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Senator Organa could not be reached, so they called the only other contact available to them; at least, the only other com code the droid, R2-D2 would provide. As soon as Din Djarin had landed, the annoying little thing stuck close behind the Mandalorian. It’s been turning its loud little head, surveying everything. A bit skittish, Din judged.
“I never got around to learning proper droid speak,” Cobb said as he pet the astromech. “But maybe he likes you!” The Droid moved away from Cobb’s touch. It let out a lowly little trill and knocked into Din’s back almost hard enough to make him stumble and crash into Senator Nola. And Din was pretty certain the rodian would shatter with how tense he seemed.
“Nevermind the droid! We didn't ask you to come here to fix a droid!” Senator Nola stuttered. His black, dewy eyes looked as if they would start drawing tears. Sweat glistened cleverly on his forehead. Din’s dealt with fewer clients that were more stressed than him, and there were some even less stressed than this, even when being threatened with murder by the bounty-to-be themselves.
The Jedi Skywalker did not seem murderer-inspired. Powerful enough to kill maybe anything, Din was very aware of that. But why would he want to kill Senator Nola, and his two fellow senators, at all? Perhaps as they were relentlessly trying to describe to him, his current condition? The retelling of Luke’s attack on them was full of holes but still, Cobb pressed that Din should hear them out.
By now though, Cobb seemed rather done with the senators also. Any glee he had was forced out and acted well, unlike…
“We’re wondering if you could perhaps fix him.” A plump and short mirialan asks a little too sweetly, that was Senator Honya-La. She batted her heavily painted eyes up at Din that it almost seemed robotic, the whites of her eyes clear in the middle of all that gold and sparkle. Even her tattoos, drawn in a halo around her face, were all gold, so many of them, nearly fully eclipsing her lavender skin. She’d been the one who called him, Din recognized the voice, especially her tone; her fake, grating, honeyed, tone.
The third and last, a human, tallest of the three, taller than Din and Cobb, with deep red curls that reached below her back and licked the edges of her gown shoved her colleague hard enough aside that Honey-La audibly squeaked. “At least, can you get him out of there!” Senator Readd points a long decorative finger, wrapped with many golden bands and jewels up to the vents. If Readd had some strong legs under her great white gown she wouldn't need the ladder that was already set up for Din. Din looked up at the pitch black square in the ceiling and sighed.
“Jedi Skywalker went up there because…?” The senators didn't explain to Din just why Skywalker had gone into the ventilation system. Din had gotten a call form Honey-La, who asked if she was speaking to a “Gro-gou”. Cobb Vanth picked up the anonymous line when Din chose to ignore it, at least until he cross referenced the numbers and when they asked this, Cobb said yes despite Din’s very obvious hand gestures and sign language. Cobb didn't grant him any mind and only a thumbs up and a smart wink. He dodged the empty cup Din grabbed from Boba’s hand.
After a back and forth of just who was calling and just what was going on, as discreetly as possible because Din was not prey who poked their snout out of the ground at the slightest noise, Din traveled to the Core of the Galaxy, Coruscant, and had come to the Science Division. Along with him came Cobb Vanth, who was borrowing fancy enough attire from a stripped bounty that Din was going to sell sometime to someone desperate for fine fabrics. He most likely will not be getting them back from Cobb with how much he looked over his new clothes.
He said he wanted to look good for Skywalker, make a grand first impression, perhaps inquire him Freetown getting a day to meet a real Jedi, maybe scare Boba Fett a little. Bunch of little nitty things, really, Cobb went on. He promised Boba Fett as they were leaving the early Life Day party the daimyo was hosting for his people that he'd be coming back with Skywalker to teach him a lesson on manners. Boba only sipped from his new cup and turned around back to his many guests.
Din was down with agitating Boba Fett and Fennec made a bet with him about it, and Cobb… well, there was room on the prototype from Peli anyway and she needed a test driver. All of it works out well enough. A Life Day Miracle, Peli sang when Din asked her for her ride.
And Din admitted he worried for Skywalker. He admired the Jedi for his strength, his respect, and his position in Grogu’s life. And it didn't seem like anything would faze the warrior. The senators said he'd gone mad though, had attacked them, and had fled the scene of the crime. It just didn't add up though, why had they wanted Din to come? Even the Jedi’s sister, which was a thing (did she share his power? Would she have been a potential teacher? Did she look like him?).
They had to find Skywalker though and he was somewhere up there. And then Din could deal with how he could combat an agitated Jedi. If it was anything like Grogu’s tantrums…
And what Skywalker’s business was talking to the scientists here, the Senators did not say. All three of them have been hounding Din since he set foot inside and announced himself begrudgingly, explaining to him that Skywalker had had some kind of break, a kind of panic, and had made a home in the building's giant veneration system. They were about as helpful as bantha locked in heat.
It was then he was joined by the astromech that had given the senators that com code. It followed after Din from outside, where it was waiting at the front entrance. It wasn't any of the Senator's and the kid liked it enough. Din tried dismissing it the first few times before he gave up. So what, fine, whatever, might as well.
The senators did not let Din even go talk to the scientists working today. “We asked them all the necessary questions already!” They all yelled at him. They really did want to simply grab Skywalker like he was a womprat stuck in a pipe and he very much could be because he'd rather that than over dealing with these squawking senators. Why rescue him when at this point Din wants to crawl up there and join him?
“You’re the Jedi here, aren't you? You're one of his students! Apprentice! Whatever it is called! It'll be a talk, Jedi to Jedi. And we can all sort this out!” The mirialan starts waving that finger around, slashing through every space between her words of declaration that Din is going to sort this out all by himself, with Cobb there too she guesses.
