. She knows better. Since she had been rightfully returned to the Empire her right to question things had been taken, a harsh shock jolting her system whenever a thought would enter her head that does not correspond with her orders.
Each jolt reminds her of who she is, so does the blackened scope in front of her eye.
Killshot, nothing and no one else.
Moving through the halls of the star cruiser is easy, she had been in ships far larger than this one, and when she finds herself high in the air on the catwalk of the cargo bay, she waits.
She can hear storm troopers behind killed as their invaders move around the room, the useless white-armoured soldiers falling down as results of laser blasts; something that will not be a problem for Killshot.
When she sees them, Killshot pulls her blaster from her holster, switching the setting to its sniper function. As soon as they're in the open, heading to the door that leads to a long hallways before the bridge, Killshot fires off a warning shot in their path, making the group stop in their tracks, each of them looking up to the source of the blast.
"Killshot!" Cara warns, moving to dive behind a stack of cargo,"Take cover!"
When Killshot recognizes them, her implant shocks her, her neck jerking slightly as the memories are wiped, her cold eyes landing on the women as if nothing had happened. The two Mandalorians use their jetpacks to soar up to the catwalk, landing on either side of the assassin.
"If red is top ten, what do you think black means?" One of the Mandalorians in the blue helmet mutters, the sound of it barely audible to Killshot.
A smirk grows on Killshot's lips as she looks between the armoured women, neither of them moving, "Care to find out?"
"We're not here to fight you, Jana," The Mandalorian with the owl painted on her helmet claims, holding her hands out. Her implant buzzes, reminding her of the name; Bo-Katan, "We're here to save you."
Below, Fennec creeps forward from where she had hidden, adjusting her blaster so it's set to stun, slowly raising the weapon and trying not to draw the scope's attention. If she has any chance, she has to be perfect.
A cold, mocking, chuckle leaves the assassin, "What a waste of nobility."
"Don't make us fight you."
"I'm not here for a fight."
"Then why are you here?" Bo-Katan asks, "Why put yourself in a situation where you're outnumbered and outgunned?"
"You're in my way," Killshot states, as if it were obvious.
From down below, Fennec takes a breath, announcing, "No, you're in ours."
When Fennec pulls the trigger, Killshot raises her blaster, firing twice. One cancels out the stun blast meant for her, and the other hits Fennec's blaster, knocking it from her hands completely and making the other mercenary cry out from shock.
"I'll be back for you," Killshot's cold voice states, a threat more chilling than anything the crew had hear before.
As the Mandalorians pull out their own weapons, Killshot hits a button on her new vambraces, provided by the empire. A low, pulsing tone emits from them, the lights flickering before going dark, and when Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves attempt to fire their blasters, they're terrified to see nothing happening, the power sources glitching.
Not only that, but their helmets go haywire as well, the displays on the inside of them shutting down, forcing both women to remove the helmets.
When they do, and the lights flicker back on, and Killshot is nowhere to be seen.
Bo-Katan and Koska leap back down to the floor, as soon as their weaponry is back up and running, their jetpacks lightning their fall.
"Keep your eyes open," Cara darkly instructs, fiddling with her cannon to try to get it working, the group continuing their advance forward, "She could be anywhere."
---
When Killshot enters the only cell that contains a prisoner after taking a shortcut from the cargo-hold, her steps falter when the little green creature with handcuffs around its wrists cries out for her, the sound high-pitched and almost hopeful sounding. Her brows furrow themselves at the sound, and at the Child who gazes up at her with big dark eyes, ears that had picked up slowly lowering themselves when Killshot doesn't recognize him.
When she remembers his name, the implant wipes it away immediately.
"Come here, Killshot," Moff Gideon calmly demands, and the assassin obeys, the door to the cell sliding closed as she steps further into the cold room. When she reaches him, Moff Gideon's hand reaches out, his gloved finger tips slowly tracing over the metal extending arm of her scope, his touch light as he brushes the edge of the glass, "You have done well for me."
"I have done well for the Empire," The implant seems to tell her how to respond, "The boarding party has-"
"I don't care for the boarding party," Moff Gideon snaps, his tone that was once gentle now harsh as his hand drops, "We have more pressing matters. Stand next to the Child."
Killshot's gaze lowers itself in submission as she obeys, moving to the other side of the prisoner, who looks confused as he stares up at her. When she glances down at him, the implant shocks her yet again, her neck jerking from the pain of it.
"Holster your blaster and withdrawal your scope," Killshot obeys her commander, placing the weapon in the pocket that hangs from her hip without question before hitting her implant to hide the glass, "You do not move until you are told to."
On the other side of the door, there are hard, pained grunts coming from the other side of the door, the set of stormtroopers that flank the entrance engaged in what is clearly a struggle.
"What's happening?" Killshot asks.
"Do not speak until you are told."
The woman's mouth snaps shut, and all she wants to do is ask questions when Moff Gideon draws the darksaber, igniting the dark blade and waiting. The tip of it pointed at the assassin, the rest of it hovering over the Child.
She's in a compromising position, and when her instincts tell her to move, the Implant harshly reminds her of her orders with a bolt of pain running through her head and down her spine.
Then, the door opens, and the beskar-armoured Mandalorian from the transmission steps into the room, faltering as he realizes whats happening.
Underneath his helmet, Din's breath hitches seeing Grogu cuffed. His eyes move up to Jana, who stands with her hands behind her back. The shocking part isn't the lack of restraints, however, it's the look in her eyes.
