#kyr'bes

[jonathananubian]

Tattoo~

Finally got it today for May The 4th! Based on my own personal Kyr'bes design~

[catboy-pentheus]

behold! my incredibly mid song translation skills:

Mando'a:

Kaysh kyr'bes nau'ur goyust vaal mhi slanar (his crown illuminates the road as we go)

Be'chaaj ibice droten mhi ru duumir ash'amur (away (from) these people we let die)

Mhi nu sha yaim, mhi nu sha yaim, mhi nu sha yaim (we (are) not at home, we (are) not at home, we (are) not at home)

A su Mando, a su Mando, a su Mando (but still Mando, but still Mando, but still Mando)

Original English:

His crown lit up the way as we moved slowly

Past the wondering eyes of the ones that were left behind

Though far away, though far away, though far away

We're still the same, we're still the same, we're still the same

if you have constructive criticism to offer that's wonderful but please be nice about it lol

[ao3feed-techphee]

Buried Alive

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/72OfadM by archivewriter1 Back on Pabu, Echo just wanted to take Hunter's twins for a day at the beach. Crosshair came along for a nap in the sun. Koda decides sleeping at the beach is unacceptable and must be met with shenanigans -- he learned how to be a menace from his uncles, after all. Cassie minds her own business, Crosshair wakes up annoyed, and Echo laughs so hard someone needs to come pick him up. Words: 1319, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Cartoon) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Other Characters: CT-9901 | Hunter, CT-9903 | Wrecker, CT-9902 | Tech, Omega (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), CT-9904 | Crosshair, Sheona Kyr'bes, Phee Genoa, Darik Kyr'bes, Cassie Kyr'bes, Koda Kyr'bes, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo Relationships: Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch & CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo, Crosshair & CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & Hunter & Omega & Tech & Wrecker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), CT-9901 | Hunter/Sheona, Phee Genoa/CT-9902 | Tech Additional Tags: Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch as Family, Protective Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch, Brotherly Affection, Affectionate Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch, Soft Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch, Soft CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo, Soft CT-9904 | Crosshair, Soft CT-9903 | Wrecker, Day At The Beach, The Bad Batch's kiddos!, Hunter's Twins, Hunter's Kids Are Crazy, sand, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo has PTSD, CT-9904 | Crosshair Deserves Better, Clone Troopers Deserve Better (Star Wars), Clones Troopers Are the Best Uncles, Family Fluff, Family Bonding, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo is an Uncle, CT-9904 | Crosshair is an Uncle, They're all uncles, and they're all loving this, CT-9904 | Crosshair Rejoins Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch, Good Older Sibling CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo, Good Sibling CT-9904 | Crosshair, Family Shenanigans, Original Character(s), Uncle-Nephew Relationship, Uncle-Niece Relationship, CT-9902 | Tech Lives, he's alive, and his kid is the only chill one out of the group read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/72OfadM

[cheesetheknifebreaker]

Current armor for my SW5e pc Kyr’bes

[izzyovercoffee]

Any endearments specific for close friends/non blood siblings? Or just any root words that can be made into endearments? Like when you nickname someone based on qualities they have (The last one was amazing btw)

Oh sorry !! I forgot to elaborate in that last post B’)

Ner vod is not specifically blood relations; ner vod is the term used to indicate someone is very close to you, like a sibling, or like family—in the sense of incredibly close or important bonds / connections with each other. Mandalorians don’t emphasize blood relations whatsoever—it’s just not something generally seen as important as compared to found family, or chosen family. 

So vod is, essentially, the general term of affectionate address, or in this case when addressing someone you would use ner vod, “my friend,” to indicate they hold a close place to you. It’s not a word that would be used (or, rather, it should not be used) sarcastically, neither would/should it be used ironically. It’s meant to be genuine most of the time—and when it’s not genuine, that’s a good indicator that something is very, very wrong.

edit:: cyar’ika, or cyar’vod, is also a good word to use here, as it would mean my darling, or my close friend—again, it can be used as a platonic term of endearment, and it’s stronger than vod.

When nicknaming somebody based on the qualities they have, it can get kind of complicated, or it can be kept simple, depending on the context. 

For this example … let’s go with Finn.

I often refer to Finn as brave. The word for brave is kotep. 

If one wanted to, say, refer to him as “my brave one,” it would really be like … ner kotep’cya, or ner kotep’ika, or ner kotep’ad. It’s all dependent on context. 

The first would indicate he is beloved, or deeply loved—this one, context matters. Coming from his mother, for example, would have a wholly different meaning attached to that love than, say, if it were coming from Rey. 

The second is more like how one might say “my brave son” or “my brave boy,” since the ‘ika diminutive is attached, and thus carries that context of child, or small / little, and so it may even go so far as to imply “my brave little one” — hence why I emphasized so hard on ‘ika being private, or in a room of close friends and family. It’s not really something appropriate to say in a crowd of people, of strangers, except to embarrass, or under great emotional distress (like, say, a family reunion after a long separation, then it would be appropriate). 

The third carries a similar implication, but ‘ad has also been used to not just indicate child, but rather child of—so in this case, my child of bravery, or my brave one. Literally borne of bravery, in a sense. 

Kairtep would also fit here, as kair’ is replacing the hard koh, and thus would indicate him as being desperately brave of heart, something that can be used as description—but also a word that can double as an endearment, too. 

To circle back to vod, one could also refer to him as ner kotep vod, my brave friend, and attach ‘ika, ner kotep vod’ika, for extra affectionate emphasis, or ori’, ner ori’kotep vod, my very incredibly brave friend, and even ner ori’kotep vod’ika.

Generally, the key is to find the trait we’re looking to use, and then see how we can bend it, or elaborate upon it further. Puns, also, are great, if you can figure out a way to make them — because I insist that mandalorians genuinely love puns, and puns lend extra emphasis where there wasn’t before… but they can also be fairly difficult to do, so it’s not like … a necessity.

Hopefully that helps a little more B’) 

[orpheusilver]

THE JACKET IS COMPLETE

front + back

in order: the meat droids geonosis drudge back piece, jaig eyes on the upper back, kyr'bes on the arm, imp punks fuck off on the front right, aliit ori'shya tal'din on the front left, sabine's phoenix on the upper front left

[folklord]

3. winless fight

part 3 of HOAX series | din djarin x f!reader (au)

ao3 | my masterlist

summary: when you promised the Empire that you would destroy Mandalore, you did not expect that approximating your old friend would become yet another obstacle in your hoax. Suddenly, to know Din Djarin was to watch the death of your past plans and, at the same time, the creation of a faithless love.

warnings: this part is about war, literally. mentions of blood, death and injuries. emotional vulnerable din. season 2 spoilers. but don't worry, next one is all about romance | word count: 2k

thanks @mrpascals for the review <3

About ten Mandalorians stared intently at the Mand'alor instructions in the meeting room. All war strategies were taught by him in a didactic way and all questions were calmly answered. You were there for about ten minutes, waiting for your permission to speak. Bo Katan and Vizla often questioned Din about his tactics, but the two seemed to have opposite ideas. Din acted as a mediator between the polarities in the room.

