Cheering and laughter erupted all around me as the door to the palace room opened automatically. I could see the dutchess, Captain Bombardier and Grogu standing on the games court alongside other members of their party. Through the joyous sounds fell silent at the sight of the three of us walking the commissioner across the room.
"What are you doing with Commissioner Helgait?" Captain Bombardier asked in confusion
"We found the cause of your malfunctions." Din stated
"Is this true?" The Dutchess asked with a sanded tone
"I'm afraid it is, M'Lady." The commissioner said
Captain Bombardier shook his head in anger. "Despicable."
"If that isn't the Quacta calling the Stifling slimy." The commissioner scoffed angrily
"I beg your pardon." Captain Bombardier asked angrily
S
"This planet is unrecognizable since he arrived." The commissioner stated
"I had a feeling you hated me." Captain Bombardier stated
"I'm disappointed in you, Commissioner. You served my family well. But Captain Bombardier is the love of my life.
And I know his heart is true. Sure, he's made some mistakes in the past, but who here among us has not? Is there no room for a little bit of forgiveness in a galaxy so vast?" The Dutchess said
"I am sorry to have disappointed you, my lady. Perhaps someday I can earn such forgiveness from your Grace." The commissioner said
"Perhaps. As for now, you must live in exile on the moon of Paraqaat." The Dutchess stated. The commissioner bowed his head in understanding and turned to leave. The small security droids began to escort him out of the room.
"And as for you, Lady Bo-Katan Kryze, Din Djarin and Celeste Djarin of Concordia. I grant you audience with our deployment of Mandalorian privateers. I also give you both our highest honor, the key to Plazir." The Dutchess said. She then turned around and reached out to take a hold of a large metal key. Bo-Katan stepped forward and took it gratefully.
"You will always be welcome in our doomed paradise." The Dutchess said
"M'Lady. M'Lord." Bo-Katan said with a nod of her head.
The Dutchess then turned her attention to Grogu. "And to this little one, I grant knighthood." She said as a sword was placed in her hand. I couldn't help but smile at that.
The Dutchess tapped the blade on Grogu's shoulders gently. "You are now a knight of the Ancient order of Independent Regencies. Go in peace, brave travelers. Until our paths meet again."
"M'Lord. M'Lady." Din Said courteously as he stepped forward and picked up Grogu. I bowed my head in respect before I turned around and began to walk towards the door. This sure has been one of our stranger missions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The hyper pod raced out of the large dome towards the outskirts of Plazir-15. Grogu sat across from me in his pod with a curious look on his face. My fingers were intertwined with Dins causing my chest to stir with something warm that won't ever go away no matter how long we have been together. Bo-Katan stared out the window with a grim look on her face as we got closer and closer to her old friends.
"Now approaching landing field three." A woman's voice said over the intercom.
"They're Mandalorians. You're their leader. They're going to follow you." Din stated
"I'm not their leader anymore. Axe Woves is." Bo-Katan said firmly with a sad tone.
"Then what's your play?" Din questioned.
"I'll know when I get there." Bo-Katan replied. That didn't fill me with much confidence.
It didn't take very long for the hyper pod to come to a stop next to the station. The doors hissed open and the four of us exited the pod. Vast fields of green stretched out as far as I could see, as well as a small scattering of trees and bushes. We began to walk across the grassy field towards the large ex-Imperial ship. I could see many Mandalorians standing around the base of the large ship. The walk towards the group felt tense as every outcome raced through my mind. There were about 10 smaller fighter ships lining the Mandalorian camp, which didn't make me any less nervous.
The air became thick with tension as the other Mandalorians began to take notice of us. The talking ceased and they stared at us with hardened looks.
"Have you come back to join the mercenaries?" Axe Woves called out
"I've come to reclaim my fleet." Bo-Katan stated
"It's no longer your fleet, is it?" Axe asked her rhetorically. "I'm now in command and grown quite fond of it."
Bo-Katan took a few confident steps towards Axe Woves. "Then I challenge you, one warrior to another. Do you accept my challenge?"
Axe Woves stood up with a confident look on his face. "I do."
The air was tense as Bo and Axe stared each other down. But it didn't take long for Axe Woves to make the first move, he raised his fist and fired a small missile at Bo-Katan. But she very quickly shot upwards with her jetpack and avoided being hit. Bo then used her higher advantage to come down on Axe feet first. I could have laughed at the expression on his face as Bo kicked his chest hard and sent them both to the ground.
