Jetti

It's been a little over a week since Din and Grogu ended up in the past. Din has taken three jobs in that time, two quick, small ones, and one larger one for one of Jabba's henchmen. He hadn't wanted to take it, but the credits were good. Whispers of the Mandalorian bounty hunter in Mos Espa have spread, and Din knows that it'll only be a matter of time before either people start seeking him out to work for them, or mercenaries are sent after him.

For obvious reasons, he's not terribly enthusiastic about the latter, so the pressure of needing to leave the planet is only mounting. Besides, it's not a safe planet, and he worries about his aliit. He'd never forgive himself if one of them was injured – or worse – under his watch.

His last job took him on a hunt across the planet, all the way to Mos Eisley, and he was gone for over a day. He hated every second of it, and that served to push him to move faster to find the bounty. Every evening, after closing down the junkshop, Din has spent time talking to both of his foundlings and explaining to them what it means to be Mando'ade. He's teaching them culture and history, and... everything really. Din might not remember the specific lessons he learned when he became a foundling, but he remembers enough. He's been a Mandalorian for much of his life, and the lessons of his people are ingrained in every fiber of his being.

Today, he decided to take the day off and stay with his aliit instead of searching for the next job. He still hasn't located a suitable starship, so they aren't any closer to leaving Tatooine than they were before. There is, however, the possibility of purchasing tickets on a larger freighter – he did that often enough after he lost the Razor Crest – but they have the junkshop here, and it brings in credits. They know the planet, so wary as Din is of staying, he and Shmi have agreed that it's probably best for now.

They could, of course, have taken Watto's money, but when they talked about it, they agreed that they wanted none of it. It's profit off slavery, off the work that Shmi and Anakin were forced to do. It's blood money, and Din refuses to touch it. They'll leave it for whoever does want or need it. They can salvage parts in the junkyard and sell them instead. It will be more than enough for their daily needs.

Shmi is at home, so Din is running the shop, with Anakin giving him some pointers as necessary. Grogu is here too, of course, running around in the yard out back, while Anakin sorts through the junk and salvages what he can. It's the middle of the day already when a tall man with long hair enters, followed by a teenage girl, a strange amphibious-looking species, and an astromech droid.

Din straightens from where he was leaning against the counter and approaches them, scanning them. Something about them seems... different. The girl, especially, doesn't fit in here. She doesn't have the hardened look of someone from Tatooine. An off-worlder then. They're probably all off-worlders, given that they seem to be companions.

"What do you need?" he questions. So far, no one who comes here seems to be bothered by the fact that he's a Mandalorian. If anything, he noticed that people seem... happier doing business with him than they otherwise would have been. Perhaps it's because of the rumors and legends about Mandalorians being honourable warriors. This man, however, seems momentarily taken aback by the fact that Din is the one in charge here. Still, that doesn't stop him from replying.

"I need parts for a J-type 327 Nubian," the man answers.

"I believe we should have parts you require," Din assures him. He doesn't actually know because he doesn't usually spend time here. But Anakin will know. "An'ika!" he calls.

It takes a moment before Anakin dashes down the stairs to the inside of the shop from the yard out back yelling, "Don't eat that!" over his shoulder. Din doesn't even want to know the details. "Yes?" he says, eyes bright, sparing only a glance for the newcomers. Anakin has yet to actually call him 'buir,' but Din isn't going to rush him. It's a huge change for the boy, and he needs to get used to him and Grogu suddenly being a part of his life. That doesn't even get into the many traumas in his past. Din is willing to be patient for as long as Anakin needs.

"They need parts for a J-type 327 Nubian," he tells Anakin. "We do have those, right?"

"Yup," Anakin assures him, waving a hand towards the back. "Out back."

"Okay. Watch the store," Din tells him before turning back to the man. "Come with me out back. I'll show you what we have."

"My droid here has a readout of what I need," the man offers.

Din exits from the shop to the junkyard in the back, and the man follows with his astromech droid, leaving the teenager and amphibious-being behind. "Don't touch anything," the man orders the latter before hurrying to catch up with Din.