"Can the Empire's presence be confirmed?" The Mand’alor asked, bringing you back to the present moment.

“I did a meticulous analysis. It was, in fact, a kind of BT-1, the ancient droid of Darth Vader.” All the Mandalorians began to whisper upon hearing the famous name, while Din continued to stare at you. “But that doesn't mean anything. The circumscribed initials are from a disabled imperial cruiser. And believe me, the Empire would not send messages or threats in the form of carcasses.”

Silence filled the room for a few seconds until Din’s voice echoed between the walls:

“You may leave. Kaya, please stay.”

It was surprising how everything was going according to your plan. Every person who left the room stared at you, especially Bo Katan - you already knew her from past situations, but her crystal eyes seemed to burn you when they analyzed you from head to toes.

Approaching Din after the last soldier left, you noticed that the visor was facing a specific place: Keldabe, the old capital. He seemed to have lost himself in his thoughts, so you decided to start a conversation.

"Din, if I may ask…" he turned to you, "Why are you so sure an imperial invasion will happen?"

"Because I screwed up Moff Gideon's plans." The tone of his voice as he spoke that very specific name sent goosebumps through your body. You kept staring at the helmet, waiting for him to explain even though you already knew what happened. “The child… Grogu was special. He is special… He was important to the Empire”

“Grogu…” you repeated the name, as an affirmation.

“Moff gave me the darksaber so easily, and laughed at Bo Katan's frustration when she saw me with the weapon that she wanted so badly… But he didn't care, as long as he had the kid.” His voice cracked. You could swear his eyes were teary. “But he didn't expect… No one expected a Jedi to save Grogu. Gideon shivered in fear as Luke Skywalker destroyed all of his droids, and he did it all alone.” The last word was said almost in a whisper. “The Empire does not dare to challenge him to get Grogu back, not without the saber that is now in my hands…”

“And you are sure that they will come because they know that Mandalore is already too weak to fight...”

Your words were chosen carefully. Din turned to face the board, and his left hand held a miniature of a Mandalorian soldier so tightly that you could only see half the helmet escaping between his thumb and forefinger. In that instant, you knew it was the perfect time for your next move because it was clear that Din took everyone out of the room to be alone with you, so he could be vulnerable. He trusted you enough to let you watch even the human being behind the tiniest beskar slowly slip between his fingers.

“Din, you saved my life… and it was so easy for you…” stepping closer, you took his hand between yours. The black glove was rough on your skin, but you didn't hesitate to draw small invisible circles over it with your thumb until Din was slowly undoing his fist. “I noticed, two different groups are respecting you and they are all fine… The child, Grogu, is fine” the miniature Mandalorian soldier was already a little crumpled, but you kept it on his palm. "There is no other Mandalorian with more honor than you."

When you finished the sentence, Din tried to remove his hand, but you pulled him by the fingers. The miniature fell to the ground, but the loud sound its fall produced was unimportant when you decided to hold his right hand as well. His hands were so big that they covered yours, but you found a way to fit them between your palms.

"I did what I had to do." His voice cracked.

“You did so much more…” you looked directly into the visor, trying to meet his eyes. “He wasn't your son and you crossed the galaxy to rescue him, you fought ruthlessly against villains to have him back… That's all Mandalore needs, a protector, a lover…”

“It was this love for him that made me less Mandalorian.”

The words came out with tremendous anger and pain. His hands dropped yours into the air, making you realize again how cold Mandalore's air was today and how he had warmed you. You rubbed your palms together to recover from the heat shock, while his last sentence still echoed in your ears. What made him less Mandalorian and yet worthy of the Crown? What had Moff Gideon not told you?

"Din, I-"

"Sir!" A child in mandalorian armor ran across the room to Din, leaving your words stuck in your throat. "Mand’alor, the Empire is here!"

His exit from the room was so fast that you almost didn't see it, and in the seconds you tried to process what had just happened, the first imperial attack came upon the skies: you saw through the window that the place you admired, where the children were playing yesterday, was already on fire.

"Kaya!" The same child who alerted Din called you, pulling you by your cloak. "The Mand'alor told me to give this to you." He handed a key into your hands. "He told you to take your weapons and go to the Great Room: Burc'ya vaal burk'yc, burc'ya veman."

The key was to the Kyr'bes Room, you deduced. Din had given you the key to the entire Mandalorian arsenal, unaware that you were the greatest imperial weapon - and you were pointed directly at him.

(...)

The next few moments went out so fast that you didn't have time to think. With the key in your hand, you opened the room and searched for your weapons. The rest of the arsenal was made of the kind of weapons that not even the soldiers could carry with their bodies and that would, therefore, also be useless to you. Din's voice echoed down the hall, mixed with the screams and doors being rashly shut.

With your weapons, you ran to the Great Room, the same one you were greeted in. Din was standing next to his throne, in front of hundreds of Mandalorians, all facing their Mand'alor.

“…and you know they only want me. So protect your ade, Mandalore's future must remain safe"

All the children were taken to a corridor on the right, and you noticed that none of them hesitated or cried. This was the most beautiful example of how Mandalore culture raised their warriors.

“We know all the strategies and we know that there are no better creatures than the Mandalorians when it comes to wars. But we also know that our weakness is in our differences. Don't you dare fall into the imperial tactic of playing us against each other… this is the oldest trick in the galaxy, and it always works.”

Din took his darksaber and walked across the room until he was face-to-face with Bo Katan.

“Someone once told me: Mandalorians are stronger together. This is the way.”

The huge doors began to open as some Mandalorians put on their helmets and took up position. The Mand'alor, in front of them all, held his saber in his right hand and the beskar spear in his left. You saw at the opening, the glare of the imperial bombs hitting the planet's ground.

“Aruetii! Aru'ela!” someone in the crowd shouted. You knew what it meant: foreigner, enemy.

Suddenly, the doors closed again. The rattling of armor echoed off the palace walls and all the Mandalorians turned against you. All the blood in your body was frozen.

One of them, in blue armor, came out of the crowd with a spear similar to Din's and pointed it at you, positioning it right in your chest. You almost acted on impulse and wrenched the spear from your body to start a fight, but Din's visor — highlighted over the crowd by the reflection of the darksaber's light — made you hesitate.

"What are you implying?" You tried to speak as calmly as possible.

