Wrest Pin | The Mandalorian

Chapter Fourteen: The Taking

In Evangeline's opinion – it was far too soon that they left the little planet.

Tython awaited, and the looming fate she felt it would bring Grogu. She spent much of the ride hoping they would find nothing, as selfish as that was. She wondered what Grogu wanted – she wondered if he wanted to go be with the Jedi or if he wanted to stay with them. It was almost sad to think about...because she thought she would be sad if he decided he didn't want to be with them anymore in favor of the Jedi. She had grown to love him endlessly. It almost made her sick to think about, and they had only spent a few days on their tiny green planet. She had wished they could spend many more – passing the time just sitting together. Mando had busied himself, she felt he struggled to stay still for too long. Apparently he could fish, she had learned that much.

Evangeline held the baby in her lap, and she knew they were getting close when they left hyperspace and a large mass appeared before them. She swallowed...Their silence had been wavering for some time. There had been more conversation – about Evangeline believing they could teach the baby what he needed to know but Mando feeling he was too powerful. It had become a never ending back and forth and she was convinced it was driving them both mad. She was starting to think it was something they would never find an agreement on, and she worried there would be many more things to follow.

Evangeline took a deep breath upon seeing the planet and she whispered, "Is that it?"

"That's Tython," Mando replied simply, beginning to flip a few switches as they got closer to the planet. Evangeline looked at the baby in her lap who was playing with his little silver ball. She bit her lip and shut her eyes before opening them once more to find that they were entering the planet's atmosphere. When the clouds cleared – they were greeted by a mountainous terrain, and Mando stared ahead, commenting, "Looks like that's the magic rock we're supposed to take him to down there."

Evangeline leaned forward. There was in fact a giant structure on top of one of said mountains. Her head tilted and she commented, "Magic? Again with magic?"

Mando only hummed in response and she rolled her eyes. Maybe it did feel like magic to him...Seeing the baby move things with his mind almost felt like magic to her too and she could see into people's mind and into futures. So that was saying something. She wondered what the world looked like to Mando under his beskar. If it was all black and white...Probably not so much in other terms. Killing had exceptions to him. Mando spoke, almost as if thinking to himself, "We're not going to be able to land on top. It's too small."

Evangeline blinked and they were lowering closer to the ground, landing with a slight thud upon the grass near the bottom of where the rock structure was up ahead. She figured a bit of climbing would be in order for them to get to the top, though they weren't as far away as if they would have to be if they started at the very bottom at least. Mando was the first to stand, walking to the back of the cockpit, before Evangeline stood as well, slipping the silver ball from the baby's hands and setting it down.

Grogu reached for it, letting out a whine but Evangeline was quick to comfort, "No, no...It'll be here when we get back, I promise."

There was a low, sad sound from him and Evangeline adjusted him in her arms, going to follow where Mando had already climbed down the ladder and gone down the ramp. She found him there – waiting for them, though he was staring at the giant rock at the top of the mountain. The sun was shining, but this planet felt only the slightest bit cooler than the last. Less humid and more crisp. The wind was blowing, and Mando turned to look at her. She stared into his helmet, and it was almost as if there was a silent understanding there. That they were both thinking similar things in the back of their minds.

Gauging how each other was feeling.

Evangeline had noticed his avoidance of the subject. Maybe it was best they didn't talk about it, it just ended with them disagreeing with one another. She had just spent so much time thinking about it, welling on it, and it was mixing in with the emotions from the thing she was ignoring. It felt like they were on the edge of some sort of precipice and she couldn't get them away from it. Something on the verge of being destructive to them, inside and out. Mando began to move forward, removing his gaze from her as he started walking towards the mountain. Evangeline followed, the baby held close as she finally broke the silence...