“He is not a Jedi,” Senator Nola corrects her, his voice turning stern, hostile even, and Honya-La painted lips went straight at that, “the rest of them ought to be very young. He’s a friend of his, probably a dear friend if his sister is the contact below him. Unless you are a lover of his? No judgement! Last Jedi means new rules after all!” The Senator laughs and then his peers all start laughing too. It's grating and loud and echoing down the halls Din had been dragged down. He can feel the droid shaking by him and it gives out a low pathetic winded beep.
“I'm a friend,” Din picked.
Cobb grabbed Din from behind by his shoulders and shook him. “They're very best friends.” Din hunched to get him off, and elbow’d him as discreetly as he could and got him to quit it. Vanth responded by crying out in mock shock. Din wished he had another cup.
“Wonderful! Best friends help each other get out of vents, okay, let’s go!” Senator Honya-La cheered and was smiling again. She didn't care at all for the sugary topcoat to Din’s new relationship status, she was back to being however happy she is supposed to be.
That was another correction Din did not make when the call came in. There was another force user, there was another sort-of Jedi. The real force user here was the child that was currently laying across R2-D2’s shiny blue dome, spinning around and keeping his large, bright eyes on the vents above him. They shifted around, unblinking, as if following something, someone; probably Skywalker himself. It was Grogu that pushed Din to finally cave and head the request to come save Skywalker from, well, whatever was happening, not Cobb’s begging and whining. Cobb had given the little womprat a few treats from his pockets as if Grogu was still some kind of pet. He'd been wanting to meet “Din’s Jedi” ever since Din had mentioned him during the party as Fennec and him recounted the tale of the Child’s rescue to Boba Fett properly. Boba Fett choked down his drink, ignored Cobb’s pushing and when he went to Din, Din simply had nothing to give but guesses to the sheriff about Skywalker. Which then led to the call and Cobb now at his side.
“Security can't get sight of him and we are desperate! There’s not much time! So, Mr.Grogu,” more finger pointing, now from all of them, all to the vents above, “I request that you go get him for us!” They all ordered him as Din and Cobb ascended the ladder, Din going up first.
“Mr.Grogu is gonna get right on that, yes sir, yes ma’am. He’ll be back down in time to open the presents and light them candles.” Cobb saluted down, picking out Honya-La because of course, she isn't letting them look at anyone but her with all the shine.
“Knock him out if you must!”
“Actually, yes! That would be best! What if he decides to attack you!”
“I hope you understand how dangerous your friend is, Mr.Grogu. It’s why he needs-
Readd’s shoulder is grabbed by Nola who shakes his head. She stopped, and pulled at her long curls in embarrassment. “He needs help, Mr.Grogu. We have something that could help,” she states, steadily, picking every word just right. So she thought. It failed at all to convince Din that anything was okay right now. Cobb, as well, after he shared a look with Din.
“Did he attack any of you?” Cobb called down, confused. “Didn't you say that? Thought you said it like he jumped y’all.”
“No!” Two senators yelled at them, with Honey-La saying yes, and there was even more yelling, this time at each other, as Din positioned himself to begin crawling. For a vent it's rather spacious, there's enough room to sit up fully on his knees, his helmet doesn't catch against the metal walls. Perhaps it could make a good home to hide from the Senators who are still giving their good luck's and good bye’s and more unhelpful advice that soon faded away as both Din and Cobb started their hunt.
“So, what the fuck was their problem and why’s your Skywalker freaked by them?” Cobb drops his smile and whispers to Din when he pulls away from the entrance.
“We’ll ask him when we find him.” Then they all could figure out exactly what's going on. There's no way any of them, even if they all ganged together, could do anything to Skywalker. So why had the Jedi blinked first in whatever stand-off they had, what made him flee?
There was enough room for Vanth to squeeze his way right by him, his cheek pressing into his helmet. “I think we should be calling you that from now on by the way, get the whole town in on it, could really solidify your parentage. And can you believe how fancy this place is?” Din stared as Cobb drags his finger down the side on the vent, it pulled off clean. “Would you look at that, they even polish the inside.” He rubbed his thumb and index togther in pure wonder. Din shoved him.
“It means Skywalker did come through here like they said. His robes must have swept it all up. We'll find him by following his path. Then we find another way out of here.”
“Right. This one wears robes and cloaks and wears a shiny pair of boots, you told me,” Cobb nodded. He slid back easily so he’s squarely behind Din, his voice carrying fine to reach him still. “Does he wear it everywhere? The same thing?”
“Sure, I think. Black, all the time.” Din tried to visualize Luke Skywalker, his black clothes gone grey by all the dust he must be picking up being lost in here. He snorts, soft enough his helmet better not pick it up. If Vanth heard it, he didn't point it out.
“A death sentence on Tatooine. Black sucks up all the heat from our suns, y’know. It's not a reflective color, not like your armor, that thing is a mirror,” Cobb kept going, changing the subject, “Hey, so why don't you paint it like mine? Fett’s, whatever. Could help not going blind when you visit.”
“It's a tradition,” Din explained and he’s careful to stretch his body over another vent entrance. He doesn't see the senators following them anymore but he does see the Droid and Grogu. Din’s glad, he was regretting leaving him back there and at least the droid is competent enough to keep with the pack. The little one is looking up still, up at him this time. He waved. Din waved back and then kept going. He heard Cobb pause as well to do the same. “Also,” Din continued, “It’s a preference.”
“Many reasons, got ya. Got ya,” Cobb went quiet for a moment, must be thinking, “any one I can use to convince you to slap a color on?”
“Nope.”
“Damn.”
He thinks it's been ten minutes before they hit an issue.
“He's been down there.” Din points the light down a barren and brushed vent way, he turns it down another, also swept of dust. “As well as there.”
“He lost or something? Cause I thought Jedi don't get lost.”
“They don't.”
“I'm gonna start calling out for him.” And Cobb yells past Din. Cobb takes right then, tossing a strong Skywalker through the vent way. He repeats himself, coughing on whatever dust didn't get picked up by the fleeing Jedi.