"You entered the room confirming that this was an imperial droid. In the next moment, they are already on our planet. Aru'ela!”

Shit. Moff was a real son of a bitch. You weren't even allowed to take control of the situation… you were, really, just an imperial doll who needed to find a quick way out.

“Can't you smell smoke under your helmet? Your planet is coming-”

“Aru'ela!” this time, everyone screamed. Dozens of soldiers raised their weapons in your direction.

"KE'MOT!" Din's scream followed by the sound of the spear hitting one of the doors made everyone fall silent. In the next instant, everyone turned to him, except the man holding the spear, at which point was almost ripping off your clothing.

The doors opened again, probably on Din's orders, but you were too nervous to be sure. Then everyone shifted their bodies and turned their weapons down. The blue soldier with the spear ran the point down your neck, but without hurting you, just as a warning which you understood very well. When the entire doors were open, the crowd went out towards the battlefield that had become the Palace garden. It wasn't hard to tell Din apart from the rest of the crowd: his darksaber cut through every droid and every stormtrooper in just one try.

[...]

You were fighting for Mandalore. Everything you've done so far resulted at that moment when you decided to hurt the first stormtrooper - but this one seemed insignificant when you lost count of how many you'd already killed. You were an intruder, an aruetii, fighting for the wrong side as hard as your body and heart could - and you were already feeling the effects of that effort. Your now weak arms acted like an instrument of annihilation and your legs tried to find a balance between the bodies of imperial soldiers on the ground. Your entire physique felt like a death machine on autopilot. Nothing stopped you until you realized there were no more stormtroopers around, at the same moment when your eyes caught the glimmer of Din's darksaber against Moff Gideon's neck, and an imperial weapon bigger than an X-WING directed to the Mandalorian Palace.

From the distance you were, and the weakness your body was at, you couldn't see much beyond blurs. All the Mandalorians around had guns pointed at the Empire - which at that moment, as far as you could see, was just Moff Gideon and a dozen private soldiers. The instant you've managed to open your eyes again, the glow of Din's saber seems to have faded and you saw Gideon walk toward his ship. The imperial weapon was dragged into the cruiser, and everything disappeared into the sky.

When there was nothing else to distract you, your exhaustion took over. Your legs could no longer support the weight of your body, making your knees ache as you hit the sand floor. As you tried to draw in more oxygen, the right side of your body throbbed as if it had been burned. Sitting on your feet, you brought your hands up to your ribs, and shit, you were bleeding.

If there was anything in the galaxy that was divine, you'd be sure to beg now so you could at least get away near some body of water. You haven't seen or felt clean, natural water since you were a child when everything was still fine. In your dreams, you imagined your death with the sound of a lake in the background, but all you could make out at that moment was the sound of someone approaching you and beskar material crashing against some surface.

“Cyare… what did you do?”

-----

Part 4

@la-lunaluna @meetmwhallway

let me know if you want to be added on the taglist :)

[kalesera]

“    the  skull  of  the  mythosaur  became  a  symbol  of  the  planet  mandalore  and  its  people,    none  more  so  than  the  mand'alor    —    the  traditional  ruler  of  the  mandalorian  clans.    the  rigid  bone  of  a  mythosaur's  sternum  was  taken  from  over  one  the  slain  creature's  hearts,    and  carved  into  a  ceremonial  mask  for  mandalore  the  first.    the  mask  was  later  passed  down  for  generations,    worn  by  each  succeeding  claimant  to  the  title  of  mand'alor.    the  veteran  mandalorian  soldier  canderous  ordo  was  the  last  known  leader  to  wear  the  mythosaur-bone  mask,    during  his  reign  as  "mandalore  the  preserver."    even  after  the  use  of  the  ceremonial  mask  had  fallen  out  of  practice,    mandalorians  referred  to  the  metaphorical  "crown"  held  by  the  reigning  mand'alor  as  the  kyr'bes,    or  mythosaur  skull.    ”        x

hi  i’m  just  here  to  be  a  lore  nerd  for  a  second,    because  boy,    the  symbolism  that  satine  implements  in  some  of  her  aesthetic  choices  just  really  gets  me.    like  these  earrings?    (  well,    they’re  actually  part  of  the  headdress,    but  idk  what  else  to  call  them  )    are  1000%  kyr’bes  tusks.

[jonathananubian]

Kyr’bes Emotes (Free to use)

[ryder-s-block]

Jaig Eyes (Ch 23)

Jaig Eyes (23/?)

Read Here!

----------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Duchess

Mandalore. I'd never actually been to the planet, but Jango had mentioned it on and off. He wasn't welcome there anymore, since it went pacifist. He always scoffed at that, but didn't have enough ties to what remained of his clan to care enough to do something.

I'd ever imagined that I'd be helping the very woman he scoffed at-Duchess Satine. Still, it wasn't my choice. My newly detailed armor attested to that, all shimmering with its relatively fresh coat of 501st blue. Even my kyr'bes was the deep blue of Anakin's legion. Though, I didn't run missions exclusively with them.

The Jedi Council, hesitant on Obi-wan's offer to me, had put me under Kenobi's watch. Thus, he often off-loaded me to Skywalker. I certainly didn't mind. I loved the 212th Battalion, but the 501st was much more my speed. Daring. A bit of crudeness and light-heartedness. They matched their general well.

The massive gray doors opened before where I stood, waiting patiently for Obi-wan to return from his mission. He'd been sent to Mandalore to investigate claims that the Duchess was raising an army of her own, despite declaring neutrality. Realistically, I didn't understand why she couldn't amass an army to protect herself. Still, it's not like she was. She was a pacifist for Ka'ra's sake.

When the Jedi Council had shown the video to our group, I had immediately recognised the armor as Mandalorian. More specifically, Death Watch.

Of course, my opinion hadn't gained much traction, despite how I was likely right.

"General Kenobi," I greeted the jedi as he emerged, surrounded by Mandalorian guards and individuals who seemed to hold high status. One was a woman cloaked in green and blue garments, her blonde hair piled high above her head. The Duchess.

I bobbed my head to her as Obi-wan introduced me. "This is Kida," he said, gesturing to me. "She's been a great help on many missions. She even protected Senator Amidala for some time."

"Ah," Satine said, a fake smile on her face. "A bounty hunter, yes?" Her eyes danced over my armor, pausing on the kyr'bes. "Mandalorian armor, as well, with a Mythosaur skull."

I returned the fake smile. "Gifted to me by my father, Duchess. Now," I said, leaving her in confusion while I fell in step with Obi-wan. "Was I right, or was I right?"

Obi-wan sighed. "You were right. Death Watch was who we were looking for. Governor Vizsla was hiding them on Concordia."