The warm brown he is so accustomed to seem to be hollow, as if she isn't feeling anything and hadn't for sometime. Her blank expression draws his concern as he walks further into the room, dark circles under her eyes portraying her exhaustion and hair pulled back so tightly it looks like it hurts.
He had never seen her look so numb.
It's here that he recognizes her dead stare and perfect posture; it isn't Jana. It's Killshot. That's what brings fear into his chest.
"Drop the blaster," Moff Gideon demands, snapping the Mandalorian from his trance-like state and making him focus on the darksaber pointed at Killshot, the Child just beneath it's blade, "Slowly."
The Mandalorian has no choice but to listen, placing the weapon on the ground before standing straight again.
"Now kick it over to me," Moff Gideon says, and again, the Mandalorian listens, the weapon skidding across the floor and settling in front of the commander, "Very nice."
"Give me the Kid," Din coldy demands.
"No interest in your beloved?" Moff Gideon taunts, and when the word draws familiar to Killshot, the Implant eliminates the feeling, the sharp jolt of her neck grabbing the Mandalorians attention, "Interesting, but the Kid is just fine where he is. They both are."
"What did you do to her?" Din growls out upon seeing the pained expression on Killshot's face.
Moff Gideon slowly raises the darksaber, using the dangerous blade to point to Killshot's ear that the scope resides behind, "Just an update to the implant, nothing to worry about," The Imperial remnant lowers the darksaber again, making a show of waving the lit-up blade of it close to Killshot's side and just above the Child's head, "Mesmerizing, isn't it? It used to belong to Bo-Katan."
Din's gaze moves from Killshot to Moff Gideon, who gives an arrogant smirk before speaking, "Yes, I know you've been travelling with Bo-Katan. A friendly piece of advice, assume that I know everything. Like the fact that your wrist launcher has fired its one and only salvo."
"Where is this going?"
"This is where it's going," Moff Gideon sneers, "I'm guessing Bo-Katan and her boarding party have arrived at the bridge, seeking me or, more accurately, this," Moff Gideon makes an event of holding up the glowing sword, "But I'm not there. And I imagine they've killed everyone on the bridge, being the murderous savages that they are. And now, they're beginning to panic. You see, she wants this. Do you know why? Because it brings power. Whoever wields this sword has the right to lay claim to the Mandalorian throne."
"You keep it. I just want the Kid and Killshot."
"I can't give up both," Moff Gideon responds, making dread build in Din's heart, "One is my best weapon."
Din doesn't want to say it, but he has to, "The Kid."
Killshot's eyes fix themselves onto the signet on the Mandalorian's shoulder pauldron, remembering the same symbol on the medallion she had been shown by Moff Gideon. It means something, that much she's sure of.
Moff Gideon allows the darksaber to extinguish itself at the same time Killshot's implant shocks her again, "Very well," The man says, "I've already got what I want from him. His blood. All I wanted was to study his blood. This Child is extremely gifted and has been blessed with rare properties that have the potential to bring order back to the galaxy," Hearing the words, Killshot can't help herself from looking down to the asset, not understanding what Moff Gideon means, his words continuing as he looks to the Mandalorian, "I see your bond with him. Take him."
The Mandalorian steps forward, but Moff Gideon is not done talking, "But you will leave my ship immediately and we will go our separate ways."
Killshot watches as the Mandalorian puts a hand on the beskar spear strapped to his back, he and Moff Gideon seemingly switching places, each taking a wide circle around each other.
When he's in front of her, the Mandalorian seems to hesitate, a shaky breath leaving him as he looks to Killshot, the woman he loves even though she may not be capable of knowing it at the moment, "I'm sorry," He says quietly, Killshot's empty eyes meeting his through the t-visor, "I'll find you again, Cyare."
When the implant shocks her at the nickname, Din can see the small bolt of electricity run under the surface of her skin, and his heart clenches at the sight. But this is what he swore to her on the Razor Crest as they left Nevarro.
He chose the Kid.
Managing to tear himself from the woman, the Mandalorian crouches to pick up the Child, who coos expectantly. As he does, Moff Gideon re-ignites the darksaber and swings it, hitting the beskar of the Mandalorain's armour.
Killshot doesn't move as the Mandalorian defends himself, she had been ordered not to. She watches as the warrior takes hit after hit, raising his arms to avoid the darksaber's blade, the sword clanging off of the beskar as the Mandalorian is forced to move, backing up out of the cell to avoid the attacks.
Killshot stays put as commanded, listening to the fight in the hallway, hearing the loud clang of saber on beskar and the grunts of effort from both sides, unable to see the battle as it wages. Beside her, Killshot hears the Child coo loudly, and when she looks down at him, he holds his bound wrists up, almost as if he's asking her to free him.
Furrowing her brows at the creature, Killshot frowns. She had never encountered it before, yet it seems to trust her. When the smell of smoke lingers into the room, Killshot looks to the cell's entrance, not seeing anything of concern. With the fight continuing, Killshot grows antsy.
But, she does nothing. As ordered.
Completely compliant.
Then, as she watches as the hilt of the darksaber skitters across the floor past the doorway, and she knows her commander had lost.
The words exchanged between the Mandalorian and Moff Gideon are muffled, but moments later, the Mandalorian is guiding Moff Gideon into the cell hands cuffed with the tip of a spear pointed into his back.
