THE MANDALORIAN: CHAPTERS 9-16

CHAPTER 10 - THE RESCUE

The Armorer suddenly stopped as she found the list of the Tribe names, and many of them were listed as deceased.

Cara caught her stunned silence and rushed over with her hands up. "Wait — look again..."

Cara typed in a code, and suddenly many, but not all, of the designations shifted, from deceased — to captured. The Armorer looked up at Cara in awe.

"Courtesy of our one surviving Admiral of Moff Gideon. They are alive and on Moff Gideon's prison ship, still orbiting Lasan."

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Din paced in the garden. He kept a watchful eye on Tarre who was playing with some of the younger children of the House. These playmates were younger and less disciplined than his friends back on Sorgen. They laughed and screamed but also sometimes did not share and even pushed each other. Tarre looked to Din to decide how to handle these interactions. But overall he enjoyed the play, and began to make some friends.

Watching over Tarre's development took Din's mind off their mission. And it gave him hope for what their future might look like if they decided to stay on Mandalore.

Din and Zaral had been trying to contact House Wren but the calls had gone unanswered. Zaral was beginning to fear that yet another Clan had been wiped out.

Mandalore was in a tenuous state. The surviving Clans were trying to craft a vision for the future. The Warrior Clans and the Peaceful Clans now were about equal in numbers. Their ways similar but old prejudices from the Era of Peace remained. Most of the Warriors still followed the Way, but the Peaceful removed their helmets when not in combat. They all revered Bo-Katan, but none could develop a majority in leadership. Decisions were made laboriously by vote. Din watched it all incredulously.

Din was not a leader or a politician. He agreed that how resources were to be used needed to be agreed upon, but the greater good was clear to him, yet apparently not to others.

He paced around the play area again watching the kids decide who would chase the others. Tarre was elected, likely because physically he was not quick on his feet. Din watched with a slight twinge in his stomach, not wanting to see his son fail at a game. Be careful, ad'ika.

Suddenly at the shout to begin, Tarre crouched and looked around, and hopped up in the air like a frog, and landed on the back of the largest child who was running away from him.

Tarre laughed and laughed at his victory, even as the larger child pushed him off with irritation. Yet, the larger child did concede defeat, and the prize, a sweet bread, was given to Tarre solemnly. He ate it with gusto and the kids cheered as Tarre giggled.

Din sighed in relief, and then a beep on his gauntlet startled him. He waved at Tarre to call him back.

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"Zaral, Paz is listed on the captured. As well as dozens of the Tribe, and even more warriors from Mandalore going back to the occupation. This list was updated the week Moff Gideon was killed." The Armorer spoke with passion as she stood next to Cara Dune and Greef Karga.

Zaral looked over at Din who was silently listening to the story of the ambush.

Din looked back at Zaral and nodded.

"House Vizsla thanks you for the information, and we will immediately mount a rescue mission."

Cara then stepped forward, "Wait a second, this is her Clan!"

The Armorer put a hand up, "Cara Dune and I would like to accompany this rescue mission."

Zaral nodded, "Of course. This is the Way."