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Chapter Text

"D--Manda---Dja-- King of--- Help-- Grog--" Din Djarin awoke him from his sleep to the sound of a comlink coming through his ship hull. He had the ship coasting on autopilot to catch some well deserved sleep after collecting on a bounty. He shifted, a little annoyed. Some young girl must have gotten control of her parent's coms or something as a prank. He rolled back over to go back to sleep, until he heard a familiar coo.

Grogu. Din nearly tripped over himself to get up to the cockpit. When he turned on the holoprojector he saw 10 little blue figures, younglings. Grogu was among them. They were all huddled around a young girl who could be no older than 12 with wide eyes. It was the younglings from Skywalker’s school. He’d met them before when he visited Grogu. Their Master was nowhere in sight.

"Grogu," Din answered. "Where is Skywalker?" He asked. His son shook his head and looked down at his feet. 

"Mister Mandalorian, sir?" the girl in the front squeaked. Her name was...La'leena, he reminded himself. "Master Luke sent us to these coordinates and told us to contact you when we were out of range of Endor. We need refuge." The quaver in her voice was the only way to tell how terrified the girl was. 

Something ice cold crawled its way through the mandalorian’s chest. "Refuge?"

"Master Luke sensed an attack headed our way. General Organa and Mr. Solo are known contacts, Master felt it was too obvious to send us to them. He needed to be sure no one, including himself knew our exact location, but he wanted us with someone he could trust. So he put us on this ship and sent us to you." She explained, wiping her nose. Grogu waddled forward and hugged her leg.

"Where is your Master?" Din repeated.

"He stayed behind. He said he would keep them busy while we escaped." La'leena said, voice fading as she dipped her head so Din couldn't see her cry.

Din was thrust back to a memory from one of his visits to Luke's school. A faint memory of a  blonde head, ducked down and trying to hide a blush and a smile, a hand wrapped in a black glove on studying the armor on his arm....

Din shook himself from the memory. "Give me your coordinates, I'm coming to take you somewhere safe." He said, voice determined.

Get the younglings to safety. Then, find the Jedi.

This is the Way. 

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Luke tugged at the cuffs around his wrists. He had no idea how long he had been here. Had it been long enough for the younglings to escape? Had they found the Mandalorian? Were they safe?

The ambush happened as soon as the padawans had cleared orbit. Dark Troopers dropped through the ceiling of his school. Luke began to tear them apart like he had done before, but something was different this time. They seem to anticipate his movements. Eventually the Jedi had begun to waver. A Dark Trooper behind him took the chance to stab him in the back with an electro-staff and he passed out.

Moff Gideon came to his cell aboard the Imperial Cruiser as soon as he woke up. He gave the typical bad guy speech about torture and how he'd find his padawans and take Grogu back. Luke let none of it affect him, his stoic jedi mask placed firmly on his face. Remain calm. The Mandalorian will protect the younglings with his life, just as he would.  He told himself. He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. They are safe. Moff Gideon has nothing. Nothing except…me. Luke stopped thinking, thinking was a bad idea.

Something sharp was shoved in his neck, pulling his attention back to the Grand Moff. Luke’s bound hands shot up to his neck as the intrusion was pulled away from him. Gideon wiggled the vial in front of his face. "I think your friend Princess Leia Organa is familiar with this certain formula. She would have seen it on her own IT-O machine when she was interrogated all those years ago. It will rush through you, and make your blood feel like it's boiling. You will scream their location to me."

“Fat chance, sleemo.” Luke barked. Sometimes the Rebel in him outweighed the Jedi. He bit his tongue.

The Grand Moff bent at the waist and crowded Luke’s space as Gideon glared a hole through his skull. "How a child like you could ever destroy the illustrious Darth Vader is beyond me."

Luke's eye twitched at the mention of his father's former Sith name.

"The Emperor should have eradicated you rebel scum the second he had a chance. You and that crikking, blasted princess will suffer--"

The Moff never finished his sentence. He was sent flying across the room from a headbutt the jedi just laid on him. The Imperial pulled himself up to lean against the cell wall as the Jedi stood, pulling hard at the cuffs on his wrists, once, twice, until the blue light flickered and shut off. The cuff clicked open as he tossed them to the ground, sparks flying from the fried tech. A gloved hand reached out and lifted Moff from the ground by his neck with the Force, as the Jedi's blue eyes locked on him, wide with anger.

"You. Will. Not. Threaten. Her." He grinded out through gritted teeth. Gideon's eyes widened at the show of power.

Luke was done playing victim. The kids were definitely in the Mandalorians care by now. It was time to leave. Just as the Moff’s vision begane to swim, the Jedi dropped Gideon, gasping, to the ground. He opened the cell door using the Force and walked out.

The trooper guards outside grabbed at him but Luke just shoved them back with the Force, dropping them to the ground with a thump without ever breaking his stride. One pushed himself up and slammed the alarm next to the cell as Luke broke into a run. From behind him Luke could hear Gideon telling them to put their blasters away and to wait.

Wait? Wait for what? Luke questioned as he ran. Why would they– His thoughts interrupted by a scream of agony he realized too late was coming from his own mouth.

