Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He checked over his blaster and was grateful for the silence of the ship as they moved through the stars, away from Morak and the burning remnants of the plant and towards their goal. He mildly hoped that Mayfield would go back to salt the ground where the plant once stood. If he didn’t then Din thought that he could return with Grogu and give him a place to practice his powers.

He smiled under the helmet at the thought. He would need to acquire a new vessel but Cara had already mentioned something about Greef working on it for him but that thought was for another time. His focus now had to be on getting the child back.

He would make them pay. After he had the child safely in his custody. After he had laid waste to Moff Gideon and anyone else who had aided him in his plan.

After.

He couldn’t focus on anything else now because if he thought back then he was he might just break.

They really had taken everything from him this time.

Cara’s comm unit went off and she hissed as it woke Fennec and drew his attention away from his blaster and his thoughts as she quickly opened it and then stood to bang on the door to the cockpit.

“We need to make a stop. Should take an hour at most. Sending coordinates now.”

He stood and walked over to her.

“We never agreed to a stop Dune.”

“You want to make this one Mando. I mentioned our problem to an old friend and they offered to help when I asked and I think we can all agree that we’re going to need more help.”

“An old friend?”

“I trust them with my life Mando.”

He paused. He trusted Cara with his life and the child’s and if she said she had an old ally willing to help them then it might be worth it. It would be worth everything if they could help secure Grogu’s return.

“An hour?”

“Less,” Fett called down.

“Trust me. I wouldn’t lead you down a bad path. Especially when it comes to the kid.”

She had a point. She cared about his well being as much as anyone and was risking her own new life to help him. The least he could do was trust her now.

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

“Coordinates set,” Fett called out. “Let’s hope your friend proves useful.”

“Don’t worry she will be,” Cara responded as she went back to her seat.

“Did you serve with them during the war?” he asked as he returned to his own and took up his blaster again.

“Something like that,” Cara told him with a small smile. “It’s been a while though. Was eager to come when I told her what was happening. Crack shot. I know you’ll like her. So will Fennec.”

“I can always appreciate a woman that knows how to shoot and something tells me there’s going to be lots of shooting in our future,” Fennec commented as she settled back in her seat and closed her eyes. “Wake me when we get there.”

“You could go head down to the cargo bay and get some rest to Mando.”

“No,” he told her quickly because if he slept, he would dream and he knew they wouldn’t be pleasant. Better to stay up and keep watch. “You rest Dune. I’ll make sure our weapons are ready.”

She gave him a long look and he was grateful that she didn’t try to push him further, just nodded and closed her eyes, leaving him to the silence of the ship and his thoughts.

-

Fett docked the ship at a small backwater weigh station in the middle of nowhere on a planet Din wasn’t even aware existed until Cara had confirmed that this was indeed the place they were meant to meet her contact when she’d woken five minutes ago.

“How long will this take?”

“Ten, fifteen minutest at most,” Cara said as she sent a brief message on their comm. “They’re waiting for us. We just need to get them. You should come with me.”

“Wouldn’t that draw attention?”

“No more than me. Come. It’ll be quicker with two of us to find her.”

He nodded at her logic, put his blaster back in its place and stood.

“Lead the way.”

“Back soon,” Cara told Fennec who nodded and stood to make her way to the cargo hold.

“I’ll make room for her below. Tight fit but we’ve all done more with less.”

Din followed Cara off of the ship and into the halls of the station. It was small but crowded and she had been right when she said no one paid them any mind as they made their way through the place.

“You realize I have no idea what your friend looks like?”

“You will,” Cara said as they entered one of the main hubs. She craned her neck and Din scanned the crowd until he saw something flash from the other side of the room.

He did a double take and felt his breath catch in his throat as he focused his visor and saw exactly who he was staring at.

She did not look like the woman he’d left behind moons ago. Her simple dress had been replaced with a pair of pants and a coat made of the type of material that would be hard to cut through. Her hair had been pulled back into a simple braid that could not be easily grabbed and the nets that had once been in her hands had been replaced with a blaster strapped to one thigh while a knife rested against the other, a simple bag slung across her body as she noticed them and started to make her way through the crowd.

She looked like someone who had seen a battle before and had maybe had to fight one or two since he’d seen her last.

Still, he’d recognize her anywhere.

Her smile was still as warm as he remembered.

“Omera.”

She nodded her head in greeting.

“It is good to see you both again though I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Likewise,” Cara said as she took the hand Omera held out and clasped it. “Thank you for answering my call.”

“Of course,” she glanced around. “Let’s go back to your ship and talk. The station is innocuous enough but I’ve seen a few bucketheads walking about.”

“Right. Follow me.”

