chapter 63: the investigation •••
Astra adjusts her vambraces as she stands alongside Din and Bo-Katan. The views of Plazir-15 and the palace have since been exchanged with the countless massive monitors within the security room. Astra steadies herself with a breath when she looks at her empty side and confirms that their children's pod isn't floating there. Grogu and Zora had been left with the Duchess and the Captain, mostly for both their own safety and comfort. Though Astra knows they'll be well taken care of, separating herself from them is always difficult, especially given the trials of their most recent journey.
"These droids were all reprogrammed to serve the community from the stockpile of captured Imperial robotics scheduled to be scrapped at Karthon," says the chief officer when Astra allows herself to tune back into their conversation. "The droids' reprogramming was a complete success..." the officer pauses, leaving Astra, Din, and Bo-Katan all to exchange a cautious look, "until one day, an isolated event..."
The officer plays a holovid on the comms of a trash droid picking up a receptacle and thrashing it around. It drops the receptacle on its own head and continues ahead as if nothing's happened. Astra hears the leather of Din's gloves pull tight at his sides.
"Then others." The officer plays more holovids, one of a woman whose cargo was carried and ripped apart by a battle droid and another of a droid driving a landspeeder straight into the wall of a docking bay. Astra tightens her lips at the way the discrepancies worsen. "This is just a small collection of malfunctions that our security cameras caught."
The holovids keep rolling and Astra doesn't have to look at Din to sense the way he gets more and more tense with each one. She offers him a nervous glance, but before she can speak up, Bo-Katan makes her own voice heard. "Turn them off," she suggests.
The officer faces her in his chair, bewildered. "What?"
Bo-Katan shakes her head and looks at the officer. "Why not turn them all off?" When the man doesn't answer, Bo continues. "Who's in charge of that?"
The officer raises his brow at her. "I am." He gestures to a large red button on his left. "There's a failsafe cutoff switch built into the system." The button sits just in front of where Din stands. Astra watches his gloved hand consider the short distance. "However..."
"What?" Din demands, his voice low. Astra moves closer to his side.
"The citizens voted against any interruption in droid services," the officer finishes. He chuckles and shrugs. "They can't live without it."
Din tilts his helmet. "And why's that?"
"The citizens are no longer required to work and can spend their days engaging in recreation, the arts, and participating in our direct democracy. If we shut down the droids," the officer laughs again, "our citizens wouldn't know how to survive. Our society would collapse."
"I'd take societal collapse over droids any day," Din mutters, only loud enough for Astra to hear. She huffs and sets a hand on his armored shoulder.
"Then what do you want from us?" Bo-Katan asks the officer.
"To seek out and decommission any remaining rogue droids, until we can fix the problem." Din shifts his weight and Astra moves with him. His visor meets her gaze and she doesn't need to see his eyes to understand what he's trying to tell her. This is going to be both one of his favorite and most difficult missions they've ever embarked on together.
"Give us the list," Bo tells the officer.
"Well, for that, you'll have to go to the lower level and speak to the Ugnaughts," the officer insists.
Din perks up at his words. "Ugnaughts?" he echoes.
The officer nods. "Ugnaughts."
Astra meets Din's visor once again and she offers him an encouraging smile. "Ugnaughts," she says.
"Am I missing something?" Bo-Katan asks, her brow furrowed at the two of them.
"It's a long story," Astra answers. She gestures towards the turbolift. "We should get going."
The group makes their way to the turbolift and remains silent as they step inside and begin their descent to the lower level. Astra watches each level pass them by with her arms crossed over her cuirass. She glances at Din, but his visor remains forward, his gloved hands folded over his belt. Her heart aches for him; He's not one to deny a friend a favor, but there are many internal wounds of his that this job is threatening to tear back open. Between the battle droids and a visit with Ugnaughts like Kuiil, Astra's not sure how much he'll be able to take.
That's why Astra's surprised when it's Din's voice that splits the silence. "See what happens when you rely on droids?"
Bo-Katan raises her brow. "Are you taking this personally?"
"Well..." Astra starts, exhaling a worried breath.
"Just pointing it out," Din insists before Astra can go on. He still doesn't look at either one of them.
"Let's just finish this so we can be on our way," Bo says.
"Agreed," Astra adds. The corners of her lips pull tight as she watches the turbolift settle on the lower level. "The quicker, the better."
The turbolift stops and Bo-Katan leads the way out. The large workshop is dim, aside from the bright sparks that shower down from where the Ugnaughts are doing their work. Din stiffens at Astra's side and she doesn't have to ask why. There's already two B2-series battle droids facing them, and though they're clearly powered off, their image alone is haunting enough for someone with trauma like Din's. Astra looks at him and resists the urge to pull him away from the sight.
"I am Bo-Katan Kryze," Bo announces to the room of Ugnaughts. "Which one of you is in charge?"
Her words reap no response. The Ugnaughts continue to work, some on their own and some in collaboration. Astra notices Din's visor remaining on the one who's currently fixing up one of the battle droids.
"We were sent on behalf of the Duchess and Captain Bombardier to help you with your droid problem," Bo goes on, despite their silence.
