NIA'S POV
She rummages through the items in her home that morning, collecting all of her necessary belongings and supplies. Of course she can't go anywhere without her lightsaber, beskar spear, heavy blaster pistol, vibroknife, as well as her beskar vambraces, along with her Jedi holocron, healing crystal, and 3000 credits from the clinic and the Aqualish. She informs her associate of her relocation update on her comlink. Then double-checks to make sure the darksaber is safely tucked away inside her backpack before zipping it back up. One last thing she does is to quickly make toast with homemade jelly and grabs some fruit for herself and Din, packs them away in paper bags and heads out towards the clinic.
While at the clinic, she lingers longer than she needed to. She triple-checks everything to make sure it is left in order. She told Din she'll met him at his ship while he goes to collect his weapons from Viv. Maya has to physically shove her out as she weeps with sorrow.
"We're going to miss you, Asra! But I'm glad you are moving on. You never seemed completely happy here. Promise me that you'll finally find joy in your life!" Maya cries. Her stomach is warm with flutter. She doesn't know what to expect on Tatooine, but she must follow wherever the Force takes her. She's going to miss everyone here, but it was never meant to be a permanent home.
"I'll miss you too, Maya. You've always been a good friend to me," she whimpers as she gives her friend a hug. "Goodbye, Caid."
"Bye Asra. Take care of yourself," Caid replied.
Before leaving the clinic, she collects several more nutritional packs and ration bars from the storage room for Din, enough to last for at least a week. It's the least she can do since she's asking him for a favor. Felucia has enough additional foodstuffs to last for a year and they have plenty of it to spare. She also grabs two bundles of nysillin herbs, one for herself and one for him and packs them away in a shoulder bag.
Her backpack contains all the essentials a traveling woman like herself would ever need. Such as a few extra spare clothing, a small medpac, her hair brush, a bar of soap and feminine products (of course), as well as ten ration bars, five nutritional packs, a small portable moisture vaporator for desert planets, a water filter and canteen filled with natural spring water from the nearby creek, a thermal cloak and thick heavy boots for cold temperatures, a portable oxygen mask for toxic environments, her personal long-range comlink, a universal translator, her customized datapad, a scramble key, several empty data cards, as well as a few data cards with fake chain codes for her numerous aliases and identities.
"Asra! What's this I hear about you leaving?!" Max calls out to her from in front of his bar.
"Word got around fast I see. Yes. I need to leave. It was always a pleasure talking to you, Max," Nia says as she shakes his hand.
"Running away with the Mandalorian, huh?" He says with a wink.
"It's not like that. We are friends. He's helping me travel to my next destination."
"Ok Asra. Whatever you say, but I know there's something going on between you two," Max says as he hug Nia goodbye.
"Alright alright. Take care of yourself, Max," Nia says as a tear runs down her cheek. "I'm going to miss everyone."
"Tell the Madalorian he's free to come back anytime he wants."
"I will," she says and walks away quickly before she starts to cry.
As she sees Din's ship in the distance, a realization dawns on her. In just a few moments, she'll be among the stars once again, with a purpose and a mission. It has been a rough week with the attack, followed by the aftermath and cleanup, and now having to relocate. Everything is about to change. She has so many thoughts running through her head, but they all jump around erratically, none of them staying still long enough for her to focus on.
DIN'S POV
The Felucian sun has only been up for about an hour or so and there's still morning dew on the grass. After he collected his weapons from the storage unit, he placed them all neatly back inside his hidden compartment on the ship. Then he performs a quick check around the perimeter of the ship with Viv, making sure everything on the exterior is repaired and operational. The landing struts seem to be in working condition, the hydraulics are clean and functional, no more cracks or holes in the ship's hall, and the main ramp opens and shuts with ease.
"Everything looks good," Din says he walks around the ship with Viv.
"Glad to be of service. Thank you for your kindness and helping the town with those raiders. Anything you need, you are always welcome here," Viv says as he holds out his hand.
"Thanks, Viv. You've been a big help," Din says as he shakes his hand.
"Good luck with everything, and keep an eye out for Asra. She deserves happiness in her life."
"I will, and thank you again," he says with a nod as he enters the ship.
While up inside the cockpit, his gloves lay discarded on the floor by his feet. He's elbow-deep in his ship's main computer, double-checking that everything is connected and working as it should be. Main Engine. Check. Emergency Back Up Generator. Check. Landing Gear. Check. Life Support Systems. Check. Enough Fuel. Check. Communication Systems Operational. Check.
Finally, he sees her in the distance approaching the ship. He steps out onto the ramp as he sees her standing out there, one bag at her feet and another on her back as she gazes up at the ship.
"We should get going," he says.
"You all fixed her up nice. It's a Pre-Empire Gunship, isn't it?"
"That's right. You know your ships," he says as he heads inside with Nia following close behind him.
"I got something for you," she says as she rests her shoulder bag down into one of the spare rooms.
"Not necessary," he says shortly as he closes the ramp.
"Of course it is. I got you some extra food and nysillin herbs. Here, I also made you breakfast," she says as he hands him a paper bag.
"Thank you," he says softly as he takes the bag and heads up the ladder. Even after the events of last night, he's quick to return to a silent man of a few words. She doesn't take offense to this.