Luke crumpled to the ground as Moff Gideon's face filled his fading vision. "Oh, young Jedi. You aren't going anywhere."

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The younglings were safe. Tucked away with Cara Dune and Greef Kargra on Tattooine, awaiting their Master’s safe return. Luke had left them strict orders to not come after him as it would risk their safety and to wait for him. Din respectfully disagreed. He informed his friends of the situation and flew out the next morning to find the Jedi. If Luke sensed a threat big enough that he had to send his students away, it was a threat the man couldn't handle on his own. Which was a terrifying thought Din mused to himself. Considering how strong Skywalker had proven himself to be.

Din thought back to their second ever encounter:

He was lonely and worried about Grogu, an aching feeling. One that intensified when he saw the bounty on the Jedi's head. Din opened the file.

--WANTED--

--LUKE SKYWALKER--

--Jedi--

--Late 20's, early 30's.--

--Blonde hair, blue eyes. --

--Weapons: Lightsaber [ancient weapon, used by the jedi. Looks like a sword made out of a kyber crystal. DO NOT TOUCH THE BLADE.) --

--Wanted for: Destroying both Death Stars. Murdering the Emperor and Darth Vader.--

Din wondered why no one had taken it. Was the jedi known to be too powerful? Did bounty hunters understand that bringing down the Empire had brought positive repercussions in the galaxy? Most likely the first, no honor amongst thieves and all that.

So he took the bounty off the wall., using his stills as a bounty hunter to track down the new Jedi temple. Before he could reach the building he was confronted by a large black cape and a glowing green laser sword. Din pulled his blaster, pointing it at the figure. They both stood there, poised for a battle, until a coo caught Din's attention, as did a tug on his pant leg.

“Grogu.” he said. The dark figure withdrew the glowing weapon and removed his hood.

“You’re the Mandalorian from the vessel.” The figure said.

Din nodded, slowly lowering his weapon.

“Welcome to Endor. My name is Luke Skywalker. Thank you for introducing Grogu to me. He is a very powerful Force user. I’ve learned as much from him as he has from me. You should be proud.”

Din nodded, unsure of what came next.

The Jedi pursed his lips, contemplating his next words. “Would you…like to stay for a bit? See what your foundling is learning?” The man offered.

And he did, for a little while at least. He began to get to know the Jedi. He learned what Luke's goals were and how he planned to train Grogu. He learned he didn't have to hunt them down to see his son again. He was simply welcome to visit.

When the credits ran low, Din had to find a new bounty, which meant he’d have to leave. Luke and Grogu walked him back to his ship. Din hugged his son, promising to return after his bounty was fulfilled. Skywalker said nothing and kept his distance, turning his back respectfully when Din took his helmet off so his son could see him. Grogu touched his cheek.

After his goodbyes, the Mandalorian guided Grogu back to his Master. He nodded a thanks to the jedi master, who returned the formal gesture. Then he turned back toward his school, gesturing with his gloved hand for Grogu to follow.

"Skywalker." Din called after the Jedi, who turned back to look at him.

"How did that happen?" He asked, pointing to the gloved hand. He didn't know what compelled him to ask, but it bothered him for a reason he couldn't place. He realized he probably shouldn't be so blunt about an injury so serious.

But the jedi just smiled that muted smile, something shifting behind his eyes. "An accident."

"An accident?" Din pushed, hoping for more.

"I'll tell you more when you come back." He said, smile widening ever so slightly. The Jedi wanted him to come back.

Din knew he would be back. And soon.

Din was pulled from the memory when his control board beeped. His tracking paid off as he found the information on an Imperial Cruiser that had been circling Endor right around the time Jedi would have been taken. 

He wouldn't lose Skywalker. He charted his course to follow the Cruiser. Now all he could do was wait.

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Luke's next few days were filled with raging pain rushing through his body. Troopers came in to get their own kicks in on him, taking his clothes and leaving him in only his undershirt and black pants. Not to mention that electricity and blood poisoning do not mix well. When he wasn't holding back screams, he was either puking or passing out from the pain. Every day he was shot with another round of that torturous poison. He couldn't remember the last time he ate or drank.

Days later, The Grand Moff came to see him again.

Luke was less aware this time, his body weak and mind fuzzy.  He only remembered him saying something about blood and taking Grogu and killing the Mandalorian. 

A small prick in his arm barely registered in his mind. Luke knew he should check to see what was happing to him, so he sat up the best he could, just to see that he had taken a vial of Luke's blood.

Luke had lurched forward, grabbing for the vial, and just ended up falling unceremoniously to the ground. The Moff stepped back with a sinister laugh as Luke gasped for breath. "Another time, Jedi."

Luke was left in pain and darkness.

Hours later, the door slid open again. Luke flinched back from the light that suddenly filled the room as a figure in black advanced toward him. Luke momentarily thought it was Dar…. someone else. 

Desperate hands grasped his shoulders, pulling him up to a half sitting position. Luke was shaking violently from his week of torture and touch only made the serum hurt more. Luke bit back a cry of pain at the contact.

