𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 - DIN DJARIN

Chapter 60: The Briefing

chapter 60: the briefing •••

The light of the fire's flames flicker around the cave as Astra sits and watches them with an anxious knot tied within her armored chest. Her desire to help the people of Nevarro only grows more and more with each moment that passes, and the longer she has to wait to reach them, the worse it becomes. The uncertainty of having the covert's aid doesn't help, leaving Astra to wring her gloved hands together as she watches the Armorer stand in front of the gathered group.

Din sets one of his hands over hers to ease her anxious actions. She looks over at him and her gaze meets his visor. He gives her a firm nod as his gloved fingers thread through hers and offer a reassuring squeeze. Din doesn't have to say a word for Astra to understand. It's gonna be okay.

"Din Djarin has requested this meeting," the Armorer announces, calling the attention of the Mandalorians who have been murmuring amongst themselves. She lifts the tool in her hand and goes on. "He will speak to you about Greef Karga and the crisis on Nevarro." The Armorer's visor sets itself on Din. "Come forward."

Astra gives Din's hand a quick squeeze before he stands and makes his way over to the Armorer. She offers him the tool in her hand and takes her place amidst the collected group. Din glances at the tool and directs his attention towards the Armorer. "Thank you." He gestures to the rest of the covert. "The rest of you have my gratitude for accepting an audience with me."

Warmth starts to blaze within the depths of Astra's chest already as she watches and listens to Din. He's come a long way from being the man who was almost too shy to speak to the people of Freetown about the Tuskens. The confident strides he starts to take on the sand prove that even more.

"Now, many of you don't know Greef Karga," Din goes on, "and those that do fought against him when you rescued me from his ambush many cycles ago on the streets of Nevarro."

Astra glances at her hands in her lap for a moment and lets a small smile tug at the corners of her lips. It was the night she and Din first met, the beginning of their forever—but for others, it was a night of devastation and loss. Her smile starts to fade as she looks up at Din again.

Din stops walking and faces the group with severity. "Since then, he's had a change of heart and has risked his life to save mine as well as the foundling in my charge."

Astra glances at Grogu, who sits alongside Zora in their pod that floats at the Armorer's side. He coos as if he's agreeing with Din's words.

"I stand before you to petition an intervention." Din's visor scans the group, but when it finds Astra's gaze, he stops for a moment to seek her comfort. "To help rescue Nevarro before it's too late."

Astra resists the urge to stand and run to his side. As hard as it is for her to wait to rescue Nevarro, it's even more difficult for Din. He's known Greef for a long time and the planet itself was once a home to him. He's been strong ever since he received the news from Captain Teva and watched Greef's message for help, but Astra isn't ignorant of the deep desperation that festers underneath his beskar.

"I am in no position to ask any more of you," Din continues, peeling his visor away from Astra to focus on the group again. "However..."

Din's forced to pause as the Mandalorians start to murmur amongst themselves. Astra looks at them with a furrow in her brow, her armored shoulders rising as she prepares to demand silence for her husband. It's only Bo-Katan's gloved hand on her pauldron that stops her, the Mandalorian at her side offering a reassuring tilt of her helmet. "He'll handle it," Bo whispers to her. Astra nods at her and forces herself to take a deep breath.

"However." Din's voice becomes more firm as he lifts the tool in his hand. The group falls silent. Astra's lips curl up in sly satisfaction as he lets the tool fall back to his side. "The enemy that decimated this very covert were Imperials, not Greef Karga's bounty hunters." He pauses to let the realization fall upon the Mandalorians. "Greef Karga is now a High Magistrate and has offered me a tract of land on his independent world."