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Grogu’s eyes were wide with excitement as he took in the assembled Mandalorians at the ceremonial living waters. He shifted in Din’s arm, straining to his tiptoes to watch as his friend, Ragnar, descended the stairs to the bottom rung, where Din had fallen in all those months ago and Bo had jumped in after him. Grogu shuddered remembering the fear of that moment.
Looking back up at Din, Grogu took comfort in the fact that once again they had been reunited, and a mischievous smile crept over the child’s face. Din was riveted to the ceremony taking place before them, however, and Grogu turned to look as Ragnar’s helmet was doused in the sacred waters. The Ceremony came to an end, and Din began striding forward.
Grogu looked from side to side at the assembled Mandalorians of both factions before Bo-Katan’s helmet caught his eye. He waved to her as he passed, and she bowed her helmet in his direction. Grogu could feel her emotions swell as Din set him down on the steps near the water. Her love for both Din and Grogu was easy to feel, though Grogu knew Bo did not fully comprehend what she was feeling. It was the same confusing storm of emotions rolling off Din as they passed, and while each individually was complicated, when the two sets of emotional signals were felt together, as only Grogu could feel, they became harmonious, and fully in tune with the way Grogu felt when he drew on the Force.
Din stooped down, and Grogu stepped from his arms to the step below, awaiting his next instructions. He stared up at the back of the Armorer’s Helmet, excitement and anticipation coursing through his mind.
“Grogu is my Apprentice,” declared Din to the assembled tribes and especially the Armorer, “He is no longer a Foundling. Add him to the song.”
Grogu drew in a deep breath and tried to stand up as straight and tall as he could. More than anything, he wanted to make Din proud.
“He is too young to speak,” replied the armorer without moving, “so too young to take the creed. He must remain a Foundling.”
Grogu deflated, the words that followed washing over him without his notice. He had wanted so badly to make Din and Bo proud, and to take part in the culture that they championed. He thought of how long it had been since he had been part of a tribe like this, and how painful having that stripped from him had been. And now, here he was denied again-
“Then I will adopt him as my own,” Din’s words cut through the fog of Grogu’s disappointment like a knife through hot butter, and Grogu turned toward Di- no, turned toward his Father, eyes wide and heart suddenly full to bursting with joy.
“This is the Way,” Replied the Armorer before turning to face the assembled Mandalorians and proclaiming, “Let it be written in song that Din Djarin is accepting this Foundling as his son.”
Turning to Grogu, the Armorer addressed him directly, “You are now Din Grogu, Mandalorian Apprentice.”
Grogu looked up to Din, and could feel the love pouring through his father’s emotions. Behind him, he could feel Bo’s smile and affection growing ever deeper for both of them.
“You must leave Mandalore,” continued the Armorer, “and take your apprentice on his journeys, just as your teacher did for you.”
At this, Grogu felt a flare of excitement mixed with worry roll off his father. Confused, Grogu reached out with the force, and saw that the worry was not for him, but for Bo. Tuning his mind back to her, Grogu felt the same curious mix of pride and dread. He tried to send calming waves to both through the force.
“This is the Way,” responded Din, pushing his emotions away, Grogu looked back at the Armorer and nodded his agreement. He could barely contain his excitement for the future.
Looking into the water, he suddenly became aware of another being giving off waves of excitement. Reaching out through the force again, Grogu made connection with a creature he had never seen before, yet instinctively knew bore him nothing but good tidings for the future. This Mythosaur, he realized, had been waiting for him a long time. It wished him good luck in his journeys and bid him return when he was ready.
△△△
After the Ceremony, Bo had been called away by the Armorer to discuss preparations for recommissioning the Great Forge, and then been called to a planning council meeting discussing how to establish communications with the greater galaxy and finally had seen to drafting a protective watch cycle to ensure no other surprises awaited them. It was dark by the time she was finally freed from her responsibilities as the Mand’alor and could search for Din and Grogu.
It had been surprisingly easy, now that the two tribes had fought together, to create a ruling council that was balanced by members of both sides. With both Axe and the Armorer advising her, planning to restore the city below the surface at Keldabe was going smoothly, both factions contributing ideas about how to use the wreckage of both Sundari and the imperial base to aid in the reconstruction efforts.
As she stepped out of the communications center of the former imperial base, which had been cleaned and turned into the makeshift ruling council chamber, she keyed her comm for Din and waited for him to answer. After a moment, the familiar shine of his Beskar helmet took shape in front of her, colored a pale blue and warbling in the way all communications did on the surface of Mandalore for the moment.