Her words still yield no response, though she's at least gotten Din to move, his helmet now turned towards the Mandalorian heiress. Astra's gaze follows his until it's drawn down to the gloved hand of his that brushes against her own. She's gentle in taking his hand in her grasp, but once their fingers are entwined, his grip on her tightens.
"Hello?" Bo-Katan barely resists the urge to sigh as she lowers her voice for just Din and Astra to hear. "This is going nowhere."
Astra and Din share a look while she considers using her own attempt at diplomacy. Instead, he gives her hand a squeeze and drops it as he tries his hand at addressing the room. "I am Mandalorian Din Djarin," Din introduces himself, "friend of Ugnaught Kuiil."
Astra's lips part in surprise at Din's easy mention of their old fallen friend. The Ugnaughts offer a similar response, their heads rising from their work as they halt it altogether.
"You will answer our questions and help us with our task," Din continues. "I have spoken."
The Ugnaughts glance at each other and nod. They remain silent even as they move, stepping down from their ladders and other workspaces to gather at one of the wooden tables. Din leads the way over to them, letting Astra take her place between him and Bo-Katan and across from the Ugnaughts. Astra's arm brushes against Din's as she looks up at him and whispers words meant just for him. "Do you think they actually knew Kuiil?"
Din shrugs and returns her glance. "I'm not sure." He inhales a careful breath and tries to go on. "It's been years since..." Din trails off. He sets his gloved hand on Astra's armored thigh and she's eager to offer more comfort with her hand set over his. She's brought back to one of those first nights on Sorgan after they were wed, when she woke to him laying beside her with reddened eyes and tear stains on his cheeks. He ended up pouring his heart out to her and now she shares that grief with him, taking whatever burdens she can to make his just a little bit lighter.
Astra wishes more than anything she could remind him of that right now.
"Thank you for your hospitality and for sharing your table with us," Din begins, his voice genuine and composed despite the way his hand trembles underneath Astra's own. A droid serves tea to everyone at the table while Din goes on. "We were engaged to hunt down and eliminate the malfunctioning droids."
"There are no such droids," one of the Ugnaughts insists.
"You may not have heard the news down here," Bo-Katan speaks up, her hands wrapped around a cup of tea, "but your droids are wreaking havoc in the world above."
Astra watches Din tighten the free hand he's rested on the table into a fist. She tenses her own shoulders at Bo-Katan's direct words, especially once the Ugnaught responds. "There is not much of which we are not aware. These halls are the central nervous system of the city." He faces the three of them with a stern raise of his brow. "I assure you, the droids are not malfunctioning."
"Citizens have been harmed by these malfunctioning machines," Bo states.
"This is not the case." The Ugnaught raises a dismissive hand. "I have spoken." He looks at Din as he speaks the three familiar words.
"We're not in any way suggesting that your work is to blame," Din assures them, his voice gentle as his visor scans the table. "The stories of Ugnaughts' skill with smithing droids are legendary." Din nods at the Ugnaught who sits closest to him. "We know that Ugnaughts are considered the hardest working species in the galaxy."
The Ugnaughts glance at each other and nod in appreciation of his words. Astra smiles at Din's genuine respect and regard for them as he goes on.
"We, like you, have been engaged with a task to perform. We will investigate the dangerous incidents. We would appreciate your help."
Din's visor gives the table another careful scan. The Ugnaughts turn to each other and quietly discuss their thoughts. Astra manages to catch Din's gaze and she widens her smile of pride, giving the hand on her thigh a squeeze. He returns the gesture and leans his helmet closer to her head in silent gratitude.
One of the Ugnaughts hands the one closest to Din a large datapad. The Ugnaught hands it off to Din, causing him to lift his hand from Astra to take the datapad in his full grasp. "Here are the locations of the droids you seek," the Ugnaught says.
Din shares glances with Astra and Bo and adjusts his grip on the datapad. "Thank you," he says, every ounce of gratitude dripping into his tone. "We are in your debt. I have spoken."
The Ugnaughts give him a nod as Din takes the initiative in rising from the table. Astra and Bo-Katan follow suit, though Astra can't bear to leave without following her husband's precedent. "Thank you," she says, extending her hand towards the one who communicated with them. He lifts his brow and slowly offers his hand to her. Astra takes it between both of hers. "With this, we can keep proving your work isn't to blame."
The Ugnaught nods in appreciation. Astra drops his hand and continues to follow Din and Bo-Katan back into the turbolift. They wait to resume conversation until they're in a hyperloop pod and headed to their first destination, passing by the darkened city of Plazir-15. Astra fights back a yawn at the idea of the sleep they'll be losing this evening.
"What was that?" Bo-Katan asks Din once they've settled into their transport.
Astra looks at Din, whose visor remains lowered on the datapad in his hands. "I've spent time with Ugnaughts," Din explains. He gestures to Astra at his side. "We both have. There's a particular way to communicate with them." He looks up from the datapad to face Bo. "Accusing their work of malfunctioning is an insult."
Bo-Katan shakes her head in confusion. Astra steadies herself with a breath and adds on to his words. "Many Ugnaughts were placed into indentured servitude," she says. "Especially to the Empire. The only way they could free themselves was by the skill of their hands." Astra's mind is flooded with memories of Kuiil, from his small hut on Arvala-7 to their desperate run on the blurrg back to the Razor Crest. She swallows hard and senses Din moving himself closer to her. "Their work is very personal for them."
