Mandalorian Revived

Chapter 37

The gentle breeze caresses my face like a solemn mother consoling their child. It feels strange and fitting all at once to feel fresh air on my skin on this planet. As a child, this was the place Pre Viszla told me was our home. Ever since the Empire's massacre, it's been a place with no life, no breathable air. And now, I stand here with countless other Mandalorians enjoying the gentle breeze.

It almost masks the heaviness of today's ceremony.

I open my eyes, sighing quietly as Din and the Armorer stand on either side of me. Bo is somewhere in the crowd, that I know. She wouldn't miss this, not for anything. Before me is the large, flat stone I've been waiting for. I commissioned the build a couple of days after the fighting stopped. It felt like the right thing to do. On it, Mandalorians have neatly etched the names of all those who fought and died for our freedom. They will not be forgotten.

My eyes start to water as I search the names. Then I stop when the Armorer discreetly squeezes my elbow. I glance down to see Grogu poking at my leg. I have to stay present.

"People of Mandalore, thank you for meeting me here today," I say, raising my voice for the crowd. "This day...this means so much to me. As some of you might know, I was stripped of my memories by the Empire." Din takes my hand and squeezes it tightly. "I lost, not only the people I love, but my culture, my history. Our history. I was able to regain my memories, but the ordeal taught me to cherish them. I believe this monument will help all of us to do that same thing. We can cherish our past, the people that were a part of it."

My eyes search the crowd. Some faces, some helmets, though every Mandalorian is fixed on the stone towering above us all. My mother's name is on that stone. So is Pre Viszla's and every member of Death Watch. For all their flaws, they wanted a free Mandalore as well. Satine Kryze's sits near the top, once a Duchess of Mandalore. Koska Reeves is more at eye level. Damon and a few other survivors who never abandoned their planet. Zeb's recruit who died in the stars above us. Paz Viszla is hard to look at. But I know Ragnar will always be grateful to see it there. His father, a true hero. Countless other names litter the stone, and I pray that we never need to etch more names there in the future.

"This stone will stand tall in the center of our community here on Mandalore, so we never forget our history. So we never forget those who wanted to see this era of peace that we have the chance to create. We must never forget where we came from," I say. My voice waivers on the last few words, so I almost stop there. Then I swallow hard and push on. "This is the Way."

The phrase is chanted back to me by the other warriors.

The Armorer nods in approval at my words, but I can't fully look at her right now. Instead, I search the crowd again, stopping short when I see Ragnar's small helmet below the others. They start to dissipate, no doubt heading back to whatever it is they're doing for the day to help rebuild Mandalore, but Ragnar stays.

I give Din a little look and he nods, taking Grogu in his arms and hanging back a few steps to give us some privacy. I approach Ragnar from behind, watching as he finds his father's name. His little fingers press against the words in the stone and I rest a hand on his shoulder. He jumps a little, then settles into my touch.

"He was a hero," he says, his voice trembling.

I nod. "He was."

"I'm going to make him proud someday."

That makes my heart seize a little. I kneel and turn him to face me. My eyes search his helmet visor, not that I'll be able to see anything behind it. "You already have, Ragnar. You helped reclaim Mandalore. You're a hero too, you know."