“Bo,” he said, his voice excited but also tinged with something Bo-Katan could not define, “are you done for the day?”
“Yes, finally,” yawned Bo, “Where are you? Can we meet?”
Din nodded, “that sounds wonderful. I’ll meet you at the Gauntlet in 10 minutes. Gotta get the little guy fed and dropped off with the Armorer. She’s going to give him his first set of real darts for his journeys and teach him how to use them.”
Bo nodded, her mind going back to her first journeys in her early training with her father. Adonai Kryze had spent hours working with her on her aim, and she must have seen a million rocks blasted before her from Rishi to Dantooine. The memory had not occurred to her in ages, and for the hundredth time in as many days, she found herself looking back on her family, seeing the parallels between that brief but loving time in her life and the new family she was building now. Once, she thought she might leave the Kryze name altogether and blaze her own path in the annals of Mandalorian history; now, she found herself relishing her connection with Grogu and Din as though they were already a family, and one she could share her legacy with. Coming back to reality, she signed off the comm and made her way to her ship.
Stepping up the ramp and into the Gauntlet, she made her way to the small makeshift cabin she now used as her sleeping quarters. Once in the room, she removed her helmet and rolled her shoulders. As she waited for Din’s arrival, she let her mind wander to the ceremony that morning.
She had been overjoyed to be present when Din took Grogu as his own child, and the moment had kindled an urge to join this small clan, one she realized had been brewing for some time, even back in the early days after Din had taken her to the Covert. Every night since they had landed on Mandalore, she had spent with Din and Grogu. She found that when she did, the nightmares of her past, of Deathwatch and of the Purge, didn’t come. She found she slept completely through the night, and knew for the first time in many, many years that the arms that encircled her would be there in the morning to protect her.
She also found herself drawn to Grogu, as though the child were hers as well to protect and train. She took solace in the child’s presence, and loved telling him stories about her childhood. The way the kid had taken to sitting in her lap when she flew the Gauntlet had made her feel needed in a way she had never experienced before.
Then, almost immediately upon the completion of the ceremony, the Armorer had assigned the Mudhorns to leave Mandalore and begin the formal training process. Bo’s heart had immediately dropped to her feet along with her jaw. She knew the value of the year-long journeys out into the galaxy. They were designed to help young recruits navigate the galaxy at large, and have them test their hunting, tracking, and combat skills in the real world, yet she had hoped she might have more time with both of the Dins to train them and prepare them for their journeys. There had even been, she now realized, a small part of her that had hoped to be able to join them.
Yet the reality that her two boys would be leaving right away, just when she was at the start of her work in rebuilding the planet, gnawed at her. There was still so much she wanted to say. To Grogu, she wanted to impart the wisdom of her parents and sister, the knowledge she had gained as the last survivor of her clan, all of which might have helped the apprentice on his journey. She wanted to share her own emotions from the time of her journeys with the child to help reassure him and protect him.
She had even more to tell Din. Those nights together had been a balm against the hard times. She heard his voice in her head as she guided her people through battle and now reconstruction. She looked for his bright, unpainted armor among the crowds, hoping to catch a glimpse with him. She longed for their times together, when she didn’t have to be the leader of their people, but instead could just be Bo.
They had reached a place of nebulous understanding. They were together in some form, but whatever she was to him, they had not had time to discuss what their future might be. She knew what she wanted, for Din to be her partner, her right hand, her protecting Knight. She wanted to train Grogu with Din, and prepare him to be whatever kind of Mandalorian he chose. Yet how could she tell Din this now, when his son, the child she wanted to help raise, required them to separate for at least a year?
“I see the day has been full,” Din’s polite and quiet voice broke her from her meditation, “Should I come by later instead?”
Her sharp intake of breath betrayed her surprise, and as she turned to face him, brushing a strand of her fiery hair out of her face, she blushed. He stood in the cabin hatch doorway before her, his helmet tilted slightly down, as though bowing his head in respect. His unpainted Beskar, shined and cleaned after the battle, shown brightly even in the artificial light of the drop chamber. He held one hand on a hip, and the other firmly behind his back.
“No, if anything, Din,” she said tiredly, eyeing him head to toe, “I need you here more than I need quiet.”
Bo felt warm, her cheeks flushing and heart thumping behind her armor. She stepped closer to him, closing the gap quickly, until she had to look up at his visor like it was his eyes. Din, meanwhile, used his free hand to hit the controls for the cabin door before he reached up to remove his helmet.
