The Mandalorian's Slave

Our End

I pace the frog lady's tiny living room. Every drunken call from the street puts me on edge. The minutes seem to stretch into hours as my stomach performs nervous somersaults.

This was supposed to be a quick, simple mission. So where is Din Djarin?

A small, rebellious part of me is scared that he left me. I picture Din with the other Mandalorians, soaring away in search of glorious battles.

The rational part of me knows that he would never do that. I'm not sure what the Mandalorian feels about me, or how I feel about him, but I know he's a man of his word. If he says he'll find Jedi, he'll do it.

Of course, he can't do that if he's dead.

There's a knock at the door. My heart stops in my chest as I rush to answer it.

It's him.

I wrap Din up into a hug before he can protest. He stiffens beneath weight and I immediately let go, feeling stupid and childish. Of course a Mandalorian, one of the best warriors in the galaxy, doesn't want a slave girl clinging to his side like a lost child.

"Thank you for watching them," Din says awkwardly to the frog family. They're sitting in their living room, watching their hatchlings in awe. "Come on. It's time to go."

I don't need to be told twice. I bend down and scoop up the Child, my cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. "Congratulations," I call over my shoulder to the happy couple. "Thank you for your hospitality."

We leave without another word. We march in silence for a while before I gather the courage to speak. "How was the mission."

"She lied to me." Din replies tersely. "Bo-Katan and her clan may be Mandalorian, but they're different than me."

I can hear the sadness in his voice. I wish I had the words to say, the ability to comfort Din. Instead, we fall into silence again.

The air is still humid but cool as we approach the dock. Even in the dim gray light, it's still bustling with people. I keep glancing over my shoulder, half expecting to see an angry Quarren.

In the distance, I spot the Razor Crest. The ship was never a work of art but now... It almost looked better before we paid for it to be fixed.

The ship is held together by a mashup of junk. Ancient nets pin down siding. Rusty machinery is shoved haphazardly into holes. A thick layer of brine and sea salt covers the hull. My nose wrinkles in disgust. Even I would be slow to salvage from this ship.

"I gave you a thousand credits," the Mandalorian begins, "this was the best you could do?" The mechanic, a reddish Mon Calamari, nods his head in silence.

Din and I enter the ship. Everything smells faintly of fish and salt and stale water. More nets were used generously on the inside, holding pieces of the walls together.

I sit down in the passenger seat, balancing the Child on my lap. "Mon Calamari," I say disdainfully. "Unbelievable."

The Mandalorian powers up the ship. With an unhealthy whine, the ship powers up, shakily lifting off the ground.

"So," I begin, breaking the silence once again. "Did Bo-Katan tell you where to find the Jedi?"

"One." The ship ascends into the heavy gray sky. "Her name is Ahsoka Tano. I finally know where I'm taking you. But it's gonna be a bumpy ride."

"Me?"

"You're a Jedi, too." His silence feels heavy and intentional.

"You can't just leave me with some random woman, even if she is a Jedi! I didn't even know I was a Jedi until recently!"

"It doesn't matter what you know," Din says quietly. "You are a Jedi."

"Why does it matter?" I feel anger rising in me. This was his plan all along? To dump me on some strange planet with a Jedi and leave me?

"You need to be with your people," he says firmly. The Mandalorian keeps his gaze fixed outside, not even looking at me.

"So I don't get a choice?" I feel the tears prickling at my eyes, and I hate them.

"You've never had a choice, Aster." I hate the way he says my name, like it's some sort of prayer.

I stand up, my clothing snagging on the nets strewn about the cockpit. "Fuck you. I thought I finally had a choice. And I made it. I picked you."

I walk away, my boots slipping on the wet floor. I hate him. And for some fucking reason, I still love him.

"Aster, wait!" Din says desperately.

I pause. Part of me wishes he'll take the words back and worship at my feet, begging me to never leave again.

"This isn't an easy choice," he begins. "I've had to think a lot about it. But I can't take care of you and the Child the way I should. You deserve peace. You deserve a home."

I can hear the pleading in his voice, but it's too late. "Is that what the Jedi are known for, Din? I was under the assumption that you knew nothing about them. And call me presumptuous, but I assumed you were about to leave me with a stranger and continue your life as though you never met me."

"Please," he whispers. "This isn't easy."

"Then I'll make it easy for you," I say coldly. "I'm going to go sleep while you take us to the Jedi. Wake us up when we arrive and then you can leave."

"I don't want to leave you."

"But you're still fucking doing it. Goodbye, Din. Let's pray the ride isn't too bumpy."

I stride away before he can stop me. Before he can see the tears running down my face. I'm an idiot. I should have known that I wasn't getting a happy ending. Happy endings don't exist.