Bo-Katan nods at her, her gaze flooded with understanding. She remains silent, letting Din fill the space once again. "Now, they've indicated that there's a likelihood that the next event will be at the loading docks."
"How sure are they?" Bo asks.
"Hard to tell." Din takes the datapad and sets it aside. "Ugnaughts always seem sure of themselves."
Bo chuckles at that, watching as Plazir-15 passes them by. "Well, it's the only lead we've got, so we might as well have a look around."
"Do they know what kind of droid it'll be?" Astra dares to ask.
The hyperloop pod stops and the doors hiss open. Din lowers his voice when he answers his wife. "No."
Astra looks out over the loading docks and sees them filled with a few different types of droids, but mostly B2-series battle droids. She tightens her jaw, glancing at Din to see him unaffected by the sight. Astra's brow wrinkles together in a confusing mixture of pride and concern. Either Din's dissociated himself enough to face this situation with composure or his rage is so prominent that he's forced himself to be calm. Astra's not sure which reality she wants to be true.
The group takes the stairs down to the dock, tense silence filling the air until Bo-Katan breaks it. "I haven't seen battle droids since the Clone Wars," she says.
Din's visor doesn't leave the view of the battle droids once as he responds in one telling phrase. "I have."
Astra's eager to steer the conversation back towards the task at hand. "Do any of them look suspicious?" she questions.
Din offers her an answer. "They all look suspicious."
Astra holds back a worried sigh, though no words can be spoken anyway when the B1-series foreman starts to address them. "Halt!" They face the group of Mandalorians. "This is a restricted area. You are to vacate immediately."
"We have a few questions," Bo-Katan states, standing firm in front of the foreman. Astra joins her at her side while Din passes both of them by to take a closer look at the B2-series battle droids march by with their cargo crates in hand.
"Show me your identification, please," the foreman insists.
Bo tilts her head, unintimidated. "We're here on behalf of the Duchess to investigate the droid malfunctions."
"Yes, I saw the reports," says the foreman. Astra's unable to keep her gaze off Din, who's started to wave his arm in front of each passing droid. She's torn about staying at Bo's side or going to Din's. "Rest assured, I've had the entire line of loaders undergo maintenance protocols as a safety measure. The, uh, certification is on file." The foreman follows Astra's gaze and watches Din as he waves at the droids. "Uh, I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Din's helmet snaps towards the foreman. "Why's that?"
"As a precaution." Bo and Astra share a cautious look. "Their base function was warfare."
Din turns back to the battle droids. "I thought they were just checked out."
"They were." Astra's reaction is nearly the same as the foreman's when Din suddenly kicks one of them. "Uh, what are you doing?"
"Then this shouldn't faze them." Din kicks another one of the droids, making them stumble a few steps. As much as Astra wants to see Din do something so cathartic to help with his trauma, she can't help worrying about what such a reaction might yield, or how much further Din might take it.
The foreman takes a worried step towards Din. "Uh, sir?"
"Din," Astra sighs, setting her hands on her hips in disapproval. "Do you really think this'll accomplish anything?"
Din kicks another droid. "I do."
"Excuse me!" the foreman's voice rises in concern. "Excuse me! Sir!"
One of Din's kicks sends a battle droids to the ground, their cargo crate falling upon the dock in an unceremonious clang. It's when the droid rises back up that Astra's heart leaps into her throat. In a motion too fast for anyone to process, the battle droid backhands Din's helmet, sending him sprawling to the ground. Astra sees nothing but red as she tightens her fists and starts to lunge forward. The droid pushes past her and the foreman, forcing them both to the ground just like Din.
Bo-Katan shoots after the battle droid as it starts to run away while Din and Astra stand to their feet. "Did that thing just push you?" Din questions Astra in a growl. One nod from Astra is all it takes for him to charge after it, running as fast as Astra's ever seen.
"Oh!" the foreman gasps as Din runs by.
"Re-certified, huh?" Bo scoffs at the foreman before she and Astra chase after Din and the battle droid.
"You should have left them alone!" the foreman calls after them.
Bo turns her head to glance at Astra as they run in sync. "It seems like he might've lost his cool there," she says loud enough for Astra to hear over their panting breaths and the rushing wind, her head gesturing to the direction Din's just gone.
"That's an understatement," Astra remarks. She catches her breath somewhat before she adds on. "Let's just say he's got a history with these droids."
"I figured as much."
Their conversation stops as they focus on the chase. The droid turns a corner and Astra can hear the clanging of obstacles it's now set in their path. Din's tight on the droid's trail as he leaps over the barrels and crates to clear them. Bo-Katan and Astra use their jetpacks to launch them onto the other side and closer to Din.
By the time they've turned the next corner, the three of them are side-by-side running down the city's sidewalk. The neon signs illuminate the space and cast it in a purple, blue, and pink glow, making it more difficult to see the metallic glow of the battle droid. Innocent bystanders scream in panic as the droid stops and lifts a crate to throw at the group. Din grabs Astra by the arm and takes her to the ground with him while Bo-Katan uses her jetpack to throw herself forward. Astra offers Din a quick nod of reassurance when he helps them both back to their feet before they pursue the droid once again.
