We boarded the small Imperial vessel, our guns up and glares hard. A pilot grabbed the man we were looking for, as if that would save his life.
“Before you make a mistake, this is Dr. Pershing.”
“We’ve met. Is the kid alive?” Din said, stepping forward. It took my hand to go onto his bicep for him to calm down.
“Yes, he’s on the crew–”
The co-pilot looked at Cara. “Stay back, Dropper.”
The pilot now looked at Din. “Easy, pal. Okay? I’m not with him. We can work something out.”
I roll my eyes. “Drop your weapon. And quit being stupid.”
“Tell your little slut of an ex-mandalorian to shut up.” The pilot glared at me, and I rose an eyebrow, before punching him hard enough, I heard his nose break.
“No. 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 never left Alderaan. I saw the tear. You wanna know what else I saw? I saw your planet destroyed. I was on the Death Star.” The co-pilot, however, kept talking.
Cara frowned. “Which one?”
“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.” And those were his last words as the Marshal of Nevarro shot him in the head.
On a neighboring planet, we reached a Catina. Din said someone was here who could help us, but he asked me to stay in the ship. I wasn’t going to leave the ship until I thought he would need me. And it that moment never came. Mandalorians came in, and that was something I wasn’t prepared for. Din saw the uncomfort in my eyes, and slid his arm around my waist.
“Hey, it’s fine. They aren’t gonna hurt you.”
The lead Mandalorian, Bo-Katan, whom I learned to remember from the time I first met her and her crew. I still hated them. She started speaking. “This is Moff Gideon’s Imperial light cruiser. In the old days, it would carry a crew of several hundred. Now it operates with a tiny fraction of that.”
Pershing laughed, “Your assessment is misleading.”
Cara rolled her eyes and decided to speak also. “Oh, great. An objective opinion.”
I was sick of everything, and knew an argument would stir eventually, so I stood up and walked to the small quarters Din and I shared. Boba knew there was something between us, so he let us share a small room.
Din learned the plan for when we landed on the cruiser and walked over to our room, sitting beside me. My eyes were closed and I heard the hiss that his helmet was off. I didn’t move or do anything until I felt his lips against my neck, and a soft moan escaped my lips.
He seemed desperate. Maybe because of the stress that Grogu was gone, and he needed a distraction, or he was ready for making things further with me. Din gently laid me down, sliding his hand up the back of my shirt.
Flashback: The night Grogu was taken, three weeks ago.
Din and I sat silently in our room, and the vibe was uncomfortable. And then, we both looked at each other the same time, and our lips just connected.
It took less than five minutes for us to even start making love, and things got heated way faster than we wanted.
The way his stubble felt against my jaw, and his rough hands against my hips...our voices and breathes became one.
His hips against mine, and the way we moved in sync. It was loving, and sweet at first. Then heated and hot later.
And that night was full of love. And the night we both lost our virginity. But, I felt okay with it because I knew that I loved him, and he loved me.
End of flashback
The rest of the night, it was magical. As magical as it was the first time. And I couldn’t help but smile the next day, all day.
Landing on the cruiser the next day was rough, and to be fair, I didn’t want to do it. Bo-Katan’s hatred for me was clear, and despite Din’s arguments, she posed me for distraction. After all the troopers were dead, I ran my own way, and knew to meet them at the bridge.
As I was running down the hall, I started walking, looking around, and heard extra footsteps.
“Justine Ashla Jade Carvana. I thought it was you. Not like you can escape a past like yours anyways, huh?" An imperial taunted, from somewhere. My breathing picked up and I started freaking out. No one knew my whole name. Not even Din.
"Who the hell are you? And what do you want from me?" I yell, looking around.
"I was curious about you. Your little story. Ah yes. Mother abandoned you at a young age, father left too. You were left to the streets of Nevarro. Don't act like I don't know your story. Because I do. Trained as a fondling, raised by the mandalorians… only to get exiled from them, huh?"
"Leave me alone!"