Din goes left, catching on that they will be apparently splitting up and then stops when he hears Skywalker himself, calling out Cobb Vanth’s name in turn, in a frightened, confused tone. He did it again, Din doesn't even recognize it was him the first time. Just another random person lost in the vents, because there was no way that had been Skywalker. He did not sound brave, or strong, or calm at all.
And Cobb cried out “Luke!”
Odd. Okay, odd. Noisily because of his beskar clanking hard against the walls of the vent, Din doubled back fast, crawling back to where they started and down the path Cobb took. It wasn't hard to find them both, Cobb’s frantic upset could be heard down the third left.
“Din, I need you over here, c’mon. I ain't go nothin’ in this getup. Damnit, I should've brought something.” Cobb was holding Skywalker’s face, half buried in his turned down hood, body buried in the piles of his robes. “You look like you got heat stroke. Din, his eyes. Lookit, it’s like he got stuck looking at the suns too long after passing out. Look at it, his pupils. They're blown.” Cobb scooted over for Din and upon seeing him Luke gasped, choking out a no, and somehow backing himself more into his dead end.
“It's alright,” Din said softly, a part of him wanted to reach out, comfort him. What in the whole galaxy could've scared Skywalker? Certainly not those senators, they could not have. “We already have the idea that this whole thing isn't good– GHAH!”
Skywalker kicked him square in his helmet and Cobb howled and grabbed his leg and all three of them struggled to find footing and balance in their tight little space. At some point Din ripped off Skywalker’s boot and his foot was still slamming hard on his back, slapping against the beskar and Cobb had climbed over Skywalker, and Skywalker had wiggled through him to wrap his arms around Din’s head, his legs getting around his waist. Cobb became trapped between them, cursing up a storm. Din tried to keep Skywalker from tearing off his helmet, where then he would maybe try to start beating Din to death with it, had Cobb not finally gotten through to him after enough yelling to get him to reconsider that decision.
Skywalker sat back down defeated and one boot missing, because Din had thrown it down the vent in the scuffle. Cobb wiped the sweat from his forehead by pulling the dusty black robe that was tangled around his elbow. Din was unfortunately unable to do the same. He was panting and asked, “Luke, what the hell happened?”
“I don't know. I don't know what happened. Cobb, you shouldn't be here. I haven't seen you in years.”
“I'm starting to think…” Cobb says, “... that I haven't seen you in more.”
“Are you working with him?” Luke pointed at Din.
“Din? Din’s great, we all love Din, you love Din. You're friends.” Din looked at him. Cobb stated, “I work with him. Din’s … not someone bad.”
Luke stared at Cobb like he changed species like a clawdite.
“Where's Vader?” Luke asked. “That was Bespin, this was… Bespin. I was running from Vader. I- I fell.” Luke then said softly, more so to himself, “I fell, I got away.”
“Vader? Darth Vader?” “Who’s Vader?”
“Who’s Vader?” Skywalker blinked at Din, owlishly, like the bird that he’d see sitting on Ahsoka Tano’s shoulder when she decided it was time to invade his life, while telling him to keep out of her's. It is an odd friendship they share, but as Din learned, every Jedi he met was so memorably odd. They're so wide and blue and not full of the wisdom Din saw on the ship and from a distance anytime after. “You’re so serious...” Skywalker turned to Cobb, “What’s the year?”
Cobb gave the date, gave the date again when Skywalker only stared and told Skywalker that Darth Vader was dead if that would help. Darth Vader, oh, oh, Din understands now. Darth, the name Paz gave when they had to swap schedules on who leaves, reminding them both to take caution during the War. Had been one of the highest ranking in the Empire, someone possibly with power like the kid’s. An avoid at all costs encounter, an excuse to drop a job if his name is dropped at all. Fett sung his praises during another dinner Din was forced to sit though.
“Think of the Tuskens enraged, ten times worse than that, and with the Force like the little one. Great pay, though.” Fennec raised a goblet at Boba’s words. Din looked between them both as he packed his food to go.
Being told Darth Vader was dead had Skywalker go so silent and the whole air around them felt cold. He blinked rapidly and Din assumed that Skywalker was going to start crying. But with a shaky deep breath, Skywalker gathered himself, and the chill that took them all vanished. They all sat in that cold silence until Skywalker pulled something from his robes.
Skywalker holds up his saber, turning it over and examining it. “When did I get this?”
“I don't know that,” Cobb took a glance at Din, “Uh, neither of us know that.”
“It’s new. Old. But new.” Skywalker clutched the saber like a lifeline, tight as a blaster in combat. But then it fell into his lap when he opened and closed his right hand, “and where did I get this?” Luke asked, unblinking and bewildered. He turned his right hand and wiggled all five of his fingers.
“I'm not, I'm not gonna answer that. You answer that,” Cobb tossed to Din. “I also don't know that,” Din answered deadpanned and Cobb groaned.
“What do we do, how do we fix him. What's Luke’s new normal?”
“Vanth, I don't know much anything about Skywalker.”
“I thought you were his friend!”
“I'm not! Aren't you apparently!” Now Cobb looked like he was going to cry, he sniffed and sucked in a breath.
“We…,” Cobb’s hand pressed into Din’s chest armor, patting the beskar. Din’s frustration died at the motion. “You. You are his only friend here. You have got to be because this is just like how the Hutts ruined people when they didn't listen. And I'm not gonna be the one to do this because I can't. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.”
Luke only watched Cobb as he smoothed back his hair that had fallen in disarray, adjusted the kerchief he refused to part with when he got dressed up for the part. He wouldn't look at Luke. Din watched Luke. In this little threeway it seemed all of them were wondering about the other.