He shook himself out of his shock at seeing her again and nodded as Cara turned. He had a million questions but this wasn’t the place to ask them. Too many eyes and ears that could easily belong to those they were hunting. He followed Cara back into the halls and towards Fett’s ship this time with Omera at his shoulder, standing closer than she needed to but not enough to touch.

He chose to ignore the comfort he found in it as they walked.

He wasn't ready to deal with anything else. 

-

They were silent as they made their way up the ramp to Fett’s ship and into the cargo bay that he had graciously let them turn into a makeshift sleeping space for their mission.

“I’m going to tell Fett we’re good to go, show her where she can put her things,” Cara said with a pointed look in both of their directions before she quickly went up the ladder to where Fennec was waiting.

“She’s as subtle as a Storm Trooper trying to aim properly.”

“They might be better,” he said. She snorted as he pointed to the bedroll that Fennec had laid out near his. He rolled his eyes because of course Cara and Fennec had decided to be friends and co-conspirators. “You can put your things there. It’s not much.”

“I don’t need much,” she said as she walked over to put her bag down and then turned to him. “You have questions.”

“Too many I think.”

“Then ask your most important. We can save the rest for later.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Cara called. She told me that you needed help with a man named Moff Gideon. That he took your son. She thought I could help given my past with the Rebel Alliance.”

“So that's where you learned how to shoot.”

She grinned.

“I know my way around a few different weapons.”

“And Winta?”

“Safe with some old friends on Yavin. We left Sorgon some time ago.”

“Because of me?”

“No, all you did was remind me of who I still was,” she told him quietly. “We left because I think something is happening. No one wanted to listen in town or the village. Sorgon remained untouched during the first war. They don’t know what to look for. I do. Winta and I left to meet with friends who think the same thing. She’s been learning to fight.”

“If she’s anything like her mother is with a blaster then I’m sure she’s taking to it like a krill to water.”

Omera ducked her head at the compliment.  

“I don’t want her to need the skill but I fear it’s inevitable. The Empire never stops.”

“No,” he shook his head. “They just keep going until take everything from you. Your home, your child. Everything.”  

She took a tentative step towards him at that and reached out to place a hand on his arm. He surprised himself when he brought his hand to cover hers. She couldn’t possibly know what he meant by everything but he could see an understanding in her eyes.

They’d taken from her to and she knew enough not to ask what else they could have done to him, forced of him.

He appreciated her silence on it it more than words could say.

“I’m sorry for the loss of your home.”

“Things can be replaced. The Child cannot.”

“And he won’t be, we will get him back.”

“We will,” he repeated because there was no other way for this to end. The Child must be freed from The Empire no matter the cost. “But we may not come back from this Omera. I don’t want to leave Winta an orphan.”

“I know the risks of going after The Empire Din. I made the decision with Winta. She told me to come and help you,” she breathed. “Make no mistake about it, I don’t want to die and I will fight with everything I’ve got to ensure that I don’t but I also know that things happen in battle. If the worst happens Kes will care for her as his own. She will be safe and loved. And-and I would hope that if you survived and I didn’t that you might look in on her from time to time.”

“Yes,” he promised. “Just as I would hope that you would take Grogu if something happens to me?”

“On my honor,” she swore before paused. “Grogu? He finally has a name?”

“Yes, we are a clan of two now.”

“Grogu,” she rolled the name off of her tongue and smiled. “I like it.”

“A Jedi had to tell me.”

“A Jedi? He’s a force user?”

“You know what that is?”

“It’s been some time but yes I have a bit of knowledge on it. I can tell you and Grogu about it when we get him back. And perhaps you can tell me how you met a Jedi on your travels.”

“And then perhaps you can tell me who you are now?’

“Oh, that’s simple,” her smile turned sharp and her eyes lit up. “I’m Rebel Scum. I always have been. I tried to forget for Winta’s sake but I can’t. Not anymore. I’ll tell you all about it one day.”

He tilted his head at her in acknowledgement, this really was not the time or the place for the discussion. He was glad that Cara had called her, she was calming in a way that he hadn’t even known he needed ever since that damned plant. He squeezed her hand once before he let go and nodded towards the ladder.

“Come on, we have plans to make if we’re to succeed. I’ll introduce you to the other members of our party.”

She followed him up and into the hold where Fennec and Cara were sitting, the door to Fett’s space open so he could offer his insight as they spoke.

“Can this plan involve explosives? I hope so because I brought some.”

“Explosives?” Cara asked. “Where did you get those?”

“It’s amazing what you can acquire when you’re surrounded by old Rebels and mention needing to save a baby from the Empire. Lando let me raid his stores when he dropped me here. There was also mention of calling Han Solo in with the Millennium Falcon but I said we didn’t need the drama that would bring.”