I nearly tripped over my own feet. Memories flooded back, scattered, but clear. His blond hair swept elegantly atop his head. My haggard face reflecting in his vizor. The burn of his blade as it kissed my skin, the black energy hissing with sadistic pleasure.

"You call this man a coward, yet hide in the shadows."

Now who's talking?

"Are you alright?" Obi-wan asked, his eyebrow lifted as we walked.

"Fine. But you could have just asked about Vizsla."

"You knew about him?" one of Satine's advisors asked, his tone accusatory.

I lifted my hands in mock offense. "Woah there. Yes, I knew. Vizsla ran the Death Watch camp when I was there."

"You were at a Death Watch camp?" The duchess herself was turned on me now, her eyes wide.

I crossed my arms at all the suspicious glares. "I was a slave, your highness," I explained, my tone cold. "So yes. I was."

She seemed shocked, stuttering into the start of an apology when her advisor spoke again. "But as Pre Vizsla fled, we have no way of learning how widespread Death Watch really is." His voice annoyed me.

Obi-wan glanced at me, but I just shook my head. "I can't say. They weren't anything too massive when I was with them, but that was years ago. Still, I don't know if they'd have enough traction to be considered an army."

The jedi hummed. "It's obvious the Separatists are supporting the Death Watch." I raised my eyebrows, but didn't disagree. I sensed a darkness involved, too.

"I disagree," Duchess Satine said, her voice high as she turned to regard us. I took a subconscious step back under her icy gaze. "I told you, I wanted to stay out of this conflict."

"Given the current situation," Kenobi started, choosing his words carefully. "I'm afraid that may no longer be possible."

"I thought you of all people would understand my position on this matter. I will never be a part of this war!" She turned curtly, followed closely by her advisor, the both of them moving to board the Mandalorian royal cruiser.

"She may be shocked when the war comes to her anyways," I muttered, arms crossed behind Obi-wan. The jedi sighed, a small flare of a connection between the two peeking out in the force. I barely caught it before he shoved it away.

Anakin approached us, flanked by both Rex and Cody. "Reporting for escort duty, General."

"Anakin," Kenobi greeted with a sigh. "Am I glad to see you."

The former padawan huffed a laugh. "You sound tired."

"The peaceful way of the locals...wore me out."

I chuckled lowly as Kenobi joined Anakin to follow the Duchess aboard her ship. I nodded at the clones in greeting, falling into step with Rex as we joined them.

"So," a clone I recognized as Redeye started as he boarded the ship beside us. "An escort mission, eh?"

I chuckled. "All for the Duchess and her council of the neutral systems."

"Are they really in that much danger?" another clone-Mixer-asked.

"Not from us," Cody explained from the front. "From the Separatists."

I sighed lowly to myself. "Not really." The guys gave me questioning looks as we stepped into the elevator. I shrugged. "Even if Death Watch is backed by the Separatists, they wouldn't reveal that yet. Not before they actually need to."

"Why do you say that?" Rex asked, finally speaking aloud.

I tilted my head in thought. "If they didn't plan to use their reveal later, wouldn't they have already openly pledged allegiance?"

The clones hummed and nodded in agreement, stepping off the lift into the cargo bay where Skywalker and Kenobi were gathering the clones aboard. The room fell silent as Kenobi stepped forward, hands behind his back.

"You know your marching orders," he called, having debriefed with Anakin. "The safety of the Duchess Satine is of the utmost importance. The Death Watch will stop at nothing to assassinate her before she pleads her case to the Senate."

"The Death Watch may be backed by the Separatists," Anakin jumped in. "So stay sharp." The jedi glanced at his astromech. "R2, use your scanner to probe for any suspicious droid activity."

"Anything else, sir?" Rex asked from beside me. I hid my smile at his forwardness.

"No," Kenobi replied. "That'll be all."

Cody signaled to his men, the group fanning out as Rex and I stayed beside him. They mumbled gently about watches and patterns while I turned at the sound of Kenobi's wrist comm beeping.

"Yes?" he said, tapping the comm.

A voice spoke through firmly. "The Duchess and her retinue request your presence."

"Very well." Obi-wan and Anakin immediately turned to walk back onto the elevator. I half thought I was going to stay in the cargo hold until Rex's hand gently grazed my lower back, tapping me towards the direction of the jedi. He turned his helmet to look at me before nodding with his head as he walked by.

Chewing the inside of my cheek, I joined him, Cody, and the jedi in the elevator, letting it lift us up the levels. I'd have preferred to run the watches below. Hunting. Work. Fighting. Those were what I was good at. Not politics.

"I sense some anxiety from you about the duchess," Anakin said as we all stood waiting for the doors to open again. I glanced over to see Obi-wan stroking his beard thoughtfully. "She couldn't be in safer hands."

"Yes, I know."

"Then why-"

"Nevermind," Obi-wan cut him off, making everyone's eyebrows lift. "It's...all in the past."

"Oh, so you're close to her," Anakin surmised.

"I knew her." I smirked at Kenobi's defensiveness, giving Anakin a teasing look. "A long time ago," the older jedi added in a more glum tone. I saw Anakin smile gently as the doors finally hissed open.

We were quiet as we walked down the hall towards the banquet hall, the duchess' voice ringing adamantly off the walls.

"War is intolerable," she declared. "We have been deceived into thinking that we must be a part of it." For a moment, I understood what she meant. I felt obligated to fight now, but there were various reasons. Keeping planets out of the war was a way to keep down the death toll, anyways. But then, "I say the moment we committed to fighting, we already lost."

I understood what she thought of me now. The look of contempt when she recognized me as a bounty hunter. I was a fighter. Evil.

I slowed, seeing Rex and Cody stop as we neared the end of the hall. Kenobi looked over his shoulder at me, "No, come on," he urged, making me pout at the clones. "This is a good learning experience for you, should you ever have to go in my place for something. Besides, I'm curious to know what you think of all this."

"I know how political talks go, Kenobi," I whispered as we neared the Mandalorian guards. "I spent months with Senator Amidala, remember?"

The jedi merely hummed at me with a smile before turning to listen while the guards let us pass.

"Excuse me, Your Grace," her advisor cut in, his voice grating on my ears. "Are you suggesting we oppose the war on humanitarian grounds?"

"I'm going to oppose it as an affront to life itself!" The Duchess was sitting atop her pile of cushions, holding wine. She was surrounded by her team of advisors, all looking up at her like they were looking at a goddess. I lifted my brow at the scene. It all felt dramatic for some reason. "As the designated regent of fifteen-hundred systems, I speak for thousands of worlds that have urged me to allow them to stay neutral in this war."

"And yet some might argue," Obi-wan butt in from where we stood in the doorway. "That the strongest defensive is a swift and decisive offense."