“It's gonna be easy, it is going to be easy, we just have to un-manipulate him!” Din pulled Cobb’s arm away then, “How do you un-manipulate someone?”
“We will find out when we ask them very nicely, with my blaster in their face and yours in their stupidly frilly pants, because maybe a highly rated bounty hunter should know these things. Haven't you ever dealt with a target with memory loss?”
“I don't know, maybe Fett did.”
“You know Boba Fett?”
Din quickly turned to Luke instead of answering Cobb, “You’re not my target. Fett got elected leader of Tatooine or something, I don’t know.” And Luke lowered his hand and Din felt the full weight of his blaster again as it settled back into his holster, let go by a phantom force “And I have, for reasons that made sense,” Din says to Cobb, “Look at where we are, maybe this place had something that they-
“Wait, Tatooine?” Luke gawks, “He’s Lord of the Planet! Why is he-
“Wormie, they like him or something!” Cobb cut him off. “He’s not hunting anyone anymore, he’s too damn rich for that and he pays people unlike the Hutts.” And Skywalker shut up at the insult. “Now just, focus, anything you remember? Not what you lost, just what's been happening.”
“Did you escape something, someone?” Three someones?
“I've been escaping a lot lately,” Luke said uneasily, looking between Din and Cobb, his blue eyes holding onto the latter longer. “It was a room,” he started, “table. On the table, I couldn't move, and something broke. Had some kind of mask,” Luke kept going, unable to stop, words started slurring, “I couldn't move, couldn't think except I could and there was laughing. There was a light and it wasn't good, it was bright and I lost something and then broke something.”
“Something…, Something,” Cobb realized. He didn't have to tell Din. The senators, they had something. Something that could help control him.
“It had a light. Flashing. It was really bright and I just knew I had to get away. I was losing, losing everything. And there were these two people, at first laughing then screaming. I think… I think that's when I had to move. Leia. Leia was telling me to go.” Luke sagged, he looked at Din, so lost and sad. “I lost something.”
“Who’s Leia?” was all Din could say in return.
“My dearest friend,” Skywalker said, sounding so very grateful that he at least knew her still. Next to Din, Cobb growled.
“I'm gonna double back, I counted every cover, if they hadn't left where we left 'em I can get them by surprise if I go out the one 5 back. Din, take him, get him out. Find me after I kill them.” Cobb got back down the tunnel and Din watched him until he’s gone, leaving him and Skywalker alone.
“You're a Mandalorian,” Skywalker–Luke pointed out. “Boba Fett wears that armor. But he's not really a mandalorian.”
“You don't decide that,” Din found himself simply saying.
“Oh,” Luke said, “I'm sorry. I just–it's why I did that.” He sounded so embarrassed and caught. Skywalker had been so patient, seemed so understanding when Din made a dreadful, yet necessary and right, choice that day. Luke here made assumptions, Jedi shouldn't do that.
“You said you were back at Bespin. Were you running? From Vader?”
“I was, or am.” Luke looked down, he held his right hand in his left, rubbing a thumb along the right palm. “I'm not on Bespin right now am I? I haven't been for a long time. I feel old.”
“How old are you?” Din didn’t actually know.
“I don't know, I was 22.”
Okay then, he had to be younger than Din, even now. That's enlightening some things somewhat. And rude. Old.
“I think we can guess your memory was being erased,” Din decided to move it along before he started to be snotty. “I think people wanted the power of a Jedi but not to deal with one.”
“Some Jedi they were going to get,” Luke muttered bitterly. “I couldn't handle myself against Vader. Hearing that he’s dead is… rather unbelievable.”
“You're an incredible Jedi, Skywalker,” Din reassured, feeling rather defensive for Luke Skywalker’s future and Din’s current present, “or you will be. You saved me and you saved the life of a child. You saved my team. And you sliced through an army of droids none of us could take on. You're the most powerful person I've ever encountered.”
“They couldn't have been like Vader.” Well, they looked like Vader. Maybe an inspired design. Din had been getting beat into the ground too much to really pay much notice.
“I heard you killed him.” When Fennce dropped Skywalker’s name, some of the guest exclaimed that it was him, Vader’s killer, liberator of the galaxy. Hearing this, Luke frowned and curled tighter into his robes. “Him and the emperor.”
“I couldn't have. I wouldn't have wanted to,” Luke denied, “I decided, I decided in those vents, not here, other–other vents. I couldn't do it anymore, not after…” Luke trailed off.
“Are you saying he's alive?” Luke Skywalker spared him? Is he just somewhere? In the galaxy? Hiding? In exile?
Luke shook his head, “No. You aren't lying though, you claimed I killed him but I didn't. He’s…” Luke looked over Din’s shoulder, his eyes widening. They seemed clearer than before when Cobb had found him. They're still empty and confused, but Luke seemed far more stable than before. “He’s with me. I think I did something, future me and,” Luke let out a sigh of relief, his body relaxed, as if a great weight had left him.
“I see him now. I saw something else before you came.”
Din turned his head back to look at nothing, then back at Luke, then back at the empty space, back again, and back again. He only waved slightly to whatever concerning thing that is invisible and hopefully can't harm him. Darth Vader the kriffing spirit ghosting it up because ghosts and spirits are things in the Force Din guesses.
“He waved back,” Luke told him. “I can't believe it, he looks like me,” Luke says in wonder. “Hi…” Luke also waved, faster than Din. He looked so nervous, so happy, the whole vent felt warm and bright despite the darkness. Din had never been more confused in his life and in his top ten moments alone it had to do with Jedi shit.
“Can it fix you?”
“I don't think he can. He'd been trying. And I was scaring him”, Luke was smiling, so wide and happy and it was so strange on the Jedi’s face. It looked too young, child-like. “He’s here but not here anymore, so he can't. And Leia–Oh, Leia.” Luke’s eyes slipped shut. “She’s too far, closer though. She’s on her way.”
