Chapter Text
Din woke early and tucked Grogu in the satchel still asleep before heading out to find out where the Senate Guards trained.
Easy enough since there were Senate Guards at his office door full time. One of them peeled off to lead the way.
Din mulled as he followed. Maybe he should ask after another hover pram. It would let Grogu go to and from the Senate meetings if he got hungry or bored. Actually, that was a good idea. He made a note to mention it to whoever was in charge of his aides when he got back to his office. He’d want to make sure someone he could trust was available to transfer Grogu to, but it would potentially prevent another breakdown like yesterday.
Not that Grogu wouldn’t find another reason to throw a fit. Poor kid was still making up for 30 odd years in the dark.
These thoughts kept Din half distracted as he was led into the depths of the Senate building. Not half so fancy down here. The locker room he was led through was positively seedy, but the training room was so high end he’d think it was for training noble idiots how to fence or something.
So he’d seen a few holovids.
“Who’s in charge of training?” Din asked once he was planted in the middle of the space. He scanned the mass of figures in workout wear. Pretty much all human or so near as to make no difference.
An older figure came over, short hair streaked with gray. Decent muscle mass, more fighter than weight lifter. But he didn’t walk like a warrior. “I am. Captain Deek Novis, senior trainer. What can I do for you, Chancellor?”
Din extended an arm and quirked his fingers, inviting an attack.
Deek Novis refrained. “Sir?” There was a mix of respect and disdain in his voice. Apparently the usual Chancellors around the Senate didn’t come down here for a bit of training.
“Come on. I want to see what you’re capable of.”
After another long moment of study, Novis apparently decided to run with it and charged.
Din dodged. And dodged the next two rushes. On the third he ducked low instead and got his shoulder into Novis’ midsection, sending the older human over his shoulder.
Novis managed to roll as they fell and came back to their feet with decent speed. They were wheezing, though. Din must have knocked the air out of them.
The other guards in the room were slowly closing into a loose circle around the mat Din and Novis were centered on. Din kept half an eye on them, recognizing a few from around the Senate based on their stance and body language.
This time Novis started slower, moving in carefully as they circled. Din watched their chest and just caught the strike, grabbing Novis by the wrist. This would be a good time to take Novis to the ground, but Din was still carrying Grogu. Instead he went for a twist and joint lock that left Novis standing on tip toe to try and save their shoulder, elbow, and wrist.
“Yield?” Din asked.
Novis huffed but nodded. “Yield. You’re good at that, sir.” This time there was a whole new level of respect in his tone.
Din chuckled. “Beroya is not just a name. I’ve been a hunter in the Outer Rim for almost thirty years.”
“Is that what it means?” One of the other guards stepped forward as they spoke. “I haven’t been able to find it on the holonet.”
“It means bounty hunter in Mando’a.” Din recognized this one. They’d been respectful to the Jedi and always smiled at Grogu’s antics.
A number of guards chuckled and one full out howled with laughter.
Novis, eyes twinkling with amusement, said, “I don’t think the Senators knew what they were getting asking for a name from you.”
Din chuckled as well. “Quite.”
“Well, now that you’ve beaten my ass, what can we do for you, sir?” Novis added, falling into a more serious stance and tone.
“If you’re going to be offering protection for my child, I need to know what you’re capable of.” Din cocked his head and a lot of the guards showed signs of understanding.
“I admit, we’ve been struggling to decide how best to provide coverage. We don’t usually have a… youngling in the office.” Novis looked like he was considering something. “At least not full time.”
Oh? “Anyone aware of… questionable behavior by the previous chancellor should speak to Senior Investigator Vant.” Din turned, focusing his gaze on each being in turn. “I found an… interesting collection of clothes in his office my first night there.”
“It was mostly the Jedi kid. Skywalker.”
Din focused in on the guard who spoke. Younger, on the high end of human standard height, weightlifter muscles, black hair in loose curls, mid range skin color.
“Djarin,” Novis snapped.
