PURPOSE | The Mandalorian

XIV

Once we reached the Crest, the sun had already begun to set and the bugs were buzzing loudly in the trees around us. The boys helped us unload everything and put it back in the cargo bay neatly.

"Thanks again, for everything," One of them, Caben, said to me gratefully while Din finished loading up the ship, "You really have no idea-"

"Forget it," I said with a smile, placing one of my hands on his shoulder. "We were happy to help."

He smiled back at me, nodding his head as he joined his friend back on the trolley. But before he hopped in, Caben looked back at me and yelled, "Make sure to come back and visit!"

I nodded with a grin. "Of course."

With one last goodbye wave, the boys silently drove the trolley back into the trees.

"He really likes you," Din commented from inside the bay.

I smirked up at him. "Jealous?" I asked playfully as I walked up the ramp.

Din stuck his elbow out just far enough that I'd run into it as I passed him. I clutched my side as I spun to face him, a smile breaking across my face. He laughed, his shoulders shaking with the effort as he said lightheartedly, "Only if you like him back."

"Hmm," I hummed, but my heart fluttered slightly in my chest. "C'mon. Let's go."

The Crest jerked slightly as the bay doors began to close, but what had me really jumping out of my skin was the white robe that jumped down the ladder from the cockpit. Her frame was small, but the dark skin on her hands was unnervingly familiar.

"I'm glad you are well, Din," Soleil purred as she turned to face us, removing her hood. Her bright yellow eyes set me on edge again, her full lips pulling back into a close lipped smile. "I apologize if I frightened you."

I turned to face him. He had his blaster pointed at her, but after a moment he slowly dropped his arm, placing his blaster in the holster at his hip. I guess he wasn't used to having Jedi appear out of nowhere on his ship. And I don't blame him.

Soleil glanced from Din to me. She raised her eyebrows in a knowing look. "I believe we have someplace to be," She said, tapping her wrist.

We all stared at each other in silence. After a long and uncomfortable period of time, Din grunted before hauling himself into cockpit. The child cooed quietly from his place in his usual compartment. The noise seemed to catch Soleil's attention, so I quickly opened the door and swept him up in my arms. I said to her flatly, "Din and I will be in the cockpit."

Then I turned and launched myself up the ladder. The sliding doors of the cockpit were open, and I watched as Din flipped through takeoff procedure.

"I don't like her," Din said gruffly, "She's unpredictable."

I hummed in agreement, taking my seat next to him. I set the kid in my lap and Din unscrewed a metal sphere on top of one of the levers. He reached back, giving the metal ball to the kid.

My brows creased. "You're just gonna give him that?" I asked cautiously, slightly worried the kid will stick it in his mouth and choke on it.

"It's fine," Din said as he continued to power up the engines, "He likes to play with it."

As if on cue, the kid let out a squeal of excitement. I just shrugged off my doubts, holding the kid close and closing my eyes as the Crest began to lift itself off the ground.

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"Hey." Din's voice cut through my mind, snapping me out of my sleepy haze. My eyes blinked open, squinting against the bright stars flying past as we traveled through hyperspace.