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After Mando leaves, Anakin turns his attention back to the teenage girl. She is... special, he thinks, almost otherworldly. He's never seen anyone quite like her, and he already knows that she's very different than everyone else here on Tatooine. He absently picks up one of the many stray parts laying around and starts cleaning it. For all that Mando is helping him, Anakin has long since had it drilled into him that he should never sit idle. Idleness meant punishment.

Not anymore, of course, but old habits are hard to break. Mando would never hurt or punish him. Consciously, Anakin knows that, though he still finds himself flinching if the man moves too fast. Mando has noticed, and Anakin knows that it hurts him, but he's giving Anakin time and space to adjust to the many, sudden changes in his life. Anakin appreciates that, and even if it's only been a few days, he really cares about him, even if he still is sometimes taken by surprise when Mando does things for him without being asked. Mom was the only one who did things like that in the past, but now, there's Mando too.

Anakin likes it – he's extremely grateful – but it's taking him far more time than he likes to accustom himself to it. Mom tells him not to push himself, that healing will come with time. He wishes he could believe her, but he doesn't, not all the time. Sometimes, he thinks he'll never get better, that Mando shouldn't be taking the time to help someone as – as broken as him, but those thoughts pass quickly, and he'll never admit to having them.

"Are you an angel?" Anakin blurts out finally, watching the strange, teenage girl look around the shop as if she's never seen a place like it before.

She starts a bit, turning towards him. "What?" She sounds both amused and confused at once, and Anakin realizes how beautiful she is. Her dark brown hair is long and braided, and her eyes are an even darker shade of brown.

"An angel," Anakin explains patiently, hands still working on cleaning the part. "I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They live on the Moons of Iego, I think."

The girl seems a bit unsure how to respond, but she still smiles. "You're a funny little boy," she says. "How do you know so much?" Anakin thinks that she's maybe just trying to be polite, or maybe she is actually interested in him as a person.

"I listen to all the traders and star pilots who come through here," Anakin answers with a shrug. "I'm a pilot, you know, and someday I'm gonna leave this place. Mando is going to take us all away from here." He thinks about saying 'buir,' but he can't quite get himself to do so. He doesn't know why, doesn't understand what's stopping him from calling Mando his father.

"How long have you been here?" Now, she does sound curious. Anakin can't blame her. There isn't much to look at on Tatooine, and it's so obviously a cesspool of crime.

"Since I was very little. Three, I think. My mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt. But she lost us betting on the Podraces." It means nothing to him. Most people, he knows, would be horrified, but he's used to it. This is his life; it's the way it's always been until Mando came and saved him.

"You're a slave?" the girl sounds horrified at that, and Anakin instantly feels himself becoming defensive. Is she one of those people, who thinks themselves so far above slaves that the mere thought of talking to one disgusts them? He doesn't think she's like that, but still.

"Not anymore!" he answers defiantly. "I'm a person, and my name is Anakin."

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, and she sounds genuine as she looks around at the junkshop again. "I don't fully understand. This is a strange place to me."

Anakin sighs. "It's okay. Mando saved us. He freed Mom and I." He doesn't know why he says it, but he does. He doesn't mention Grogu. They're all careful not to talk about him much to outsiders. Anakin doesn't entirely understand why, but he knows that Mando is very protective over all of them. After the life he's lived, it's a welcome change.

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Din looks down at the datapad in his hands which has a list of their current inventory. Shmi organized to make things easier to sell, and he's grateful. A salesperson he is not. If not for her work, he doubts she could have let him take over for the day. "Here it is," he announces, gesturing. "A T-14 hyperdrive generator. As far as I know, we're the only ones who has a part like this. Although, you'd be better off buying a new ship entirely, given how much this will cost you." He's been studying the man, watching how he acts in an attempt to gauge more about him.

"How will you be paying?" he queries.

"I have 20,000 Republic dataries," the man tells him.

Din shakes his head instantly. "Republic credits are no good out here. I need something which is actually worth something." He can't sell this part for credits which won't even help them. They need all the money they can get.

"I don't have anything else," the man replies, raising a hand, "But credits will do fine."

Din feels a strange almost-compulsion to agree with him, but he grits his teeth and stands firm. "They won't," he snaps back, feeling incensed. "I've got a family to take care of and your credits are worthless to me."