I stayed a few steps behind the jedi master to walk with Anakin as we entered the room. The doorway closed behind us as Obi-wan bobbed his head at a frowning duchess.

"You are quite the general now, aren't you, Master Kenobi?" she said with a mocking breathlessness.

"Forgive me for interrupting, Your Highness," Obi-wan said easily. "I meant no disrespect."

"Really?" the duchess asked, clearly not believing him. "Senators, I presume you're acquainted with the collection of half-truths and hyperbole known as Obi-wan Kenobi." I scowled behind the jedi. She wasn't entirely wrong, but I didn't appreciate her trying to humiliate him like that. After all, he was the one who was giving me a chance, despite the Council's suspicions.

"Your Highness is too kind," Obi-wan said lowly.

"You're right," Satine whispered. "I am.

I glanced at Anakin, seeing the same look of amused confusion on his face that I displayed.

"Allow me to introduce my fellow jedi, Anakin Skywalker. Your Highness has already met Kida Fett." I winced slightly as Kenobi used my full name, raising eyebrows around the room. Thankfully, Anakin stepped forward and bowed to the duchess.

"Your servant, My Lady," he said smoothly. I hummed lowly in the back of my throat. He was an independent soul. Wild. But sometimes, you could still see his beginnings as a slave in him.

For now, the duchess ignored me and focused on my two companions. As she switched out her glass for a full one, she said, "I remember a time when jedi were not generals, but peacekeepers."

"We are protectors, Highness," Anakin argued respectfully. "Yours, at the moment. We fight for peace."

Satine laughed mockingly. "What an amusing contradiction."

"What Master Skywalker means," Obi-wan cut in. "Is that we are acting at the behest of Your Highness. To protect you from the Death Watch and the Separatists who don't share your neutral point of view."

"I asked for no such thing," Satine declared, making my nose crinkle in a scowl.

Thankfully, Obi-wan remained calm and gentle. "That may be so, but a majority of your court did." I glanced around, seeing representatives that I recognized from my time employed by Padme. Orn Fee Taa of Ryloth. Onaconda Farr of Rodia. The advisory court all averted their gazes under the inspecting stare of the duchess.

"I do not remember you as one to hide behind excuses," Satine accused Obi-wan.

"I do not remember you as one to shrink from responsibilities."

Orn Fee Taa moved between them, his blue rolls of chins wiggling as he forced a smile. "I am certain we all agree, Duchess Satine and General Kenobi have proven there are two sides to every dilemma."

I hummed from behind the jedi, earning a look from Skywalker.

"Indeed," Satine's advisor spoke.

"Now," Fee Taa continued. "In regards to the Senate vote, we think-"

The duchess cut him off. "I think a multitude makes discord, not good council."

"Right again, My Lady," Fee Taa allowed, bowing to her.

Beside me, Obi-wan spoke softly to Anakin. "There may be two sides to every dilemma, but the duchess only favors hers."

I lifted my brows at them, cracking a smile. "In her defense, so do you." Both jedi cut me a look, but I merely shrugged, watching as Satine's gaze finally settled on me.

"It's nice to see you again, Kida," Senator Farr said as he approached, taking my hand warmly. I'd seen him many times while I protected Padme. She called him 'uncle.'

"And you, Senator. I didn't realize you'd be on this trip."

"Nor did I realize you'd joined the Republic cause."

I smiled at him, nodding around the room. "As a representative of neutral systems, do you disapprove?"

Onaconda chuckled. "My opinion shouldn't influence your choices."

"I never said it would."

. "Does Padme know?" I stopped myself before looking over to Skywalker.

I swallowed, thinking about how she definitely knew, since she talked to Anakin whenever she could. "Probably."

"She's probably glad to have you back around."

"Senator Farr," Satine cut in from her plush seating. "Do you know this bounty hunter?"

"She's a member of the Grand Army of the Republic now," Obi-wan jumped back into the conversation.

"Pressing criminals into service now, are you?"

"I didn't say-"

"Hi," I cut them both off, tired of them bickering. "I'm right here." I gave Kenobi a look to make him back off before nodding slightly to the duchess. "I was a bounty hunter, yes, but I'm currently part of the GAR."

"And what rank do you hold?" Huh. I didn't actually know. It wasn't something we'd really talked about. Nor did I really care at that point.

"As a pacifist, what good is that information to you?" I replied smoothly, folding my hands behind my back. "You don't want a part in this war, I thought."

The duchess scowled at me before taking a long sip of her drink. "Master Kenobi introduced you as Kida Fett. Why did you not say this sooner?"

"Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la," I said smoothly, catching her by surprise.

"You speak the dialect they speak on Concordia," she observed suspiciously.

"That's where I learned Mando'a," I admitted, still frowning at her. "And as per your accusation earlier, I wasn't pressed into this war. Nor was I a criminal...to the Republic. I think." I glanced at Obi-wan and Skywalker, the latter giving me a smirk. "Okay, I stole a jedi starfighter once, but I gave it back, so I don't know if that counts me as a criminal."

I earned a few chuckles from the room, but Satine only scowled. "And how would your father feel about your involvement in this war?"

"I can't say for sure," I growled. "He's dead. Killed by this war."

"I heard. And you feel that following his footsteps is the right path?"

"I'm not following his footsteps exactly, Your Highness." I was struggling to keep the frustration out of my voice. "And I'm in this fight to keep more kids from losing their fathers to this war."

The duchess pursed her lips, thinking. "You think more war will bring peace?"

"I think that abstaining from joining any fight is choosing a side already."

"Which is?"

"Death." The room fell silent at my words, even the jedi listening intently. "When you're not working to help those who are suffering from war, you're letting their torturers go unchecked."

Satine quirked an eyebrow. "So you think I should join this war? That my planet, that is dedicated to pacifism and has recently started to pull itself up from its civil wars, should join yet another, far greater, war?"

"I don't know anything about Mandalore, Your Highness," I allowed, sighing. "I don't know about your economy or your beliefs. Nor do I really care. But I know that if you choose to not help others now, that when the war inevitably finds its way to your door, no one will be there to help you in return."

"And you're so certain this war will come to Mandalore, why?" her advisor cut in.

I looked at him. "What's your name?"

"Merrik."

"Well, Merrik, have you always lived on Mandalore?"

"Yes," he replied, unsure of where my questions were going.

"So you'd say you're rather knowledgeable about your world, considering you've been immersed in it?"

"Well of course."

I stepped closer to him, cocking my head. "Then understand that my life has been surrounded by fighting and death from my first breaths." I glanced at Satine. "I know tactics. And I know groups of abusers, whether they be the Death Watch, slavers, gangs, or the Seperatist armies. They all have one thing in common." The room watched me. "No matter what you do, the war will always find you."