"Forgive me. Forgive me, I did not know." Moff Gideon desperately begged. The malice had wiped from the Moff’s face, replaced with a regretful, but reverent look as he graspedLuke like a lifeline.

"W--what?" Luke asked through squinted eyes and dry lips.

"I never would have done this, had I known." He said, voice wavering with guilt.

"What are you talking about?" Luke nearly begged. Everything hurt, he was confused and tired. He just wanted to be left alone. 

Gideon's eyes searched his own, making Luke uncomfortable. "Luke Skywalker. Son of Anakin Skywalker, who came to be known as...Darth Vader."

Luke's heart skipped a beat. "How...?" How did he know?

The Moff showed him a chart. His blood work. That's what that my blood was for.  

"After our...encounter," Gideon rubbed at his neck and Luke realized he had outed himself when he attacked the Moff. "I realized you were stronger than any of us could have expected. But that move, that anger , seemed so familiar. I was curious. How could a kid from a nowhere sand planet destroy the Empire? How could a man barely trained be as strong as you are? How could you escape and defeat the unbeatable Darth Vader?" He explained. He was excited, which only brought the Jedi more terror. “But it’s not for nothing. Now…I have you.” 

"No." Luke shook his head, trying to block out his voice. The memory of his confrontation with the Emperor and his father still haunted him. Being electrocuted endlessly, having to drag his father's body from the falling star ship... All of it was seared into his mind and on to his heart. His world had shattered once when he learned who his Father was, and had again the day the Force reclaimed him.

"You can be our new Dark Lord." Gideon said reverently.

"No!" Luke cried. This was everything he had been fighting against. 

"Let me help you fulfill your Father's Legacy!" 

"This is NOT my father's legacy." Luke spat at the man, jerking his shoulder out of his grasp. His father had his chance to turn his son to the Dark Side. His father destroyed the Emperor to stop that from happening. He was his father’s legacy, not the Empire. 

The Grand Moff's look of reverence fell into something darker. He let go of Luke's shoulders, causing the young Jedi to fall back on the bench, breathing heavily from the encounter. "I suggest you reconsider." He said slowly, emphasizing every word.

Luke's eyes sharpened, staring the man down. "I will NEVER turn to the Dark Side."

A sinister smile slid across the man's face. "Oh. You will." 

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"I heard about you." Din had mumbled, helmet warm from the bonfire in front of him.

This was the second time the Mandalorian had returned to the Jedi's school. It was a day of celebration, and the little school was making the most of it. Food and music and a big bonfire. The kids danced around, enjoying the day.

"Oh?" Luke replied, his face was glowing in the light of the flames, his golden hair shining and his blue eyes sparkling.

"They call you Star Killer. They say you destroyed both Death Stars, those really tough bastards from the war." He said, showing Luke the bounty on him.

"I didn't act alone," Luke replied, taking the bounty device. " a lot of people gave their lives for that to happen." He was fiddling with the little device until the bounty flickered red, flashing an error sign over his file before disappearing completely. He handed it back to the Mandalorian.

"They also say you killed the Emperor and that Darth Vader person." Din looked at the device, broken.

Luke chuckled. "That Darth Vader person?"

Din shrugged. "I'm not caught up on war history."

Luke paused, pursing his lips. "I played my part..." He said, eyes suddenly distant.

Din's eyes dashed to the gloved hand once again. "Is that how that happened?"

"No." Skywalker replied after a beat, turning the gloved hand back and forth to look at it. "This was on Cloud City." Luke said, observing his hand, his expression unreadable.

"Cloud City?" Din pushed, but before the jedi could reply a ship landed across the clearing. A young woman with brown hair wrapped up in braids walked down the landing with a baby with the blackest hair he’d ever seen squirming in her arms, followed by a tall scoundrel of a man in a vest and a Wookie.

Luke's eyes darted to them, and Din was surprised at the sudden burst of jealousy he felt when he saw how they made the Jedi’s eyes light up in a way he’d never quite seen yet. "Another time, Mandalorian." Luke said, moving toward the new company, leaving Din on his own.

Din picked up the bounty device, and widened the range to scan all available bounties. To his surprise, the “Jedi - Rebel - Luke Skywalker” file was nowhere to be found in any database...

Din floated in the memory. He remembered how relaxed the young man seemed around these people who had arrived so familiar and warm.  He wished he had stayed for the rest of the party that night instead of going to bed early for his job the next morning. He would have wanted to meet the people who made Luke smile like that. He wanted to know their secret.

The control panel lit up, informing him he was approaching the space craft. He would get Luke back, no matter what.

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The Mandalorian boarded the ship without any resistance. Where is everyone? He wondered. They could have extra guards around the Jedi, he was powerful, but every single person? I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

Din couldn't help but wonder why they came after him. He remembered that horrid machine Grogu was in. Could they be using him for the same goal? Were they torturing him for information on the jedi children? It didn't matter. He was getting the jedi and they were going home.