"Credits will do fine," the man insists, waving his hand again.

Uneasiness prickles down Din's spine, especially when he hears Grogu whimper and feels an even stronger urge to agree. All at once, it sinks in, and he whips out his blaster, pointing it straight at the man's head. "Keep your Jetii magic away from me," he hisses, furious. This Jetii – what else could he be? – is trying to manipulate him to do something that would hurt him and his aliit. He wants to kill him just for that, but he stays his hand. He cannot afford to have the Jetii after him, not when his kids both have those abilities.

He had thought that maybe Jetii weren't all bad after he met Grogu and realized what he could do. He met Ahsoka and Luke, and... he began to ask questions. Maybe there are some good Jetii, but there are clearly some who are despicable, like this man. Who does he think he is to be using his magic to mess around with people's heads when it suits him?! How is that fair? And these people are the so-called peacekeepers of the Republic? No wonder it fell to the Empire!

"No money, no parts," he continues, blaster still aimed. "And no one else has a T-14 hyperdrive, I promise you that," he adds in a low voice, shaking with fury. "Now get out and don't come back unless you can pay."

"I understand," the man says, voice way too calm for having a blaster pointed at his head. "I apologize, but we're in a tight situation." He raises his hands placatingly, and then, only then, does Din reholster his blaster, watching warily as the man returns to the shop.

Anakin is talking animatedly to the girl, and Din can tell that he's already made a new friend. He's happy for his son, truly, but he doesn't know how much he likes the thought of Anakin – or Grogu – being around anyone associated with Jetii. The amphibious-being is making a mess which Din eyes with only mild exasperation before turning wary eyes onto the man again.

"We're leaving," he declares. "Jar Jar." He gestures pointedly at the amphibious-being – Jar-Jar – before turning to leave the shop.

"I'm glad to have met you, Anakin," the girl calls to him as they leave.

"I was glad to meet you too," he replies before they disappear entirely.

Din finds that he's still quivering with anger – how dare that Jetii try to take away his free-will?! – and he's also on edge. He doesn't like that the Jetii is here in the town, and he isn't certain that he won't come back to take the part by force. Still, if there's a Jetii wandering around, he wants to know what they're up to.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asks, obviously picking up on Din's feelings.

"I think we should close the shop early," Din answers abruptly, turning towards the junkyard. "I'll explain, but I want to get Grogu first."

He doesn't start to calm down until the kid is cradled in his arms. Safe. Then, he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, trying to let go of the tension. "The man was a Jetii," he tells his kids. "I don't know what he's doing here, but he tried to use his magic to compel me to let him take the hyperdrive and parts without proper payment."

Anakin gapes, horrified. "How could a Jedi do something like that?" he exclaims.

"Our people have long considered them to be a race of enemy sorcerers," Din replies. "That was obviously not without a reason." Anakin still looks upset though – and for good reason; he's long respected and looked up to the Jedi as heroes. Having that image tarnished so suddenly and unexpectedly can't be easy – so Din lays a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Ad'ika, do you think you could track the group? I would like to know what they're doing here. You can be on the ground. I'll track them from the rooftops."

"Yes, I can do it," Anakin answers eagerly. He's small, and he doesn't really stick out, so he's the perfect option for something like this. Besides, Din wants to see how he'll do. He hasn't actually taught him anything of this nature, but he knows that, as a slave, Anakin would have to have been good at sneaking around. Now is the perfect time to test his skills in a way that won't actually put him at risk. The Jetii wouldn't hurt him. And, well, if he does... there's no place he can hide from Din.

They leave from the junkshop together, and Din flies into the air, using his vantage point to spot the off-worlders, before landing on a nearby roof. Grogu is tucked into the satchel again, and he coos excitedly. He does really enjoy flying. Din follows them from rooftop to rooftop, careful to stay out of sight, as they walk through the streets, keeping one eye on Anakin, who is stealthily tracking them at a distance. The boy is good, no doubt about that.

Perhaps he should start giving Anakin more hands-on training. He's still young, but he has skill that most foundlings don't and wouldn't. Anakin loves learning, and he readily takes in everything Din tells him about the Mandalorians. He's eager to learn, and he loves asking questions, especially once he became assured that Din wouldn't be upset at him for it.