Once they are both up in the cockpit together, he punches the coordinates for their destination. There's a few clicking of switches followed by the low hum of the engine warming up, then the hissing of the ship pressurizing. Shortly after, there's the clunk of the landing struts coming up and then the brightly-colored landscape of the Felucian fungal forest is pulling away beneath the ship as they fly up towards the stars. Soon, the familiar blue-streaks of hyperspace is seen jutting across the sky as they make their way to the desert planet of Tatooine.
———————
A few minutes later, there is still something he doesn't know about her yet. He sees her eyes on him as he puts the ship in autopilot, watching him with a deliberate stare.
"So, you never told me where you're from and how you ended up with the Tribe?" Din asked.
"Where I was born, you mean? Well to be honest, it's a long story. I don't know where I was born. I was recruited by the Jedi when I was two years old. I lived at the Temple on Coruscant until the purge. When I was ten, I escaped to a refugee camp off-world. Months later, the Empire found me and was about to shoot me until I got rescued. I never knew his name, but he was like a father to me. Always wore a helmet, like you, taught me the Way of the Mandalore, like you. But he died when I was a teenager. Then in my early twenties I had to rescue my target, who was actually an Imperial officer accused of killing one of our own, but he was completely innocent! So I went as far as removing my helmet in order to help him and his family flee. The Tribe disliked it. I couldn't tell them I was Force-sensitive. I thought it would be too dangerous for me to reveal to anyone of my real identity. So I decided to leave."
"That's a lot to take in," he replied. "I always thought you may have been a traitor. At least that's what they called you."
"Ha, of course they did. I'm not surprised. The one thing I despise more than the Empire is injustice. I couldn't see an innocent person die for something he didn't do."
Din supposes that makes sense, would he have done the same thing? Technically, he did it for the child, but he was his foundling. She's indeed dedicated to her moral code, something he can respect. He begins to tell her his story of how he ended up in the Fighting Corps.
"I was a foundling. Orphaned in a Separatist attack. The Mandalorians took me in and raised me as one their own."
"They raised an honorable man. Although I respect all Mandalorians, however I have to disagree with some the laws. Like the Jedi, following a code that doesn't give a person autonomy is flawed. Order 66 forced the clone troopers to kill all Jedi, including the children. That's why I had to flee. All Jedi were considered traitors by an evil, and cunning, Sith Lord who declared himself the Emperor."
"Mmm," he hummed but there is a quiet moment, yet she doesn't look away from him. The Jedi Purge, the near extinction of an entire organization of powerful warriors, makes it quite similar to the Mandalorian purge. Just more additional information that solidifies his feelings for her. Her story got to him. Now it makes sense as to why she creates fake identities for people on the run. For just a second, he was tempted. He actually considered staying on Tatooine with her. But he knows he can't do it. He's not ready to retire yet.
——————
A few days pass in hyperspace with only each other and no urgent tasks. As always, Din has sex like it was the last day of his life. It was his way of releasing all of his pent up aggression, and she was more than happy to help him with it. He was gruff and ravenous in bed, but afterwards he was sweet and gentle, planted soft kisses to make up for the severity of his sexual desires. His gentle side was one she knows no others were allowed to see. They had sex in the cockpit, in the refresher, on the floor of the ship, and up against the wall. The shared every last moment together in the silence of hyperspace. A few times Din would ask her to come with him, but she kept reminding him that she needed to be on Tatooine.
NIA'S POV
The brief time she has known Din, her feelings for him have been developing faster than the speed of light. She has never fallen for a man like this before and it scares her. How could they possibly justify staying together? She's a wanted criminal and he's bounty hunter. One they reach Tatooine, the two of them have planned to go their separate ways. Both of their lives had no room for romance.
DIN'S POV
He body and her scent is like spice, once you have a taste, you can't stop. This is silly. He can't be falling for a healer! He has lived an isolated, itinerant way of life full of brutality, pain and instability. It suited him because he made it work for so long. He knows he's just being a hormonal adolescent by asking her to stay with him. Although she has consistently invited him to come visit her on Tatooine, yet he knows he should just drop her off and never see her again. It's better that way. But could he go through with it in the end?
—————
"Hanger 3-5, you're ready for landing," the announcer on the ship's comlink says.
"Copy that, hanger 3-5," Din replied.
Once Din landed the ship in Mos Eisley, Nia begins gathering her things as Din stands by the door of the ship.
"This isn't goodbye, ya know," she says. "I really hope to see you again. If you're ever on Tatooine, look me up as Mina Dillbra."
"You and your many names," he laughs.
"Names that have kept me safe, Mando," she teases. "Oh, and I saved the code to my long-range comlink on your ship's computer. Call me anytime you want," she says as she throws her arms around his broad shoulders. "Take care of yourself, Din Djarin."
He returns the hug as he says, "I will, and take care of yourself too."
The moment she released him, he pressed the button to lower the ramp. But before she leaves, she says, "Looking forward to when we meet again."
The moment she disappears from sight, an emotion washes over him. No longer in possession of the darksaber, he feels a sense of relief that he hasn't felt in years. Like a massive weight has been lifted off of him. He feels like his old self again. However, now he's no longer grieving for the child. Now he misses her.