The warrior shoves Moff Gideon to the ground, harshly uttering, "Stay there," as he steps towards Killshot and the Child.
"Jana-" The Mandalorian starts, but Moff Gideon speaks over him.
"Killshot. Kill the Mandalorian."
The armoured man whips around, the butt end of his spear meeting the Imp's temple hard, knocking him out. When the Mandalorian turns back, Killshot's blaster is raised and her scope is out, the newly blackened glass drawing the Mandalorian's gaze.
"Jana," The Mandalorian rushes out, "I'm not going to fight you."
Her lips quirk up into a smirk, "Good."
Then, she's pulling the trigger and advancing forward. For the second time, the Mandalorian forces himself to move strategically, shifting his arms and spear to deflect the blasts as they come, backing up as Killshot moves forward.
There are a few times he almost doesn't move fast enough, feeling the heat of the laser on the fabric of the flight suit underneath his armour.
She grows frustrated almost immediately when none of her blasts meet target, so she lowers her blaster and rushes forward, knowing that she's going to have to sneak the muzzle of her weapon under the armour if she's to have any success.
The Mandalorian lets out a grunt, trying to defend and not attack, scared that he'll hurt the woman in front of him if he does.
"Jana stop!" He shouts as she throws punches and strikes as misdirections, her blaster going off and barely missing a slot of abdomen not covered by beskar, "It's me!"
The sound of his voice makes her hesitate, giving the Mandalorian enough time to hit the blaster from her hand as another flash of electricity jolts through her.
Then, Din makes the connection, Moff Gideon's words rattling around his head. It's the implant. He needs to get it out. In his mind, however, he can hear the assassin telling others how it cannot be removed. Shaking off the doubts, Din swings the spear, only for Killshot to recover and dip under it.
She runs at the wall of the cell behind him, using it to gain leverage. She leaps, one of her feet pushing off of it and as the Mandalorian turns, her knees are flying into his chest, the weight and the momentum of it making him hit the ground. Killshot is quick to get off of him, somersaulting over to her blaster and popping up on one knee just as the Mandalorian gets to his feet.
He holds his spear at the ready as she aims at him, no doubt in his mind that her scope is locked on.
"Cyare, I don't want to hurt you," The Mandalorian pants, exhausted from the fight with Gideon and the one he's engaged in now, "Don't make me."
Killshot fires and the Mandalorian swings his spear, knocking the blaster from her grip get again as he takes the bolt off of his chest plate.
When she lunges for it, the Mandalorian throws himself at her, stopping the assassin before she can get to it. She writhes in his grip, trying to free herself as the Mandalorian brings her back against his chest, sitting up and winding her arms behind her back in a tight arm bar, one of his hands and the spear keeping her from moving. If he were to tighten it slightly, he would break some of her bones.
A dangerous hold, but the only one Din can think to use.
Din Djarin's heart clenches in his chest, all of him filling with dread as Killshot struggles against the compromising position. Realizing they're facing the Child, Din doesn't want to do what he thinks he has to do, especially with Grogu watching, his ears tilted down in sadness.
"I'm sorry," Din grunts out, his free, right hand reaching down to draw his vicroblade.
Then, Din flips the blade in his hand, taking a moment to locate the metal behind Killshot's right ear and driving the butt-end of the hilt into it, making the woman yell out in pain as a result.
Raising his arm, Din repeats the action, the pained screams ripping out of Killshot's throat being enough to make the Mandalorian's stomach grow nauseous. He doesn't want to do this. But, he keeps going, hitting the implant two more times, making sparks emit from it.
Slowly, Killshot's screams turn into heavy, panicked breathing, and her eyes, that had been squeezed closed, open as the impact seems to slow, another strike hitting the metal and making her scope half-withdrawl. Looking up, Killshot's eyes meet the Child's and all at once;
She remembers.
You thought you could hide within the light.
Killshot shoots an IG-unit as she stands beside a Mandalorian, each of them looking down to a pram containing a a fearful looking Child. She's using a cauterizer to patch up a wound on the Mandalorian's arm on Arvala-7. A Mudhorn hovering in the air. On a transport surrounded by bounty hunters as they try to escape Nevarro. Her name. Jana Calmiken. She remembers weeks on Sorgan, growing accustomed to not only her Mandalorian partner, but being called by her own name instead of the title. Jana remembers Tatooine and a prison ship. She remembers the way she felt when she heard Din Djarin's name for the first time, and shooting down Moff Gideon's TIE fighter.
Moff Gideon is the enemy.
But the Darkness follows those who walk in its shade.
The memories keep coming like a flood washing over her. It's overwhelming. Jana Calmiken can suddenly recall her Handler's abuse, killing her sister, Vera, on Nevarro and reuniting with her twin brothers, Beau and Arlo, on Tatooine. She remembers nearly freezing to death, and being submerged under the cold waters of Trask before she's back on Nevarro, blowing up an Imperial base that had caused her so much pain. She remembers Ahsoka Tano, and the dark troopers on Tython. She had killed her mother.
You will never outrun it.
Through it all, she remembers her clan. Her family.
Tears are quick to flood into Jana's eyes as she stares at the Child, "Grogu," She weakly breathes, the sound of her voice making Din's actions halt.
She remembers what happened on Fondor.
She remembers death.
Not when it becomes you.