Din watches, torn between disbelief and amusement as Jar Jar tries to steal a frog – oh, Grogu would love it – from a vendor and gets into a confrontation with a Dug. Anakin boldly steps forwards, and Din feels a fond exasperation. The kid always wants to help people, and Din has no objection to that, but he needs to be careful. He doesn't recognize the Dug, but it's clear that Anakin does. They exchange words, and Din drops down into the street, landing near Anakin when he decides that the Dug is getting too close to threatening his boy for his liking.

"Is there a problem?" he asks, tone neutral as he reaches for his blaster.

The Dug glares. "Your slave boy is messing around where he doesn't belong," he says in Huttese, waving the dead frog for emphasis.

Din shoots him in the head without a second thought, anger surging. He looks around, but no one moves. He didn't think they would anyways since violence is so common here, and there are few who are brave – and foolish – enough to pick a fight with a Mandalorian. "He's my foundling," Din corrects in a low voice, even though the Dug is dead, before turning towards Anakin. "Are you alright, An'ika?"

"I'm fine," he assures him, completely unfazed by the violence and death.

Grogu babbles happily, practically cheering, in fact, and Din strokes his head lightly. The other three of Jar Jar's companions' approach, and Anakin turns to them with a bright smile. "Hi!" he declares, "Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug. An especially dangerous Dug called Sebulba."

"Mesa haten crunchen. Das da las ting mesa want," Jar Jar argues.

"Nevertheless, the boy is right. You were heading into trouble," the man points out, turning to Anakin. "Thanks, my young friend. And to you." He nods to Din as if they hadn't gotten into a confrontation all that long ago.

Grogu leans forwards with a curious squeal, and the girl's eyes widen. "Is that a baby?"

Predictably, that makes everything descend into chaos.

Din watches the Jetii and sees him doubletake at the sight of Grogu, though he says nothing. Jar Jar leans forwards with avid curiosity, waving to Grogu.

"Yes, he's a baby," Din answers, lifting the kid from the satchel and cradling him in his arms. He'll never grow tired of spending time with his first foundling.

"Why is he in a satchel?!" the girl is beginning to sound increasingly hysterical by now. "You don't keep babies in satchels!"

Anakin bits his lip and turns his head, struggling to hold back his laughter. And Din – Din has no idea what the big deal is all about. Sure, maybe it's not the most ideal of places, but it keeps Grogu safely next to him at all times, and it makes it easier for Din to protect him if both of his hands are free.

Her eyes flicker to Sebulba's dead body. "And you just killed someone in front of him."

"So what?" Din snaps, beginning to feel a bit irritated by now. "That's hardly the worst thing he's seen, and it's hardly the first time anyways. It's not ideal, but it is what it is. The most important thing is that he's safe."

The teen looks like she really wants to argue, but she only sighs unhappily.

And Din knows that he's probably not the best buir for the two, but he's doing the best he can, alright? Ka'ra knows how hard it's been for him to keep Grogu safe for so many months, and it's not as if he had anyone who could help him. Satchels are cheaper than hover prams, but most importantly, it keeps Grogu right next to him, making it harder for him to be taken. He had to learn on the fly – literally – how to keep the kid safely out of enemy hands while he searched for a Jetii to give the kid to.

Protecting children is important. It's part of the Creed, and Mandalorians will readily kill anyone who threatens the life and safety of their children. Din is no exception to that, and he refuses to be ashamed of it either. He doesn't care if this random child from a Core world – probably; people who grow up in the Outer Rim would understand violence and death more than she seems to – disapproves. He is a Mandalorian, and this is the Way.

"Come on," says Anakin, breaking the awkward silence. "Let's go get some pallies." He points at the fruit stand not too far away, and Din realizes, suddenly, that this is where he met Anakin a little over a week ago. Ironic how they're now meeting more strangers, who he thinks are important, for some reason, here in this spot.

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Mando'a Translations:

Jetii - Jedi

aliit - family, clan

Mando'ade - Mandalorian (literally, sons/daughters of Mandalore)

buir - father, mother

ad'ika - little one

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