Din turned a corner to a particularly large dark room and nearly jumped out of his armor in surprise. In the middle of the vast space sat a black armored figure with a familiar mask. It looked like that Darth Vader person. Din thought absently to himself. He had looked him up in the archives after his conversation with Skywalker. But that was impossible. The Jedi had destroyed him, hadn’t he? That is, that’s what he’d heard. The Jedi never really confirmed it. Was it some sort of messed up statue to the man? It was so still…Din tentatively entered the room, walking up the stairs to the throne that the thing sat on. He got close to its face to see if he could see anything inside.

A  limb flew up and Din went flying backwards. The Force. His rattled mind told him. He had been shoved with the Force. The figure rose to its feet, igniting it's laser sword. The green blade familiar to the Mandalorian. The thing had Skywalker’s lightsaber. The jedi had to be close.

Din pushed himself to his feet and brandished the Beskar spear. "Where is Luke Skywalker?" He demanded. The figure said nothing. It just stood  and walked down the stairs with robotic-like steps, its breathing apparatus the only sound filling the room.

In a flash of sparks, the saber connected with the spear as the fight began. The figure's movement seemed stunted, but it successfully blocked every attempt at a hit the Mandalorian tried to land. The saber came down against his arm plate, the Beskar warming under the heat of the blade. Just as it began to burn, Din shoved it off, trying to swing at it again, but the thing parried it away.

He tried to get a better look at the thing he was fighting. Upon closer inspection, it looked like an exoskeleton with a control panel in the middle of its chest. It didn't seem to be a droid and it wasn’t quite like a Dark Trooper. Was there something in there? Why didn't it speak? Was this what they were using Grogu for? He thought.

The Mandalorian managed to shove it back. The figure went high and Din took the opportunity to drop down, swiping up and under, aiming for his head. This figure dodged just in time, but the Beskar shattered the left eye of the mask and part of the breathing apparatus. Din spun around, preparing for another strike, but the sight before him made him stop cold in his tracks. The break in the mask revealed a bright blue eye, clouded by tears, falling down a pale face, leaving tear stained tracks on a grimey cheek and down over a pair of chapped, trembling lips.

"No..." Din mumbled out.

"H-help me..." Luke Skwalker begged from behind the mask.

Chapter Text

It was the third time the Mandalorian had come to visit the Jedi temple. The day after he landed, Skywalker offered a sparring session to learn how to control the DarkSaber in his possession. "How did you know about the DarkSaber?" Din asked. He never told the Jedi about the thing and never never used it near him, how did he know?

"Grogu told me.” The Jedi answered, the muted smile from the young man quelling all of Din’s worries. “He sensed you were not ready for the destiny that is attached to it. But there's no harm in learning to fight with it. Your destiny is your own to command." he offered, and Din couldn't help but wonder if Skywalker was compelled to explain that because no one thought to tell the Jedi that...

Trusting Skywalker, Din agreed. He knew the power and talent the Jedi held, and it would be exciting to fight the man, to get a grasp of his style. He kept his full armor on as always, but the jedi stuck to a tank top and a pair of brown pants and comfortable boots. Skywalker proved to be as challenging as Din had hoped. His sword stance was proper, but with just the right amount of flourishes and spins. It was fascinating. Similar to Ahsoka Tano, but so personal and precise.

"Don't force it, let the blade glide with the movement of your arm." The jedi coached as their blades clashed.

"Is this how you lost your hand?" Din asked, blocking a strike to his side.

"To the DarkSaber in a sparring match against a Mandalorian? No, this is my first experience." Luke retorted with a grin.

"In a laser sword-"

"Lightsaber." Skywalker corrected him, parrying a block.

"In a lightsaber battle?" Din finished his question as he swung his blade at the jedi. Skywalker did a backflip and blocked his strike quicker than Din had ever seen someone move. Were these jedi bound to the same laws of gravity as everyone else?

"Yes." Luke responded. He did a flourish mid swing, almost distracting Din from his next swipe, but the mandalorian recovered quickly.

"An accident?" Din asked again. The dots were not adding up in his mind. Their blades pressed hard against each other, flashes of light coming off the blades.

"As a lesson." Skywalker responded, breaking the power struggle.

"A lesson?" Din asked, lowering his blade for a moment.

The jedi huffed out a laugh, lifting his sword and nodding at Din to continue. "More later--"

"Ooooh, no, jedi. You told me it was an accident last time. I got false information, you owe me another detail." Din said, weapon still down.

The jedi paused, dropping the blade a bit to stare at Din, taken aback by his directness. "Alright, mandalorian, fair enough." the jedi responded, a grin teasing at his lips. Skywalker raised his blade again and rushed the mandalorian. The sparring continued, speeding up as Din got more and more used to the weapon. Din felt sweat dripping down his brow, noticing with a little bit of irritation that the jedi wasn't even breaking a sweat.

"Who was it? Who's lesson?" Din asked through heavy breaths. Another minute passed without an answer until Din faltered. The jedi took advantage of it and swiped the mandalorian's legs out from under him with his foot. Din hit the mat and the jedi stepped over his prone body, feet on either side of his hips, green blade pointed at his throat. They stayed like that for a minute, only the sound of heavy breathing filled the otherwise silent room. 