Then, pain floods through Jana as the implant releases the most violent shock yet, making her release a blood curdling scream, her back involuntarily arching as her eyes squeeze themselves closed.
Part of the small metal panel had been upturned from the hits, and Din drops the vicroblade, grabbing onto it as hard as he can and pulling, the technology defending itself and shocking him too, making him let out a pained cry as well.
When it subsides, Jana pants, trying to catch her breath. She's still herself, at least for the moment,"The-the kid," She manages, "The cuffs."
"Jana-"
"Do it, Din!"
Going against his instincts, Din releases Jana at the sound of his own name. Rushing to the Child and undoing the metal restraints that bind him.
He turns when he hears another scream, and the sight he takes in is disturbing.
Jana sits on her knees, both of her hands clawing at the metal behind her ear, attempting to rip the implant out of her skull, bolts of bright blue electricity skimming over her flesh, and a stream of blood starting to drip down her neck.
Part of it gives, the metal separating itself from her skin as it's pulled out, whatever interior mechanism remains still holding on, her cries growing more chilling.
Din Djarin, a known man of action, watches on in fear, not knowing what to do as Jana's wails continue.
He watches as one of her hands feels around her leg, pulling her dagger from its sheath and raising it. The curve of the blade, it's sharpest spot, meets the metal of the implant, and with one, harsh, quick motion, the metal breaks and the scope clatters to the floor, the dagger following it.
One of Jana's hands braces herself so she doesn't fall against the floor, her other hand reaching up and ripping the remaining metal from underneath her skin throwing the bloody technology to where the scope lays, sparking and useless.
Her breathing is laboured and heavy, blood dripping down her neck, but she's there.
Jana Calmiken.
Briefly letting herself rest her forehead on the cold floor, Jana sits up straight, looking at the scope where it lays and feeling herself trembling at the sight of it.
The Death Scope.
The brunette, who can barely see through the tears swimming in her vision, crawls towards her blaster that she had been separated from in the fight. Slowly, she lifts it from the ground, feeling eyes on her as she does. Holding it tentatively in her grasp, remembering all of the violence it had caused, Jana takes a deep breath before raising it to her own head.
Din Djarin had never moved so fast in his life.
He manages to disconnect the muzzle of the blaster from the side of Jana's skull just as she fires, the laser blast going through the ceiling instead. He squeezes her wrist tightly until her shaking hand drops the weapon.
Immediately, Jana starts sobbing, unable to stop the guilt from invading her as Din fully drops to his knees in front of her, his gloved hands grabbing at her cheeks to make her look at him, "Jana you're alright!" He desperately shouts, "Don't-" He starts, his own voice hitching and forcing him to take a quivering breath. When he speaks again, his voice is much quieter, "Don't do that again."
Jana, unable to respond through her wailing, just gasps, trying to take in air. Din's arms move, going around the woman and bringing her into him in the tightest embrace he can muster, her arms hanging uselessly at her side as one of his hands move up and down her back, trying to soothe the woman as best he can. They have until Moff Gideon awakens.
She's in pain, and Jana genuinely believes it will never leave her. She doesn't see how she can live with what she had done.
Din's voice is low and comforting, telling her, "It's alright. It's over. I've got you," Over and over again. Repeating the words and occasionally reminding her, "I'm with you."
She had earned a new title she never wanted, and she had done horrendous things to get it, things she never wanted to do. The Death Scope is hers.
"I," Jana gasps, "I'm sorry, I-I hurt-"
"No, you didn't," Din soothes, "You've never hurt me, alright Cyare? Never."
Jana's hands rise, pushing herself away from Din slightly, just enough that her wet eyes can look into his T-visor, his hands keeping her as close as possible as her pained gaze looks down to the scope on the floor yet again, "Don't ever call me Killshot again."
This time, when Din pulls her in for an embrace, her arms are around him just as tightly, clinging desperately to her Mandalorian and starting to cry for a completely different reason.
She had been brought back, and she has no intention of going back to who she was behind the scope. Because of it, she's not okay. She doesn't know if she will be again.
"I love you," Din quietly says, leaning his head against Jana's, relieved to be with her again, holding his beloved in his arms, despite the circumstances.
"And I love you," Jana says back as she starts to feel lightheaded.
Feeling a small nudge on the side of her leg, Jana separates herself from Din, looking down to see that the Child had wandered over to them, both hands on Jana as he stares up at her. All at once, she feels shame for raising her weapon against herself. She has to live with her actions, because for the first time she has people who depend on her, both of them clinging to her.
Jana's chin wobbles at the sight, feeling as though she's undeserving of the gentleness, "Hi Grogu," She breathes, reaching down and lifting the Child into her arms, making him coo out gently, "Sorry if I scared you, Kid."
"I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner," Din says, making Jana look up from Grogu where he sits in her arms, "Things got complicated."
The brunette shakes her head, not wanting Din to be the guilty one. He had been the one to get her back. He was the one to strike the implant, allowing her thoughts to return to her. She's the guilty one, she deserves the regret, never him.
One of her hands reaches to Din's helmet, her fingertips hooking under the lip of it, "You were right on time, Tin Can," Jana mumbles, bringing his helmet to connect to her forehead and making him linger there for a few moments, a keldabe kiss they had both been longing for since they were separated.
Pulling back is involuntary, in fact, Jana basically falls back, making Din secure his arms tighter around the brunette, seeing how pale she had become and mentally smacking himself for ignoring the bleeding from her implant site.
