Metanoia | The Mandalorian ON HOLD

Chapter 9

When they woke up the next morning, they heard kids yelling excitedly as they laughed and ran to them. "Well, looks like they're happy to see us." Commented Mando.

"Looks like." Agreed Cara.

The child laughed, happy to receive all the attention of the children. Juno too had a bright smile on her face, introducing herself to them as they did the same. The group got off the transport, taking their things with them as they were lead to their new homes for the time being. The whole way through the village, Juno talked excitedly with the other children. She hasn't been around people her age for a long time and she was enjoying it.

After the people told them where they would stay, Cara went to her own place while Mando would stay with Juno and the child. When they got there, they saw a woman inside, opening the window and they stopped. "Please come in." She said in a soft voice, turning to face them. Mando walked in first carrying a box, with Juno and the child following him. "I hope this is comfortable for you. Sorry that all we have is the barn." She continued, apologizing.

"This will do fine." Replied Mando. Juno looked around.

"I stacked some blankets over here."

"Thank you. That's very kind." Said Mando as he put the box down along with his rifle.

"Yes, thank you." Thanked Juno, smiling at the woman. There was a movement near the door and Mando quickly, on instinct, pulled out his blaster, pointing it at the girl that just walked in. She gasped frightened, hugging the woman.

"This is my daughter, Winta." Explained the woman, holding her daughter. "We don't get a lot of visitors around here. She's not used to strangers." Juno looked at Winta, recognizing her from when they came. "This nice man is going to help protect us from the bad ones." She explained to her daughter.

"Thank you." She mumbled. Mando just nodded at her. She then looked at Juno and they waved at each other.

"Come on, Winta. Let's give our guests some room." And with that they left.

"What was that? Why did you scare her like that?" Asked Juno, hitting Mando on his arm.

"Didn't mean to." He mumbled. "Come on, help me unpack."

She sighed, going over to the box and started helping him. She then looked down at herself, "I need new clothes." She mumbled to hersel. That's when she looked over at a bed in one corner of the place, noticing a pile of clothes laying there. "Hey Mando. I'm gonna go change." She told him, not waiting for his response as she left in search of a bathroom. When she didn't find one in the barn, she went to look outside, where she bumped into the woman from before. "Sorry." She apologized.

"No worries." She told her. "I see you found the clothes. Wanna go change?"

"Yeah, but there's no bathroom in the barn."

"Come on, you can change at my home. My name is Omera." She told her, leading the way.

"Thank you. I'm Juno."

When she was done changing, Omera told her she would wash her old clothes for her even though Juno tried protesting, saying she could do it herself, but to no avail. So she just thanked her again and left to help Mando with the rest of the things.

~

Mando was cleaning his weapons, Juno sitting on her bed with the child, talking to him while he cooed at her, when Omera came to see them again. "Knock, knock."

"Come in." Said Mando, turning to her as he noticed her bringing in some food. Winta soon followed her mother inside, looking at the child and waving to Juno.

"Can I feed him." Asked Winta, looking at Mando.

"Sure." He answered.

She went next to Juno and the child, holding some food to his mouth. "Are you hungry." She asked him.

"He's always hungry." Said Juno as she too went to feed him. The girls giggled.

"Can I play with them?" Winta asked Mando again and Juno looked at him too, saying a quick 'please'.

"Sure." Sighed the Mandalorian, going to the kids and lifting the child from his bed.

Winta grabbed Juno's hand, pulling her outside, the child cooing as he followed them. "Come on."

"I don't think..." Mando started, moving to the door.

"They'll be fine." Interrupted Omera.

"I don't..."

"They'll be fine." She assured him.

As the adults were talking inside, Winta, Juno and the child called the other kids and started playing. They accepted Juno and the child in their group right away, quickly becoming friends. They played the whole day until Mando and Cara came back from the forest and called everybody to listen to them.

"Bad news. You can't live here anymore." Said Mando and the people immediately started questioning him.

"Nice bedside manner." Cara told him teasingly.

"You think you can do better?"

"Can't do much worse." She then spoke louder to the people. "I know this is not the news you wanted to hear, but there are no other options."

"You took the job." Said one man, the others agreeing with him.

"That was before we knew about the AT-ST." Replied Cara.

"What is that?"

"The armored walker with two enormous guns that you knew about and didn't tell us.' She said. The people started begging them for help.

"We have nowhere to go." Said Omera.

"Sure you do. This is a big planet. I mean I've seen a lot smaller." Said Cara.

"My grandparents seeded these ponds." Said one man. "It took generations."

"I understand. I do. But there are only two of us." Tried Cara.

"No, there's not. There's at least 20 here." Said the man, the people agreeing.

"I mean fighters. Be realistic." The people started to yell to give them a chance, that they could learn. "I've seen that thing take out entire companies of soldiers in a matter of minutes."

"We're not leaving." Said Omera. Mando looked at her and then at Juno, noticing her looking at him with her big green eyes, silently asking him to help them.

"You cannot fight that thing." Said Cara.

"Unless we show them how." Said Mando, still looking at Juno who smiled at him.