The green blade disappeared and was replaced with the prosthetic hand, offering to pull him up. Din took it, and the jedi pulled him to his feet. Skywalker’s face was barely an inch away from Din's helmet. Blue eyes bore into the visor.

"My father." he said, emotion unreadable. No sadness, no anger, no malice. Just a fact.

"I'm sorry?" Din stuttered. The prosthetic hand was still in his.

The jedi’s mouth pulled up to a lopsided grin. "That's enough for today." Too soon, Luke released his hand turning his back on him to collect his robe. "Come on, I believe dinner will be ready soon." He said, leaving Din standing alone in the silent room, more curious than ever before.

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Dark Troopers filled the cell and swarmed the jedi. Luke screamed, too weak to fight them off, his every nerve on fire. They dragged him from the cell and down the hall to a room that had surgical looking tools hanging from the ceiling and a table with straps. Luke pulled against them as hard as he could but couldn't get away. They got him on the table and strapped him in.

"I apologize for the harsh treatment, my Liege, but you need... motivation." The Grand Moff taunted as Luke struggled against the bonds. He was too unfocused, too lost in his terror to command the Force. Luke screamed in frustration as he tried to grasp it, but it slipped like water through his fingers.

"...And we need a new leader." Gideon continued as metal, mechanical limbs descended and a metal exoskeleton encapsulated Luke's legs and arms.

"...Once again, the Empire will have the power it needs." The exoskeleton began to cover his chest and climb up his back, and Luke couldn't help the sob that escaped his mouth.

“...Those who lost faith will see the light and we will rule the galaxy again!" A square panel with buttons was placed on his chest and the suit sparked to life, electricity hitting every nerve, making his whole body seize. The mechanics out of the way, the aesthetic began to be applied. Gloves, boots, draped material over his chest that went down to his ankles, a belt, something clicked onto shoulder pads Luke would later learn was a cape.

"...And our new Dark Lord shall ascend. And you will see reason." Gideon said, eyes ablaze, as his gaze left Luke’s face to look above him. Luke followed his gaze and was met with a nightmare. 

A mask. 

His father's mask. Darth Vader’s helmet, his trap, his prison, was descending down on him. The machines around him built up under his jaw and chin and nearly covered his mouth with the apparatus. The back of the mask was being put into place under his head.

“...And until you can accept your destiny, I will personally see to it you act accordingly.” Gideon said, ignoring the Jedi’s cries. “Can’t have you bringing down rapport among the troops, can we?”

The mask above him clicked into place. The table moved to a vertical standing position, his limbs still locked in place by the straps around his limbs.

"All Hail our new Dark Lord." Moff Gideon bellowed. The Dark Troopers all bowed. 

Luke tried to move, to run, to do anything but stand here, but his limbs didn't respond. He was trapped in the exoskeleton of his father's prison.

“All Hail the new Darth Vader!” the Grand Moff yelled. 

Luke screamed. The room remained deadly silent. Somewhere in the Force, Anakin Skywalker screamed too.

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The metal exoskeleton encased the Jedi's body, moving him like a puppet, a small electrical shock seeming to move through it every time Skywalker moved, making the only visible blue eye close in pain, pulling more tears from it.

Oh, Luke…

"Ah!" Moff Gideon's voice rings out across the room. A holograph of the man popped up in the room, arms folded smugly. "I see you've met our new Supreme Leader. Well… He will be. Sorry for his appearance, he's still...adjusting to his new role. He will soon fall to the Dark Side and become even stronger than his father." The confidence in the man's voice was terrifying.

Din's helmet snapped back to look at the jedi. Father? 

"Oh, you didn't know? The man training your ward is the son of the man who caused the genocide of the the Jedi Order. He who was second in command of the Empire. You handed your child over to the Heir of the Sith."

Din tried to catch Luke's eye, but he couldn't. By the Jedi reaction, Gideon wasn't lying...

"And?" Din replied.

"...excuse me?" The Moff responded, baffled.

"Why does that matter?" Din asked.

Moff Gideon was baffled. "Be...because his connection with the Force...his father– aren’t you–"

Din ignored the Moff, no longer speaking to him, but directly to Luke. "I never knew my father. All I had was my clan. Our fathers, our family, by blood or by bond, do not define who we are." Din said, putting the staff away and drawing the DarkSaber. "We do." Luke finally looked at him, and Din nodded at him, assuring him it wasn't just words, that he meant it.

"A wonderful sentiment, no matter how short lived." Gideon drawled. Before him, Luke seized up, the suit lighting up as it prepared to make him continue the battle. "My Dark Lord, destroy the Mandalorian and take your place as our Leader. His blood will bathe you in darkness and you will become more powerful than our Lord Vader ever was." 

"S-stop th-this!" Luke managed to yell at The Moff, stifling a scream. Despite his protests, his lightsaber swung through the air. Din blocked it just in time as it came down on top of him. The Moff only laughed once more before the holograph disappeared. 

The suit flipped Luke around, trying to out-maneuver the Mandalorian, but Din was too quick. He had sparred with the real Luke. This machine controlling the jedi was nowhere near his skill level.