"Dank ferrik," Din curses, getting his feet under him and pulling Jana over to the wall as gently as he can, leaning her up against it. Reaching into his belt, he pulls a small bacta patch and sticks it to the wound, "This won't stop the bleeding, but it'll slow it until we get to the bridge, Cara has an actual med pack."
"Is it that bad?"
Din shakes his head, "You've had worse."
Then, Moff Gideon's voice sends chills up Jana's spine, "How sweet," He seems to taunt, "You've reunited."
His voice makes Jana feel sick. For her own comfort, Jana holds the Child a bit tighter in her arms.
Silently, Din stands, picking up Killshot's blaster and attaching it to his own belt, along with his own gun and Jana's dagger. Then, he goes into the hallway only to pick up the darksaber.
Returning, Din crouches beside Jana, "Are you strong enough to carry the Child?" He asks, voice gentle. Jana nods, and Din helps her stand to her feet.
Glaring at her commander, Jana mutters something to Din, handing over the Child and striding over to Moff Gideon, only wobbling slightly. The wretched man doesn't comment as she lowers herself beside him, digging into the pockets of his belt until she finds what she had been searching for.
A beskar medallion.
Securing the necklace where it belongs around her neck, Jana takes a moment to run her thumb over the Mudhorn inscribed in the metal before quickly scraping up the remains of the scope and tucking them into her belt. Then, she takes her time standing up and turning back to Din, who gives her a firm, proud nod before she is taking the Child from him and watching as he ignites the darksaber, stepping forward and hauling Moff Gideon to his feet.
"If you even look at them, I'll reconsider sparing your life," Din growls out, making a show of holding up the saber.
---
When the doors open, and Jana walks into the bridge, Child in her arms and Din's palm pressing gently into her back, his other hand holding the darksaber that encourages Moff Gideon along, she's scared she'll lose consciousness from the blood seeping through the bacta patch on her neck.
Understandably, Fennec and Cara are both aiming their blasters at her as she steps through the door.
"Lower your blasters," Din assures, nodding to Cara and keeping them moving forward, "She needs medical attention."
Cara nods, putting her gun aside and taking Grogu, handing him over to Din before looping one of Jana's arms over her shoulders, bringing her over to the nearest chair and helping her sit.
Cara's hands move the bacta patch aside, her eyes skimming over the wound and recognizing the site, "What happened to the scope?" She mutters.
Jana, who is pale and barely able to hold her own head up, blood staining her neck and seeping into her robes, squeezes her eyes shut for a second before looking to her friend, "It's gone. They altered it. It's how they made me-"
"You don't have to explain," Cara utters, making relief wash over the brunette, Cara starting to dig into her med pack for the proper supplies as Jana slumps further into her chair, having the perfect view of Bo-Katan approaching Din and Moff Gideon.
The redhead's seems both baffled and outraged, "What happened?" She seethes.
Cara looks over her shoulder as she pulls out some kind of spray that stings as she applies it to the hole in Jana's head, "They brought him alive, that's what happened," Next is two small devices that Cara sticks above and below the wound, "And now, the New Republic's gonna have to double the payment," Cara pulls out a gel, spreading it over the wound before taking out a bright white fabric, attaching it to the small devices and hitting a small button, making the fabric seal itself tightly over the site. Wiping off her hands with a cloth from the medpack, Cara stands, "The spray stopped the bleeding. That's bacta infused, the repair will be finished in a few hours, it'll probably leave a scar, but you'll feel better soon."
"Thank you," Jana nods, giving her friend's hand a squeeze.
"That's not what she's talking about," Moff Gideon states, ignoring Cara and Jana's small side conversation and looking between Din and Bo-Katan, "Why don't you kill him now and take it?"
Walking over from where she had been beside Jana, Cara grabs Gideon and shoves him to the ground, glaring down at him as his eyes remain on Din, "It's yours now."
Then, Jana remembers Gideon's speech from the brig, Whoever wields this sword has the right to lay claim to the Mandalorian throne.
"What is?" Din asks as Jana swears under her breath, still lightheaded where she sits.
"The darksaber," Gideon responds, "It belongs to you."
Din extinguishes the weapon, holding it out as he approaches Bo-Katan, who stares down at the hilt of it, unmoving, "Now, it belongs to her."
"She can't take it. It must be won in battle. In order for her to wield the darksaber again, she would need to defeat you in combat."
"I yield, it's yours," Din deadpans, clearly done with the situation, holding up the hilt a bit higher, silently urging Bo-Katan to take it from him.
"Oh, no," Gideon draws out, chuckling in a demented amusement, "It doesn't work that way," Moff Gideon stands to his feet, and if Jana weren't weakened by blood loss, she would walk over and shove him back down, 'The darksaber doesn't have power, the story does."
"It's just a story," Jana calls, bringing Gideon and Din's attention to her where she's seated, "It doesn't mean anything. Take it, Bo-Katan."
Moff Gideon shakes his head, "Killshot should not be the one speaking about stories,"
The title makes Jana visibly wince. She never wants to be that again, not after what she had done. Moff Gideon turns back to the conflict at hand, "Without that blade she's a pretender to the throne."
Bo-Katan finally looks over to Moff Gideon, seemingly unable to bring her eyes to Din, breathing out, "He's right."
If Jana were closer, she's sure she'd hear Din sigh before he speaks, "Come on, just take it."