The group turns another corner and emerges from an alleyway to see a landspeeder blocking the path ahead. They turn to their right and look just in time to see the droid throwing something at them once again. The three of them lower themselves to the ground fast enough to avoid getting hit, though it shocks Astra when a wave of heat blasts from a small explosion behind them. They get on their feet in unison and charge down the street, urgently but gently pushing past any pedestrians.
Din points to the way ahead and addresses Bo and Astra. "Keep going!" he commands, turning a corner before either one of them can ask him for an explanation. Astra tightens her jaw as she and Bo continue ahead. The last thing she wanted to do during this chaos was split off from Din and the memories that are no doubt haunting him.
It's not long before Astra hears a loud crashing sound from up ahead. She's almost horrified to realize it's Din, who's jumped through transparisteel to tackle the battle droid to the ground. Astra pushes herself even harder to reach him, though before she or Din can do anything, Bo unholsters both her blasters and delivers the bolts that take the droid out once and for all. It falls to the ground in a steaming heap.
Astra rushes to Din's side and helps him up from the ground. She keeps a tight hold on his vambraces as she assesses him for wounds. "Are you all right?" she breathes in a panic.
"Given the circumstances," Din begins, catching his breath as he offers Astra a nod, "yeah."
Constable droids make their way over and close off the area surrounding them. "This is a crime scene," they announce in a repetitive spiel to the bystanders. "Thank you for standing back."
Din and Astra remain standing alongside the droid while Bo-Katan kneels down and assesses it up close. Astra's all too aware of how Din trembles with both adrenaline and no doubt a million other negative emotions at her side. His visor scans the area in jagged movements and Astra sets a steadying hand on his back.
"I found a spark pad," Bo informs them, her expression contorted in disbelief.
"What's it say?" Din asks. His voice is firmer than Astra was expecting.
Bo studies the object in her gloved grasp. "'The Resistor.'"
"Sounds like a droid bar," Din observes.
Astra faces him with a raised brow. "How do you know what a droid bar would sound like?" she jokes in an attempt to lighten his mood.
Din huffs a small chuckle, tilting his head at her. "Do you really want to know?"
Bo-Katan lets out a chuckle of her own as she stands and shows them the spark pad. "There's an address."
Din nods at her as she starts to lead the way ahead. Astra watches him take one last look at the fallen droid before he and Astra follow Bo. She glances up at her husband and pleads for the truth. "Are you okay?"
Din gives his helmet a quick tilt and subtly takes her hand in his grasp. She's eager to accept the touch. "I shouldn't have acted like that." His visor meets her gaze. "I'm sorry if I worried you."
Astra offers an encouraging smile. "It's okay." She gestures with her head towards the place from which they just came. "I mean, your method worked."
Din snorts and shakes his helmet, his visor lowering to his boots as they move over the city sidewalk. "I... wasn't myself. Something consumed me, especially when I realized it had put its hands on you." Din gives Astra's hand a squeeze and she moves herself closer to his side. "I was looking at it after I took it down and I just... I wanted to tear it apart, wire-by-wire, until it was nothing but scrap."
Astra's heart twists in an agonizing amount of sympathy for him. "You've been through a lot."
"Still." Din makes himself take a deep breath. "It's been decades, and that droid was probably nowhere near my old home." He lifts his helmet to face Astra again. "I never want our children to have to see me like that."
"I understand." In the privacy of an alleyway they've turned down, Astra wraps her free hand around Din's arm. "But have grace with yourself. You can't discredit what those other battle droids put you through, and at such a young age." She searches his visor. "I can't imagine how it felt when you saw them try to hurt someone you care about again."
Din's visor looks down at her grasp on him as he starts to knead her hand. His voice is a low warning. "I can't think about it."
Astra runs her thumb over his arm. "You don't have to."
The group returns to the public part of the sidewalk, causing Astra and Din to separate out of an abundance of caution. They remain at each other's sides as they fall in step with Bo-Katan, who's still guiding the way to the droid bar. An astromech passes them by and Din's visor lingers on them as Bo starts to speak. "Let Astra and I do the talking in there," she says, glancing at Din.
Din starts to tilt his helmet at her. "Why is that?"
"Because I wanna get the information fast and get to the fleet."
Din gives Astra a quick look and she shrugs at him. "So do I. What's your point?"
Bo lifts her brow. "You kicking droids is really not helpful."
Though Din admitted something similar to Astra just moments ago, he remains defensive. "I figured out which one was malfunctioning, didn't I?"
"You did it your way, now let me do it mine, okay?" Bo-Katan's gaze finds Astra's. "Will you help me with that?"
Astra nods. "Of course." Din swings his helmet to look at her and Astra chuckles at his dramatics. "Sorry, riduur, but she's right."
Din sighs and sets a gloved hand on her lower back to guide her ahead of himself. "Fair enough."
Bo-Katan looks up at the threshold she's stopped at. "This is the address."
Din lowers his hand from Astra's back as he steps forward to open the door. He keeps an eye on the droids that linger in the alleyway while Bo-Katan and Astra step inside. Astra watches him carefully. Even though the conversation they'd just had was productive, an environment this rich with droids will no doubt be triggering for him.
