By Creed or By Code

The Memories

Glavis Ringworld
Space Station

Kia sat in the cockpit of her X-wing starfighter, thoughts of her night with the Mandalorian fills her mind. It was, by far, the best night she's ever had. She couldn't remember the last time she was held like that. The man definitely wasn't a talker, but he expressed his emotions through action rather than words.

There were some traits to his personality that he would only display to a lover. Like how he would let out a light snicker whenever she said something he found mildly amusing. Or how he would bury his face in her hair, taking in her scent and softness. As well as the occasional low grunt he would make in his sleep.

She knows he has done things in his life that were not only controversial, but heartless and vicious. He lived a violent life as a bounty hunter, and he probably worked for the Empire at one point. Yet passing judgement upon others was never something she enjoyed doing. In spite of this knowledge of him, that man has made an impression on her, and she's not sure if she'll ever fully remove the taste of him from her mouth.

She's been studying the ways of the Force with Luke for years, and therefore hasn't seen another one of her kind in some time. It's one thing to see Din Djarin's face through the mind of the child, it's an entirely different situation to have spent an entire night with him. A flash of shame suddenly hit her consciousness like a blaster shot to the face. Although she doesn't regret anything, yet she couldn't help but feel guilty for giving in so easily.

Luke and her have disagreed over the concepts of attachments ever since they met. It wasn't her intention to develop feelings for this man. After all, she is a Mandalorian. Her clan was very important to her. Luke will not be pleased to hear that she has fallen for the Mand'alore, the man she was supposed to be advising.

There's something she needs to do before she returns to Luke. She needs redemption. She needs to go back home. After punching a few buttons on her comlink, Luke's image appears in front of her on the dashboard.

"Master, I delivered the message to the Mandalorian and offered him my assistance, as promised. We should expect to see him again. However, there is something I must do before I return."

"Would you need any backup?"

"No, master. I must do this alone."

"Very well. Be safe and may the Force be with you."

"And may the Force be with you."

After Luke's imagine disappears, she ignites the engines, punches in the coordinates, then steers the ship out of the docking bay and into hyperspace.

***

1 BBY (Approximate)
Planet Mandalore
The Great Purge of Mandalore
Night of a Thousand Tears

"We must turn back! There's too many of them!" Calls out the leader of Clan Eldar, Oril Taull.

"More TIE-fighters are coming in hot!" Calls out the second-in-command, Dreth Rokort.

"Oh maker! They are going to destroy everything!" Oril tells Dreth. "We need to get out of here!"

"But sir, the planet! Mandalorians never surrender!" Dreth shouts.

"We must live to fight another day, Dreth. You must make sure my daughter lives, captain!" Oril ordered his captain, grabbing the collar of his flight suit.

"Yes, sir!" Dreth saluted.

"Buir..." Kia calls out to her father, Oril. At twenty-seven years old, she is the youngest in the clan. "Don't leave me!"