Then, out of nowhere, an alarm starts to go off, drawing the entire crew's attention.
"Well, perhaps she'll get another crack at it," Gideon states.
Fennec moves and stands over a control panel, "The ray shields have been breached," The mercenary informs the crew, "We're being boarded."
"How many life forms?" Bo-Katan asks.
Fennec's face holds a grace expression as she answers, "None."
Before Jana's lagging mind can question anything about their situation, Moff Gideon is speaking yet again, "You're about to face off with the dark troopers," He looks over to Din, mockingly, "You had your hands full with one, and Killshot, the only one with any kind of training against them is, well," When Moff Gideon looks to her pale, slightly fearful face, a smirk on his lips, she just squeezes her eyes closed for a moment, "Indisposed. Let's see how you do against a platoon."
Din walks over to Jana as Bo-Katan looks to a screen near her, "They're headed this way," She announces.
Carefully, Din helps Jana up out of her chair, the lightheaded woman swaying slightly as she stands, leaning into her Mandalorian as he walks her over to a control panel furthest from the door, helping her to sit down on the ground and lean against it, placing Grogu in her arms as soon as she's settled. For barely a second, all Jana can focus on is her dried blood on his armour, she doesn't even want to think about what kind of mess she looks like, bloody and tired.
"Use the saber," Jana quickly rambles, snapping herself out of her trance, holding the Child close to her chest, "Blasters will barely do anything, Fennec's will be fine and someone should use mine, but you need blades to-"
"Hey, hey," Din gently says, his hand coming to rest on Jana's cheek and slowing her words altogether, "Slow down," He whispers. Once she's silent Din nods assuringly, "Don't worry. I'm gonna get you both out of here." Before he stands to leave them, Din's hand moves from Jana to gently pat Grogu's head.
As he walks away, Jana turns to see Moff Gideon shoved to the ground again, many feet away but still too close for comfort. Jana holds Grogu tighter, earning a tired coo from the small Child, "We're getting out of this, little monster," Jana says, trying to reassure herself as well, "We'll be fine."
"Seal the blast doors!" Fennec calls, making Jana's heart rate pick up in fear.
Jana can't see her, but Koska announces, "They're here," And Jana's unease grows. If she could see anyone else besides Moff Gideon, if she could see Din, the only one who seems to completely calm her, she'd be fine.
Instead, she feels as though she's stuck in limbo, clutching Grogu, who has a hand wrapped around one of her fingers, close to her as her only comfort, and only anchor in the situation.
Then, after a long, heavy moment of waiting, there's a pound on the door. Then another, and another. On the other side of the door, the dark troopers seem to fall into an easy and terrifying rhythm.
As is continues, Jana's breathing gets shakier, and more panicked, she keeps her eyes squeezed shut so she isn't forced to look at Moff Gideon.
"You have an impressive fire team protecting you. But I think we all know, after a valiant stand, everyone in this room will be dead," Gideon drones, his voice doing nothing to ease Janas's building panic as the noise at the doors doesn't falter, "But me, the Child, and Killshot. The implant will be reinstalled."
Jana leans her head forward, trying not to let her commander's words get to her, feeling Grogu's grip around her finger get tighter at the sign of Jana's continued distress.
The pounding continues, and continues, and Jana doesn't think it'll ever stop.
Until another alarm goes off.
Opening her eyes, Jana looks out of the bridge's window to see an incoming ship, a single x-wing that makes her brow raise, as she declares her observation out loud, "An X-wing?"
Cara focuses back on the door, "One X-wing? Great. We're saved."
Jana allows herself to peer around the corner of the panel she's tucked behind, seeing Bo-Katan trying to address the incoming ship through the coms, "Incoming craft, identify yourself."
In her lap, the pounding on the door still not ceasing, Grogu's ears perk right up, making Jana look down at him with curiosity as he let out a coo.
When the noise at the blast doors halts, the heaviest silence Jana has ever felt weighing on her shoulders, she holds Grogu's gaze, not understanding his sudden optimism.
"Why did they stop?" Fennec wonders out loud.
Then, after long stretches of quiet, Bo-Katan is the one who speaks, her voice low in disbelief, "A Jedi?"
Jana's breath leaves her at this, and she looks down at Grogu yet again. In her mind, she thinks of Ahsoka, but she knows in her gut it isn't her.
It's someone else.
Unable to see any screens, Jana is left in the dark, remembering Grogu perched on the seeing stone on Tython, Jana quietly asks the Kid, "Who did you call?"
Obviously, he doesn't answer, he just looks up at the woman who holds him with perked ears.
What catches her attention next, however, is blaster-fire. Jana watches with wide eyes as Moff Gideon raises a gun the brunette didn't know he had, shooting Bo-Katan multiple times, the blasts hitting beskar but making her move aside, making Jana and Grogu the only ones in his sights.
Knowing this, Jana, who is completely unarmed, gasps, hiding the Child in her arms and curling herself around him as she squeezes her eyes closed, waiting for the worst.
But, it never comes, because Din dives in front of them, taking the blasts off of his chest plate as the entire crew points their weapons at Moff Gideon.
"Drop it!" Fennec demands, and when Gideon raises the blaster under his chin, about to shoot, Cara knocks it from his grasp before driving the butt of her cannon into his head, knocking him out and to the floor for the second time that day.