"Luke! What should I do?" Din asked, blocking another blow.

"T-the panel. On my...my chest, I think it controls the exoskeleton." Luke barely managed out between gritted teeth.

“You think?” Din grunted as he barely dodged a blow. 

“Sorry, I’ve been a little busy otherwise I’d have a more definite answer for you.” Luke grumbled, before the electricity made him cry out again. Din tried to dodge under and hit the box, but the machine controlling Luke danced out of reach. 

"I need you to stop moving." Din said, Luke's lightsaber sparking across Din's chestplate. Din silently thanked the stars he had full Beskar, otherwise he'd be dead.

Luke stared at him, frustration and fear laced in his eyes. "Oh, yeah, great idea. I didn't think of that!"

"Use that Force thing!" Din gritted out as the swords pressed against each other.

"I'm trying!" As if to taunt the Jedi, the suit lit up with electricity and Luke's arm was moved up. Din was shoved back with the Force, pulling a frustrated growl from Din and a cry of pain and frustration from Luke.

He’s scared. He was in too much pain to focus on the strange ability. "Get out of your head!" Din ordered. "Focus on something good!" Luke's saber scraped along his arm plate, barely missing his arm and singing his sleeve.

Luke screamed as his arm raised against his will and closed into a fist, grasping Din in a Force choke. "No..." Luke sobbed out. The more scared Luke became the tighter the grip was.

"Luke, please!" Din gasped out, clawing at his throat. "Help me save you!"

Luke's wide eyes froze, but then slowly rolled back into his skull as he closed his eyes.

I need you. Luke called out into the Force.

Suddenly, Din felt very far away. Luke floated in a dark nothingness. It was calming, nothing could touch him here. Suddenly a bright light surrounded him like a cloud, warm as the sun and welcoming as a hug. They can't have you. A familiar voice echoed around him.

"Father?" Luke called into the bright nothingness. Something gentle engulfed him as a response. Luke was thrust back into a memory.

He was in the clearing outside his school, surrounded by forest. There were blankets on the ground, the padawans running all around. They had just finished a picnic and now the younglings had time to play. Luke always wanted to be sure they had just as much time to be young as they had training. Din and Luke stayed seated on the blanket, watching Grogu levitate something just out of another kid's reach.

"No cheating, kid." Din called out to him.

Luke laughed.

"What?" Din questioned.

"You. It's just...your relationship with Grogu. It's amazing. You really are wonderful with him." Luke said, leaning back on his hands.

"I should say the same to you. I've never seen him actually respond to anyone else like this, but from the second he met you, he just...knew." Din mused.

Luke looked at him. "Knew what?"

"That he could trust you." Din shifted, and Luke hoped he wasn't making the mandalorian uncomfortable. "And that's why I felt I could too." he followed up.

Luke tilted his head, feeling a little mischievous. "Is that why you felt you had to hunt me down and fight me? Because you trusted me?" The helmeted gaze settled on the Jedi.

"I hunted you because I didn't trust myself. I didn't trust... the trust I felt. I had to see it. I had to see you again." Din admitted.

His hand drifted closer to Luke's, just barely brushing the Jedi's fingers. Neither man moved their hand.

Luke felt a rush of light fill his body as he snapped out of the pleasant memory, and back into the present, dropping Din from the invisible death grip.

"DO IT!" Luke screamed, body vibrating as he fought the machine's effect on him.

Din moved inhumanly fast. He rushed at him and sliced the panel twice before rolling out of range as it sparked. Din's chest seized as Luke's agonizing scream filled the room, until he fell like a marionette who's strings had been cut. He rushed to Luke's side, checking that the electric pulses had stopped. To his relief, they had. He immediately began ripping away metal, fabric and leather. The mandalorian was caught off guard when Luke awoke with a gasp, shaking, chest heaving, legs flailing. His hands rushed to the mask, clawing at the thing.

"Get it off! Get it OFF!" he screamed, voice rough and high with fear. Din grabbed at the flailing limbs trying to pull Luke's hands away.

"Skywalker, Skywalker...LUKE!" Din finally said sternly. Luke stilled at his name, eyes snapping to Din. "Trust me."

Luke nodded, his movements jerky. Din set his arms down gently at the Jedi's sides and moved his efforts to the mask. It was difficult, but he finally found the release hatch on the back and it popped off with a hiss. He tossed it across the room away from the jedi. Luke let out a sigh of relief, his exhausted body finally failing him. His head rolled away from Din, revealing small dots from what looked like a needle on his neck. His face was grimey, his hair matted to his forehead with sweat, his face was tearstained. His lips were cracked and bleeding and his cheeks look sunken in, leading Din to wonder when the last time the Jedi had eaten or drank water. 

 Luke’s head snapped back to the mandalorian. "The younglings...where are my padawans?" Luke begged Din for an answer, his hands grabbing Din like a lifeline.

"They are safe." Was all he offered for now. He couldn't risk any more information until they were off this blasted ship and safe.

"You! Ruined! Everything!" Gideon’s voice echoed through the room as the doors he had just come through slid shut. Luke tensed in Din's grasp and Din pulled him close.