"That building… it was going to crush a young girl, isn't that correct? And you had the notorious assassin Dearansko Tevauni in grip. But you let him go. And he killed many mandalorians that night. Because of you. "
"Enough! It wasn't fully my fault! They should've sent someone out with me to catch him!" I cry out, on the verge of tears.
"But that's not all. What about… your first lover? Not that you lost your virginity to him, but you loved him. Trevoun Defealski?"
"Stop this! That's enough!"
"But he died at your hands too!" The voice yelled, chuckling maniacally. "And to think… you're probably playing that new man… Djarin is it?"
"Leave me alone!" I started running while hearing that villainous laugh, until running into someone. It was Din, holding Grogu, and a beat up Moff Gideon.
Bo-Katan looked at us "What Happened?"
"He brought him in alive, that’s what happened. And now the New Republic’s gonna have to double the payment." Cara smiled at Grogu.
"That’s not what she’s talking about. Why don’t you kill him now and take it?" Gideon looked between us all. "It’s yours now."
Din sounded confused, "What is?"
"The Darksaber. It belongs to you."
Din walked over to Bo and held out the hilt of the darksaber," 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."
"Oh, no. It doesn’t work that way. The Darksaber doesn’t have power. The story does. Without that blade, she’s a pretender to the throne."
Bo finally spoke,, looking away from everyone, "He’s right."
" Come on, just take it."
There was a sound of an alarm. And to be honest, I wasn't feeling the best.. "Well, perhaps she’ll get another crack at it." Gideon laughed.
It turns out some murder droids that no one decided to tell me about were boarding.
"You’re about to face off with the dark troopers. You had your hands full with one. Let’s see how you do against a platoon."
"You shut the hell up." I glare, kicking his side.
"They’re headed this way." Bo cursed.
Din looked at Grogu. "Don’t worry, kid. I’m gonna get you out ofcursed.
Fennec and Koska were working on the doors and protecting us. Cara managed to knock out Gideon before all hell broke loose.
And a Jedi saved us.
When the man finished off every dark trooper, we were left in shock. Din commanded the doors to be opened and the Jedi lowered his hood.
He had dirty blonde hair, and blue eyes. His black velvet shirt and obviously Chanel boots were iconic for this man,and he turned off his green lightsaber.
"Are you a Jedi?" Din asks.
"I am. Come, little one." The man smiled and looked at Grogu, who looked to his dad.
"He doesn’t want to go with you."
"He wants your permission. 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."
"Hey, go on. That’s who you belong with. He’s one of your kind. I’ll see you again. I promise."
Grogu patted the cheek of the beskar helmet and I walked over to stand by them, smiling sadly at Grogu.
And then Din carefully took his helmet off, looking at his small child, and I felt tears come to my eyes.
" All right, pal. It’s time to go. Don’t be afraid."
"May the Force be with you. And your new little one." The Jedi sent us a wink and walked away, with a blue and white Astromech, and the small green bean we loved very much.
Din and I looked at each other, while everyone was a bit shocked to see his face. I wasn't. "'New little one' What's he talking about?"
"Can we not talk about it right here? In front of everyone?" I whisper, wiping away a stray tear of his. He nodded and led me into the hall for a moment. And I guess he needed answers now. I wasn't sure if my guess was right. But if it was...
"Justine. What's going on? You run into me after running as fast as you probably can, you've been moody with me, and then the Jedi-"
I stop him. "Shhh. Love, there's a lot going on-"
"I know that. Grogu was just taken from us. And now you're not telling me what's going on?"
"I'm trying to get to that point. Din, that night you and I slept with each other...we...well...I think we conceived."
"What?"
"I think we're having a baby. You know. A little human."
"Justine- that...wait...Jus..." he was speechless, stopping himself by kissing me deeply.
"Kay lovebirds." Cara said from behind the door. "Quit making out and get in here. We're leaving."
We pulled away, and before we knew it, we were with Boba Fett and the squad, on our way to a settlement for now.