Another Way: A Mandalorian Story

Cin Vhetin

Cin vhetin – [SHEEN-fett-EEN] - fresh start, clean slate - lit. white field, virgin snow - term indicating the erasing of a person's past when they become Mandalorian, and that they will only be judged by what they do from that point.

Summary: You and Din start working towards a future worth living.

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"Are you sure you don't want me to stay? Just say the word and I can just call it quits now. Fuck the quarry."

The two of you are standing at the top of the ramp of Slave II, preparing him to leave for another hunt, the last of the pucks Greef gave him. You understand why he doesn't want to leave you. He hasn't left your side since Canto Bight, doing everything in his power to make sure you are safe, both mentally and physically. But you can survive without him around for a while. There's only so much support he can provide. The rest will heal time.

You also know that he needs this. He needs to be in his element, do what he's most comfortable with. Hopefully it'll help him destress a little. He needs to clear his head before meeting up with Bo-Katan to discuss the future of Mandalore.

"I'm fine, Din. Honestly," you assure him, reaching your hand up and touching the cold metal of his helmet, wishing you were feeling the warmth of his skin instead. You're not sure he would leave if he could feel you, and he needs to go. "Besides, it's not like you to quit a job."

He nods, understanding. "This shouldn't take long."

You remove your hand and fold your arms across your chest. "Take all the time you need. I'll be right here waiting when you get back."

Din turns and walks down the ramp, entering the light rain that's falling. He stops at the bottom to turns and look at you, his cape soaking up water and clinging to his legs as it tries to blow in the wind. You give a weak smile before pushing the button to raise the ramp and close the door.

As soon as you're sealed inside, left alone in the silence, you lean back against the wall and take a deep breath. You're thankful that Din has been by your side, but you need some solitude. You're going through a lot. Not only dealing with the nightmares that plague you after Canto Bight but also overwhelmed by with worry. Worrying about the future, about him, about what's going through his mind and whether he's okay. You have no idea what's going to happen or how to support him through it. You just know that you want to be there by his side through it all.

You haven't expressed any of your concerns to Din. He has enough on his mind. You know he's stressed and still feels guilty over what happened in Canto Bight, even if he doesn't say so. You don't need to make add more weight to his shoulders.

With the rain, you don't go outside, so you try to pass time by playing cards or reading a holobook. You can't focus. Overcome with fatigue, you spend time in bed wanting to sleep the hours away. However, you find yourself staring at the ceiling most of the time, unable to sleep as you replay things in your head.

We're seizing those weapons and using them to retake our home world. Once we've done that, we'll seat a new Mandalore on the throne. Retake our home world. What did Bo-Katan mean by "retake"? Why did it seem like she was preparing for a war? Did the Empire still have a hold on the planet? Or is she anticipating that they'll try to take it again once word hits that the Mandalorians have reclaimed it?

The land has always been inhospitable thanks to war after war. Boba Fett had spoken these words. You don't know the history of Mandalore, but you're not surprised that a nation composed of warriors suffered from philosophical schisms that destroyed the land. You could see hostility and conflicts even among the few Mandalorians you knew. Din didn't see Bo-Katan as a true Mandalorian when they first met, and she saw him as a religious zealot, a product of a sect that broke away from their society. She also didn't seem too big of a fan of Boba Fett either, having once called him a disgrace to his armor, a pretender, a clone. Koska Reeves physical assaulted him, and Maker knows what would've happened had Bo-Katan not broken them up.