"You took the Child. I had plans for that little green brat! And now you take our only hope at a proper level of power? No!" The Moff shook with rage. "He will take his father's place. The entire galaxy will quake at his presence, and your child will be gutted for resources! You will --" but the imperial never got to finish his sentence. He was shot back by Din's whistling bird bombs.

Din scooped the jedi up, regretting the cry of pain it elicited from the man. Luke curled in his arms. "We're leaving." He said, resolute, until Din's keen hearing picked up on the sound of heavy marching.

"The Dark Troopers." Luke huffed out, shaking hard. Din couldn’t fight the Dark Troopers the first time around, and with the Jedi in this state, he knew they wouldn’t be able to escape them.

Gideon’s maniacal laugh filled the room "You lose, Mandalorian. The Jedi will never leave here." The Moff mocked. Din could do nothing but cling to the precious bundle in his arms, bracing for the worse. 

“He’s MINE!” The Moff bellowed. But Gideon found himself eating his words as the whole ship shook and shifted roughly. An awful tearing sound was heard as the hall connecting the incoming troopers to the throne room was blasted away. Debris fell, burying The Grand Moff Gideon with a shout. Din pulled Luke close, bracing as the room flipped. An x-wing was spotted out the window to their right and the com in the room roared to life.

"This is Red 2 to Red 5 and the Mandalorian. We've come to get you out of there."

"Wedge!" Luke managed to squeak out, nearly flinging himself from the Mandalorians arms at the sound of his friend’s voice. Din shushed him as he readjusted his grip on the younger man.

"How did you know we were here?" Din asked.

"General Leia sensed Skywalker was in danger. Lucky for you, we were nearby! She deployed us at once." The voice informed them. "How is he?" Wedge asked, professionalism gone, only a friend asking.

Din looked down at this slight form that was Luke. "Not great... He needs medical attention immediately."

"We’ll have to transport him to the medical facility on base for proper treatment. We have a cruiser nearby with a med bay for now." The pilot informed him.

"G-gideon..." Luke tried.

"We can't worry about him now. The Republic will have to deal with this Imperial on their own for once." Din squeezed Luke closer to him, then activated his jetpack, flying them to safety.

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They were packed into the medical bay as the rescue ship disembarked, flanked by four x-wings, Din's ship in tow. A few fighters stayed behind, ensuring The Moff and the Dark Troopers wouldn't follow them. Din placed Luke down on a medical bed, grimly.

The man shivered violently, a cold sweat had broken out across his body. A medical droid whirled in between them, needle in its metal hand. Luke jumped back. "No!" He screamed, arms flying up to protect himself. The droid was pushed back with a mechanical scream as Luke Force shoved it away.

Crowding Luke's field of vision, Din tried desperately to catch his eyes. "Luke! Luke you're safe, it's going to be alright. Do you hear me? It's going to help you! We need to know what they gave you."

"It hurts...everything hurts..." Luke gritted out, voice raw. How long had he been screaming? The jedi curled around his legs, for warmth or for comfort, Din wasn't sure. 

"I know, I know, but you're going to be fine. We're going to take care of you." Din offered, wrapping his arms around the Jedi and pulling him into an embrace, hand brushing down the back of Luke's head, leather gloves tangling with blonde locks. Luke's traumatized body jerked involuntarily in his arms.

"Okay…Okay, just…please...don't go anywhere." Luke asked, his ragged voice muffled in his shoulder. He uncurled an arm from around his leg and extended it to the medical droid, which approached cautiously this time. Din nodded back at the droid and it quickly got a blood sample. Luke's fingers dug into his knee, a stifled sob escaping him.

The med droid beeped and read its findings out loud. "Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was given three times the normal amount of an interrogation nuro-poison. Most species cannot sustain this. I am...not sure how he is still alive, let alone conscious." Din swore under his breath. He knew the Jedi could endure more than the average person, but he never had the urge to see it proven in such an awful way. "We'll have to begin the detox program immediately." The droid poked Luke again with a different needle containing the anti-toxin, pulling a stifled whimper from the Jedi. Din held him tighter.

"I'm not going anywhere." Din swore, holding him close.

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And he didn't.

The Mandalorian waited through it all. He wiped the jedi's brow when his hair stuck to his head. He stepped back to leave the jedi with some of his dignity as he vomited. He held his hand when he became delirious and screamed names Din didn't recognize. Twice he screamed Din's name and awoke from his delirium, grasping at the mandalorian. Din reassured him every time that it was over, with no hint of tiredness or annoyance. He was there when Luke stopped moving all together as they landed and they quickly transported him to the hospital. He was there until the brunette woman and that scoundrel in the vest came running to the Jedi's sides, asking for answers. The woman ran her hand through his hair. Din was there until they finally took Luke beyond his reach, leaving him in the hall with Luke's friends, unsure if they'd see him again.

The woman with the brown braid was the first to speak. "You are the one who found him, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma'am." Din responded.

She nodded. "I'm Leia. This is Han."

"We're his family." The man in the vest said, reaching out to shake his hand.

