By Creed or By Code

The Reunion

"On that thing?! You're joking, right?" Kia blurts out at the sight of Peli's makeshift cart made of a thick fabric, driven by a droid on wheels.

"Oh, come on! It's the best way to get there and no one would think twice about it," Peli says as her pit droids leap onto the seat of the cart.

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm about to do this. I can fly in with my jetpack faster than this thing!" Kia rolled her eyes at the petite, frizzy haired mechanic. This is going to be quite embarrassing for a Mandalorian to wheel herself into battle on a vehicle such as this.

"If you say Mando's in trouble, then I'm coming with you!" Peli says, grabbing a few heavy blankets in an attempt to conceal the kid.

"That man seems to always be in trouble! But if you insist, then I think we should strap the baby onto my chest," Kia suggested as she grabs a shoulder bag that was laying on top of a table. Then using some of the spare sheets, she ties the infant securely to her chest in an improvised baby carrier.

"Good idea," Peli says as she hops into the seat of the cart. "Now let's go!"

With a heavy sigh, Kia jumps onto the cart with the baby strapped to her chest, "I still can't believe you convinced me to do this!"

***

The sands of Tatooine are roasting during the daylight hours. The twin suns make sure of that, glaring down upon this miserable world. Luckily, the city of Mos Espa wasn't very far away, only a 20-minute ride through the Dune Sea.

Kia felt rather relieved to have her helmet on to protect her eyes from the constant sand being blasted in their faces, yet Peli doesn't appear affected by the sun and sand at all. Living on this planet her whole life, desert living is something she had been forced to learn and adapt to.

"So where are your children?" Kia asked on their way to the city. She knew Peli is a mother. It was clear by how she acted towards Grogu. No need to use the Force to see that the older woman has a natural gift of caring for young children.

"My son left several years ago to learn how to be a pilot. We try to communicate with each other at least once a month, but he has a very busy schedule. But what can ya do?! If your child wants to leave to fulfill their dreams, all a parent can do is support them," Peli says, shrugging her shoulders as she steers the cart in between rocks and dunes. Endless seas of orange sand continue to surround them for miles, but soon they come to the largest metropolitan city on the planet.

Mos Espa is not a place of good samaritans, since slavery and illicit activities are rampant here. The city looked awfully similar to Mos Eisley, with its yellowish-brown colorations and dome-like structures.

The Pykes had swarmed the whole city by the time Peli and Kia arrived. Even with the people of Freetown, five warriors in Mandalorian armor, a Wookie gladiator and an assassin, it was obvious that they were outnumbered.

The central plaza had already turned into a battlefield wasteland. As they rounded a corner, Kia sees something on her helmet's visor that she was not expecting.

"Peli, we should - ," Kia begins to say that they should turn back, but Peli didn't hear her among all the shooting erupting all around them.

As soon as the older woman sees the familiar man in silvery, and brightly reflective armor, Peli screams out to him with extreme excitement. "Mando! Ha! We found you! We got a surprise for you!"

"Turn around!" Din yells with panic in his voice.

"Peli, turn around now!" Kia also yells as she knows why Din was so frantic.