Fragments of the Dark

Chapter Forty

Din's head was spinning.

The second he felt her power loosen its grip on him, he surged forward, refusing to look from the tiny spec of Falcon in the sky until it disappeared from view. His throat was raw from screaming but he didn't give that a moment's pause, slamming his helmet over his head and the rest of his Beskar in place.

Luke... he needed to find Luke. He would get another ship and he- he would find her. He had to.

Because he didn't know what the fuck he would do if he didn't.

He crashed through the underbrush, reaching the clearing, his breath ragged in his chest. The image of her face, the last look she'd given him before turning away was burned into his mind. The coldness of her gaze, the ice in her eyes, and yet the flicker of pain as she had used her power against him. The scar on her face was as unforgiving as the rest of her as he'd watched her form disappear into the ship. Pain shot through his chest, though he knew it was no physical wound. He had to find her- stop her-

"You cannot go after her." Luke's voice came from the shadows and Din spun around, cursing at himself for being so careless.

"Like hell, I can't."

Luke stepped into the light, his face drawn. His footfalls were near silent. "She must do this alone, Mandalorian."

"Do you have any idea what she is planning?" Din hissed. "She is going to kill the fucking Emperor-"

"I know," Luke said.

Din's chest heaved. "She's your daughter and you would let her face her death-"

"This is a matter you do not understand." Luke interrupted him, his gaze piercing, seeming to see far beneath Din's layers of Beskar. "Celene is much more powerful than you know. Then any of us know." He shook his head. "What she is capable of... she was born for this. She is our only hope at ending the Empire's tyrannical rule."

"At what cost? You let her give her life? And if she survives- then what? She rules as Empress, still trapped in the very organization that sought to rob her of everything?" He snapped incredulously. "You let them take her from you as a child and now you willingly do it again."

The forest quieted around them, suddenly devoid of all sound. Luke's voice was low. "Be careful of what you say, Mandalorian. You do not know what you're talking about."

"I know Celene," Din growled. "I know her better than you because I have been there with her. She does not want to rule. She does not want this life and now she will never be free from it. Do you even have any idea what the Emperor did to her?"

"That is enough," Luke's jaw tightened.

Din took a step forward, far from done. "He twisted her memories. He manipulated her mind and then when Celene realized the truth and rebelled, he sought to control her fully. And when torture didn't work he tried to rob her of her free will completely with cybernetic implants." His words fell like stones between the two of them. "That is what he did to her. And now you let her walk back to face that monster alone."

Luke's face had paled but he said nothing. Din shook his head and scoffed. "Some father you are. And you claim to be a Jedi?" Din raised his hands. "Aren't Jedi supposed to help people?"

Silence reigned for a few seconds and Din feared he had finally invoked the Jedi's wrath. But then the forest returned to its sounds, the tension fading. Luke turned away from Din, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I have to train my students. Grogu. For the next generation... if she doesn't defeat the Empire. I have to ensure a future."

A part of Din wanted to roar at the Jedi but... in a way, these Padawans were like foundlings. And foundlings were to be protected at all costs. "Do you have a ship?" He demanded.

Luke turned to face the bounty hunter again. "You cannot go where she is- and even if I knew where she was headed, I would not tell you. This is far beyond your skillset. You will never survive the Emperor or he will use you against her."

Out of options, Din looked to the shimmering lake, voice cracking as he all but whispered, "I have to try. I will never forgive myself if I don't. She is all I have."

The Jedi's gaze was unwavering. "This is truly the fate you wish for yourself?"

"Yes."

Luke waited for a few beats. "You will not like what you find. If Celene succeeds, she will not be the woman you knew. She will be different."

It will take a monster to destroy a monster. She had said that to him, parting words but also... an explanation. She didn't want Din to see the lines she was going to cross in order to finish this.

He didn't care. "Please."

Luke contemplated his words. Finally, he looked to the horizon. "It is what Mara would have wanted. She would have already left to go help her."

Din stayed quiet, assuming Mara had been Celene's mother. Finally Luke turned to him. "The only ship here is my X-Wing. R-2 will pilot you there and bring the fighter back."

Leaving him with no escape route but Din didn't say that. He supposed he should be grateful enough that the Jedi had decided to let him use his ship. "Thank you. I am in your debt."

But Luke's face was grave. "I cannot warn you of what waits for you. It is a place even I have dared not go."

Din frowned beneath his helmet. "Where she went? You said you didn't know."

"I don't. But I know of only one planet to guess where she went." He reached forward suddenly, uncharacteristic, and placed his hand on Din's shoulder. "Be careful, Mandalorian. May the Force be with you."

Din wasn't sure what that meant so he simply bowed his head and was left to ponder what place could be so dark for not even a Jedi to dare go there.