Chapter 10 | The Passenger (Part 1)

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Cordelia leans back against Din's chest as he drives the speeder in the direction of Mos Eisley. She has his cape tucked over her body, protecting her skin from the suns of Tatooine.

The speeder speeds through a section of rocks when a rope pops up, sending the speeder and everything flying.

Cordelia hits the ground and rolls for a few feet. Before she can get her bearings, she feels a blaster press into her back.

"On your feet!" The bounty hunter orders. Cordelia stands, discretely looking around for her blaster. She spots Din fighting off two others a few yards away.

The bounty hunter presses the blaster into her back, so she walks forward a few steps. When she knows he believes she won't fight, she spins around and twists his wrist.

He drops the blaster and she kicks it away. He swings at her, but she ducks and punches him in the side. He grunts and takes a step back, reassessing her. He darts forward and feigns a punch. When she reaches up to block, he tackles her to the ground.

The bounty hunter pins her down and reaches for the binders on his waist. Cordelia looks around for anything to use against him and spots a rock to her right. She quickly grabs it and slams it into the side of his head. He falls off her and she quickly grabs his blaster.

Cordelia shoots the hunter before he can attack her and turns towards Din. She watches him take out the hunters attacking him, then as he turns to look at something. She follows his gaze and spots the last hunter holding a knife to the Child.

"Wait! Don't hurt the Child." Din says, raising his hands. The hunter glances at Cordelia. She drops the blaster to the ground, raises her hands, and moves to stand with Din. "If you put one mark on him, there's no place you will be able to hide from us. We can strike a bargain. There's a lot of value in this wreckage. Take your pick. But leave the Child."

The Child coos as the bounty hunter looks around. He finally points the knife at Din and speaks in his alien language. Din looks over his shoulder at his jetpack. The bounty hunter points more urgently at the jetpack, then the ground.

"Okay." Din says. He slowly removes the jetpack. "Here. It's yours." He says, taking a few steps forward and setting it on the ground. "Take it." He says, backing up to stand with Cordelia. "It's okay." He reassures the hunter as he slowly approaches the jetpack. The Child whines as the hunter sets him down. He grabs the jetpack and speaks before running away.

As soon as the hunter starts running, the Child coos, running to his parents. Din scoops him up and he and Cordelia inspect him for any injuries.

"Are you okay, Buddy?" Cordelia asks, running her finger over his head. He whines and raises his arms, leaning towards her. She and Din chuckle as she cradles him to her chest. He grips her shirt, and she rubs his back.

Din turns and uses his vambrace to send his jetpack into the air, taking the hunter with it. The hunter falls and hits the ground with a thud. The Child snorts at Din and he shrugs. His jetpack slowly lands in front of them, and he turns to Cordelia.

The couple both inspect each other for injuries, both relieved to find that neither are hurt. Din pulls her to his chest and wraps his arms around her, keeping the Child tucked between them.

"Ner aliit." He murmurs softly, holding them tighter to him.

"My family." Cordelia translates, running her hand up and down his side through the gap in his armor. She wishes they were back at the Crest so she could comfort him properly without his armor in the way.

The family stays together like this for a few minutes, thankful to have survived the ambush with no injuries. Din eventually pulls away to begin gathering the wreckage. Cordelia helps him organize what survived and strap everything together.

"You take the Child. I'll carry this." Din says and slings the stick holding everything over his shoulders. Cordelia rolls her eyes but knows there's no arguing with him. She puts the Child's bag over her shoulder, but carries him, the weight of him in her arms comforting her.

***

The family makes it back to Mos Eisley and head towards the cantina, where Peli told them she would be earlier. As they walk through the building, Cordelia feels that familiar itch in her brain, but it fades when they reach Peli and the game she plays with her companion. Peli looks at them as they reach her.

"You finally found a Mandalorian and ya killed him?" She asks. Din looks down at the armor handing near his hip.

"He wasn't Mandalorian. We bought this armor off of him, though." He explains.

"What'd that set you back?" Peli asks.

"It was easy. We killed a krayt dragon for him." Cordelia jokes.

"Oh. Is that all?" She replies. The two women grin at each other.

"He was our last lead on finding other Mandalorians." Din says.

Peli's companion speaks from the other side of the table.

"Okay. Well, you might be in luck. Dr. Mandible says he can connect you with someone who can help you, if you cover his call this round." She translates. She raises her hands and shrugs. "It's what he said."

"What's the bet?" Din asks.

"Five hundred." She responds after a moment.

"That's a high-stakes game." He says.

"Hey, he's on a hot streak." She replies. Din sighs before tossing the credits onto the table. "Is the pot right?" She asks Dr. Mandible. He responds and she laughs. "Ha! Idiot's Array! Pay up, thorax!"

"Peli! I thought you said he was on a hot streak?" Cordelia says, glaring at her friend.

"Here, buy yourself something nice." She replies, tossing her some of the credits.

The two look at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. Din shakes his head, amused at them and happy his wife is having a good time with her friend, especially after the day they'd had. Dr. Mandible speaks, making them sober up.

"All right. He says the contact will rendezvous at the hangar." Peli translates. He speaks again. "They'll tell you where to find some Mandalorians. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Yes." Din says.

"All right, well, stop your mopin'. More importantly, did you bring back any of that dragon meat?" She asks, getting out of the booth. She walks towards Cordelia and slings her arm around her waist, walking with her ahead of Din. "Better not have any maggots on it. I don't like maggots."

"Peli, have I told you recently how much I value our friendship?" Cordelia asks as they exit the cantina. Peli laughs and shakes her head.

"I can't say you have, but it doesn't matter. I know we're friends. I bet tinman behind us won't admit it, but we're friends too. He just acts tough, under all that metal he's a big softie." She says. They glance behind them and see Din shaking his head.

Cordelia laughs, but she and Din both know that Peli's right.




I know Cordelia should've been remembering the cantina earlier when they met Toro Calican because that's literally where her brother and Greedo have their little showdown in A New Hope, but I wanted jealous Din more then so it's happening here instead lol.

Also speaking of her brother and Greedo, I'm planning on writing a prequel story about Cordelia and her story before she meets Grogu. If you guys are interested, please comment and let me know because if enough of you are, I think I'll start writing it now. Also, if anyone has any name ideas for Cordelia's story let me know because I'm terrible at names lol.

I'm updating today that way I'll have another chapter and possibly the first chapter of Cordelia's story ready for Friday :)

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