Another Way: A Mandalorian Story

Kyr'tsad

Kyr'tsad - [KEERT-sahd] - Death Watch (lit. Death Society) - breakaway Mandalorian sect

Summary: You and Din come across some unexpected allies on Lothal before confronting Bo-Katan about the future of Mandalore.

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Sitting in the passenger seat of Slave II, watching Din insert the coordinates for Lothal, you feel a slight sense of mourning over the fact that your wedding trip is over, just a thing of the past. It's been days since you last boarded the ship for your journey to and from Aq Vetina, and though you had once become so accustomed to ship life, your time on Naboo reminded you how wonderful it is to be somewhere, anywhere but the confines of a ship as it hurls itself through cold, dark space. The warmth of the sun, the coolness of the night breeze, a bed bigger than a sardine can, a mattress more comfortable than a rock. You have no idea when you'll have those things again.

"I meant it when I said we'd return one day," Din assures you. He must've noticed that you're staring longingly out the window, trying to soak up every bit of the planet before it disappears.

"I know," you respond with a smile. "But how different will our lives be when we return?"

You know you won't be back anytime soon. There's much to do, and it wasn't going to easy. Reuniting scattered survivors of a fractured culture, reclaiming a land that would likely need rebuilt, reinforcing it so they Empire never reclaims it again. The thought is terrifying. To make matters worse, you feel like you have ticking time bomb inside of you, one which will explode into your life in a matter of months. You worry about whether you'll have time to prepare for the baby at all. Most expectant mothers need only worry about prepping a nursery. You can't even begin to think about creating a special space for the baby without first having a stable planet to put it on.

What will Mandalore even have to offer? Boba had said the land was inhospitable from war. You know the planet consisted of domed planets. What would living in them mean? Would there be fresh air and grass and plants? Or would you feel that you're living inside some sort of large-scale box? It's nothing you can't adjust to, just as you adjusted to life on the Razor Crest and Slave II, but you'd hope your child – your children – would be able to experience so much more.

But what if the domed cities are gone too? What if the Empire left literally nothing behind? What if the people don't want to be reunited? At one point, if any, would Din say "fuck this" and just walk away? Would Bo-Katan even let him? Would she finally decide to fight him for the Darksaber?

And what then? Where do you both go? What do you do? Is it back to bounty hunting, back to living a life of planet to planet, Din's life – your lives – in constant danger?

Din engages the ship's autopilot, then turns in his chair to face you. "What are you thinking, riduur? It looks like your mind is flying a parsec a minute."

You release a low laugh. "It usually is, isn't it?"

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing new," you respond simply. "I just want everything to go smoothly."

"I know. Everything will go smoothly."

"How can you know that?"

"Because I won't let anything else happen. Smooth sailing from here on out," he avows. "I swear it."

You give a small smile, wanting to believe it. You know he will do his best to ensure you're safe and happy, but he can't control everything.

"There's so much to do and so little time," you divulge. "This baby is coming, ready or not."