Din took it. "Wish we could have met in better circumstances."

"We care a lot about that kid." The man said, pulling the woman -Leia- closer for a hug.

Din turned back to look towards the doorway Luke had disappeared behind. "...so do I."

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"We had to retreat." The x-wing pilot informed the room. General Leia, Han Solo, Din, and a group of republic officers stood around the holoprojector. "Those Dark Troopers were way tougher than we expected."

"We'll get working on a counter defense for that as soon as possible." Leia said, nodding at a man with a science officer sigil on his chest. He nodded and immediately pulled up the specks on the troopers the pilots provided.

"What about Gideon?" Din inquired.

"No luck. He wasn't anywhere on the ship. We assume he must have found his way to an escape pod." The pilot responded, sounding as disappointed as Din felt.

"We'll have to relocate the jedi temple for the time being " Leia said, voice laced with regret.

"The kid's not gonna like that." Han said to her.

Leia shrugged at him before turning her attention to Din. "Where are the younglings now?"

"My colleagues are bringing them here." Din responded. He had called Greef after a long, quiet night with Luke in his recovery room. Neither of them spoke much, but Luke had piped up out of nowhere that it was time to be reunited with them. If Luke felt it was safe here, Din knew it was safe. Plus, selfishly, Din was excited to be reunited with his son again.

"Alright. When Luke has fully recovered we'll work with him on a temporary relocation. Now, let's move on to the third quadrant. Tell me about the mission in..." Leia said, changing her attention to the next problem at hand. Din excused himself and headed back to Luke's room.

"How'd it go?" Luke asked him when he entered.

"That sister of yours is a firecracker. Remind me never to get on her bad side." He replied, making Luke have to stifle a laugh.

"And my padawans?" Luke asked.

"They left yesterday. Greef is escorting them here as we speak. They should be here by tomorrow night at the latest." Din told him as he settled into the chair he had planted next to Luke's bed. "Doc says you should be out of bed by then." Luke nodded, but his gaze seemed far away. "Luke?" Din chimed, trying to pull Luke from his own mind. The jedi looked at him, a gentle smile on his lips but sorrow in his eyes.

"We need to discuss Grogu." He said. Din sat forward at the mention of his son's name. Luke sighed.

"My father was Darth Vader. The man who destroyed the Jedi Order after the Clone Wars. He was a wonderful Jedi and a formidable Sith. His darkness knew no bounds for many years." Luke looked down at his hand, rubbing at the place where the skin met metal. "The Emperor, his Master, saw the same potential he saw in my father in me. He arranged for me to kill him. We fought, and I was so...so angry. I cut off my father's hand and...I saw something my rage made me forget." Blue eyes met his visor. "That he and I weren't so different. If it weren't for my friends and my teachers, and my experience as a person before I became a Jedi, I easily could have fallen too. I was lucky. I learned from his mistakes. He couldn't."

Luke took a deep breath, steadying himself. "But that doesn't mean I am infallible. So I wanted to let you know that I don't blame you if you feel I am not the teacher you want for your child. If you need to remove him from my care, I will understand." Luke said simply.

Din blinked at him. "That's insane."

Luke scoffed. "Tell me about it."

"No, no, not your history. I'm sorry about the pain you suffered then. But...Luke...why do you think I'd trust you less?" He asked sincerely.

"Why wouldn't you?" Luke replied, voice barely above a whisper.

Din reached up for his helmet and removed it. Luke, ever caring, ever considerate Luke, turned his head and closed his eyes. Din gently cupped one of his cheeks, guiding it back toward Din's face. "Luke, look at me." He said, calmly. The Jedi opened his eyes tentatively.

"You are the strongest, bravest man I have ever met. No one, not you, not Moff Gideon, not even Darth Vader could convince me otherwise. I trust you completely." Din said, voice steady.

Luke didn't respond, but he tilted his head further into Din's gloved hand, his own setting down over it, a tear of relief escaped his eye. Din's thumb swiped it away. They stayed this way for a while before Luke finally spoke. "And they say that Jedi and Mandalorians are to be sworn enemies." Luke mused.

"Maybe our shared enemies knew how powerful we were together. They had to keep us fighting." Din guessed.

"They can't keep us apart anymore." Luke responded, his voice resolute.

"No. Not anymore. Never again." Din confirmed.

"Looks like I owe you one." Luke said, taking Din's hand from his face and holding it in his own.

Din shrugged. "Well..."

"Yeah?" Luke asked, curious.

"You can finally tell me how this happened." Din said, poking Luke's prosthetic. "Full story this time, Skywalker."

Luke laughed. "In the morning."

"Okay. Scoot." Din said, tapping Luke's side.

Luke's eyebrow shot up. "Are you staying?"

"Yeah. I wanna hear that story. No excuses if I'm here when you wake." Din explained simply, placing his helmet back on his head.

Luke laughed. "Alright, mandal

orian. But if that armor gets too pokey I'm shoving you off this bed.:

"I'd like to see you try." Din responded as he settled in.

When Leia came to check on her brother in the morning, she found him and the Mandalorian wrapped up in each other, fast asleep.

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THE END

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