Bo wrapped her arms around Din’s neck, pulling him closer. He placed his hand on her back, gently holding her to him before he spoke.
“I’m here, I’ve got you,” he soothed her, “now tell me what’s going on. Is there a problem with the council?”
“No no, nothing like that,” she responded hastily, “It’s…”
Her words trailed off as she realized her eyes were beginning to well up with tears. Lifting a gloved finger up, she broke their hold and turned away, wiping the tears before they could fall. She didn’t know how to tell him that she feared with Grogu’s journeys before him, she might be losing her anchor, with the rough seas of rebuilding their planet and culture ahead.
“Bo,” Din spoke, breaking the silence, “I hate to see you like this. What can I do to help?”
Bo turned back to him, locking eye to eye. She could see his heartfelt concern in those deep brown pools, and she felt herself slowly calming. For in those eyes, she also could see a calm, if sad, understanding. He knew.
“I’m scared, Din.” she whispered, the wall between them tumbling in slow motion silence as her words hung in the air, “I am scared of where our paths lead. Since that day you brought me to your covert, you have been there with me, and now…”
“Now Grogu and I must go,” Din finished for her. Bo sagged again, her face looking down at the floor. They stood in silence for a time, each trying to decide where to take the conversation after that. Finally, Din broke the silence as Bo held her breath.
“Bo,” He spoke, as though searching for the exact words to bare his soul to her, “I want you to know something.
“I have been alone for most of my life. To me, the concept of family was always a distant memory, something I never thought I’d see again. And then one day, on a job, I met Grogu. Did you know he was a bounty of mine? Did you know I surrendered him and was paid for his delivery?”
Bo looked up sharply, her eyes wide.
“But I knew in my heart it was the wrong choice,” Din continued, “so I went back for him. And we became a clan of two.
“The way he felt to me, like I’d known him all my life, took me until now to describe.”
Bo cast her eyes down again. Of course Grogu would come first for Din. When they’d first met, he had told her the child was his only priority. And now that he was Grogu’s father, that must remain so forever.
“You must take him on his journeys,” she said with resignation, “This is the Way.”
“Bo,” he quickly responded, closing the distance between them, “That’s the same way I feel about you.”
Her eyes flashed to his, and in them she saw resolve strong as beskar, and warm as the campfires they’d slept by when hiding with the covert. She watched, rooted to the spot as he reached behind him and drew something from his belt. Her heart stopped as she saw him present his old blaster.
“In our covert,” he began, “The giving of weapons is viewed as a seal of promise. This blaster was a gift from my teacher when I graduated from the fighting corps. It has been my primary weapon since then.” He carefully inspected the weapon as he spoke. While Bo had thought it incinerated in the crash of the cruiser into the base, it appeared Din had not only found it again, but had indeed done his best to clean it and put it into working order.
“Lady Kryze, I offer you this weapon as a promise that while we are parted by our duty, I remain in your service and protection. I will return to you, as will Grogu. And should you choose to have us, we will join you when you call.”
Bo was speechless. Her fears had been laid out plain, and yet here was Din, once more, calming and caring in the way he had all this time. She took the blaster from him, turning it over carefully in her hands. Looking back to Din, she saw him grin as she checked the power pack.
“Din, I can’t…” she began, but the Mandalorian raised his hand to gently stop her before speaking again.
“Bo, I want you to have this,” Din whispered, “I wish our time was longer here, but as we must leave for Grogu’s training, I need you to know how important you are to us. To me.
“Without you, I’d never have survived the mines, and my son would be lost. Without you, I would have no purpose, no meaning. The suns of a thousand systems could burn away all that I am and I’d still be so grateful to have lived with and known you. I know we must part now, and I can’t ask of you to wait for our return, but-”
Bo launched herself back into his arms, dropping his blaster to the deck of the ship as she wrapped her arms back around his neck and crashed her lips into his. It was a passionate, hungry kiss and both deepened it naturally. Bo melted into the embrace of Din’s arms, feeling so vulnerable there, and yet in her heart burned fiery passion. Her fingers carded through his hair, alternately caressing and teasing it with her fingers.
Presently, they broke apart, each breathing heavily as it became apparent that their armor was too restrictive. Bo kept her eyes locked on Din’s, before she reached behind her and released the seal on her jetpack. Din did the same, before removing his vambraces. Soon, there was a growing pile of beskar, both pure metallic colored and blue, strewn on the floor of the ship
“Din,” Bo shuddered, revealed to him as he was to her, “You never had to ask. I’m yours.”
