The Child's Keeper: A Mandalorian FanFiction

Episode 7, Part 2: The Nightmare

A few hours later, Lys found herself awake and refreshed, ready for whatever awaited them on Nevarro. As the ship landed, they got on the Blurrgs, with Din reaching down and helping Lys onto the one he would be riding.

Lys reluctantly placed the child in the pram, knowing that it was better constructed to protect him than she could.

She clutched tightly to Din's back as they descended from the ship, Kuiil, Cara, Din, herself, and the child all together. They rode over to where there was a group of four people in front of her, and she eyes the man in the middle carefully as he stepped forward.

"Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando, but things have gotten complicated since you were here last," he spoke. "It appears that introductions are in order. It seems we've both provided a security detail. I recommend the shock trooper guard the ship. These lava fields are lousy with Jawas."

"She's coming with me," Din called to them.

"But the town is now run by ex-Empire. If a Rebel Dropper is with us, they'll all get their hackles up," the man who Lys remembered was called Greef Karga spoke.

"She's coming," Din said firmly.

"Fine, fine," Karga spoke. "At least cover your tattoo. No need to flaunt it," he said, causing Lys to look over and see an unimpressed Cara sitting utop her blurrg.

"Now, where is the little one?" Greef asked.

Lys felt both her and Din seize up at the mention, and she was the first to reach out and gently squeeze his waist. He raised his arm, moving the pram out from between them and Cara.

"Not too close," Lys whispered against his neck for only him to hear.

Din opened the pram to reveal the child sitting inside. Lys held her breath, watching as he reached down in and picked up the child.

"So, this little bogwing is what all the fuss was about," Greef said, raising him up.

Lys could barely move at that point, feeling Din move his hand discreetly to his blaster, prepared to shoot if necessary.

"What a precious little creature," Greef commented, ignoring the obvious tension. "I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on its wrinkled little head."

He soon put the child back down, and Din relaxed slightly.

"Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all," he said, watching as the pram was closed and returned to their side. "The sun drops fast on Nevarro. We can walk for a spell and camp at the riverbank then make our way into town at first light."

And that was what they did.

Lys kept her eyes peeled the entire time they trudged on. She was thankful to be able to ride the Blurrgs and not walk along the hot lava banks. She found herself resting her chin on Din's shoulder as the moved on, her arms always wrapped around his waist for balance.

He kept one hand out for balance, holding the pommel and the reigns of the Blurrgs, and the other resting on his thigh.

They walked until the sun dipped beyond the horizon before setting up a camp along the lava flats.

When they set up camp, Lys helped to gather the firewood before moving away as they roasted their dinner over a large fire. She sat between Din and the child, and across the fire from them were the three bounty hunters who had accompanied Greef.

Lys found herself sitting with the child in her lap, feeding him as he babbled and cooed, completely unaware of any tensions around him. He was safe with her and Din, he had food in his mouth, and that was what mattered to him.