The room is humming with droid chatter, everything from Binary to Basic being spoken between them. It stops as soon as the door slides closed behind the group of Mandalorians. Every beady eye turns to them, and even as someone who doesn't mind droids, Astra wants to shrink away from the large scope of attention they're receiving.
Bo-Katan becomes the first one of them to step forward and make their way towards the bar. Astra and Din follow suit, Din's voice lowering as he speaks to both of them. "I don't think they get many of our kind here."
"I mean, it is a droid bar," Astra says, earning an amused huff from both Din and Bo.
Once their group is closer to the bar, the droid standing there speaks to them. "Can I help you?"
"That depends," Bo-Katan answers, setting her gloved hands upon the edge of the bar. Din and Astra join her at her side. "Is this The Resistor?"
"This is," the bartender droid says.
Din leans one elbow upon the bar and uses his other hand to toss the spark pad onto the glossy surface. "That spark pad was found on a rogue battle droid," Bo informs the droid.
"We give out lots of spark pads." The bartender droid reveals a tray full of spark pads to them. "What are you getting at?"
"There has been a string of malfunctions that all point to this oil can," Bo retorts.
"And we want to give you the chance to explain yourself," Astra adds in an attempt to ease the tension.
"You can check my registry," the bartender droid says. "We are in full compliance with Planetary Hierarchical..."
Din, unable to hold himself back any longer, snatches up one of the bartender's tools and points it at his neck. "If you don't start answering questions," Din warns, "I'll yank your memory circuit and dissect it back at the lab."
Astra takes a hold of Din's wrist and lowers it, giving him a stern look. "Riduur."
Still, Din's attention isn't on her. He turns his helmet over his shoulder when he hears a droid moving somewhere behind them. "Nobody leaves."
Bo looks between the two of them with a forced smile. "A word?"
Astra nods. "Yeah, that'd be great." She gives Din a careful once-over.
But again, his attention isn't on her. His visor's studying the bartender as he starts to turn around to face Bo and Astra. "Stay where I can see you."
The three of them remain a few steps away from the bar as Bo lowers her voice for only them to hear. "What are you doing?" she whispers to Din.
"You're wasting your time," Din insists, looking between Bo and Astra. "You can't reason with droids."
Astra's too shocked at Din's sudden one-eighty to say anything. Bo-Katan continues for her. "Their behavior is programmed. All they do is reason."
"They're also programmed not to harm organics." Din's unable to remain still as he argues, his visor dancing around the room and his weight shifting between his feet. "How's that going?"
"And what of IG-11?" Astra forces herself to speak up, crossing her arms as she pleads for Din's attention and reason to return.
"Kuiil's exception." Din tilts his helmet at Astra. "And he recently tried to kill Grogu again, in case you didn't remember."
Astra frowns at his sharp words and fights to remind herself that it's his trauma speaking, not him. "Look, you are not helping," Bo says with a frustrated sigh. "Just because the malfunctioning droids happen to visit here doesn't mean this one is in on it."
Before Din can respond, the bartender droid speaks up from behind them. "I want to help," he insists.
Din's helmet snaps towards him. "You want me to pull your hearing sensors too?" He takes a few intimidating steps forward until he's standing at the bar again.
Astra sets a rough hand on his shoulder. "Din," she seethes his name quietly enough for only him to hear. He lowers his helmet in shame, but still doesn't face her. Astra hasn't felt a wave of sickness like this ever since she found him after he'd left her on the boat.
"We are worried that if these horrible incidents continue," the bartender droid says, " we will be..." He trails off.
"You'll be what?" Din asks, lifting his helmet once again.
"There are concerns among my customers that we will be replaced."
Bo-Katan raises her brow. "By what?"
"Humans." The bartender droid gestures to them. "Most of us have been refurbished and reprogrammed. Some droids on Plazir date back to the Separatists. The New Republic would send them to scrap."
Astra takes a quick glance behind them at the droids who sit in tense silence. She can sense the fear among them that the bartender's speaking about. Her heart aches for them. Droids had served her, her parents, and their people well back on Arilia.
"But here on Plazir, they are given a second chance."
Din takes a breath of defeat. "Well, these catastrophes don't help your argument," he insists.
"Exactly. That's why we need your help. We don't want to be replaced. We still have a lot to contribute." He looks amongst the group of Mandalorians. "Human life is so short. They don't ask that much of us." Din shares a look with Bo-Katan and then Astra. She lifts her brow at him, causing his helmet to lower once again. "Organics created us. It's the least we can do."
The rest of the droids in the bar begin to chatter in unison, their own version of cheering to agree with what the bartender's just said. They lift their arms, whir their heads, do whatever they can to show their full agreement. Astra smiles at the sight and turns back to the bartenders. "Do you have any records we can go over with you?" she asks. "That would be a great place for us to start." Bo-Katan nods to agree with her, but Din's visor is still lowered to his hands.
"I can take you to the back," the bartender droid says. "Follow me."
The droid invites the three of them around the bar to a back room of the establishment. There's a table in the center with enough seats to fit them all, but before they take their places there, Astra sets a hand on Bo-Katan's armored shoulder and gestures with her head to Din. "If you want to get started, I'm just gonna pull him aside for a moment," she tells their trusted ally.