“How soon?”
“I don't know.”
Din thought for a moment. “So you need a live Jedi-Force-Person.” Luke nodded, amused at Din’s brilliant description.
“I think so, someone with my abilities to bounce off of… kind of like, sharing energy at the same time. But close.”
“Like jump starting engines but for the Force? Give some energy through a conductor, and then the speeder works again?”
“Exactly,” Luke exclaimed, “hey, that’s a great way to put it. Better than how my teacher said it.” Din felt sudden pride. Luke was rather cute about it all.
“Then I know someone who can help you. We can wait here, until this Leia comes but I've got a little green guy who likes the you from now a lot, and he's a force user.”
Din reached out, turning his hand over and gesturing to Luke to come to him.
Luke looked so confused again but he offered his hand, his left one, grabbing his arm mid-motion, interlocking their arms and Din took it all as a yes to start crawling out of the vents, side by side, and together they found the nearest exit, where below them, Grogu and R2-D2 were waiting for them both.
Din jumped down first and holding at his arms, promising him quietly to catch him, Luke slide out and fell into them. R2-D2, the droid who never left either of them along, kept making Luke lose his balance because. Luke went to grab the dome of the droid only to gasp at the child.
“Master Yoda, you're–he had a-
Luke never finished because Grogu jumped into his space and knocked their heads together. And he said no more, only pulling the child closer, whatever magic happening between them was already working because Luke breathed in, sharply, and sank to the floor.
“Yoda? Who’s Yoda? Luke, Skywalker, you got another like Grogu?” Din loudly whispered but the two of them sat together, the human far more relaxed than the whatever-Grogu-was. A Yoda. His eyes were closed but his eyes moved beneath them, following some unseen pattern, perhaps a path Grogu was paving, or lighting up for him. Two powerful engines, Lightspeed, one being brought back to life by the other; a little ship and a big ship. Grogu’s bright eyes turned from his work to observe Din who knew he felt too openly engrossed by whatever was occurring between them, this act of repair.
“Hey Grogu, Yoda. Find out what a Yoda is. You think Skywalker is gonna share something about Yoda if we ask him really nicely?”
Din saw the tiniest little smile before the child returned to his task.
Din would never know, would he?
Senator Leia Organa was really reached this time, after someone by the name of Captain Solo finally discovered his ship’s coms have been tampered with. Apparently though, she was already on her way, all the way from , Din and Cobb must have passed her at some point, far apart between jumps. Said she had a bad feeling and that she couldn't feel him.
She had been flying back over, and trying to trace back whatever way she was contacted before coms got shot. She arrived at the scene a few hours after Luke and Din descended from the ventilation system.
Din let that roll around in his head. Feel him. She didn't look like a force user. Instead of Jedi robes, she dressed in the ceremonial kind. She was draped in necklaces and painted with makeup, her hair done up in a tight but beautiful style. It wasn't even blond. Nothing like a Jedi; she had the appearance of a senator.
She wasn't acting like one now, as she slapped Senator Nola and shoved him into the wall. Kicked him, spat at him. Captain Solo lifted her off of him, but then started to punch him himself, screaming curses that are less obscene than Organa’s, closer to Cobb’s, actually. He added a new black eye right by the bruise Cobb made when he somehow tackled all three of them down. Security was there too, really called this time because this ruse was finally up. And it took all of them to get Solo and Organa off the traitorous senator.
Honey-La had her heavy gold ripped off her, and her tattoos–face paint, actually was smudged and stained her face a dirty yellow. And on the floor was some of Readd’s hair, torn from her scalp. The first one Leia Organa went for, when the senator tried to establish some kind of common ground, how it should be necessary to utilize what they had, Nola and Honey-La hiding behind her then. Readd failed to do so when Senator Organa pulled her toward her.
The rest was all physical, no magic hand thing. Pure, untapped rage.
He's heard about Organa. Boba spoke of her fondly, almost wistfully. She made calls to Tatooine due to its rising stardom as a bright spot of business and trade in the galaxy. She had a tough personality, she was quick with her words, she spoke and snapped like a slaver’s whip and yet will treat anyone deserving of kindness. Boba highly respected her. And she’s related to Skywalker? Somehow? Leia Skywalker, Luke Organa? Cobb’s gonna have something to tell Boba to make him turn red.
“That’s gotta be humbling,” Din said at Leia’s fury being unleashed.
“Those kind'a people ain't capable of being humbled, they're just mad they're caught,” Cobb answered before Din even finished his sentence. There was low, harsh anger in his voice, but like Din, he certainly was in awe and a little nervous of Leia’s … introduction.
“How DARE all three of you! You've turned your back on your oaths. You arrested an officer WITHOUT review! You vandalized experimental government property WITHOUT peer review! And you thought you'd make an attack on this government's only friend of the FORCE! He’s not some PET! I'm not your PET! I'll make sure you answer for this and your status as public figures will be stripped, yesterday! Oh, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! Take them away!” Senator Organa screamed at the three crying senators as they were dragged away by the officers.
“They're not gonna let you work that case now, sorry.” Captain Solo pointed out, putting back on a fancy, tight jacket. He reminded Din of Cobb in a way, how he moved and held himself.
“It was worth it. You heard her? “He was responding so well! And Nola just kept upping the numba’!” Senator Organa couldn't match the high pitch tone of Honey-La but she certainly did her best. “Call Hera about it while I greet our heroes. I know this is in her rotation today.” Solo rubbed and patted at her small back while he flipped open his com to rely whatever part this Hera needed to be told about.
Senator Organa’s reddened cheeks paled, as much as they could with all of that makeup, which was a bit ruined because of her outburst, and she became a calmed and composed Senator that can be trusted, a true professional who turned rather sunny when she put her attention on Din. Din didn't realize he felt himself swallowing as her inquisitive big brown eyes ran over him.