△△△
The morning had dawned hazy, and the atmospheric storms that circled the planet appeared angry on the horizon above the sunrise. Grogu waited patiently in his hover pram, watching his Dad load their supplies into the N-1 with the help of Bo-Katan. He had spent the night with the Armorer, who had instructed him until the sun came up, giving him a stunning view of their new home world that had sent Grogu’s little heart soaring. This feeling had continued when the Armorer had taken him to Bo’s gauntlet and left him for the night with a much more casual and dressed down Din and Bo, neither of whom now seemed at conflict over the journey Grogu was about to embark on with Din.
The last of the supplies packed, Grogu floated closer to his two protectors. He noticed the casualness with which they touched each other, and saw that Din’s old blaster was now tucked into the back of Bo’s gunbelt, a third pistol in easy grasp. Grogu smiled to himself as he saw that sweet gesture and lept into Bo’s arms.
Bo laughed heartily as she caught Grogu.
“Careful, little guy!” she joked, “I’m still pretty sore!” Grogu giggled and turned his head side to side before Bo raised him up and touched his forehead to her own.
“I’m really going to miss you, kiddo,” Bo intoned, “So I need you to make sure your Dad comms me as often as possible.” Grogu nodded, and turned towards his dad. Din, for his part, stood up tall and put both of his hands on his hips.
Despite his attempt at a serious tone, Din couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he responded, “Grogu, tell your Manda’lor that as soon as she gets a working signal array, her first call will be from us.”
Grogu turned back to Bo, and nodded his head. She smiled and nodded back, before hugging the child fiercely.
“Take care of him for me, kid. You’re both very important to me,” She whispered to him, before walking closer to Din. Reaching out, Din took Grogu in his arms.
“What do you say kid, ready to go?” asked Din before he placed the kid on the wing of the N-1. Grogu nodded, before pointing at Din, babbling, and then pointing at Bo. Din stepped closer to Bo, and then stopped and kneeled before her.
“Lady Kryze,” Din began, “We are about to embark on the Journeys for the training of the Mandalorian Apprentice, Din Grogu. We ask your blessing on this path, and declare our unending loyalty to you.”
Bo-Katan smiled, the barest hint of a laugh dancing across her eyes, and proclaimed, “Din Djarin, on the occasion of your departure, I confer on you my blessing, and the wish that you will act as an ambassador for our planet. In order that you might do so, I hereby appoint you to the ruling council of Mandalore, as my chief advisor for interplanetary affairs. Do you accept this position?”
Din drew in a breath sharply as he looked up at her, and then nodded in agreement.
“And to you, Din Grogu, I confer my blessings as well as this,” Bo Katan spoke, drawing a small package from her boot. Holding it out for the child to take, Grogu saw that it was a truncated part of the Dark Saber hilt. It had been reforged the day before by the Armorer at Bo’s request, with some of the broken material removed leaving it perfectly sized for Grogu’s small hands. Deftly, Grogu called the hilt to him and examined it in his hands.
“The Crystal at its core was shattered by Moff Gideon,” Bo-Katan continued as Grogu’s eyes met hers again, “But I have put out feelers to find where you might acquire a new one. May this Blade ultimately serve to protect you and your Father, that you might return to Mandalore soon. This is the Way.”
“This is the Way,” responded Din, and Grogu nodded. After a moment, Bo walked forward and brought Din to his feet before bringing his helmet down to touch her forehead. After a moment, they broke their touch and Din turned and began climbing into the N-1, where Grogu joined him in the cockpit. Climbing up to the craft, Bo looked into the cockpit one more time, placing a kiss on Grogu’s head, before turning to Din.
“Come back to me.” she said once more, and Din lifted his helmet off his head for a moment, and kissed her passionately one more time.
”Until our paths cross again, Bo,” Din promised.
“Until our paths cross again, " she responded, smiling back at him.
And with that, Bo stepped back and the canopy closed. Grogu shifted himself up to see Bo drop away as the ship climbed, waving to her until the ship was into the clouds and she was but a vibrant memory, looking beautiful and proud, but also deeply sad. Settling himself back into Din’s lap, Grogu looked to his father, sensing a similar emotion there.
“Are you ready, son?” asked Din. Grogu nodded, and with the flick of a switch, the N-1 jumped into lightspeed, the future stretching out before them like the star lines surrounding the ship on its journey.