Once they got back up on their feet, Axe pulled out his vibroblade and Bo released the blade from within her vambrace. The two then fought hand to hand combat with great precision. It didn't take long for Bo to knock Axe Woves on his ass again.
Once Axe was back on his feet again, his expression contorted into one of anger and he charged at Bo, using his jetpack for more force. He pushed Bo as hard as he could into one of the smaller ships and they both groaned.
They began to slash their blades at eachother again until Axe managed to kick Bo and knock her onto her knees. Bo got back up again very quickly and managed to get Axe Into a headlock, but he turned on his jetpack and brought them both up on top of one of the ships.
After a lot of fighting and use of fire, Bo-Katan managed to get on top of Axe Woves and pin him down. She held her knife to his throat. "Do you yield?"
"You'll never be the true leader of our people. You won't even take the darksaber from him. He's the one you should be challenging." Axe Woves stated breathlessly.
"Enough Mandalorian blood has been spilled by our own hands." Bo-Katan said angrily before she retracted her blade and stood back up again.
"Mandalorians are stronger together." Bo-Katan stated loudly to the large group of Mandalorians
"But a misguided zealot possesses the blade. One, I might add, who has not one drop of Mandalorian blood in his veins." Axe Woves said as he stood up and limped across the grass. My hand went to the hilt of my blade and I went to take a step forward, but Din grabbed my arm and shook his head at me, stopping me from fighting Axe Woves too.
"Din Djarin took the creed and chose to walk the way, just as our ancestors did. He is every bit the Mandalorian that they were. Certainly as much as any of us." Bo-Katan stated loudly.
"But according to our ways, the ruler of Mandalore must possess the Darksaber." Axe Woves stated
"Then she shall have it." Din suddenly called out. He then walked forward to stand by Bo. He held out the Darksaber to her and I furrowed my brows. I thought we had been over this already?
"This belongs to you." Din stated
"It's not a gift to be given, no matter how well intended." Bo said
"It's not a gift. While exploring Mandalore, I was captured. And this blade was taken from me. Bo-Katan rescued me and slayed my captor. She defeated the enemy that defeated me. Would this blade then not belong to her?" Din stated, when no one replied he asked his question again. "Would it not belong to her?"
"It would." Axe Woves replied
Din then turned back to Bo and held the Darksaber out. "I return this blade to its rightful owner."
Bo-Katan finally reached forward and took the blade from Din. He then took a step back to stand beside me again. Bo ignited the saber and the blade hummed to life.
"How are we going to duel now?" I asked quietly with a small laugh.
"You have two blades, do you not?" Din asked with an amused tone. I shrugged with a nod.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heads turned as the large Imperial light cruiser dropped down into the atmosphere of Nevarro. It wouldn't surprise me if the civilians of Nevarro were on edge and afraid of the sight, but they had nothing to fear. Not with Bo in charge of the fleet of Mandalorians.
"I hope these two groups get along. They've never met and what little they know of each other, they hate." Bo said from the pilot's chair. Grogu was sitting in her lap as she flew and I had to stop myself from getting jealous.
"They will if they wanna survive." Din stated as we began to descend towards the ground.
With careful precision, all of the ships lowered down onto the ground and landed on the surface of Nevarro. Din, Bo, Grogu and I exited the ship and began to make our way towards the covert. I've never felt more outnumbered or out of place as I walked alongside the Mandalorians. The group of us walked to meet the covert who were standing defensively in front of us.
Once we had come to a stop, the Mandalorians began to remove their helmets, causing the tension to rise amongst the two groups. The growing tension was quickly interjected by the clanging of metal. The armorer stood in between the two groups with her wielding tools held in her hands. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at her when I saw her. I don't hate her, but right now I'm not very fond of her.
"Welcome, fellow Mandalorians. We invite you to make camp. Let us prepare a feast for our guests." The armorer announced. At her words, everyone split up and stopped staring intensely at each other.
"Mando!" A familiar Voice announced loudly. I spun around on my heels to see Greef Karga walking towards us. Din walked up to him and shook his hand in a friendly manner.
"Welcome back, my friend. Welcome back, and you too, Celeste. That's quite a fleet you've assembled." Greef Karga Said cheerfully. He then handed a bottle of alcohol over to Din.