Bo nods at her with a knowing twinkle in her eye. "Good idea."
Astra's gentle yet commanding as she takes Din by the hand and leads them to a private corner of the room. Before she can even get a single word out, Din's taken a grasp on both her hands and has lowered his voice to an almost heartbreaking whisper. "I'm sorry," he apologizes, as sincere as Astra's ever heard him. "I went in there and I did exactly what I'd just told you I didn't want to do. I embarrassed all of us and my actions could've jeopardized the entire investigation."
Any remaining frustrations flee from Astra as her care for him takes over. "Din..."
"I snapped at you when you were trying to help me. I went back to being a person I haven't been in many years. I..."
"Din." Astra says his name more firmly and sets her gloved hands on his cuirass. It stops his guilty rant and encourages him to take a deep breath while she continues. "I didn't pull you aside to tell you off. People go into fight-or-flight when they face trauma, and you were raised to be a fighter. It's your natural response." She searches his visor, wishing more than anything it could be his brown gaze so she could provide him with his favorite kinds of comfort. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
Din remains silent for a long moment. He lifts his hands to hold Astra's arms and exhales a long, trembling breath. "I'm trying."
Astra softens and brings herself closer to him. "I know you are." She manages a genuine smile. "I'm proud of you for that." Astra pauses and considers their next steps. "If you think you'd be more comfortable staying with the kids, I'm sure Bo-Katan and I can finish this."
"No." Din doesn't hesitate to reject the idea. "I gave her and the Duchess my word that I'd help with this." Din nods at her. "I have to see it through."
Astra's smile widens. "So honorable." She sighs and glances over at Bo-Katan and the bartender droid. "Just try to remember that I'm here to help you, okay? You don't have to fight this or them—," she gestures to the droid with her head, "—on your own."
"I will." Din gives her arms a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, cyar'ika."
Astra nods, wishing she could provide a kiss as a firm seal of reassurance for him. But their home is in closer reach than ever, and so her patience for such manages to win out. They separate and join Bo-Katan and the droid at the table, where Bo's just started to ask more questions. "Do you have a record of what each of the suspects ordered?" she asks.
"That is not how it works here," the droid answers. "There is no selection of beverages as with organics. Here, droids are served Nepenthé."
Din shares a quick glance with Bo-Katan. "What's Nepenthé?"
"It is a viscous lubricant that protects against mechanical wear while delivering program refreshing sub-particles," the droid explains.
"So Nepenthé reprograms the droids that drink here?" Din asks.
Both Bo-Katan and Astra narrow their eyes in caution as the bartender answers. "It patches the programming as the commands of the mainframe change." He opens a small container of chits and selects one, scanning it for information. "It seems the malfunctioning droids all imbibed from the same batch of Nepenthé."
The group shares a look before they rise from their places at the table. "Thank you for your help," Astra says, smiling in her gratitude. "Hopefully we'll have an answer for all of this soon."
"That would be a relief," the droid agrees. He leads them back to the main part of the bar and the group heads off to the city's droid morgue.
They're in their hyperloop pod when Astra's exhaustion starts to creep up on her. She tries to hide a yawn as her body starts to lean against Din's own. His helmet looks over at her and tilts with concern. Astra gives her head a quick shake. "I'm fine," she insists before Din can even say anything. "I'm just not used to all-nighters."
"You can rest if you need to," Din insists. His voice is almost a plea for her to do just that.
"No, it's all right." Astra takes one of his hands in hers. "Like you said before, I gave everyone my word. I've got to see this through."
Din's visor observes her before he gives her a nod. "Okay. But as soon as we get the opportunity to..."
"Yes, I know." Astra smiles and gives his hand a squeeze. "And you too."
The warmth of their sweet worries for each other carries all the way to the droid morgue, where the three of them stand as the lab tech eases the B2-series droid from before out of one of the compartments. "These are the remains of the latest malfunctioning droid," she explains.
Another droid, looking almost like a repurposed interrogation droid, floats over and withdraws the Nepenthé from the battle droid. Once the vial's filled, the lab tech takes it over to her monitor. The three of them gather around the setup. "We're looking for programming sub-particles," Bo-Katan informs the lab tech.
"Yes. Let me isolate them." The lab tech sets the vial inside a compartment and hits a button to begin the inspection process. She looks down at her monitors and shares the results. "The particles are definitely present."
"What are the chances that they're still active?" Din asks next.
Sudden beeping from the droid that withdrew the Nepenthé gets everyone's attention. Their heads turn in unison just in time for them to catch its red warning light and avoid its dangerous attack. Green laser beams flicker all over the room, leaving Astra and Bo-Katan to shield the vulnerable lab tech from the floor while Din flees to the other corner of the room. Everyone draws their blasters and attempts to get a good shot in, but the chaotic pattern of the attack makes it nearly impossible to aim.
Movement from the corner of their eyes causes both Astra and Bo-Katan to look over at Din. Astra's almost horrified to watch as he makes his own attack, the Darksaber having been drawn from his belt. He lifts the blade and slices it through the droid, bringing the sudden attack to a quick end. Everyone in the room catches their breath while Bo-Katan checks in on the lab tech. Both she and Astra help the tech back on her feet before they face Din with wide-eyed expressions.