"Which is why," Obi-wan jumped back in. "A Republic military presence is the only sure defense against the Separatists." I turned and looked at him in shock, not sure if I agreed. I understood his concern and duty to expand the Republic loyalties, but it felt like he was pushing rather hard on her free will. Not to mention the swirls of emotion he was failing to tie down.

"Even extremists can be reasoned with," Satine argued, rising to her feet.

"Perhaps," Obi-wan allowed. "If one can be heard over the clanking of their battle droids.

Satine scoffed. "The sarcasm of a soldier."

"The delusion of a dreamer," he shot back. The two were close together now, glaring into each other's eyes.

"Duchess," Merrik cut in. "Master Jedi, it's been a long few days. I think we could all use a little rest and refreshment."

"Here here!" the Twi'lek senator cheered. I glanced at anakin, seeing the jedi had scooped up his own fancy glass of liquor, smirk clear on his face. "Now, let us put politics aside until after dinner."

"Thank the stars," I mumbled, moving to stand beside Anakin.

"Fine," both Obi-wan and Satine said harshly before the latter pushed past the jedi and left the room in a huff.

Obi-wan joined us as the group began to filter out to prepare for dinner. "You seemed rather comfortable," he said to me, watching the counselors follow their Duchess out. "You've certainly fallen into your role in the Republic easily."

"My role is something we need to figure out actually," I said before changing the subject. That was a topic for later. "But while I was calling for action, I wasn't doing it to try and coerce her to join the Republic." My tone, while controlled, was somewhat accusatory towards Kenobi.

He sighed as we finally left the room, the three of us walking down the grand, curving halls. "I understand. But Mandalore has no army, all of their warriors having been banished to their moons. If the Separatists attack them, they have no means of defending themselves."

"So they either fall to the Separatists, or groups like Death Watch fight them off," Anakin led my thinking.

I sighed. "And the people turn to Death Watch, since they saved them." Something occurred to me. "Though, that could be used in multiple ways."

"How do you mean?" Anakin asked.

"Death Watch would wait for military occupation or a full-fledged assault to intervene. Otherwise, they wouldn't be painted as heroes, right?" I asked openly. "The people need to be oppressed in order to need saviors."

"Yes," Obi-wan allowed.

"So if Duchess Satine allows the GAR to occupy her planet, Death Watch could still win, this time using the backing of the Separatists as a heroic effort to free Mandalore."

Anakin hummed. "She has a point, Master." He turned to me. "But, I have to disagree. Like you said, inaction is a choice in itself. If the Republic can repel a Seperatist attack, we'll be the heroes and Death Watch will have nothing."

My lips pressed into a line, but I let it drop. "If you say so."

"So," Anakin said after a moment, clearing his throat. "You and Satine have a history. I understood why he was a bit dismissive of our last topic. It was nothing we could influence more on this trip anyways. But the topic of Obi-wan's apparent heart palpitations for Duchess Satine? That was interesting.

"An extended mission when I was younger," Obi-wan explained. "Master Qui-Gon and I spent a year on Mandalore."

I didn't lose my vision, but instead, saw...more. Apparently this was something that happened now, like it had with Cut. As Obi-wan spoke, I saw my first glimpse of who I assumed was Qui-Gon. He was tall with long brown hair and a full beard. His eyes were a vibrant blue and filled with knowledge, but incredibly gentle.

"We were protecting the duchess from insurgents who had threatened her world."

I saw glimpses of a younger Obi-wan. I nearly laughed aloud at his padawan braid and rat tail in the back. What a dweeb. Beside him was a younger Satine. She was filled with fire and passion for life. Not to mention the obvious connection their younger selves seemed to have.

We entered the elevator as Obi-wan continued. "They sent bounty hunters after us. We were always on the run."

I saw a series of hunters, none of their faces very clear. I couldn't tell if I knew any of them. If any, it would have been maybe Jango or Bane. Most of the hunters weren't old enough, nor ballsy enough, to take a job like that.

"Living hand to mouth… never sure what the next day would bring."

Emotion rippled off of him, sending with it a wave of images. He and Satine in a cave, both of them lit only by the flickering firelight. Running through the desolated wastes of Mandalore's surface, avoiding the fire of an assassin. The two holding hands in a moment of tension. A kiss.

"Sounds romantic," Anakin joked, pulling me from my vision with a snort of my own laughter.

Kenobi, in turn, gave us both a disgruntled look in an attempt at throwing us off his trail. Anakin and I weren't stupid, though. Also, we both felt that wave of emotions come off of the jedi master anyways.

As the lift doors opened with a hiss, something panged in the force. Confusion. Worry. It was coming from Rex somewhere below us in the cargo bay.

...since when did I get so attuned to Rex's force signature?

"A civil war killed most of Satine's people," Obi-wan explained as we exited the lift. "Hence her aversion to violence. When she returned, she took on the difficult task of rebuilding her world alone."

"You didn't stay to help her?" Anakin asked, my visions showing a brief flash of Satine taking her thrown, watching Obi-wan's back exiting the room. She looked sad. Demolished, even.

"That would have been problematic." We entered a room-likely Kenobi's-and I watched as he moved a chair with the force casually. I was split between amusement at his mild abuse of the force and jealousy over how effortlessly he did it. "My duty as a jedi demanded I be elsewhere."

I took the liberty of sitting on Obi-wan's desk, while Anakin leaned on the doorframe. "Demanded," Anakin mused. "But it's obvious you had feelings for her. Surely that would affect your decision."

Man, it was a full-fledged blessing from the force that this boy's secret wasn't Galactic News. He was worse at hiding his obvious marriage to Padme than I was at my mild force-sensitivity.

"Oh, it did," Obi-wan said sadly, making me turn in shock. I certainly wasn't expecting him to admit attachment. "I live by the Jedi Code."

"Of course," Anakin said, making my eyebrow lift discreetly. "As Master Yoda says, a jedi must not form attachments." While I knew that, it occured to me that I actually had no idea what the Jedi Code actually said. I only knew what I'd learned from others, none of which were jedi.

"Yes," Obi-wan agreed. "But he usually leaves out the undercurrent of remorse." Sadness rippled off of the master, making Anakin and I both aware that the attachment had not gone away. Perhaps it had lessened...hidden in some part of his mind to the point that he forgot it was there. And then seeing her again made it resurface with a vengeance.

His wrist comm beeped. Kenobi seemed glad for a change of topic. "Yes, Captain?"

"General," Rex's voice came through. "Something's wrong with Skywalker's astromech. Scared him real good, sir. We've also lost contact with two of my men."

"I'm on my way down to assist you," Kenobi said, standing.

