Arani Jakal was not ready to be stranded on an unfamiliar planet, causing her whole life to change. But in the chaos, a friend or two popped up - seemingly from nowhere - wishing to help. Ari gladly accepted and quickly became part of a small town...
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HARO WILLED THE DEFIANT TO PUSH THROUGH Mandalore's harsh atmosphere. Their visibility was next to nothing as rain poured down, the sky an inky blue. The ship rumbled and broke through the clouds, revealing the abandoned planet below.
For a moment, Arani sat still and took in the rocky terrain. Even after all the horror that befell Mandalore, it still managed to hold its wonder and beauty. She never expected to set foot on the planet. But when the ship landed and the ramp lowered, everything suddenly became real - including whatever danger Din had gotten into.
She turned to Grogu beside her with a faint smile. "Okay, little one, you think you can guide us?"
The Kid looked at her for a moment then at the rock that reflected what little light Mandalore got. He blinked and moved his pram past her.
"Be careful, Ari," Haro muttered as they walked down the ramp.
She glanced at him, wanting to tell him that she would be fine in a thousand different ways, but simply nodded instead.
The two were led to a cave hidden by the spiked stone that surrounded it. Light trickled through holes above, allowing the three to see a winding path that bore deep into the earth. The two friends glanced at one another and Haro sighed.
"I'm going to regret this, aren't I," he grumbled.
"Only one way to find out," Ari replied and crept inside, taking careful steps as she pulled out her blaster. Nothing further was spoken as the three continued through the planet, all senses on alert but nothing came across them.
The tunnel opened up to a ledge that overlooked the remains of the city's centre. The sight of towering buildings took Ari's breath away, it was unlike anything she had yet to see. It made a heavy weight settle on the woman's heart to see such grandeur become a wasteland. No wonder Bo-Katan had never wanted to step foot inside this place again, it was stuck in time, memories of what was and what could have been filling the air.
Haro shifted beside her, peeking over the edge. "How are we gonna get down there?"
Ari sighed, hating what she was about to say but it must be done to get to Din. "We climb."
The man simply glared at her. "I hate this place."
After spending most of their energy on finding the safest way down, having found a few stable bridges that connected the structures, the two dropped to the stone ground. From below, the buildings seemed completely different up close and little light made its way to them.