"They're still active," Bo-Katan answers Din's earlier question.
Bo helps the shaken lab tech retrieve the vial while Din hangs the Darksaber's hilt on his belt and approaches Astra. A gloved hand on her back asks the question she can answer with a firm nod. Din exhales in relief and keeps his hand there as the lab tech leads them to her personal office. Once inside the safer space, the group gathers around her monitors once again.
"These are the sub-particles," the tech says, zooming in on a live diagram. She squints her eyes at what she observes. "Curious..."
Din leans closer. "What?"
"They're actually nano-droids."
Bo-Katan nearly scoffs at her words. "How did nano-droids get into the Nepenthé?"
The tech zooms in even closer on the sub-particles. Din points a gloved finger at the monitor. "What's that?"
"The striations?" The lab tech adjusts their view, rotating the glowing image. "Just an aberration in the metal. Probably malleability limitations at this scale."
Bo-Katan leans closer, her brow furrowed in curiosity. "No," she insists. "It's writing."
Din and Astra follow Bo's lead. "Rotate the perspective," Din suggests.
The lab tech follows his directions, zooming more and rotating the image until Aurebesh letters begin to dance across the monitor. The group shares a look of disbelief. "It's a chain code," the tech announces.
"If it has a chain code," Bo-Katan begins, "then we should be able to determine its point of origin."
"In theory," the tech responds. "Let me see what I can find out."
Astra watches the minds in front of her in amazement. The exhaustion of the long night has created a fog in her brain. It's clear that Mandalorians like Din and Bo-Katan have an endurance she'll have to adapt if she wants to continue calling herself one of their kind.
"They were originally manufactured by the Techno Union," the tech shares. Astra's fog starts to lift at the mention of the Separatist group. She hasn't heard of them since she was a child during the Clone Wars, just beginning to grasp the understanding of galactic politics. "Been in cold-storage for ages." The lab tech sits back the more she reads on. "The chain title says it didn't arrive on Plazir through Droid Acquisitions. How strange..."
"How did it arrive?" Din asks.
"They were requisitioned by the Security Office," the lab tech answers.
Astra holds her breath as the threads start to tie together. Bo tilts her head at the tech's words. "Is that unusual?"
The lab tech looks back at her with her brow raised. "It's illegal." She turns back to the monitor. "There's no record of this transaction on the government registry. These droids were ordered by an individual."
"Is there a name?" Din asks.
"The head of security," Astra speaks up, gaining Din's and Bo's curious gazes for a quick moment.
"Commissioner Helgait," the lab tech confirms as the image of the security officer appears on the monitor.
The group shares a look before Bo-Katan taps the lab tech's shoulder and they make a move for the exit. Thankfully, the lab's just a few levels away from the security office, and Astra's eager to get all of this over with—more so for Din's sake than her own. The turbolift ride is silent as the three of them anticipate the upcoming confrontation. Din glances at Astra and tilts his helmet, another silent question for her to answer. She nods and eases her gloved hand near her holster, just in case something goes sideways.
The group emerges from the turbolift and Bo-Katan becomes the one to speak up without hesitation. "Commissioner, we have some questions for you."
"Sorry," Helgait says, lifting a dismissive hand towards them, "I have to check the data farm for anomalies."
"We know about the Nepenthé," Din warns him. "And the nano-droids."
"They didn't malfunction," Astra adds. "You programmed them to disrupt and attack."
Din straightens his helmet and speaks in an intimidating tone. "You're coming with us."
Helgait waits a beat before he stands and lifts the cover on the red button he'd shown them before. "Everyone, freeze!" he calls out, hovering his hand over the button. Bo-Katan, Din, and Astra all lift cautious hands, keeping their blasters in close reach. "If I trigger this failsafe, it will convert the planet's docile workforce back into battle droids and unleash them upon the unsuspecting citizens of Plazir!"
Din and Astra share a panicked look. That would include the droids within the Duchess' halls, where their children are currently residing.
"Don't make me do it," Helgait warns.
"There's no way out, Commissioner," Bo-Katan insists in a cautious tone. "Give yourself up."
"Give up?" Helgait scoffs. "I never give up. I didn't give up to the corrupt Republic, I didn't give up to the Empire, and I won't give up to you."
Astra and Bo-Katan share a look before they both glare at Helgait. It's the kind of dialogue she hasn't heard since she was being mentored in the Senate, especially during the Clone Wars. "You're a Separatist?" Astra asks the pressing question.
"Separatists is a pejorative term," Helgait remarks. "I support democracy."
Astra watches Bo-Katan's eyes widen at his words. Astra may not have known much about Mandalore before she met Din, but she still remembers the history she was taught of their people growing up, and that included the sudden death of Duchess Satine Kryze—no doubt a result of the Separatist-Republic struggles.
"Count Dooku was a visionary," Helgait continues. "He was cut short in his prime by the Jedi enforcer—."
The Commissioner's cut off by Bo-Katan when she raises her fist and fires a shock dart to his chest. He falls back, unconscious. The entire room seems to take a breath of relief while Din and Astra look at Bo-Katan. She gestures to Helgait's shocked body. "Politics," she mutters.
