The Child's Keeper: A Mandalorian FanFiction

Episode 8, Part 2: The Way

"We should go," Cara said gently, knowing that they needed to press on despite the scene of carnage in front of them.

"You go. Take the ship. I can't leave it this way," he suddenly turned his head to Greef, his voice turning dark with anger. "Did you know about this? Is this the work of your bounty hunters?"

"No," Greef shook his head. "When you left the system and took the prize, the fighting ended and the hunters just melted away. You know how it is. They're mercenaries, not zealots," Greef said.

Lys felt Din begin to stand, tense and angry, blind rage and his injury making him compulsive.

"Did you do this? Did you!?" Din turned and got in Greef's face.

"No!" Greef replied.

Lys raced over and stepped between them, turning and facing Din, pushing him back slightly with her hand, feeling him press back against her, not wanting to move. He was staring at Greef over her head, and she shook her head at him.

"Din," she said in a hushed whisper, her eyes gazing at his helmet. "Din, please, look at me."

Din continued to look at Greef, his stance still poised with anger until he felt Lys' hand go up and take his helmet, pulling his head down to look at her. Once she had his attention, she let her hand slip from his helmet before shaking her head.

"It isn't his fault," she said softly. "You're grieving."

"She is right," a woman's voice came from behind the group.

Din turned, seeming surprised to hear the voice. Lys watched as a woman in a Mandalorian helmet walked out of the shadows, staring over at them.

"It is not his fault. We revealed ourselves. We knew what could happen if we left the covert," she walked over to the pile, taking a breastplate from the pile. "The Imperials arrived shortly thereafter. This is what resulted."

"Did any survive?" Din asked, approaching her, with Lys staying back with the rest of the group. She watched the interaction curiously, watching how Din approached the woman with honor and respect. The woman looked back and seemed to catch her wandering gaze for a moment before turning to answer Din.

"I hope so. Some may have escaped off-world."

"Come with us," Din spoke.

"No. I will not abandon this place until I have salvaged what remains," the woman spoke before turning and moving away from them.

They all followed her, and Lys looked around as they entered a warm room, lit by blue flames, it was clear to her that this Mandalorian woman was the one who crafted the armor that Din and the others wore.

"Show me the one whose safety deemed such destruction," the armorer spoke, as she melted down pieces of the once-worn plates and armor.

Din stepped forward, motioning for Lys to come out from the shadows. She stepped forward, her eyes curious but silent as she approached him, holding the child.

The armorer seemed to take her in for a moment before Din spoke.

"This is the one," he pointed to the child. Lys held him up so that the armorer could see him, and she seemed to stare for a moment before speaking.

"This is the one that you hunted, then saved?"

"Yes. The one that saved me as well," Din hesitated before adding. "They both have."

At his addition, the armorer looked up at Lys, analyzing her.

"You saved him from the mudhorn?"