Chapter Text
Chapter Thirty-Four
The Convert
Din’s eyes flew open and he turned his head to cough up the water he’d accidentally swallowed, barely aware of the hands holding his helmeted head steady and the concerned coos nearby.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, you’re all right. Just breathe…” (Y/N) soothed, adjusting herself so that his head could rest more comfortably on her lap; although the worried line that often formed between her brows was still present, the captain smiled down at him as she continued. “You did it, Din.”
Grogu nodded in agreement and after slowly sitting up with his wife’s assistance, Din looked out at the Living Waters they were seated before and started to regain his breath; he felt lighter, somehow, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and his lips curved into a disbelieving grin when he realized what that meant. “I am redeemed.”
“We witnessed it,” Bo-Katan remarked from her spot across the chamber. “You bathed in the Living Waters. You are a Mandalorian again.” She abruptly stood and began walking towards the tunnel that they came through. “Can we leave now?”
Instead of answering, Din took an empty vial from the pouch at his waist and leaned down, scooping up a fair amount of water and fastening its stopper onto it before tucking it back into his pouch. When he ascended the stone steps, (Y/N) helped him reattach his jetpack and wrap his cowl around his neck. “Grogu, we’re leaving now; can you get into your pram for me, please?” The child leapt into the pram and (Y/N) smiled as she clipped the Darksaber onto Din’s belt for him. “Thank you.”
“And thank you, alor’ad,” Din murmured, placing his hands on her waist and stepping closer to her. “I could never have done this without you.”
“I’m not so sure of that, sweetheart, but you’re welcome.” With another smile, (Y/N) cupped the sides of his helmet and tilted his head down to kiss the beskar covering his forehead.
Bo-Katan turned back to face them and tilted her helmeted head to the side. “Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“You see anything down there?”
Din frowned and shook his head. “I saw the chasm passing me as I fell. I didn’t realize it was so deep.”
“It wasn’t; the bombings from the Purge must’ve triggered seismic activities.” The Nite Owl absentmindedly brushed her gloved hands off. “Did you see anything alive?”
(Y/N) looked up from rolling her coat sleeves to fix Bo-Katan with a curious stare. “Alive? Like what?”
“Nothing,” She shook her head and started towards the tunnel again. “Let’s get out of here.”
Din and (Y/N) exchanged a glance before following the Mandalorian through the network of tunnels, confused by her strange questions and unsure of why she was acting so odd after jumping into the Living Waters after him.
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On board the Gauntlet, Bo-Katan’s Kom’rk-class starfighter, Din watched (Y/N) carefully clean off the scuffs R5 obtained during their lively adventure on Mandalore with a tender grin on his covered face while the Nite Owl flew them back to Kalevala. Grogu fiddled with his small silver sphere as they exited Mandalore’s upper atmosphere and flew through space, and Din decided to be the one to break the oddly-stilted silence.
“Once you bring us to our ship, we’ll be on our way. You will forever have our gratitude.”
He could hear the smile in Bo-Katan’s voice when she replied, “I would invite you all in for a feast, but I’m guessing that helmet isn’t coming off again.”
Din nodded. “This is the Way.”
“This is the Way.”
From his pram, Grogu babbled something that sounded suspiciously like an attempt to form words and Din turned around in surprise; (Y/N)’s eyes were widened in shock but before either of them could say anything, the Gauntlet shook as a blaster cannon found its target and they could see the brief explosion from the viewport. “We took a hit!”
“Something’s coming up on us fast,” Bo-Katan called out as she read the starfighter’s console. “It looks like a squadron of TIE Interceptors.”
(Y/N) leapt up from her seat and hurried over to the nearest monitor. “How close are we to Kalevala?”
“Not far.”
“Get us back there and I’ll reinforce from the N-1.” The captain’s eyes forced on the charts she was scanning as she continued. “Trust me, those TIE Interceptors won’t last long against a Mandalorian and a retired Alliance Starfleet captain.”
Din looked up from his own monitor towards the Nite Owl. “Can you evade them?”
She nodded and increased power to the starfighter’s thrusters. “Our shields aren’t gonna hold; I need you to back them off!”
The Gauntlet shuddered again as Din crossed over to the rear gunner’s seat and began firing at the closest TIE Interceptors. “Where’d they come from?”
“I’ve scugged off a lot of Imperial warlords.”
Din sighed in exasperation and continued firing their rear blaster cannon at their enemies. “They tend to get mad when you hijack their ships.”
He could hear the humor lacing Bo-Katan’s voice as she replied, “Now you tell me.” They entered Kalevala’s upper atmosphere and sped through its grey-hued skies, spinning and twirling to avoid enemy fire and save their flimsy shields. “Get ready, we’re comin’ in hot!”
