THE MANDALORIAN: CHAPTERS 9-16

CHAPTER 14: THE FORCE

Tarre sat on the command console with his hand up and eyes closed talking to the purrgils the entire time Cara and Sabine worked on connecting the ship to ship portals. Din watched him as he occasionally squeaked, laughed, and even moaned sadly.

Din felt left outside this secret conversation and they hadn't even had a real discussion with Ahsoka Tano yet. Din felt an ache in his core beginning, but he pushed it down and got up to check on how Cara was faring down in the hold.

He called down the ladder, "Can I help?"

Cara called back up, "Almost got it!" Just then, the portal opened, and Ahsoka and Sabine were looking up at Cara.

Cara smiled, "Sorry about the smell, ladies. I'm stuck in here with two boys."

Ahsoka and Sabine looked at each other and started laughing.

Din, once again, felt left outside this secret conversation. He sighed and then went back into the cockpit to pick up Tarre and bring him into the lower hold.

Din eased himself down the ladder with Tarre on his shoulder. The three girls all stood there looking at him. Din cleared his throat.

"We have a lot to talk about. I suggest we sit," they all sat on various boxes and bins on the hold, and then Din took a deep breath.

"My name is Din Djarin, I'm a Foundling of Clan Vizsla, brother to Paz Vizsla. This is Cara Dune, former Rebellion Shock Trooper, and Daughter of Alderaan," Sabine and Ahsoka looked over at Cara who nodded back at them.

"And this is Tarre-Haal Vizsla, my Foundling, and the Force sensitive child you sensed, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka nodded slowly and smiled at Tarre who nodded back, with a big toothy grin.

"We sought you out because we have two needs. The first is to seek guidance on how we can train and guide Tarre-Haal — for the rest of his lifespan." Ahsoka gave Din a small smile, and looked down.

"And second, Sabine, your brother sent me to beg you to return. The plans for the Duchess were found by Moff Gideon, and the weapon was used to kill Mandalorians on Nevarro. I was among those hit by the weapon. I am only alive because Tarre-Haal destroyed the Duchess used against my Tribe."

Sabine's brows came down, "But — I destroyed the Saxon prototype myself!"

Din shook his head, "Moff Gideon apparently had access to archives of the Saxon Clan and found the project funded by Grand Admiral Thrawn. We fear there are more weapons to be used against Mandalore. We have only just begun to Rebuild our world. We need your help to work on a defense against this weapon."

Sabine's face fell and her eyes closed, "I will never be able to escape my past." She turned toward Ahsoka, "I must return."

Ahsoka nodded. "Our mission will have to wait. But we will leave our friends to continue the search for Ezra."

Cara's brow creased, "Friends?"

Ahsoka looked back at Cara and smiled, "The purrgil." She looked down at Tarre and he squealed and laughed.

Din felt another small pang, but nodded until he saw that Ahsoka zeroed in on Tarre and he toddled over to her. It took every ounce of his self control to stop himself from reaching out to hold Tarre back.

Tarre reached up a hand and Ahsoka put out hers until Tarre grabbed her finger with his tiny claws. She immediately closed her eyes and her face became tense. Everyone watched the exchange and held their breath. Din's hands twitched as he watched, his heart rate accelerated.

Ahsoka's face became more tense and her brows came down, and then finally she gasped and opened her eyes but looked down at Tarre with a genuinely warm smile. Then she looked up directly at Din.