Jana looks to Din, eyes wide, and heart beating quickly, filling with concern, "Are you okay?"
He gets to his knees, helping Jana stand to her feet, "He only hit beskar, are you?"
Jana nods as he helps her sit down in a chair in front of a screen. Immediately, both Jana and Grogu are staring at it, the Child reaching out to the figure they see moving through the halls.
Jana can't believe what she sees. The cloaked Jedi is skilled with a lightsaber, slicing through each dark trooper that stands in his way until there are none left and he is free to move to the elevator. Jana's breath hitches when she thinks she sees a glove on only one of his hands.
Din remains beside Jana, his arm around her shoulders as they watch the screen. She's feeling a bit better, her mind not as slow as before, but she's still in a state of disbelief.
A Jedi had come for them.
Then, a more tragic realization, a Jedi had come for Grogu. Jana looks over to Din as the thought crosses her mind, and when Din looks back at her, she wonders if he's thinking the same thing.
She hits a button to change cameras, focusing on the elevator on the floor leading to the bridge, Grogu letting out a loud coo as she does.
When the elevator doors open, the dark troopers fire everything they have at the Jedi, none of it being of any use. They watch as he swings the lightsaber, deflecting blasts and cutting through the droids as if they were nothing. Din's arm tightens around Jana at the sight.
He makes it look easy, like he knows the droid's movements before they do. When there's only one left, the Jedi reaches out his gloved hand, crushing the robot with an invisible force that sends chills up Jana's spine.
Grogu turns in Jana's lap, looking up at her with hopeful eyes for a long moment, before turning to give Din the same look.
Feeling stronger, Jana brings herself to stand, holding Grogu tightly in her arms, "Open the doors," She quietly says, knowing what they have to do.
No one moves, the crew's guns still aimed at the entrance.
Din follows Jana closely as they step to the front of the group, "Do it, open the doors."
"Are you crazy?" Fennec asks as they move past her. Jana rolls her eyes, setting the Child down on a chair and hitting the button herself, she and Din stepping closer to the entrance in unison.
When the doors part, the cloaked Jedi steps through them, a bright green lightsaber illuminating the smoke that had accumulated from the battle. He steps into the bridge, taking a moment to extinguish his weapon and clip it to his belt before he reaches up to set down his hood.
As soon as Jana sees his face, her breath leaves her. She remembers him. The man standing before them is the same boy she had grown up with from the farm next to hers on Tatooine. The same boy she had taken with her into town whenever she'd make a supply run for the farming flats.
The same Jedi that had spared her life and gotten her off of the second Death Star before it exploded. The one who had turned Darth Vader, her former master, back to the light;
Luke Skywalker.
Din, standing protectively with a hand on his weapon, does not share Jana's knowledge, "Are you a Jedi?"
Luke folds his hands in front of him, "I am."
Jana's voice is breathless, and full of wonder, "No kidding."
Luke's blue eyes find Jana's brown ones, "Killshot."
"Not anymore, Farm Boy," Jana utters, admitting the fact to herself as she shakes her head.
"I'm glad," Luke says, the corners of his lips quirking up in the smallest of smiles, "It's good to finally see you again, Jana. Our uncles would be proud to see how far we've come."
At the mention of their family members, the set of uncles, Owen and Duke, who were great friends until they both died in an untimely manner, Jana merely smiles at the Jedi, giving him a nod with the tilt of her head.
Then, Luke holds his hand out, gesturing to Grogu, who is peeking out from the chair Jana had set him in, "Come, little one."
Grogu stays put, his head tilting to look between Jana and Din.
Looking to the Jedi, Din's voice seems sure, "He doesn't want to go with you."
"He wants you two to give him permission," Luke says, making Jana swallow a building lump in her throat, "He is strong with the force, but talent without training is nothing. I will give my life to protect the Child, but he will not be safe until he masters his abilities."
Jana wraps her arms around herself as Din slowly strides over to Grogu, taking him into his arms and returning back to his previous position beside the brunette, muttering, "Hey, go on. That's who you belong with. He's one of your kind," Jana doesn't feel the sting of tears, but she knows they're already spilling down her cheeks as a new, devastating sadness fills her, "We'll see you again. I promise."
Grogu reaches up, his hand, grazing the beskar of Din's helmet, the other reaching out to Jana. The brunette steps closer, putting a hand on Grogu's back and letting him grab onto her finger as he had so many times before.
Then, after a brief pause, Jana watches as Din reaches up for his helmet.
Panicking slightly, Jana squeezes her eyes closed as he starts to lift it. They had never spoken about the Creed, a mutual understanding between them both, and Jana didn't think her heart could beat so quickly in her chest. She hears him set the helmet on the floor.
"Cyare," Din breathes after a moment, his voice unmodulated and smooth, making Jana's chin quiver slightly and chills run up her spine, "Cyare, open your eyes. It's alright."
Taking a second to build up her bravery, Jana listens.
Letting herself blink her eyes open, Jana looks up to Din to see him gazing down at her with kind, misty dark eyes.
Her gaze roams his features, heart picking up speed as she begins taking in the scruff along his cheeks, and the slope and shape of his nose, the mess of dark brown hair on his head, as well as the bronzed skin that she had spent nights dreaming about.
He's nothing like she imagined, but at the same time he's everything and more.
She can't help the bewildered chuckle that escapes her. He's beautiful, "I always knew you had brown eyes," She whispers, still in wonder about how well his face matches his name.