“Dank farrik, you won’t be able to slow down for the drop,” (Y/N) swore and moved to clutch the back of Din’s seat while another hit shook the starfighter. “I don’t remember Interceptors being this much tougher than TIE Fighters.”
“Din, do you have any bright ideas for the transfer that won’t inadvertently kill the captain?”
“Yeah, I’ll fly her down to the N-1 and she can take over from there,” Din answered, blowing up two of the Interceptors before standing and pulling (Y/N) to stand beside the Gauntlet’s bomb bay. “Hold on tight, okay, alor’ad?”
His wife nervously bit her lip but nodded, tightly wrapping her arms around him while he pressed the button to activate the bomb bay doors; once he was certain that her grip on him was secure, he jumped through the bomb bay and free-fell through the wind-swept air. The TIE Interceptors sped overhead after the Gauntlet as Bo-Katan flew towards Kalevala’s high peaks and cliffs and as the castle’s landing pad grew closer, Din activated his jetpack and straightened them both in preparation for touchdown; their landing was less than grateful, with the both of them rolling across the landing pad, but they were quick to jump up and climb into the starfighter’s cockpit while a lone TIE Interceptor began to fire at them. “Brace yourself,” (Y/N) distractedly ordered as she started the engines and slammed the windshield closed, not waiting for an answer before wrenching the controls and shooting off into a perpendicular take-off.
“Persistent, isn’t he?” Din remarked, glancing over his shoulder to see the TIE Interceptor following their climb into the skies of Kalevala.
(Y/N) huffed out a quiet chuckle. “Not for long.” She switched off the engines and let the starfighter fall backwards, turning the engines back on to maneuver into a corkscrew spin that dodged the TIE Interceptor’s blaster cannons; firing a single shot, (Y/N) steered the starfighter out of its nosedive while avoiding the burning wreckage of the Imperial ship, calling into the communication radio, “We made it to the N-1. Heading to you.”
They sped off towards the planet’s many cliffs and navigated a narrow canyon, coming up behind the three TIE Interceptors pursuing the Gauntlet and shooting one of them down. “Thanks for the back-up.”
“Two more to go.”
When they started to approach more outcroppings of peaks emerging from the waters, Bo-Katan ordered through the communication radio, “Go right, I’ll meet you on the other side.”
(Y/N) did as the Nite Owl said, veering right behind a towering rock formation and emerging just in time to shoot down one of the TIE Interceptors unsuspectingly flying past. “One down, one more to go.”
“On it.”
They watched as Bo-Katan suddenly switched off her starfighter’s engines and spun around, shooting the last TIE Interceptor out of the sky and turning her engines back on just before they reached the choppy waters; when she caught up to their starfighter, (Y/N) remarked, “It’s nice to see someone share my appreciation for semi-dangerous flying stunts.”
“Same. Not bad, Captain…for an antique.”
“You take any damage?” Din asked.
“Just shields. You?”
“Not a scratch,” (Y/N) replied, and he could detect the amusement in her tone as she continued. “Not bad for an antique, huh?”
The Nite Owl chuckled. “Touché, Captain, but let’s take ‘em in just to be sure.”
Just as (Y/N) was beginning to relax against Din’s chest, the enemy proximity warning indicator sounded throughout the cockpit. “Hang on, we’re seeing something on the scope.” Din’s eyes flicked up from the scope and glanced out the windshield, his heart sinking into his stomach when he caught sight of the plumes of smoke and fire coming from the direction of Bo-Katan’s castle. “Dank farrik…”
“No!” Both ships flew over the peaks in time to see three TIE Interceptors finish dropping explosives onto the smoldering castle and fly away. “Those mud-scuffers bombed my home!”
Bo-Katan pursued the three ships and began firing on them without mercy as the starfighter’s enemy proximity warning indicator went off again. “Shit…” (Y/N) breathed in horror when more and more TIE Fighters fly through Kalevala’s upper atmosphere. “Bo, we’ve got company!”
The Nite Owl didn’t heed the captain’s warning, so Din tried his hand at talking her down. “Bo, listen to me, you have to get out of there!”
When she didn’t answer, (Y/N) increased their speed and flew through the narrowing gap between the Gauntlet and the squadron of TIE Fighters in an attempt to grab her attention. “There’s too many of them, we’ve got to get out of here!”
Din breathed a sigh of relief when Bo-Katan finally peeled away and followed them up into the clouds, and he started pressing buttons on the console while (Y/N) continued piloting. “That’s a lot of ships for an Imperial warlord.”
“We’re sending jump coordinates.”
“To where?”