“Kriff no,” Cara responded as Fennec wrinkled her nose at the prospect. “Good call there. Much more interested in the explosives.”

“And your other weapons, I count six on your person.”

“Seven, I like knives,” Omera told her and Fennec looked impressed. “Omera.”

“Fennec. Pilot is Boba Fett.”

Omera called a greeting up and then deferred to him. Din pulled the data stick out and handed it to Cara to load back into the system and breathed as the holo loaded in front of them.

“Well, someone got a better budget than the rest,” Omera murmured as she reached out to twist the schematics in the air. “Won’t be easy but I think it’s doable. The real question is do you want the element of surprise on your side or not?”

“Benefits to both,” Cara mused. “But a show might not be a bad idea. Not quite a Solo level of drama but some flare could work to our favor."

“It would raise all of their defenses so we’d know what we’re dealing with before we get there," Fennec added before the three of them turned to Din, determined and fierce and he thought that they might really have a chance at succeeding. 

"I have something in mind. Fett how far is your transmission range on this ship?"

“Excellent for disturbing Empire Trash.”

“Then I have a message to relay to Moff Gideon. I want him to know what happens when The Empire takes something of mine."

Chapter Text

It’s a hard-won battle but it is won in the end. Moff Gideon’s ship is destroyed and a good number of the crew with it. He had the kid back where he should be and the people that had come with him on his mission had all made it out alive. 

He had not wanted to leave Winta an orphan despite Omera’s insistence that her daughter would be well cared for.

There was a difference between having a loving living parent and being well cared for.

But still he had been grateful for her help. He’d already known she was an excellent shot but watching her in action on the ship had been breathtaking. 

It had been oddly cathartic to watch the ship burn and even more liberating to help Cara haul a still unconscious Moff Gideon off of Fett’s ship when he had docked at the nearest Republic friendly space port so she could wait for a pickup.

They had refueled and resupplied and had pushed off twenty minutes ago after they’d made sure Cara was settled. She had promised to contact him when Gideon had been dealt with and she was back with Greef.

“Yavin next?”

Omera looked up towards the pilot’s seat from where she had been applying a bacta patch to her shoulder. She had taken a blaster to it during their retreat but hadn’t let it slow her down. In fact, she’d taken down two officers to show her annoyance at being hit.

Grogu had been greatly amused at the show. Din had shot the third trooper on principal.

“That’s a bit out of the way for you.”

“Destroying an imperial ship and taking an officer into custody will bring some pursuit. It would be good to get out of the way for a few days. Would Yavin cause trouble for us?”

“No, not if I vouch for you. I’d be grateful for the ride.”

“We’ll take the scenic route, throw anyone who might be interested off our scent. Two days. Maybe less.”

“I’ll send a comm when we’re a few hours out. Let them know we’re friendly.”

“Appreciated.”

“I’ve rearranged the hold a bit to make room for our new guest,” Fennec said as she crawled up from the cargo bay with a bag of food. “The little one will be near you.”

“Thank you,” Din nodded at her as he looked down at Grogu who was happily clutching his ball and alternating between looking up at him and to Omera.

“I also left some food near your bedroll.”

“Thank you,” he repeated as he tried to remember the last time he had eaten. It felt like lifetimes ago. He knew he probably should if only to keep up his strength but he was loathe to let the child out of his sight.

“Go eat,” Omera told him quietly. “The little one can stay up here. I’ll make sure he eats something. The last thing we need is you passing out from hunger. You’re heavy and would be a pain to move.”

He chuckled and looked down at the kid again.

“Are you hungry?”

The child’s eyes widened at the promise of food and Omera laughed as she leaned over to take the child into her own lap.

“Come here little one we can get reacquainted.”

Din watched her handle the child with a practiced ease and confident that the kid was occupied and content he made his way down into the cargo hold. Omera was right, the last thing they needed was him not at his best when there were still enemies out there for them all.

-

“Din?”

The hatch cracked just a bit to let Omera’s voice filter through but stopped short of opening. He grabbed the last bite of food from the tray and quickly put his helmet on.

“Come down.”

The hatch opened further and Omera crawled down one handed with Grogu safely secure against her side.

“I’m sorry for interrupting.”

“It’s fine, I was almost done, is he alright?”

She nodded as she stepped off the ladder and walked over to him. The second they were close enough the kid’s ears perked up and he reached for him. Din took him from her arms and brought his knees up to settle him there.

“Much better now I think,” she commented. “I think he just missed you. Not surprising after everything.”

“No, I suppose it’s not,” he said, his gaze on the child as he reached down into his belt and grabbed the ball he had taken back when he’d come down here and held it out. Grogu immediately cooed at him and reached for it. “How’s the shoulder?”

“Well enough. I’ve had worse.”

