She Isn't a Saint -- The Mandalorian

16. The Battle

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Koyi and Cara looked back at Din before they moved to the grate. Koyi's limp was heavy and her whole body ached from pain and grief. She didn't want to leave him. She wanted to stay at his side until the end. But the way Cara pulled her along, the way the droid promised to bring him back alive, sparked some hope within her. Greef reached up to help Koyi down before Cara followed. Once situated again they walked down the sewers. Tears wet Koyi's face but she made no move to clean them, as though she hadn't realized she was still crying.

"What did you both say back there?" Cara asks. Koyi turned her head but didn't respond. "In Mandalorian right? You two were speaking another language."

"You want me to translate?" Koyi coughed out.

Greef Karga nodded. "I thought you weren't a Mandalorian?"

"I never pledged to the Creed because I wasn't around when I came of age to do so." She grunted in pain as her leg gave out beneath her. Greef rushed to her other side and helped her to stand. "But I know enough."

"Well, what did you say?" He urged.

"The first one could be translated as dammit, but it feels stronger somehow." The two shared a glance with her before they continued the slow march. "And then I called him an idiot." She smiled through her pain. "Once I learned that word that's all that I called him growing up. I used it as a nickname even though it wasn't one."

"What did he say to you?" Cara asked carefully. Koyi's smile dropped as she looked down at the Child. She rubbed her thumb over Din's necklace before putting it on the kid.

"Aliit ori'shya tal'din," she repeated the phrase. "Family is more than blood." Koyi looked forward. "He was reminding me that the kid is my family now. That he still needs me."

The Child made a small noise. Behind them, something exploded. As one unit they turned. Koyi took her arms off of the two as she reached for her blaster, footsteps sounding near them. A light. Rounding the corner was IG-11 and Din. Koyi stumbled out of Greef and Cara's hold. She fought her pain until she was standing in front of Din. She leaned against the droid handing over the Child before she laid a gentle hand on the side of his helmet.

"That wound looks bad." The pain was evident in his voice, but she could tell he was already doing a little better. Cara and Greef made their way over.

"I can manage," she replied. Cara looked over the two before she went to aid Din.

"I got you." Greef moved to the side of Koyi's injured leg offering assistance. She took it gratefully. The Child gurgled, as though he knew his family was back together. Greef and Koyi walked behind Cara and Din. She noticed his limp but almost smiled seeing how it wasn't nearly as bad as her's. Her muscle had been shredded, while his head wasn't in any better shape his muscles were working. They walked for some time; the pace slower than it should have been. It couldn't have been helped, of course, two members were severely injured. Greef stopped. Koyi nodded knowing what he was going to ask. He bent down to pick her up, one arm behind her knees while the other held her back. She grabbed him around the neck, trying to keep her grip loose but steady.

"Do you know which way to go?" He moved up in the group, asking Din the question Koyi knew he wanted to ask sooner.

"No. I don't know these tunnels," Din replied. "I've only entered from the bazaar." He grunted in pain as he and Cara moved ahead. The group followed.

"Well, if we take the smell of sulfur and we follow it, it'll lead us up to the plains where the river flows."

"And the Imps will catch us before we make it to the ship." Koyi looked up into the dark tunnels. "We need the Mandalorians to escort us to safety."