“Someplace they won’t find us,” Din replied and when he finished sending the planet’s coordinates to the Gauntlet, he rested a gloved hand on his worried wife’s waist. “Once I prove that I’m no longer an apostate, the Covert will help us however way they can.”
The tension in (Y/N)’s shoulders didn’t loosen until both of their ships left Kalevala and entered hyperspace, and it was then that she leaned against his chest in exhaustion and nodded. “I sure hope so.”
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Their trip through hyperspace – although relatively short – caused the worn-out captain to fall fast asleep, so Din took over the controls when their ships switched to sub-light travel and flew them down through the familiar planet’s upper atmosphere; they’d had a long and trying day, of course, and he was simply glad that she was getting the rest that she’d sorely needed.
“I’m bringing you to a Mandalorian covert,” Din quietly explained through the communication radio as both ships flew over the rocky mountain ranges. “This is how we have survived in exile.”
“I’m familiar.”
He worriedly bit his lip and thought over how best to broach the subject of the Way to Bo-Katan before stating, “It’s a secret location and you are my guest…”
“They still live by the old ways.”
“Yes. It will go smoother of you keep your helmet on. Trust me.”
Over the communication radio, he could make out the Nite Owl’s incredulous scoff. “Of course.”
Din initiated the starfighter’s landing sequence and as they began their descent, he gently shook (Y/N)’s shoulders and murmured, “Alor’ad? Ner cyar’ika alor’ad, we’re here now.”
“Mm-hmm.” With a tired yawn, (Y/N) started to stir and took a moment to rub the sleep out of her eyes before glancing over her shoulder with a small smile. “Thank you for taking over the controls for me, sweetheart.”
His gloved finger brushed an errant strand of hair out of her face and caressed her cheek. “You needed the sleep; if the covert accepts my redemption, we will be granted living quarters and both you and Grogu will finally be able to rest.”
“You too, Din,” (Y/N) lightly chided, the knowing looking her gaze causing him to let out a relenting sigh. “You’ve had a difficult journey that has more than earned you some relaxation. Besides, I seem to remember you offering to show me how much you appreciated my superior piloting skills.”
That made Din chuckle and shake his helmeted head in exasperation. “I don’t remember saying anything about them being ‘superior,’ but you’re correct, I did make a promise and believe me, I still fully intend on seeing it through.”
The starfighter landed and they climbed down from the cockpit, walking along the shore of the lake to join Bo-Katan and Grogu and continue towards the mouth of the cave. A group of Mandalorians, led by Paz Vizsla, emerged and formed a blockade to halt their progress, and the towering Mandalorian was the first to speak. “Come no further. You are an apostate, Din Djarin.”
Din shook his head. “No longer. I have been to the Mines of Mandalore.”
“Impossible. The mines were collapsed in the Purge, the planet is cursed.”
“These are lies meant to keep us in exile,” Din insisted, noticing several Mandalorians exchanging glances with one another and hearing their faint whispers.
Unlike the others, Paz remained unconvinced. “How do we know that it is not you who is lying?”
(Y/N) took a step forward and bravely stared down the much-larger Mandalorian before her. “Because I was there with him. It was a dangerous journey, but we were able to navigate the ruins of Sundari and reach the Mines of Mandalore.”
“The word of an apostate’s riduur means nothing to us.”
As Din’s hand wrapped around the indignant captain’s arm to keep her from angrily starting forward, Bo-Katan interjected, “They speak the truth. I was witness.”
Paz’s helmeted head tilted to the side as he considered her for a moment. “And who are you, Nite Owl?”
“I am Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze.”
The hushed conversations amongst the Mandalorians seemingly intensified and Din could see the Nite Owl attempting to hide her discomfort while Paz scoffed. “Your House has fallen from the Way. You are both apostates.”
“We have been to the Living Waters.” Din’s teeth were gritted in impatience and he reached into his belt’s pouch to pull out the vial of water he’d taken before they departed Mandalore. “I bring proof.”
Paz was silent for a long moment, considering their words and the vial in Din’s grasp before eventually speaking. “We shall see.” He stepped aside and Din nodded shortly, leading the others into the cave and through the tunnels to the Armorer’s forge; his hand traveled down to slip into (Y/N)’s and Grogu softly cooed from his pram, and the knowledge that his family was beside him gave him the strength to walk into the forge and stand across from the Armorer as she worked. The rest of the Mandalorians filtered into the cavernous forge and Paz stepped forward. “Din Djarin claims to have bathed in the Living Waters.”
The Armorer remained focused on her work as she asked, “Is this true?”
“It is. I have proof.”
