The Mandalorian's Bounties | Din Djarin

Chapter 21 | The Pirate (Part 1)

"Captain Cason Teva, Adelphi Rangers." A voice calls from outside the cave. "I have a time pressing matter to attend to." He adds as Paz leads a group outside.

"Clear out, Blue Boy. The New Republic isn't welcome here." He tells him.

"Sorry for dropping in unannounced, but if I'd given warning, your settlement would've cleared out before I ever hit atmosphere." He replies.

Din leads Cordelia outside, recognizing the man as the one who let them go in the past. He holds his wife's hand as they move through the group, wanting to keep her close.

"How did you manage to find us?" He asks. "Mandalorians pride ourselves on our secrecy." He says, stopping at the front of the group.

"Fortunately, someone I served with in the Rebellion is amongst your ranks." He answers. The Mandalorians immediately stare at Cordelia, and she scoffs.

"You seriously think I value your culture so little that I'd expose the covert? I wouldn't tell anyone even if I was being tortured. You've all seen my scars, and you know it's happened before. I'd let them kill me before I expose my family." She says. She glares at each of them, ending with Paz. He nods, acknowledging that she wasn't the one to tell him where they were.

R5 beeps as he emerges from the cave. Teva salutes him.

"Thanks, R5." He tells the droid.

"The entire covert will now have to relocate." Din informs.

"Or we could kill him." Paz suggests. "Stay right here." He adds as Din and Cordelia glare at him.

"This man cut my family a break once and now I'm returning the favor. Clear out, Blue." He says.

"Greef Karga sent this holo-message." Teva tells him, reaching for his pocket. The Mandalorians raise their blasters and he slowly holds it up. He tosses it towards Din, and he catches it, Cordelia already deciding that she'd help with whatever their friend needs. "Nevarro is under siege by pirates. He's asking for help." Din squeezes Cordelia's hand and they move closer to Teva.

"Why are you really here?" He asks quietly.

"They're about to blow Nevarro to hell." He replies as they begin walking back towards his ship. Cordelia grips Din's hand tightly, worried about Greef.

"Then call in a strike. We don't even have ships." He tells him.

"Coruscant doesn't care. Karga is your friend. You won't let him die." Teva says.

"What's in it for you?" Cordelia asks.

"The New Republic has to know that the Empire is growing again." He replies.

"And you think the Pirate King has something to do with it?" Din asks. Teva sighs.

"I can't say for sure, but something doesn't smell right. Look, it's not your fight. I just came to tell you your friend is in danger, and I thought you should know." He tells them before walking back to his ship.

Cordelia sighs and Din pulls her into his side as Bo approaches. The three watch as Teva climbs into his ship and puts his helmet on.

"I know you'll relocate anyway, but you have my word, I will not reveal your location. Sorry to intrude." He calls. 

"So, what are you two thinking? Will you tell your brother and his wife?" Bo asks after he flies away.

"I won't ask Leia to do that, it's not fair. We're going to help." Cordelia answers, Din nodding in agreement.

"You can't do it alone." She replies.

***

"Now, many of you don't know Greef Karga. And those that do fought against him when you rescued my family from his ambush many cycles ago on the streets of Nevarro." Din says as he stands in front of the gathering of the covert. "Since then, he's had a change of heart and has risked his life to save mine as well as my family." 

Grogu coos from his spot next to Cordelia and she chuckles, rubbing his back.

"I stand before you to petition an intervention. To help rescue Nevarro before it's too late." Din continues. "I am in no position to ask for any more of you. However..." He trails off as some begin to speak amongst themselves. "However, the enemy that decimated this very covert were Imperials, not Greef Karga's bounty hunters." He says, slightly raising his voice to be heard. "Greef Karga is now a High Magistrate and has offered me a tract of land on his independent world. Perhaps it is time for us to live in the light once again on a planet where we are welcome. So our culture may flourish, and our children can feel what it is to play in the sunlight."

The Armorer stands as he approaches and he hands her tool back, giving her the attention of the Mandalorians. He sits next to Cordelia and wraps his arm around her, pulling her closer. 

"I'm proud of you." She tells him, leaning her head on his shoulder. Bo nods in agreement, patting his shoulder from her spot on his other side.

"It's up to them now." He replies.

"Does anyone else wish to speak?" The Armorer asks.

"I do." Paz says as he stands.

"We're going even if they won't help." Cordelia says quietly. Din squeezes her hip, silently agreeing.

"I was there on Nevarro that night. I fought against Greef Karga and his hunters. I saw my brothers and sisters fall at the hands of the Imperial butchers that hunted us in the sewers. I saw many die to save the life of this woman and this one, tiny foundling." He tells the group, gesturing towards them. Cordelia grabs Grogu's small hand in her own and Din pulls them closer. "And now we are asked to sacrifice yet again."

The Mandalorians begin talking to each other and Cordelia sighs, not wanting to face down the pirates by themselves but willing to do it for Greef. 

"The question we should be asking ourselves is, 'Why? Why should we lay our lives down yet again?'" He says. "Because we are Mandalorians." He answers, making Cordelia relax as she realizes they'll have help. "I have had my disagreements with this man, but he risked his life to save my son. His wife would have done the same but instead stayed to help care for the other foundlings. And Bo-Katan Kryze did not give up on my child's life even when the rest of us did. These three are asking us to take up arms in the name of a brighter future, and I for one will take up arms to fight by their side. This is the Way."

"This is the Way." The group repeats.