"I'll go, Master," Skywalker butt in. "If there's something dangerous down there, the clones and I can handle it. Kida?" he stopped at the door, giving me a smile. "Care to avoid further political discussions?"

"And miss the chance of Duchess Satine hating me more?" I joked, already following him. "That's a high price."

Obi-wan watched us leave with a roll of his eyes, Skywalker and I jumping into the elevator.

"So...Obi-wan has a girlfriend," I teased, looking forward at the door.

Anakin smirked. "They don't seem to like each other that much."

"Like you and Padme never bicker." I felt his shock and panic, but it melted away slowly, making me look. "I didn't mean to freak you out."

"I knew you knew," he dismissed. "It's just...weird."

I chuckled. "It must be nice though," I glanced at him. "To not be a total secret anymore."

Anakin hummed, opening his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the opening hiss of the doors. Instead of responding to me, he walked out, saying, "Alright men, what's the problem? I'm missing dinner."

Cody, R2, and Rex stood waiting for us under the bright florescent light. "We're not sure yet, sir," Cody replied. "There's still no sign of Mixer and Redeye."

I watched Rex gesture to his men, sending them searching for the missing clones, while R2 rolled forward, beeping anxiously.

"What's the matter, buddy?" Anakin asked, arms crossed. R2 beeped and whistled in response. "I know, I know. But I'm here now. Use your scanner. See if something's out of place." R2 obeyed, nearly knocking over Cody while the droid spun and rolled off into the dim hangar.

As I followed, I could feel that something was amidst. I did my best to remember how Redeye and Mixer had felt in the force, searching for them, but nothing came up. It wasn't long until R2 led us to a container that had toppled to its side, empty.

"Well," Rex grumbled. "What have we here? Looks like the contents of this box are missing."

I hummed, Skywalker replying lowly. "Or it got up and walked away." He turned to us. "Alright. Fan out. Separate squads. I'll contact Obi-wan." The clones parted ways, all of them searching for both their brothers and whatever had come out of that box.

As Skywalker and I walked after his astromech, he contacted Obi-wan. "Anakin," the jedi master's hushed voice came through. "What have you found?"

"There's a large open container and the contents are missing," Skywalker responded. "And I still have two men unaccounted for."

"That's not good." Kenobi's voice was quiet, trying not to worry the delegates that were likely in the same room as him. "Keep things quiet. I'll stay with the senators."

"Got it." As Anakin signed off with his former master, I followed the beeping astromech, the light from his head scanning nervously.

"Your droid," I said lowly, seeing it turn abruptly.

Anakin joined me in following it. "What's up? Did you find something?"

We followed R2 down a long hall of stacked crates, approaching one of the sparse fluorescent lights. My hand touched Anakin's arm as two white boots appeared at the edge of the circle of light.

"There you are," Anakin exclaimed, relieved. "Redeye, where have you been? You've had us all…" he trailed off for a moment, feeling my anxiety upon seeing the clone's strange movements. "...worried."

"What the hell?" I mumbled, drawing my blaster from my hip slowly. Something was wrong. Anakin wasn't looking with the force, too confident in his own abilities. But I could feel that there was nothing in the body that once held Redeye. He was dead.

"Redeye?" Anakin paused for a moment, seeing the body turn slowly at us. He ignited his lightsaber. Red dots lit up behind the clone, revealing long appendages that held Redeye in the air.

"That's not Redeye," I declared, aiming my pistol at the droid.

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MANDO'A

Ka'ra - stars (ancient Mandalorian myth), ruling council of fallen kings

Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la- no one cares who your father was; only the father you'll be (bloodline is not important compared to one's own actions in life)

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry for the super delayed update. I've been rather busy of late. I'll try to post more often!

As always, shares, likes, and reviews/comments are welcome!

-Ryder

[mandalorianmercs]

💥💥Troop Report!💥💥 From April 6th-8th, members of the Falco Clan and Gaht Kyr'bes invaded Empire City Comic Con! Members from all over joined together to provide entertainment and and a Mandalorian presence at a brand new Con in Albany, NY. https://t.co/Pflsfhx3U9

[izzyovercoffee]

what is kyr'bes for 500

Jango "What In Haran" Fett: did they make the first crowns out of mythosaur skulls?

Jango "What In Haran" Fett: or was it a thing where a dude went "I killed this badass beast so I'm gonna wear its head on MY HEAD"

Jango "What In Haran" Fett: and everyone went "dude, we should totally follow that guy. He's wearing a skull on his head"

[folklord]

2. sleight of hand

part 2 of HOAX series. check out part 1 here

ao3 | my masterlist

summary: when you promised the Empire that you would destroy Mandalore, you did not expect that approximating your old friend would become yet another obstacle in your hoax. Suddenly, to know Din Djarin was to watch the death of your past plans and, at the same time, the creation of a faithless love.

warnings: blood, readers gets a lil anxiety but thats just tension | word count: 2k

The mornings in Mandalore were exceptional. On all the planets you've ever been on, the brightest hour of the day was always the most beautiful, but the dust and ruins more visible without the light of Concord made the planet look as desert as Jakku. 

There was still a long way to go before you and Din were going to look for the object that was making him suspicious. You had no idea what it was, but you tried to keep a range of options so that you weren't caught off guard, as your first action would have to be extraordinary or your whole process would have been in vain. Your only fear was that Din would not act as you have imagined. Loss transforms, you knew well. 

You went abroad to see a little bit of the city, already expecting some intervention, but no Mandalorians came enough close to you for that - not even for a greeting. The rejection somehow upset you, but it gave you freedom so that you could observe them from afar: from what you noticed, there were two different groups of Mandalorians; they were not interacting, but the fact that they were living on the same planet and in the same city was curious enough. Most were helmetless. There were children, pregnant women, couples holding each other, people cleaning and assembling new weapons. As you passed through the great hall, you noticed that those Mandalorians who wore helmets were the ones who stared at you the most. Their behavior was more violent - you recognized Din's similar movements when he was still hunting bounty. 

There were then two different groups, composed of different clans living and fighting together, over the government of the same Mand'alor. You would have to find out how Din managed to unite tribes so divergent.

[...]

Later, a Mandalorian knocked on your door and entered before you could give her permission. You were a little scared by the intrusion, but you didn't have time to answer before she took off her helmet, revealing that she was a teenager, with short blond hair. When she positioned the beskar on the small table in the corner of your room, she indicated with her eyes for you to sit on the small bench nearby, and so you did.

“You will meet The Mand'alor in a few minutes. There are some procedures that I have been tasked to carry out. You will have to agree with all of them.”

"And what would such procedures be?"