The man she loves, no longer just a t-visor and the metallic glint of beskar.
Din's lips twitch, a ghost of a smile as his arm winds around Jana, bringing her fully against his side, both of them supporting Grogu with a hand, their attention going back to the Child as his small palm meets Din's face ever so lightly.
Jana can barely stop staring at him as his eyes close at the touch, tears still streaming steadily down her face as she watches a small smile grace his pink lips, the first time any one had touched his face since he swore the Creed.
Grogu seems to be in the same state of wonder as Jana, his big eyes taking in Din's features of the first time, not a word shared between the three of them until Din speaks, "Alright pal, it's time to go," Grogu whimpers, and Jana's heart breaks even further, "Don't be afraid."
Jana nods, sniffling as she looks down to Grogu, who gives her his attention, "You'll be okay," She assures, still crying, "The light will always find you, you hear me? Even when you think it won't," Pulling her finger from the Child's grasp, Jana holds her fist out to him, and waits. When he bumps his little knuckles against hers, she lets out a wet chuckle. He had learned after all. A grin takes over her features that is quick to fade, "Don't cause too much trouble, alright?"
Trying not to sob as her heart grows more sad, Jana looks up to Din through her glossy eyes, giving him a nod. Removing his arm from her, Din crouches, setting Grogu on the ground before standing upright.
Looking to Luke, Jana takes a deep breath, seeing him give her a reassuring smile before there's a small nudge on her shin that she feels through her boot. Tilting her head down, Jana sees Grogu standing between her and Din, a hand on each of them as he looks up at them with sad eyes.
The sight makes Jana's heart clench, and even more tears well up in her eyes. But, she doesn't reach for him. She doesn't reach for him because she's doing what a good parent, a good mother, would do. She's putting her own feelings, her own attachments, aside for the betterment of her child.
She's letting him go.
She's letting him go because she isn't what's best for him. The Jedi are the only ones who can teach him, and going with Luke means the best possible life for her son, even if it's without her.
She has no place in the rest of his story.
Then, with loud beeping, an astro-mech slides through the bridge doors, coming to a stop beside Luke and drawing Jana's attention.
Grogu turns, and Jana clenches her jaw to keep from sobbing as Grogu waddles towards the droid, looking up at it and cooing curiously, and for a moment, Jana wonders if they can understand each other.
The droid sways itself, almost as if it's excited, and Luke lifts his gaze back to where Jana and Din stand. The couple looks to the Jedi, putting on brace faces as they nod to him, Grogu raising his arms a second later.
Luke picks up Grogu, the two of them looking into each other's eyes before Luke looks to Din and Jana again, "May the force be with you."
"And with you," Jana manages, watching as Luke turns and starts to walk to the elevator, Grogu looking towards them over his shoulder.
Jana tries to give a small smile, a look of encouragement, as she meets her son's eyes, although the tears streaming down her face betray her. She's devastated.
In her peripheral vision, she sees Din clenching and unclenching his fists, as if he doesn't know what to do with his hands. Letting out a shaky breath, Jana reaches for his hand with one of hers, linking their fingers together and making him look down at her with tears swimming in his eyes.
Din is able to scrape up a small smile for her, and when Jana leans her head onto his shoulder pauldron, she feels his lips plant a kiss at the top of her had. It's quick, though, as they continue to watch Luke's retreating form, trying to meet Grogu's eyes across the hallway.
Jana's free hand runs up Din's forearm, holding it tightly for her own peace of mind and to try to soothe her continuously breaking heart as Luke reaches the elevator. Shifting his grip on Grogu, Luke turns to face them, the Child in his arms and facing them for what Jana hopes isn't the last time, even though her gut tells her it might be.
Jana tries to memorize the moment with everything in her, scared of forgetting it as it flees. Another shaking breath leaves her, almost like half of a devastated sob as she tries to keep her expression somewhat hopeful.
But, as soon as the elevator door closes, and Grogu disappears, off to face whatever destiny the force has in store for him, Jana can't do it anymore. Clinging to Din's arm, Jana holds him tightly, scared that he'd leave too if she were to let him go. Her sobs overcome her, and she finds it hard to breathe as the realization hits her.
Her son is gone, she is without a title, and their quest is complete.
For the first time in a long time, since the day she took the mantle of Killshot, Jana Calmiken finds herself feeling lost, without a path to follow, or a clue of what to do.
The only thing she's sure of is the man beside her. The man who holds her heart; Din Djarin.
Keeping her promise, Jana knows that with whatever comes next, she'll do anything, take on anyone, to stay by his side.
She's with him, no matter what.
---
A/N:
Thank you thank you thank you for reading!
I feel so much pride with this chapter, and I would love o know your thoughts? Was it okay? Was it the finale you were expecting?
258 pages of a google doc filled, around 137,228 words written, and oh my goodness i didn't know it was possible to love a character this much. Seriously, I love Jana so much, and I hope you do too.
The two Jedi Jana knows? Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, I hope you picked up the hints and it wasn't too much of a surprise.
This fic has been so fun to write, and I genuinely have given every free moment I had to it. With season three coming in 2022 you can expect an Act three to this book. It's so long from now, but it will be so sweet returning to Jana Calmiken and her story when the time is right.
Thank you again, and I hope you are all staying safe, and that you wear your mask and be kind to others.
Until next time, may the force be with you.
<3