“Din Djrain, former Manda’lor of Mandalore and guardian to my brother’s former apprentice. I've heard plenty and I know plenty and it is a pleasure to finally meet you,” she looked up at Cobb and it dawned on Din just how short Senator Organa was. “And I don't know who you are,” she said with a smile.
Cobb chuckled, “Cobb Vanth, ma’am. Luke and I, we go–we go way back. You tore into those sick sleemos real good, I'm both scared and impressed with you.” “Oh, thank you, Mr.Vanth.” “Aw, that’s nothin’. I enjoyed every second of it and I'd love to enjoy some stories of your previous victims over maybe some drinks?”
“I'm sure my husband would love to join us, what do you say, Han?” Beside her Han Solo grinned tightly. “Yeah, absolutely. Find us later then, I can tell you everything she’s done to me, especially.” Han Solo wrapped his arm around the Senator and the twosome carried themselves away down the halls, leaving Din and Cobb alone in the halls. Cobb groaned.
“I'd miss it anyway if I didn't take my shot. I saw that by the way,” Din didn't think Cobb caught him silencing his audio transmitter and he allowed it when Cobb smacked his helmet, “Turn that back on. Laugh at me and my lack of shame, because she’s the most stunning girl, had I had known Luke had a sister…!”
“Something to tell to Fett.”
“It's just gonna make him more excited. Gross. I can't do that. And then I'd have to compete with him, and out of the three of us, now, he’d win. Say something. No, Djrain, say something, right now. Boba wouldn't be able to, right?
“Boba talked about a Solo to. Really, he's just gonna try harder now.”
“Sithshit, damnit, c’mon.”
Someone named Something Antilles was being held in a cell, apparently the companion of Skywalker’s that had been arrested. He had been accompanying Skywalker when three senators had summoned them. He had been found in a holding cell meant for unruly visitors to the science division.
He had greasy black hair combed to one side and shook Din’s hand hard and fast and Cobb took this as a challenge to match his energy. Right by the science center was a hospital, which was fitting. That's where they put him. Antilles said Skywalker was sleeping, but he seemed peaceful. “Slept with Luke for years in the rebellion, he always had the shakes. Your tiny Jedi is doing good for him, putting it all back in place.”
Beside him, Cobb hummed at Din’s silence as prattled.
“I should’ve not let him go back there alone, it's just, one of them really didn't want to leave me alone, ? So a couple of drinks with Readd while Nola and Luke sorted out their issues and I thought no problem, stories to tell him later – Ha, I should've known.” Antilles nodded to one of the nurse droids rolling by and entered a long code to one of the random doors. It only stood out because the same astromech droid was stationed by it, almost like it was guarding the entrance. Its helm swiveled to Din, its single black optic analyzing him.
“It was drugged. She was just so pretty, wasn't she? And yet so ugly on the inside.” Antilles re-entered the code again when he realized he messed it up. “Stupid. Women, right?”
Din didn't comment.
“Thank you, he's my friend and he didn't even know me. I don't know how they got him but they kept putting him through that thing until it suddenly blew. Then I got put in the cell, and you got called.”
The door slid open to roomy patient quarters, something fancy and expensive. Senator Organa’s work, or is Luke Skywalker rich too? The wall lighting hummed a soft blue, bathing the bed in low glow. Cobb went in first, brushing a hand along a sphere on a nightstand that lit up the room some more, in a white light. He slumped in one of the chairs, two of them, perhaps once occupied by Organa and Solo.
“You two are good people. Those guys were rich, they bought their way into the senate as it was getting rebuilt, and their slates were too clean. Nothing we could do, until they did this. They offered to pay you loads,” they certainly did, “and you could've given him over but you didn't. Thank you. The republic is in your debt, Dijain. And I'll fly with you anytime.” Antilles patted Din’s shoulder, just below the beskar, and with one last look into the room, left back down the hall.
Din got into the room before the door slid shut and locked. He carried himself and what he was holding to the remaining chair. He dragged it over to the other side of the bed and sat down across from Cobb. That new coat was off him, his scarf loose. He looked tired, nervous. Defeated.
There were no machines in the room, none were needed yet. Antilles ran down some ideas Senator Organa had, but really all that was needed right now was Luke’s bedmate. Din can see the little bump that rested just above Luke’s stomach.
Cobb stayed quiet the whole time Antilles had been talking about Luke, Din knew that he wanted to speak about it, maybe about his own experience with the Jedi, because Cobb apparently knew him based on everything that had happened in the ventilation system.
“So, Wormie?”
Cobb didn't laugh, didn't look at Din.
“I was a rebel, and not the kind who fought the Empire. I was just, some punk angry at it and a lot of people and Luke was…” Cobb ran his hand down his face, shaking his head. It fell off and slapped his knee, it began drumming on it as the leg had begun to bounce; Cobb couldn't keep still.
“Luke was just an easy target. And he just put up with me cause he liked attention. The last day I saw him I told him he'd ought to pick up these power converters at Toshi, I'd fix up a ship for him. Some old wrecked imp pod I found I was gonna give to the Jawas for a year worth. I'd have given him some too, he'd have been pissed I wasn't gonna let him fly away with it. He’d get money, y’know for him and his family. I get a name for myself and some respect because no one residential had power to leave the planet.”
“Skywalker’s from Tatooine?”
“Trapped on it. All of us were. You knew what it was like during Imperial times, somehow better than before, but it's better as all hell now.” Cobb laughed this time, harshly, “He would adore that Peli-woman, Wormie that is. Although maybe all the Jedi slag makes the machine talent go mute.”
“He seemed to still like mechanics, we talked about it on our way out. Jumpstarts.”
“That so?”
“That’s his droid outside I believe.”
“I'll have to say hello to it proper on the way out”.
