Another Way: A Mandalorian Story

Ijaat

Ijaat - [ee-JAHT] - Devotion

Din Djarin chooses to die instead of removing his helmet in front of you.

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"How many are you going to eat today, kid?" you ask as you stare across at the little green gremlin, who has, for what seems like the tenth time today, a frog's legs hanging from his mouth.

"Maker." You shake your head, half in disgust, half in disbelief that so much can fit in such a tiny body and even smaller stomach. You giggle to yourself, then turn your head and stare out at the swampy lake in front of you. The sun beats on your face while a slight breeze tosses your hair over your shoulders. You close your eyes and relish the moment, wishing someone else besides the kid was with you.

Mando...

You wonder how long he'll be gone this time. You hope not too long because you miss his company and small talk, yet you don't want it to be too short of a stay. It was no Naboo, but Sorgan was a welcome change from the dark, dank, almost depressing interior of the Razor Crest.

The job Mando was on didn't seem difficult for a seasoned guild member, but you know it could go either way, really. A quarry who would hide on such a remote planet in the Outer Rim likely wanted to live out his life in peace...or desperately didn't want to be found. He could put up a difficult fight or none at all, Maker knows.

There are no large settlements or starports on the planet, but there was a Common House nearby that served delicious bone broth and locally made spotchka. Would you have time to walk there and eat before he'd return? The kid probably wasn't hungry, but you could eat, and you, unlike the kid, weren't interested in catching your own meal.

"What do you think? Should we stay here and wait for your dad or go for a walk?" The kid finishes his current snack before cocking his head and making a tiny squeak. You look from him to a frog hopping nearby, prompting you to add, "Maybe we should go before you become responsible for the extinction of an entire species."

You smile as you reach down and pick up the child. You turn to place him in his hover pram, but before you can do so you hear an explosion, causing you to jolt and turn toward the sound. Instantly, you see a puff of black smoke rising from the evergreen trees. You estimate that it's a few hundreds of yards away. This planet is peaceful, and as far as you know the closest village is in the opposite direction. Something isn't right.

"C'mon, kid," you say as you quickly place the child into the hover pram. "I'm sure your dad is fine, but we should check it out. Just in case." You close the pram to keep the child safe, feel at your hip to ensure that your blaster is still there, and head off into the forest.

You're careful not to trip on any fallen branches or other vegetation on the forest floor, but move hastily in case Mando, or anyone for that matter, is in trouble. Your heart beats rapidly in your chest as you question if going into the forest alone toward an explosion is the right choice. What if it isn't Mando? What if you get yourself into trouble? Maker knows what Mando would do if the child got hurt because of your carelessness.

After several minutes, you come across a large black spot on the ground, marking where the explosion occurred. There is burnt-out brush and a fallen tree trunk that is smoldering nearby. Any flames left appear low and controlled. Plus, the forest is wet and swampy, so a fire spreading is none of your concern.

You examine the area, your hand at the blaster on your hip in case you need to draw fire. At first, you see no one, nothing else amiss. You relax yourself a bit as you realize that there is no apparent threat. But what in the world could have caused this?

Just as you allow your arm to fall to your side, removing your hand from your weapon, you hear your name coming from a familiar, modulated voice. You whip around and, hidden behind a bush, you see Mando laying on the ground, propped against the trunk of a tree.