PURPOSE | The Mandalorian

III

"Sorgan?" I questioned, shouting up the ladder. I had never heard of that planet before, and I didn't know how comfortable I felt landing on a planet I didn't know existed until just now.

I heard quiet, content cries from the compartment that held the child, but I ignored them for the time being. I made a mental note to myself to play with the child later.

"Sorgan," Din confirmed. "Practically no population density, no star ports, no nothing. Hopefully we can find some lodging to stay at until it's safe enough to take jobs again."

I arched an eyebrow, shouting, "What jobs?"

He didn't respond.

I rolled my eyes, walking away from the ladder. The child in the compartment cooed again, and I decided to open the door to pick it up. It held out both of its tiny arms, practically begging to be held.

"You really are quite the attention hog, aren't you?" It grasped my finger, bringing it to his mouth. His little teeth didn't hurt when he started to nibble, but I still jerked my finger away. "Hey," I chided, keeping my finger out of its reach, "No biting."

It kept babbling it's baby nonsense, innocently blinking his dark eyes at me. I smiled as it looked from side to side, and I gently started rubbing its ears between my fingers. That seemed to please the kid immensely, but then it reached its little arm towards something on the wall.

I looked over and noticed that it was my armor that had caught his attention. And from what I knew, the kid didn't know how to talk, but it almost sounded like it said Dada as it leaned in the direction of my armor.

I laughed at the kid's pure cuteness. "No," I chimed, tickling the child under the chin, "That's not Dada. That's my armor." I set him down on the floor and when I stood, I realized the child didn't even make it to my knees. I smiled down at him as I walked over to pick up my helmet.

I slid the helmet on my head, ignoring the cosmic release of pressure in my chest when I put it on. I swooped down to pick the kid up again, holding it close. I said, the modulator crackling with years of disuse, "See? Mine."

I swear to whatever god above that it said Dada again as it tapped its fingers on the beskar.

Then I heard a calm, relieved voice behind me. "You put it on."

I whipped around, balancing the child on my hip. "I... Well, um," I stammered as Din studied me, a hand still on one of the ladder rungs. I finally sighed in defeat. "Yeah. I put it on."

He paused, and I'd bet most of my credits he was smiling under that helmet of his. "It looks good."

I was thankful he couldn't see me blush under my own helmet. He continued, walking past me to the other side of the cargo bay, "We still have a while before we reach Sorgan, so I suggest you get some rest."

I watched as he opened up a metal cabinet in the wall. "I'm not tired."

Din glanced sideways at me. "Alright then." He reached into the cabinet, pulling a blaster out from inside it. He checked it over once before closing the cabinet and locking it up.

He walked up to me, holding the blaster by the barrel. "You're gonna want this."

Staring down at the blaster he held between us, I quickly set the kid on the floor. I grabbed the blaster with both hands, marveling the feel of the cool metal in my palms. "Ohh," I breathed excitedly, turning it over so I could get a look at its other side, "I missed these."

Din hummed in response. "Well," He said, exhaling a long breath, "If you're not tired, feel free to join me in the cockpit."

He reached down, swooping up the child and putting him back in the compartment. Before closing the door, he reached up for the shelf above, handing it a few wheat crackers to eat. "There," Din said as he closed the door. "Now don't cause any trouble."