"Trust me," Astra scoffs, "I know."
Din just shakes his helmet and steps forward to take care of cuffing Helgait. He gets the Commissioner off the floor and supports him until he can join them in walking with the constable droids to where the Duchess and Captain Bombardier await them. Astra's more than relieved to have the situation resolved, especially once they step into the grand hall that's already lit by daylight once again and she catches sight of their children.
The faces of the Duchess and the Captain begin to fall while Zora, who's been sitting at Grogu's side, stands and wobbles over with joyful squeals. "Mama!" she calls for Astra, bringing an instant smile to Astra's lips. Astra kneels down and opens her arms for Zora. "Papa!"
"Hi, my angel!" Astra responds, pulling Zora into her chest and lifting her from the ground. She stands to her full height and joins Din at his side. Astra kisses Zora's head while Din reaches out to give one of Zora's tiny hands a gentle squeeze in silent greeting. "We missed you," Astra mumbles against Zora's curls. "But we've got to stay quiet for a little bit longer, okay?"
Zora coos in a tone that matches Astra's own. Astra tunes back in when the Captain asks the group a question. "What are you doing with Commissioner Helgait?"
"We found the cause of your 'malfunctions,'" Din informs them. He lets Helgait step forward.
The Duchess furrows her brow in disbelief. "Is this true?"
The Commissioner keeps his head held high as he responds. "I'm afraid it is, M'Lady."
Captain Bombardier shakes his head. "Despicable."
"If that isn't the Quacta calling the Stifling slimy," Helgait snaps.
The Captain narrows his eyes at the Commissioner. "I beg your pardon."
"This planet is unrecognizable since he arrived," Helgait insists, gesturing to the Captain.
Captain Bombardier takes a deep breath. "I had a feeling you hated me."
"I'm disappointed in you, Commissioner," the Duchess speaks up, her voice filled with hurt. "You served my family well. But Captain Bombardier is the love of my life. And I know his heart is true."
Astra looks up at Din. His visor returns her gaze that no doubt adores him the way he deserves. Din starts to tilt his helmet in his own admiration of her.
"Sure, he's made some mistakes in the past," the Duchess continues, "but who here among us has not? Is there no room for a little bit of forgiveness in a galaxy so vast?"
Astra beams at Din, the Duchess' words resonating with both of them. She pictures Din in the home that awaits them on Nevarro for what must be the millionth time. It's an image she never wants to forget. I love you, she mouths to him. He sets his hand upon her back.
"I am sorry to have disappointed you, My Lady," Helgait's voice brings Astra back to reality. "Perhaps someday I can earn such forgiveness from Your Grace."
"Perhaps," the Duchess responds. "As for now, you must live in exile on the moon of Paraquaat."
The Commissioner squeezes his eyes closed in pain at her words, though he still turns and follows the constable droids to his fate. The Duchess releases a heavy sigh and turns her lips up into a small smile at the group standing in front of her.
"And as for you, Lady Bo-Katan Kryze, Din Djarin of Concordia, and Princess Astra Djarin of Arilia," the Duchess goes on, encouraging the group to step closer to her, "I grant you audience with our deployment of Mandalorian privateers." The group nods in gratitude and Astra's swept with a wave of relief. "I also give to you all our highest honor, the key to Plazir."
A rabbit droid offers up the large key to the Duchess, who then takes it and turns back to the group. Din and Astra let Bo-Katan step forward to take it in the name of Mandalore, the planet she'll soon be leading once again.
"You will always be welcome in our domed paradise," the Duchess finishes.
Bo-Katan nods in respect. "M'Lady." She turns and does the same to the Captain. "M'Lord." She steps back to where Din and Astra continue to stand.
The Duchess turns to where Grogu's still standing by her side. "And to this little one," she reaches out towards one of the nearby guards, "I grant knighthood."
Astra's eyes widen as the Duchess is handed a sword. She looks at Din and sees his shoulders rising and falling in a composed breath as his helmet tilts in pride. She lifts a hand from Zora and sets it on his armored shoulder, the smile that tugs on her lips almost never ending. Grogu coos as the Duchess taps both his shoulders with the long blade.
"You are now a knight of the Ancient Order of Independent Regencies," the Duchess announces. Grogu takes some of her skirt in his hand and coos in gratitude. The Duchess lifts her head to face the rest of them once again. "Go in peace, brave travelers. Until our paths meet again."
Din steps forward and nods at both the Captain and the Duchess. "M'Lord. M'Lady." He bends down to take Grogu in his arms. The children's empty pod floats back to his side, but he keeps Grogu propped up on his shoulder. Astra watches him as they start to walk away. Grogu returns the Duchess' wave and Astra can't help giggling at the sight. The little one always knows how to make a friend wherever he goes.
Reality sets in as the Djarins and Bo-Katan make their way to their hyperloop pod. The conversation ahead will no doubt be difficult for Bo, but Astra also has her own reservations. These Mandalorians were eager to push Bo-Katan away when she returned without the Darksaber. There's no telling how they'll react to Din being the one who wields it.
All Astra's certain of is that she'll take no disrespect of her husband, Bo-Katan, or the tribe, even if it means putting her armor to use. •••