The bed shifted and to Din, Cobb actually looked so very scared. His whole body tense like Nola’s had been, when he kept thinking he was long caught. The same wide open look Luke had in the vents. But it was only Grogu, still glued to Luke in a pile of blankets he made for himself. Luke still slept.
“You told me he was quiet,” Cobb said, so much quieter, focusing on looking at Din since he couldn't keep on Luke anymore. “You had said how he would glide on air as he walked. How he had this look that told you everything was going to be okay, maybe even a little sad about it. Fennec swore he could crush droids with his mind and one hand. Din Djarin, I am learning a lot of things about Wormie right now but it doesn't change what I knew of him from the start.” He took a deep break so deep and he visibly sagged. He looked even sweaty, despite being so far from his home and his twin suns and endless heat, he had said he was cold when he got to Coruscant.
“I had buried him, his aunt and uncle. Djarin, Owen had helped tune up my speeder when I was out of credits and luck and I had owed him so much, just not his son. And then he was dead, all of ‘em.” Cobb’s eyes were red and watery and he sniffed so hard. “I don't know whose body I put with them but they put a third and maybe it was to cover something up but to me and everyone until now he was dead.”
“I'm sorry,” Din said, best he could.
“We all saw the smoke. I was waiting at the meetup for them converters.” Cobb clicked clicks his tongue, “First one there, followed by some others. Maybe he went some other way off the main road so I just missed him. The smell…” Cobb seemed so far away, sounding like he was drowning, as Luke was, only he was trapped in memories while Luke’s had his buried.
“I should have known when you said the name, Skywalker, it should have occurred to me then and there but it… it wasn't Luke to me. I kept comparing ‘em. And I couldn't believe it. And I had to see it. And Djarin, am I happy as hell that I came.”
Din is learning a lot of things about Skywalker right now. And he doesn't have anything in him to interrupt Vanth and his everything that was going on. Even when the sheriff took his hand and Skywalker’s, intertwined their fingers and held them together. Din allowed it. The three of them interlocked unlike how they were before, tangled and snapping at each other over a great, horrible misunderstanding.
“You have been his friend, you have to stay his friend. And I'm glad that you have been there for him just as he's been for you, and if you do anything, somehow worse than what them senators had done to him… Give up on him, I swear I will find another Krayte Dragon on my planet and I will make sure you do not get out of it.” Din didn't want to correct him, again. Cobb might have been caught up in his emotions that quickly spiraled and damn, aren't Tatooine folk supposed to be tough as durasteel, maybe as beskar even? And both Luke and Cobb fell apart so easily.
So he said nothing and Cobb understood him perfectly, because even when he knew he had such a short time, what felt like less than Luke to him at least, he got exactly the reaction he wanted despite the literal beskar and plexi between them. So Cobb got up, threw his coat over his shoulder and fixed his collar.
“Later, Wormie, Djarin.” And Cobb was gone. Presumably, Din will see him back at the ship, maybe prepping himself in the cramped washroom mirror for any guests Din brought with him. There's a bet after all.
Or because he did still know the annoying kid from Tatooine a bit because as soon as the door slammed shut, the bed shifted again, only the larger body was finally awake. The man, not boy anymore, took in his surroundings before settling that gaze on Din.
“Din Djrain,” Skywalker greeted. Sleepy sounding, but the familiar composure Din didn't grasp fully was back again.
How to start this?
“I got your boot back.” Din rested the shiny black shoe across Skywalker’s covered feet. He fixed it a few times when it kept sliding off. “We left it back there after you lost it. Well, I lost it.”
“Thank you?” Skywalker said, with too much unsureness at the now perfectly balanced boot. Obviously, not at all what he was expecting first thing.
“I can put it on the floor”.
“No, Djarin. It can stay right there. It's fine.”
Alright.
“That Antilles was worried about you. Saw him miss the the numbers in the keypad a few times.”
“And yet you memorized the code.”
Cheeky. And back to being so mysteriously observent. Din didn't miss the broken wall over the strange dark tower that was Skywalker. “It’s good to know. Want it?”
“No need,” Skywalker readjusted himself to be a little higher, trying to sit up too until he noticed Grogu sleeping on him. He laid back down. He also double checked the boot was still there, apparently respectful at Din’s hard work balancing it. “How’s Leia?”
“Senator Organa,” Din drawed out the name and title, “Leia. I think she’s off the case charging those senators but she’s got friends to handle that.”
“I'll talk to her. Let me find her.”
Din stared at him. “She didn't exactly tell me where she was going to go.” Drinks maybe? Cobb could use one, maybe he’s copping by flirting with her again. Skywalker shakily raised his arm and pointed at his head, waving a figure not dissimilar to the befallen Senator Honey-La and for a moment his eyes slipped closed. Din went quiet, as did Skywalker and they sat together in silence as Skywalker talked … somehow, to his sister.
“Nope, no. Can't do anything about it. I'm not fighting such a battle.” Skywalker’s arm rested at his side again and sighed. “Maybe for the best. They weren't very nice, and none of them even felt alive to begin with.” Skywalker tilted his head at Din, “I couldn't do politics like her. I miss my hut.”
“Do you talk to Grogu that way?” Din asked when it looked like the Jedi was done speaking to more invisible people, this time live ones, half trying to mimic the gesture Skywalker did before. It made Skywalker laugh, short and light, when Din decided to add the extra bit of pizzazz about waving his fingers.
“We do not have so deep a bond to reach each other at such distances. Grogu is young and,” Skywalker seemed to look for the word, “loud. I think I tried to make contact with him, when it happened, I was talking to Leia and it was,” Skywalker’s eyes squeezed shut this time, “bright. Whatever was happening was wrong. And by then I think I'd be fine with anyone coming to my rescue. Even Vader. It's why I became… that.”