"First, I will collect all your weapons, of any kind" You stood up instantly, confused. There was no way you could be left unprotected. “All will be taken to the Kyr'bes Room, which can only be opened by Mand'alor. You will not have your protection back until you prove yourself trustworthy. "

"And may I know who gave you that order?" You teased, but the girl showed no fear. "You must ask Din what he thinks of it!"

"It was Mand'alor himself who ordered me."

The girl's sharp words cut your ego in half. So you mean Din showed you confidence in public but was still questioning your loyalty? Obviously, his intentions were correct, but you were still mad.

Your suspicions were true: Din was more insecure than ever. It was obvious, he lived with two enemy squads over his command. However, you were still pissed when the girl rummaged through all your clothes and pulled out all your knives, weapons, and ropes. She was so smart that you couldn't even keep a stiletto between your breasts. But if kry'bes perhaps means “crown” in the Mandalorian language, that was a necessary sacrifice so that in the future, not only your weapons, but that entire arsenal could be in your hands. 

[...]

You and Din were already walking for a few minutes. He said nothing more than enough and guided you along the ruined road. Since the moon was already high, the dust had settled down enough for you to see the landscape more clearly, but it also meant that the night was coming and you needed to be quick. At one point, Din stopped on a metal frame that released a type of smoke that reached your lungs quickly. Your heart sped up when three Mandalorians appeared, formerly camouflaged over the ruins, and at the first sign of Din - who reassured you - they went out into the sky using their jet packs. You looked at him in surprise and noticed that your right hand was positioned over your holster, as a sign that your body had not yet gotten used to the lack of security. Din's view went down and up, watching over you as if he were reading your entire body language.

"That's what I called you for, Kaya" He pointed to the smoke-releasing structure. “Its format has already been destroyed, but I am sure it is not Mandalorian. We have no other enemies with this technology, and I am sure that only the Empire would dare to place a potentially destructive piece on our planet ”

Din said the words with impressive anger. No, he didn't scream, but there was a tone so angry and peculiar that it sent chills down your spine. You did not imagine that his affection for that creature was so great, enough for him declare his resentment against the Empire so expressively. 

"I'm sure that, for the time you've spent building and reprogramming parts like this, you'll be able to identify and disable them better than all of us."

“Thanks for the trust” You smiled at the visor and came over.

You knew at the time... that it was a kind of BT-1, droid imperial assassin. The most famous of them belonged to Darth Vader, meaning that it would certainly be a threat to Din, and for that very reason, you had to think of a quick strategy. 

You crouched down to look more closely, feeling Din's presence, meticulously analyzing all your movements. You held the carcass, realizing that it was already disconnected from the part that previously formed a kind of "body" of the droid. The smoke still hindered your breathing, and you rubbed your nose on your clothes for a second so you could continue. You managed to remove the two threads that were causing the friction that released the smoke.

When the air got cleaner, you supported the structure on your left knee, keeping your other leg on the floor so you didn't lose your balance and realized that yes, that was an imperial sign - but it wasn't for Din or Mandalore: it was for you. The initials of your real name were marked in the common language, with a red streak cutting it in half.

You almost fell on the dirty floor and all those possibly toxic materials. Din's presence somewhat stabilized you, because pretending to him that everything was working well was more important than the complete threat you just received. You were not surprised, you already knew how the Empire worked - all the grief you were still trying to digest did not allow you to forget.

"Yes, it's an imperial droid" You stood up with the structure in your hands and tried to speak as normal as possible. "I can find out if it was left here intentionally, or just an accident, but I need my ship" Din approached and tilted his face to analyze it too, and it was so close that the space between his helmet and his pauldrons were very close to your nose. It was awkward to think, but his smell was incredibly good...

"What are those letters?" Din pointed to your initials. You swallowed and stared at him.

"Yeah..." your brain couldn't come up with a sentence, an excuse, anything to make him push the helmet away from your face. 

"Does it have anything to do with you?" Shit. Shit shit shit.

"Yes," the words came out of your mouth before you thought. "Yes and no."

He crossed his arms over his broad chest, without taking his visor off you. Your whole body burned as if you were self-destructing. 

“It is… an imperial symbol, too. I don't know what it means, but…” 

You had to come up with an excuse for your anxiety quickly. 

"This symbol was in the room where my father was incarcerated."

Good.

Din uncrossed his arms, as if he understood what you meant, and remained silent, respecting your feelings. He tipped his helmet to the road you came on and you followed him. 

When it was already dark, the city lights began to appear on the horizon, reflecting on his armor. You only had two types of thoughts while walking: the first, that he was beautiful, but soon you corrected yourself because the one you were thinking was just beskar. You didn't know him, and you couldn't. That thought reminded you of the imperial threat. You were nervous, but proud of yourself for being able to formulate something so creative amid tension.

When you reached your ship, Din positioned his hands on his belt and stopped in front of the door. Your heart was beating against your chest when you were about to enter, not only because of the walk but also because of the whole situation. Lucky for you that your ship didn't fit two people, you felt that you wouldn't be able to stay in a small room alone with him without blowing up the truth - or worse.  

"Will you wait for me?" You said it in a soft tone.

“No, I have a meeting with some Mandalorians from South Keldabe. I don't want to pressure you, take as long as necessary” You smirked. "When you arrive at the palace, you will be met with a reward."

Shit, your face burned again. When he turned his back, your lungs filled quickly and you realized that you had stopped breathing for a few seconds. You repeated to yourself that everything was fine as you entered your ship, trying to maintain some rationality. 

You analyzed the interior of the ship to see if any Mandalorians had altered anything. Din's figure disappeared over the horizon, and you felt more confident as you sat in your armchair and turned on the control panel. Placing the metal structure on your lap, you heard the warning of a new message. When the hologram appeared, the feeling of fear attacked you again. You could only swallow dry. 

“If you are seeing this message, it is because everything went well. I knew I could count on you, my sweet child. Look closely at the structure you have achieved, your initials marked with your own father's blood. Remember them. And keep your focus: destroy Mandalore, destroy Din Djarin. I gave him the crown, but the loss he caused me by taking The Child out of my arms will not go unpunished. ”

The hologram dissolved in the air as if it were never there. One of your tears fell on the piece of droid, making a torturous sound. The blood in your veins seemed frozen, and you remained motionless for a while trying to assimilate everything you had heard. On the horizon, you no longer saw Din. The main light of the palace was the only blaze in the dark... and it had to be the only thing that could set you free. 

There was nothing in the galaxy that could destroy you like Moff Gideon.

--------

part 3

[verpineshatterrifle]

headcanon time

kal has a stick-and-poke kyr'bes tattoo on his right shin that he got in his 20s or 30s while drunk with friends

i cant decide if i like it better if rav did it, or a friend who is marching on ahead