"Little Welcome gift to celebrate our new neighbors. That's all the way from Coruscant, so you might wanna wait for a smaller gathering before you open it."
"Thank you." Din nodded
"That's not the only gift I have for you." Greef Karga said, peaking my interest. I wonder what else he has gotten for us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My eyes widened as the familiar IG droid stepped around the corner and marched into Greef Karga's office. I heard Grogu gasp quietly as he saw his old friend. Though my happiness dropped when I noticed the Anzellan engineer sitting inside the body of the droid, controlling its movements.
"What did you do to IG-11?" Din asked
"No, that's IG-12 now. Do you like him?" Greef asked
"Do I like him?" Din asked rhetorically
"Don't worry. He's safe." Greef reassured him
"You sure?" Din asked uncertainly
"Well, the Anzelland stripped IG down to his base motor functions. They removed his memory circuit. The pilot provides cognition." Greef said
"Yes." IG's voice said
Grogu suddenly spotted the Anzelland in the droid's body and began to giggle excitedly. The Anzelland very quickly exited the droid.
"Think of it this way. It's more like a vehicle, hmm? It's safer that way." Greef Karga Said, trying to sway Din.
"Bad baby. No squeezie!" The anzellan called out as he tried to get past Grogu.
"Well, he's too little to operate this thing." Din stated as he reached towards Grogu.
"No, no, no, no. Let's see if he fits." Greef Karga argued as tried to persuade Din.
"I don't know about this." I said as the man picked up Grogu and placed him inside the droid's body. Grogu cooed softly as he wiggled into the small space. Once he was settled, Greef Karga stepped back and Grogu grabbed onto the controls.
"So what do you think?" Greef asked
"They do nice work, I'll give them that. But Grogu is too young to operate heavy machinery. Maybe when he's older." Din said
"No." The voice of IG suddenly spoke up. I shot my head over to the droid with my eyebrows raised.
"What do you mean, no?" Din asked rhetorically with annoyance in his voice.
"No." Grogu pressed the button again.
"I think he's sayin' he's old enough to operate it." Greef Karga Said
"Yes." Grogu said
"Mmm-mmm. Get him out of there." Din stated firmly
"No." IG stated
"Come on, Grogu. Listen to your father." I said, trying hard to keep the amusement out of my voice.
"No." Grogu pressed the button again.
"No, at least let him try it out in my office." Greef suggested
"Yes." IG Said
"No? This is not a good idea. Come on." Din argued. He reached forward to try and pick Grogu up, but he suddenly got hit by the droid's arm.
"Hey!" Din exclaimed as Grogu began to walk around.
"Grogu." I stated firmly
He walked into the golden statue of Greef Karga before he managed to get his footing.
"Will you look at that?" Greef asked happily as Grogu began to get control.
"Yes." Grogu pressed a button again.
"Yes what?" Din asked exasperatedly
"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." Grogu repeatedly pressed the button, causing the droid to say yes over and over again. He was clearly excited and having a fun time. This new toy is sure to give Din and I a headache within a few minutes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." Grogu repeated as we walked down the street. I almost felt sorry for the people who were around about us, but they didn't have to live with it. The yeses seemed to continue all the way down the street, until he suspiciously went quiet. I turned around to see Grogu eating something from a stall.
Both Din and I quickly walked back over to him as he stuffed his face with food.
"What are you doing? Stop, Grogu. No. You have to pay for those." Din said as he reached forward and took the food out of IG's hand. He then turned to the man behind the stall and handed him some money for the food Grogu stole.
Grogu babbled and caught my attention again. I looked over at him to see a meiloorun fruit Held in the droid's hand.
"No." I said warningly as I reached forward to try and grab the fruit, but Grogu moved it out of my grasp.
"No. Grogu." Din stated
"Yes." Grogu said
"No." Din countered. He then attempted to reach for the fruit but Grogu held it above his head.
"Give it." Din stated as he tried to reach for the fruit
"No." IG said again. Grogu's grip started to tighten around the fruit and I quickly used the force to loosen the grip and cause him to drop the fruit before he destroyed it. I caught it before it managed to hit the ground and carefully handed it back to the shop owner.
Din sighed heavily and looked over at Grogu. "This isn't working for me."
"Me neither." I stated as we began to walk away from the stall and back towards the camp.