Mandalorian Revived

Chapter 14

The elevator ride down to the Ugnaughts' level is strangely quiet.

We're missing Grogu's coos. We decided to leave him with Vivi and Bombardier during the mission, considering we had no idea what the deal was with these droids, but I'm already wishing he were here with us to offer his unwavering little smile. Commissioner Helgait, the older man we just left who operates the droids, didn't give me much optimism about being able to fix this.

"See what happens when you rely on droids?" Din says, breaking the silence.

I look up at him with an eyebrow raised. "Really? This is offending you personally?"

He shrugs. "Just pointing it out."

Bo snorts, biting back a laugh. "Let's just finish this so we can be on our way. As much as I enjoy meeting old friends of Tara's, this wasn't meant to be a social visit."

"Sorry about that," I mumble. "When I met her I knew she was from Plazir-15, but no one ever told me she was royalty. I never imagined we'd see her here."

"She seems to really like you," Bo says.

I let out a sigh and shake my head. "Not sure why. We were never very similar. Just look at her and Bombardier."

Bo grins at me. "What about them?"

I glare at her as the elevator starts to slow. "We're just...different. They're all over each other."

"What's wrong with that?" Bo blinks, feigning innocence as if her question didn't just make me want to disappear.

I feel Din's eyes on me but I refuse to look at him. This whole conversation is way too embarrassing already. "You know what I mean," I mutter, staring at the elevator door and willing it to open. "I'm not like that."

Bo hums, nodding. The grin is still plastered on her face. "That's true."

Mercifully, the elevator hisses open, revealing a dark workshop filled with sparks, droids, and Ugnaughts.

Bo clears her throat. "I am Bo Katan Kryze, which one of you is in charge?" She calls out. She might as well have not said anything with the way they all ignore her. "We were sent on behalf of the Duchess and Captain Bombardier to help you with your droid problem." Still, they ignore us. She sighs, still shouting. "Hello?"

I lean toward her, rocking back on my heels. "Speak up a little, Bo."

She shoots me a withering glare that makes me grin.

Din shakes his head at the two of us before looking back at the Ugnaughts. "I am Mandalorian Din Djarin, friend of Ugnaught Kuiil. You will answer our questions and help us with our task. I have spoken."

My heart tugs a little at the mention of Kuiil, who was nothing but kind to us, and smile when the Ugnaughts stop their work. A few of them, the more senior workers perhaps, usher us over to a small round table to sit. Cups of warm drink are offered to Bo and me by a droid and I'm instantly reminded of IG-11 and his tea.

"Thank you for your hospitality and for sharing your table with us," Din says. "We were engaged to hunt down and eliminate the malfunctioning droids."

"There are no such droids," one of the Ugnaughts scoffs.

Bo purses her lips and bites back a groan. "You may not have heard the news down here, but your droids are wreaking havoc in the world above."

The Ugnaught tenses at her words. "There is not much of which we are not aware. These halls are the central nervous system of the city. I assure you, the droids are not malfunctioning."