𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 - DIN DJARIN

Chapter 46: The Starfighter

chapter 46: the starfighter •••

The walk to Bay Three-Five is longer than Din remembers it. It's because you've always landed inside it, Din reminds himself. There's no point in pouring salt in the wound of the lost Crest. He's about to get another one, anyway.

Zora coos from her place in the swaddle on your chest. Din turns his helmet to look at her. Zora's brown eyes are wide and full of wonder as she observes the new planet. Din's lips curl up into a smile while he takes one of her tiny hands and holds it between his fingers. "What do you think, Zozo?" Zora's gaze shifts to Din. She reveals a bubbly smile that makes his heart melt. "It's very dry here, huh? Too warm for us to stay long-term?"

You nudge Din's shoulder, though you've failed to hide an amused grin of your own. "We may not have the best memories here," you begin as you close the distance to the entrance of the hangar, "but we have many friends who call this their home." Din's chest fills with a warmth that rivals the heat of Tatooine's suns when you kiss Zora's head and make her laugh. "The Tuskens, Cobb Vanth and Mos Pelgo, and..."

You trail off when Din opens the door to the hangar and invites you to step inside first. Din's about to ask you what's wrong, but he stops himself when he steps in behind you and surveys the scene. Peli's screaming for dear life while a womp rat tugs at her ankle. Her helpless droids stand farther away and watch the spectacle. Din sighs, but his voice is full of amusement. "Oh, Peli."

Din draws his blaster and leans around you to aim a single accurate shot at the womp rat. It goes limp and Zora claps her hands together with a gleeful squeal. Din shakes his head—she really is her parents' daughter—and urges you ahead.

"What an entrance!" Peli exclaims with relief from her place on the ground. "BD? You good?"

A small droid comes tiptoeing out from behind a stack of cargo crates and beeps in reply. Zora coos at the sight of the droid. Din turns his helmet to look at her. Not even her apparent affinity for droids can change anything about her in his eyes, though he hopes she won't one day be able to convince him to purchase one for her.

"Oh good." Peli lets out a grunt as she gets herself back on her feet. "Oh boy." She dusts herself off and raises her hands at her droids. "Hey, look, everyone! It's Mr. and Mrs. Mando!"

Peli turns to face your family and takes the time to observe you fully. She gasps as soon as she spots the baby cuddled against your chest.

"By the Force, another baby!" Peli rushes over to you and Din with her cheeks pulled tight in an excited smile. "Who'd ya' steal this one from?"

Din looks at you as you laugh and run your hand over Zora's head. "She's our own."

Peli looks between you and Din with wide eyes. "Yours? Already?"

Din scoffs and looks away for a moment. When his fists have tightened enough to release his red-hot embarrassment, he glances at you and Peli again to see the mechanic sharing a smile with your bubbly daughter. "This is Zora."

"Zora!" Peli clutches her chest with a half-gloved hand. "Oh, my." She pauses and points at the swaddle. "Can I hold her?"

You look over at Din, who offers you a nod. The three of you wouldn't be here if he didn't trust Peli Motto, as conniving and crazy as she can be sometimes. You let Peli approach Zora with outreached hands. The mechanic eases the baby out of the swaddle.

"Let Aunt Peli take a good look at ya'." Peli secures Zora in her arms and supports her tiny head. The mechanic lifts her gaze to Din for the first time since she'd noticed Zora. "So this is what ya' look like under there, huh?"