Against the Odds

Chapter 15: The Consequence

Din's expression was lost behind his helmet but his eyes were wide, lips parted, eyebrows up. He felt his heart beating out of his chest. It made so much sense. The reason she was reluctant to share anything about the Jedi was because she was one. He didn't want to speak, if he did it would probably come out a squeak and he couldn't handle looking vulnerable to the enemy of his people.

As angry as he wanted to be, his mind wouldn't completely let him. This was Vella, they'd fought together on the job and never did she use the opportunity to attack him, instead, they'd helped each other survive it. This was Vella, she'd gone back for him on that frozen wasteland even though she had the Child all to herself. She could have taken the Baby and trained him as her own, leaving Din to die but she didn't. This was Vella, as capable as he was, she insisted on helping him with his wounds. She had no need to do that, but he could see it on her face, she wanted to.

In every mishap of everything that went wrong on this whole journey... it had been them three against the odds. But now she was saying she was one of these "Jedi", the very people he was looking for, and she never said anything to him. Had anything she'd done been true? Did she even really care about either of them? The Jedi, "sorcerers," as the armorer had called them, the enemy of Mandalore. How could she have brought such pain to his people? How could she be a Jedi?

Neither she nor Mando moved. The Child cooed at her, gurgling and reaching for her as if happy to have heard her say it. Vella couldn't know for sure but for a brief moment she thought the boy had sensed the relief finally telling the truth gave her. She felt freed from a burden she didn't know she was carrying. There was a lightness in her breath where it was once tight. But she knew there would be consequences, and those weren't going to thrill her.

The silence was deafening, more so than it had ever been in the time she'd known him. Silence came often to the two and it wasn't unusual for it to be uncomfortable, but this was different. This was loud, almost obnoxious, silence. No one said a thing and Vella was getting anxious.

"I've wanted to tell you for so long," she admitted.

He could tell by her tone and the curl of her eyebrows she was ashamed for not doing so, but he couldn't stop himself from questioning if it was only an act.

She continued. "There's so much I've wanted to tell you—"

"But you never did," he interrupted in a whisper. "And now you say you're one of them..? A sorcerer?" His voice was sturdier than he'd thought it'd be, but it revealed his hurt. He found himself holding onto the Child a little tighter.

"Sorcerer..?" She asked, her eyes softening. Vella had no idea what he'd heard or been taught about the Jedi. Or about the feud that had wreaked havoc on both of their peoples. She could feel the surprise melt away as anger and betrayal took its place. Hurt, anger, distrust. All things she'd made him feel.

His body quickly went rigid, shoulders squared and helmet facing her in a kind of purpose she'd hoped to never see from him. Mando pulled the child closer to his chest and instantly his blaster was out of its holster and directed at her. "Jedi killed Mandalorians," he accused.

Lara's eyes widened and she sent him a hurt look. She didn't think he'd see it, but he did, and he wished he hadn't. Her expression was full of betrayal and yet she didn't make a move to defend her mother. He wondered why it hurt his heart so much.

"That... that wasn't—" Vella stuttered.

He swallowed hard and spoke through a clenched jaw. "Excuses will do you no good," he seethed.

Vella fell silent. The switch had been triggered and she heard by the tone of his voice the trust she had worked so hard to build, slowly crumbled apart.