ash'ad | the mandalorian

thréé

Din was engrossed in the silence. The longer he kneeled, the longer he felt his pain come rushing back. He hadn't had time to say goodbye to his tribe, due to the haste in which he left. But felt at peace now, knowing they had a proper send-off. Finally, he stood and stepped back from the smelter.

"Beth," he spoke, pondering the way her name sounded on his lips. He hadn't called another Mandalorian by their name in quite a while; the action almost felt intimate.

She took one more steady breath, allowing herself to stand. Even though it wasn't her clan, she felt the same grief for its destruction as if it were. Pledging to remember the names of those who had fallen was a tradition she hadn't had the chance to perform for her family yet, having not been back to her home planet since her passing, and she was happy to do it for his.

"Let's go," she spoke, finally looking up to meet Din's eyes.

He nodded reassuringly and stood by her side as they exited the room. Cara followed shortly behind, feeling touched by what she had just heard.

"I don't think I've ever seen that much emotion from you, Mando," she admitted. Din gave her a look, but her facial expression was serious.

"That was beautiful," she added, solidifying her admiration for him and Beth. Though she couldn't understand what they were saying, she could tell it was a respectful send-off. Something only true warriors would bother to do.

"I'm sorry you didn't have the same," he said.

She smiled softly and locked the gate behind them as they trudged back up the narrow stairs. Walking back into town, Beth felt her mind start to clear and her chest rise and lower calmly. She had felt a new connection to her culture that had been absent for so long, and the peace that overcame her now made all the difference.

"You're welcome to stay at the inn, but I can offer you a private hanger if you prefer to stay on your ship," Cara said, leading the way back through town.

"The ship will be fine; I'm not taking any chances," Mando affirmed.

"Alright," she responded. She led them down a different street to a square building that was separated from the main row. Most of the shops were close together, keeping in line with the one next door. But this one offered more discreetness as it was broken off from others around it.

As they entered, Cara walked over to a large desk with an alien creature sitting behind it. He was small and agile, having four arms and two legs. Mando quickly identified him as an ardennian.

"Where is it! Where is that thing I was looking for....what was I looking for?" he yelled, bouncing around behind his desk to search for something. His desk was cluttered with papers and dust swirled in the air as he threw them around in his frantic state.

"Van!" Cara said, trying to get his attention. He didn't even notice them walk in. She sighed and put her hands firmly on the counter, startling the vendor.

"Oh! Marshal Dune! I didn't see you there I've been looking for...something," he scrambled, finally sitting down and adjusting a few nicknacks he had knocked over.

Beth chuckled, amused by his unorganized disposition. Mando on the other hand was thinking about how secure his ship would be at a hanger run by this guy. Furthermore, how safe he and Beth would be. He sighed, his signature way of releasing frustration.

"These are my friends, Van. They need a hanger for the night," Cara explained slowly. She knew how easily distracted he could get and didn't want to repeat herself.

He glanced up so fast, Mando was sure he hadn't even registered their faces.

"Oh yes! Of course. I'll just pick out a good one for you here....let's see," he said, frantically flipping through screens on his boxy computer.