Promises and Deals | The Mandalorian

.127

"Did you find what you wanted?"

The Armorer's question rings in Alora's ear as the ship breaks away from the fleet. She sits at one of the many control panels as Bo-Katan pilots. Grogu and the Armorer also sit by the controls as the clouds above Mandalore get closer.

Though she knows Din is separated by only a wall with the other Mandalorians in the back of the ship, she finds herself counting the seconds before they'll be reunited. It is the first time since those videos that they have not been side by side. Luckily, she still has Grogu who has chosen to sit in her lap instead of IG-12's.

Still, her hands twist the blindfold around her wrist.

"We'll lose comms shortly," Bo-Katan says just before the ship dips into the stormy clouds. The rattling of the ship and the all-too-close booming thunder actually calms Alora's crawling skin. As if conflict and strife are where she belongs.

When the door to the cockpit opens, Alora instantly turns to Din as he walks in, settling next to her. "They're ready," he says.

Bo-Katan nods. "Secure infill zone," she replies.

Alora meets Din's gaze before he turns back to exit. Her blood thrums softly when he leaves her sight. They patiently wait for the all-clear before landing.

Alora situates Grogu in IG-12 and pulls her hood over her head before she follows the others out of the ship, though Bo-Katan waits to exit last with her helmet in hand.

Everyone watches as she looks out over the desolate landscape. "Somewhere below is where our ancient capital once stood," Bo-Katan says. "We'll survey the surface until we find the Forge and create a safety zone. Only then will we begin to bring down the settlers. We start scouting in that direction." Holding her head up high, Bo-Katan walks through the Mandalorians to lead them on their mission. "Form up."

It feels like hours of walking, but the soreness only grounds Alora to the present instead of the past. The images from those discs still burn in her mind whenever she blinks. She sees a body in the rock formations or hears a scream in the breeze, but focusing on the creek in her knees reminds her that she is here now. On Mandalore. And she is not alone.

Soon enough, the breeze is just wind, traveling over her skin and down the back of her cloak. But it shifts toward the horizon. Pausing, she narrows her eyes. The Armorer and Din also stop, both following her gaze.

"There," Din says. "On the horizon."

All the Mandalorians turn and look before Bo-Katan realizes what approaches. "Nite owls."

The veterans go on the offensive, flanking to the left with Axe leading them. As the cloud of risen ash gets closer, Alora makes out a ship approaching. Din holds a hand back to Grogu as Alora tightens her grip on both lightsabers, ready to activate them if needed.

The boat-like ship slows to a stop before a masculine voice echoes, "Do you have food?"

Bo-Katan shifts her weight. "We do."

"You wear the crest of the Nite Owl?"

"I should hope so."

The Armorer takes a step forward as if they were narrowing their eyes. "They're Mandalorians."

"Is that the voice of Lady Bo-Katan Kryze?"

Bo-Katan glances around. "It is."

Three Mandalorians shoot into the air from the ship, landing before them. Simultaneously, they remove their helmets and place their closed fists over their chests. "We knew you would not forsake us, Lady Bo-Katan," one says. "We have failed you, but our blasters remain in your service."

Though tensions are still palpable in the air, their scouting party boards the Mandalorian ship and shares the rations they had brought. Alora stays back, though Grogu eats heartily and unabashedly, making a few of their growing group chuckle.

Then the war stories start.

"They intercepted any ships they saw leaving," one of the newcomers explains. "They took no prisoners. They bombed every surface twice over. They punished us as a warning to the whole galaxy because we refused to surrender."

Bo-Katan's eyes glaze over. "That's not true. I did surrender," she says softly. "After our forces were annihilated in the Night of a Thousand Tears and defeat was imminent, I met with Moff Gideon. The ISB had reached out to me to negotiate a cease-fire. In exchange for submitting to the Empire and disarming, all remaining cities and Mandalorian lives were to be spared. That is how Moff Gideon came to possess the Darksaber. I didn't trust him, but it was the only chance I had to save our people. And then he betrayed me, and we were helpless to resist the Purge of Mandalore."

The newcomers eye the members of the Watch. "How did these others survive?" One asks.

"We were hidden on the moon of Concordia," the Armorer replies.

"Are you Death Watch?"

"Death Watch exists no longer. It shattered into many warring factions."

Bo-Katan lifts her chin. "Our people have suffered time and again. From division and squabbling factions. Mandalore has always been too powerful for any enemy to defeat. It is always our own division that destroys us."

It is only then that Alora realizes how similar Mandalorians and Jedi are. Both were considered untouchable, yet the Empire destroyed both. The Emperor knew how to sough division and chaos among people who were ready to break apart.

As the moon climbs higher into the night, Alora is reminded of the night of victory on Endor, how the darkness of the trees protected her from the shining stars. Now, there is nothing to shield her from the light. Nothing except her own contempt.

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You get a shorter chapter now since the last one was so long, and I'm pretty sure the next few will be longer too. What do you guys prefer--long or short chapters? It kind of depends on my mood.

Hope you enjoyed!

-L