Skywalker explained to him everything he could, more than anyone else. Antilles was with him when he received the summon. Three senators, one Skywalker knew of because Antilles complained and yet dreamed about her, so very tall and so very pretty and Skywalker didn't comment on that. She pulled Antilles aside to pour a bottle because they were all celebrating. Honey-La was loud, loud like Grogu, distractingly so. Her species apparently had a high potential to be force-sensitive, not that she was, especially her, not that there was any anymore aside from who Skywalker had found, but that didn't mean she wasn't so distracting. And Nola kept putting off the big reveal that Skywalker knew was going to be some trap he thought he could handle because as Din knows, he is a powerful Jedi. But he had forgotten Antilles in that moment, until the officer collapsed, his glass shattering. That's when Skywalker felt a sharp prick of a syringe jabbing through his robes when he had finally shown true weakness.
“I couldn’t move, and there was that medical device, I think they called it a Flayer-Something. It's still a little hard to remember. Big and white. And I saw something for a while, and I don’t think it worked because they just kept covering me up again.
Maybe force-sensitivity doesn't agree with its purpose, not that it was being used for its intended purpose anyway. Ha, Leia said I maybe need to be in one again to make sure I sort out what happened while I was gone. Under her supervision, of course.”
To properly process what happened when he was Luke, not Din’s Luke Skywalker that Din barely knows.
“But I remember bits and pieces. With what they did, I felt like I was melting, I was missing too much, I was … dialed back to when I was in the War and,” Skywalker’s hands curled into the sheets, on top of him, Grogu snuggled more into the buddle of blankets. “I wanted Vader to come and find me, even if it meant I was captured. It felt terrible, not “nice” like they were saying.
I called for him and I thought it was him, blowing it all up; turned out it was me. But I must have thought otherwise, so I ran and hid.”
“And you kicked me in the head, thinking I was Boba Fett.”
“Did I now?” Skywalker turned to Din and looked so amused, “I'd have thought I would've dove into your arms. Anything to get me out of there. I'd like to think if I even saw Vader in there, I'd go wherever he took me. I missed him.”
Rather Darth over Din. Alright. Din can see that. Even if he knew it was wrong. Luke’s inquisitive big blue eyes ran over him, those eyes so much like his sister’s, Din didn't know how to feel having so much information pulled from him today, but then again, the same in a much worse way happened to Skywalker, so why complain?
“Oh please, Mandalorian, Din, don't sell yourself short. Seeing Cobb was a surprise but the greater surprise was you, coming to my aid. It's a pleasure to see you again even under these circumstances,” Skywalker hummed, “Was he real? I thought I saw him.”
Din nodded that Cobb existed in Skywalker’s muddled memory. “We’re friends, Skywalker.” Din found himself saying, “of course I came to help you.”
“That's not something I recall,” Skywalker smiled. It is soft and small and nothing like what Cobb described as he spun up a tale while waiting for help as Luke laid on the floor and Grogu coo’d and ahh’d at him, encouraging a bond to help the broken Jedi however he can up until Luke passed out. About how Luke Skywalker and someone named Biggs Darklighter had gone sledding down the dunes and how Luke’s grin was so big it caught every speck of sand. It got told by Biggs who told someone called Camie who told Cobb over a drink when he took her out on a date, that never led to another, but Cobb remembered it. It's a smile not like the one Luke bore when he saw invisible ghosts that apparently loved him despite doing terrible things.
“Vanth told your captors that we’re the best of friends so you might need to update your sister on whatever indictment reports she must be writing up.”
Luke laughed again, a little bit of a hiccup trailing after the chime. “Nothing to be done about that.” His teeth showed. It's nothing like Luke from the vents and nothing like Luke from the ship. He’s a little bit like the Luke Cobb described and Din understood why Wormie followed Cobb so much later into his life. Grogu woke up from the shakes of Luke’s chest and his bright eyes boring into Luke’s sent the Jedi into fits again, perhaps hearing what the little guy had to say about that. Din observed Luke’s kind thanks and praises to the kid on how his power is so very helpful and how yes, he’ll be better in no time. His father is going to keep an eye on him, yes he is. Yes, he can be with him when Leia puts him back in a very scary monster that truly meant him no harm, just made to do a terrible thing to him. Grogu can make sure Luke Skywalker is wholly back together again.
It was a quiet moment between the two of them, the three of them. It felt personal and precious and Din had to just sit there as realization crashes into him like a wave, drowning him.
Suddenly Skywalker’s face was red, squinting at Grogu like he caught the kid stealing eggs and treats. What had they said? But no. The kid was looking at him. And Skywalker was staring Grogu down, silently demanding. Then he tossed the child up in the air and Grogu squealed, even with Skywalker stubbornly frowning at him.
Maybe the kid was ready to go? Back all the way to Tat–Oh.
“Cobb had wanted you to go back to Tatooine,” Skywalker put Grogu down from holding him up so high, tossing him up and down and making him hover with his power, perhaps because of whatever he said, “We had a bet to have you upset Fett just by being a guest of honor at one of his gatherings. Antilles told me you were a pilot along with him in the rebellion. My ship could use a second chair. I learned Cobb can't fly and you're probably the best pilot in the galaxy.”
Luke blinked at him. “A … bet.”
“Yeah. Best pilot in the chair, landing at the palace, Boba will blow up–it’ll be funny. Vacation after surgery kind of thing.”
“Wedge will have something to say about me being the best pilot but I'll happily relish your praises. And sit in that chair.”
“Who's Wedge?” Skywalker shot him a ridiculous, baffled look, turned to the door and back to Din. The Jedi glanced down at Grogu who only tilted his little head and flicked his big ears. Luke Skywalker locked his blue eyes to Din, finding him somehow through the visor and looked at him like a whole new person, again.
“Who are you, Mandalorian?”