She slowly turned around and held a gloved hand out; while he crossed the room and placed the vial into her hand, (Y/N) stood beside Bo-Katan and addressed the covert’s de-facto leader. “We were witness. He fell into the depths and Bo pulled him out.”
The Armorer took the vial of water to the forge’s trough and after removing its cork, she held it above the still water and slowly poured its contents out; the trough’s water briefly shimmered with a ripple of blue light before returning to its normal state, albeit brighter than before. “He speaks the truth. These are indeed the Living Waters.” She turned around and the visor of her horned helmet met his. “Din Djarin, you are redeemed. This is the Way.”
“This is the Way,” The other Mandalorians echoed while (Y/N)’s hands squeezed one of his own.
“And Bo-Katan Kryze, by Creed, you too are redeemed.”
The three of them looked over at the Armorer in surprise and the Nite Owl shifted in discomfort. “…But I do not walk the Way.”
Din’s brow furrowed as he watched the Armorer slowly cross the forge. “Did you bathe in the waters?”
“I did.”
“And have you removed your helmet since?”
Bo-Katan shook her head. “No, I have not.”
“Then you may join our covert and live as your ancestors once did,” The Armorer concluded. “You may leave anytime you wish. Until then, you are one of us. Welcome, Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze. This is the Way.”
“This is the Way.”
The Mandalorians gathered around Din and Bo-Katan, clapping them on the shoulders to welcome them both into their covert, and Din couldn’t help but to breathe a sigh of relief; his brothers and sisters-in-arms, the only family he’d truly known, hadn’t rejected his redemption and he was free to raise his foundling as a true Mandalorian. In his near-elated state, he hadn’t noticed (Y/N) moving to stand near the cavern’s wall alongside Grogu’s pram but once he did, he immediately registered the conflicted expression she was struggling to hide behind a happy smile.
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Just as Din predicted, they were given living quarters within the covert’s tunneled-out home and plenty of food for the three of them; Grogu finished his rations in record-time and promptly fell asleep in his closed pram, and both Din and (Y/N) were finally able to enjoy an evening of peaceful calm that resulted in their tired limbs tightly intertwined around one another and lazy caresses along their heated skin.
“I’ve missed this,” Din murmured, his bare fingers tracing (Y/N)’s cheekbone and caressing the smile lines etched into the skin around the corner of her eye. “I’ve missed being able to see your beautiful face with my own eyes.”
The captain smiled and continued mapping out the many raised scars that littered his chest with her soft fingertips. “The last place we were able to be with one another like this was on Naboo. It feels like ages ago…” She bit her lip, an anxious gesture that told him that something was weighing on her mind, and she was silent for a moment before finally speaking up. “Can I ask you a question, Din?”
“Of course. What is it, alor’ad?”
“How’re you able to forgive your covert so easily for exiling you, and how are they able to move past everything like it didn’t happen?”
Din’s fingers stilled as he considered his wife’s questions. “I suppose it wouldn’t make much sense to someone who wasn’t raised as a Mandalorian, but…This is the Way. After the Purge, our people are smaller in numbers than we’ve ever been before and if we were to stop following the Way, then the Empire would’ve succeeded in killing us off and burying our culture forever.” He rolled onto his back and studied the jagged rocks that made up their bedroom ceiling. “The Creed teaches us redemption, that there’s always a path back for those who lose the Way; I sought to redeem myself in the eyes of my brothers and sisters-in-arms and when I succeeded, they were bound by our Creed to accept my redemption. It’s our mutual respect and honor for the Way that allowed me to forgive them and for them to welcome me back with open arms.”
Scooting closer, (Y/N) rested her head on his shoulder and draped an arm around his waist. “I may not understand the Way like you do, but I can see that this covert’s your family. Family can be challenging, but they still forgive one another.” The bedroom was filled with a heavy silence and while Din patiently waited for her to continue, he trailed his fingers up and down her spine. “Before you and Grogu came along, I hadn’t had a family since I was twelve years old. The loneliness I experienced is something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy; I’m just…I’m glad that you were never forced to live like that.”
The slight tremble in the captain’s voice as she uttered those words and the way that her arm tightened around his waist nearly made his heart break; he recalled the thoughts he’d had back on Nevarro about his wife’s turbulent past and while they’d filled him with a sense of sadness, it was nothing compared to hearing her speak on them herself. “I know they’re not what some would consider to be a normal family, but this covert…if you give them a chance, you’ll see how loyal and embracing they are towards their own.” Din brought his free hand up to coax her into looking at him. “And through our riduurok, ner cyar’ika alor’ad, you are now their own. This is the Way.”
(Y/N)’s eyes filled with tears as she smiled and propped herself up to capture his lips in a slow and passionate kiss.