“Sounds like a story.”

“I have many stories. Maybe I’ll tell you sometime.”

“Will you sit?” he gestured to the empty space beside him and she nodded and took the offered space. “You’re really alright?”

“I am,” she promised. “And you?”

“Yes,” he looked down at the child who had taken the ball and was staring at it, content and more importantly safe. “Thank you for coming when Cara called. I don’t know that we would have succeeded without your help.”

“You would have,” she told him confidently. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when your children are in danger.”

“He’s not my-”

“You said you were a clan of two.”

“We are.”

“So, you’re a family,” she said and he didn’t try to argue. She was right. The Child was a foundling and had been placed in his care. He would have done anything to get him back safe and sound. He didn’t know if that made him a father but the look Omera shot him told him what she thought of the whole thing. “One I was happy to help reunite. The bonus was blowing up an Imperial ship.”

“And now you’re going back to Yavin.”

“I am, I miss my daughter and I still have important work to do,” she paused. “Do you know what you’ll do now?”

“No, ship’s still in pieces and I doubt that he’ll stop being wanted. Especially now that they have his blood for whatever it is they want to do with it,” his fists clenched and the kid looked up at him. “Don’t worry kid you’re not going back there. Ever.”

He cooed at him and went back to his ball.

“And then there’s the new complication of Bo Katan.”

“I think you could take her,” Omera offered. “But it might help to have some back-up when the time comes.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Come to Yavin.”

“What?”

“Come to Yavin with me. Stay there while you figure out your next moves.”

“It’s not safe.”

“Is anywhere safe these days?”

The look on her face made him pause, before the mission she had said she’d left Sorgan for a reason, that she suspected something was coming and she needed to be with people who thought the same.

“The Empire’s back isn’t it? Not just the offshoots I’ve seen and fought but back.”

“We both know they never left,” she responded as she leaned against the wall of the ship. “But I think something worse is starting to grow in its place. I don’t like the way it looks. Neither do the others that I’m with on Yavin.”

“Others?”

“Old Rebels like me.”

“You’re not old.”

“I am but you’re sweet to say otherwise,” she laughed and turned her head to stare at him. “But the bonus of age is experience. If you choose to come then I promise you and he will be protected. Let the Empire and Bo Katan come. We’ll show them why we managed to win.”

There was a passion in her eyes that he recognized from when he watched her shoot her target dead center on Sorgan and now that he knew where she got it from, he could see how she managed to help defeat The Empire.

“Yavin?”

“Lovely planet.”

“It’s hot.”

“So is Tatooine. Yavin has the bonus of having me and Grogu’s second favorite person after you,” she said. “Winta still talks about him. She’d love to see him again.”

The child looked up at the name and Omera laughed and reached out to run a finger against his hand. There was no denying that the kid had developed an attachment to Winta. It might do him some good to see another familiar face after everything.

“Do you remember Winta little one? She has a new friend named Poe who I know would love to be your friend as well.”

He perked up and Omera smiled at him.

“It’s your choice. I won’t force you to come but I would like it if you did.”

“They’d welcome us?”

“They would. My home there is big enough for two more. And Kes knows Organa better than I do. She’ll help us find a Jedi to help him with his gifts. There’s also a Force tree on his property.”

“A Force Tree?”

“His son can tell you all about it. If you want to come. If not, I’ll understand. I’ll let you go but I will make sure you have a way to contact me if you do.”

“Yavin,” he repeated with a glance down at the child. “I think he’d like to see his friend again and a Force Tree seems important for him.”

“And what about you? What do you want?”

“To make sure he’s safe and happy.”

“That’s a given. It’s what I want for Winta every day. What about you personally?”

“To see more of what you suspect to be happening. To help if I can.”

“We’ll take all the help we can get. Anything else?”

She smiled at him and he felt the corners of his lips turn up. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with what he was feeling but he’d like a chance to figure it out.

“I need time.”

She nodded and he was grateful that he didn’t have to explain what he needed it for.

“Time I can give. As much as you want.”

“Then I guess we’re coming to Yavin.”

“I’m glad.”

She yawned and rolled her shoulders with a wince.

“Sleep,” he suggested.

“And you?”

“I’ll sit here with you and him.”

“You should sleep as well.”

“Not yet.”

“Are you sure? You could go up top, leave him with me.”

“No. I have a feeling we don’t want to know what Fennec and Fett are planning after they drop us. Plausible deniability.”

“I know some of what they’re thinking and can’t say I hate the idea,” she responded as she closed her eyes. “I like Fennec. I told her she could have the knife I lent her on the bridge.”

“When did you-nevermind I don’t think I want to know.”

“Plausible deniability again?”

“Something like that. Get some sleep Omera.”