Chapter 5 | Return of the Mandalorian (Part 3)

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"Where did you come upon the Darksaber?" Paz asks as he and Din work. Cordelia sits on a crate nearby, fixing a rip in her jacket.

"I defeated Moff Gideon." He replies.

"Did you kill him?" He asks.

"No. But he was sent off to the New Republic for interrogation, and he will face justice for his crimes." Din tells him.

"Death would have been justice for his atrocities." He says.

"This is true. The blood of millions of our kind is on his hands." The Armorer adds as she joins them.

"Then he will be executed for his crimes by the New Republic Tribunal." Din says.

"We shall see." She powers on the forge the two Mandalorians had been repairing. "The songs of eons past foretold of the Mythosaur rising up to herald a new age of Mandalore." She says, approaching her tool storage with a Mythosaur painted on it. "Sadly, it only exists in legends. Where did you come upon the beskar spear?" She asks, retrieving her tools. Din pulls the spear from his back.

"It was the gift of a Jedi. It can block a lightsaber. I used it to defeat Moff Gideon." Din tells her.

"It can also pierce beskar armor. Its mere existence puts Mandalorians at risk. Mandalorian steel is meant for armor, not weapons." The Armorer informs him. He holds the spear out to her.

"Then forge it into armor." He says. She takes it from him.

"The Darksaber is a more noble weapon for you to wield." She tells him. She begins heating the tip of the spear in the furnace as Din moves to sit with Cordelia.

"Have you ever heard of Bo-Katan Kryze?" He asks.

"Bo-Katan is a cautionary tale. She once laid claim to rule Mandalore based purely on blood and the sword you now possess. But it was gifted to her and not won by Creed. Bo-Katan Kryze was born of a mighty house, but they lost sight of the way. Her rule ended in tragedy. They lost their way, and we lost our world. Had our sect not been cloistered on the moon of Concordia, we would not have survived the Great Purge. Those born of Mandalore strayed away from the path. Eventually, the Imperial interlopers destroyed all that we knew and loved in the Night of a Thousand Tears." She explains.

Cordelia slips her hand into Din's, abandoning her sewing. He squeezes her hand as the Armorer describes the destruction that occurred that night.

"Only those that walked the way escaped the curse prophesized in the Creed. Though our numbers were scattered to the winds, our adherence to the way has preserved our legacy for the generations until we may someday return to our homeworld." She finishes. She holds the spear up. "What shall I forge?"

"Something for a foundling." He says.

"This is the way." The Armorer responds.

"For a specific foundling. Grogu." He adds. Cordelia squeezes his hand, smiling up at him. He moves his hand to wrap his arm around her.

"He's no longer in your care. He is with his own kind now." She tells him. Cordelia glares at her, anger overpowering her respect for the Mandalorian.

"We want to see him, make sure he's safe." Din says, squeezing Cordelia's shoulder in an attempt to calm her anger some.

"In order to master the ways of the Force, Jedi must forego all attachment." She replies. Cordelia squeezes her hands into fists, biting her tongue to keep quiet.

"That is the opposite of our Creed. Loyalty and solidarity are the way." He says. The Armorer pauses, looking at him.

"What shall I forge for the foundling Grogu?" She asks. 

Din tells her and they watch as she works. She holds up the armor for approval before looking back at her forge.

"There is still some beskar left over." She tells him. He glances to Cordelia before standing and approaching the Armorer. He tells her what he wants done with it, quiet enough to Cordelia can't hear.

"Why don't you go wait for me in our room." He tells her when he returns to her side. She eyes him suspiciously before nodding, grabbing her jacket and walking away.

***

Later, Cordelia watches as Din trains with the Darksaber, the Armorer calling out commands in Mando'a. She jumps from her seat as Din lunges, flying off the side of the walkway. She sighs in relief when she spots his jetpack activating.

"You are fighting against the blade." The Armorer tells him as he flies back, landing behind her.

"It gets heavier with each move." He responds, struggling under the weight of the weapon.

"That is because you are fighting against the blade. You should be fighting against your opponent. Stand up." She says. He grunts as he does, fighting against the weight. 

She resumes her commands, tapping the top of his helmet when he dips the Darksaber low. She uses her other tool to tip his head up. She steps back and pushes him back, forcing him to defend with the Darksaber.

"There. Feel it. You are too weak to fight the Darksaber. It will win if you fight against it." She says, using her tools to force him to his knees. She pushes one last time before pulling away, Din deactivating the weapon. "You cannot control it with your strength." She scolds. He stands.

"I want to try again." He tells her.

"Persistence without insight will lead to the same outcome. Your body is strong, but your mind is distracted." The Armorer says.

"I am focused." He replies.

"The blade says otherwise." She tells him. Paz steps out onto the walkway behind them.

"Maybe the Darksaber belongs in someone else's hands." He says. Cordelia rolls her eyes. The Armorer steps to the side as the two Mandalorians face each other.

"Maybe." Din says. 

"It was forged by my ancestor, founder of House Vizsla." He replies.

"And now it belongs to me." He tells him. Cordelia sighs, knowing Paz won't take that well.

"Because you won it in combat." Paz says.

"That's right." He replies.

"And now I will win it from you." He says, approaching them. Cordelia groans, leaning her head back on the wall behind her.

"Do you agree to this duel, Din Djarin?" The Armorer asks.

"I do." He says. She walks in Paz's direction, nodding at him as she passes. Cordelia sighs as she watches the two facing off.

"I have a bad feeling about this." She mutters.

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