•two journeys• din djarin

II

The four of us sat around the fire back in my home. I had been able to scrape together a large enough meal for us to each have a reasonable share. As I handed out the bowls to each person I sat and watched as they ate. The woman across from me had long, dark hair that was braided just like mine. Next to her, an older man who had a scar running down his face. On the floor beside my cot laid his green armor and her rifle. The two sipped from their bowls and engaged in small chatter. I peered beside me and saw the Mandalorian toying with a small, metal ball, not eating.

"There's a chair outside if you need to eat in privacy, I've heard members of your kind don't take off their helmet," He tilted his head in my direction, then stood from his stool and walked to the door. I sat there, knowing that he has no idea the pain he has caused me but wondering if he did at the same time. After a while, everyone in the hut was finished with their food and I collected the bowls to bring to my basin. I stood behind my door and called out to him, "Are you finished with your meal? I'm cleaning the dishware right now." I got no reply and turned back to clean what was already in the basin. Moments later, the door opened, and he brought me his empty bowl. The two others had been sitting around the fire, getting ready to fall asleep. He walked over and talked to them for a moment before returning to my side.

"I see that you have a ship. We're currently on a mission to retrieve a... friend of mine which the Empire kidnapped, both mine and Fett's ships were destroyed, and we need a new- "

"So, it is you," The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them, "You're the Mandalorian, from Nevarro, the one who stole something from the Empire," I stated, "And got my parents killed," I said to myself. I could feel the energy shift between us.

He stayed silent for a moment which made me think that he heard my final remark. "I'm sorry for any pain I might have caused you or your family, but right now my family is at stake," he stated, "I only need you to take us on one trip and we can never cross paths again."

I stood there for a moment looking down at my hands, "Where to?" I questioned.

"Nevarro City, I have a friend there who can get me some important information regarding the location of my friend." I thought about it for a second. Returning to my home planet could unlock an entire river of problems, but it could also help me cope, and maybe that's what I need.

"Okay, on the condition that I get to visit the remnants of my hometown while we're there." Once I agreed his posture corrected and it seemed as if he were filled with...hope?

"Tomorrow morning then, first light, we'll take off for Nevarro," I nodded my head in agreement and returned to my spot by the fire. The remainder of the night was filled with stories from the Mandalorian and the elder man, Boba Fett. I learned the woman was named Fennec Shand, a mercenary and assassin. The fire started to crackle out as we began to fall asleep. I listened to Fennec's light snore as I stared at the ceiling and pondered what tomorrow would bring. I listened to the Mandalorian shift in his corner to face the three of us sleeping on the other side. I let Boba sleep in my cot; the old man didn't need to be sleeping on the hard floor when the three of us are in perfect health to do so. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm my nerves before starting my nightly routine of imagining what my parents would be doing if they were still alive.

That night my dreams were different. Instead of being a bystander, it's as if I was watching through the eyes of someone else. It was a shorter person, probably a child, using some sort of magic to fight off two stormtroopers. I door in the back of the room opened but I could only see a blur of the person. Dark skin with a black suit, an older fellow, followed by two stormtroopers. The stormtrooper to his left pulled out some sort of weapon and shot a blue ring towards me.