Mandalorian Revived

Chapter 19

No one told me we were on Mandalore for that entire battle.

Once I got over the initial shock of that, the Mandalorian decided to bring me to my ship. Apparently, all the Mandalorians flew the ships into battle, mine included. And mine took damage.

I asked him where my TIE Defender was, and he had no idea. He said I'd never had one in the time he knew me. That...that stung, I won't lie. This U-wing is nice, but it's not the ship I know.

Shortly after things had settled somewhat, a young boy in the clan found me and wrapped his small arms around me. He wore a blue training helmet and did nothing but sob with his face pressed against me. I tried to return his embrace and offer some comfort, but it wasn't what he needed. His name was Ragnar, I think. His father died in the battle.

I guess I knew him too.

So now I'm sitting on the ship's lowered ramp digging into the rocky planet surface with the edge of my boot. The Mandalorian said I hadn't had the ship very long, which explained its emptiness. He also explained why an N-1 starfighter was docked to the bottom of it. We swiftly disconnected the two.

R5 rolls down the ramp, chirping out a few beeps at me. I offer him a crooked smile. "I'm told you're my droid." He beeps in reply and rolls to a stop beside me. I look him up and down. "I suppose you'll do. You were a bit slow with those shields but at least you survived the explosion."

He gives me a dejected beep and I chuckle.

"You'll be fine."

Footsteps interrupt my quiet and I look up to see the Mandalorian walking toward us with the child—Grogu—tucked in his arm. He stops just before the ramp and I stare up at him. "I thought you'd be here," he says.

I shrug. "It is my ship, according to you."

He looks awkward as his helmet scans the area for anything to focus on. "I uh, I was talking to Bo Katan. There's a lot of rebuilding to start now that the Imperial presence on Mandalore is gone. They're looking for a leader."

My jaw clenches. "I hope they find one."

He sighs heavily and plants one hand on his hip. "Tara..."

"Don't act like that. You think you know everything, so try to look at this from my perspective. I've got you following me around confessing your love to me, this kid looking at me like I'm responsible for him, a whole ship I don't remember buying, and entire years of my life completely gone. Even if I liked Mandalorians, I still wouldn't be in any position to lead them."

He flinches the slightest bit at my words. His gaze pulls down to the child in his arms and he sighs before setting him on the ramp beside me. "Then I have to talk to Bo some more. She has some decisions to make."

"Good for her."

"Watch the kid for me." He starts walking away and doesn't bother looking back.

"You're just going to trust me with your kid now?"

He pauses enough to turn over his shoulder. I imagine a very unamused expression under the helmet. "You just risked your life multiple times for him. I think you'll be fine."

He keeps walking and disappears behind a cluster of rocks poking out from the underground. Everything in this place was buried from the Purge.

I sigh and look down at the child I've been left with. He blinks up at me, cooing softly. "So, you have the force." He doesn't do much in the way of answering me. Sighing again, I lift him up carefully and set him on my legs so we can be at eye level with each other. "What's the deal with this Mandalorian? You guys have quite the bond."