Tight control kept Din from jumping along with the guard he was studying.
Djarin crossed their arms and glared back at the trainer. “It wasn’t right. A kid alone in there from age nine, no adult accompanying him. I don’t understand why the Jedi allowed it.”
“Will you speak to Investigator Vant?” Din asked directly to… Djarin.
“Sergeant Ismat Djarin, sir, and I will.” They shot another glare at Novis. “We should all be questioned. The Chancellor of the Republic is not above the law.”
“Good. And when you’re done, I want you to put together a round the clock rotation of guards for my child.” Din had a good feeling about this one, and not just because of the name. Probably. “Kid will have to approve of everyone, though.”
Novis huffed but stepped back. “You should speak to the head of the Guards. Commander Hoff makes assignments.”
“Let them know I’d like to speak to them,” Din said confidently. A wiggle from the satchel caught his attention and he wrapped his arm around it, giving Grogu more support. “Jate vaar’tur, ad’ika.”
The kid gave him a grumpy look before standing and looking around the room at all the new people. He instantly went into full tooka eyes mode.
The guards were almost all in shock.
“You had him…” Novis said.
Djarin snorted. “Course they did. What else was to be done, leave the kid alone?”
Din smirked under his buy’ce. “I knew I liked you.” He handed Djarin his kid, ignoring the wide eyed shock he got back. Grogu just cooed and started exploring Djarin’s clothes.
“Okay, I’m going to send down some trainers to bring you all up to snuff, and especially your crew, Djarin.”
“Commander Hoff—” Novis tried to protest.
“I’ll let him know,” Din cut them off. “For now, three on one. Line up for your turn.” He moved to the middle of the mat, flipped the satchel to his back, and lifted an arm in invitation.
***
After an hour and working up a bit of a sweat, Din retreated to his office (his office?) with the kid and ordered first meal. While he waited for that, Din discussed his morning thoughts with Moss and arranged a meeting with Commander Hoff later in the day.
Djarin arrived with the meal cart and took up guard inside the office, near the door to the bedroom and behind the desk. Good spot for guarding the kid. Din approved.
“No, eat your fruit,” Din directed as he tried to keep track of what Moss was telling him about his schedule, eat his shake, and manage the kid.
Grogu pouted and raised a jorgan fruit with his powers.
Din glared and snapped, “No. Stop adding extra work for the guards.” The window was sound for now, but Din did not want to deal with replacing it because Grogu was being a brat.
With a huff, Grogu gulped down the jorgan fruit and poked at the rest of his meal. Din had definitely been spoiling him with all the frogs.
Pressing his buy’ce into his forehead, Din rolled his head into the pressure. “Right, someone put in an order for half a dozen raw eggs.”
“Sir?” The question came from the four aides and all three guards in the room.
“Best I can tell the kid needs a high protein diet. He likes live frogs, but does not need to be spoiled.” Din directed that sentence pointedly. “Eggs will work as well, as long as they’re from a non-sentient species.” Another pointed look, and this time Grogu looked a little sheepish.
“So… no specific type?” Moss finally asked.
Din shrugged. “I’ve yet to meet something that disagrees with him once he wrestles it down his throat.”
“Has he never seen a medic?” Moss seemed shocked with that question.
“It’s complicated,” Din answered shortly, and Moss quickly nodded and went back to the update.
“And the Jedi team from Geonosis will arrive tomorrow. They have asked you to come to the Jedi Temple to be involved in the debrief.” Moss cocked their head as they studied something on their datapad. “I suspect they wish to get you in front of their Council.” They glanced over at Grogu with a slight frown. “It might be a good opportunity to ask about your child’s medical needs. Grandmaster Yoda is possibly of the same species.”
Huh. Din hadn’t expected that. He shot Moss a look, but had to admit the Bothan was just too useful for words. “Noted.” He wasn’t sure about walking into Jedi territory. Who was to say if they’d let him walk back out. He leaned over to get Grogu’s attention. “What do you think. Should we go to the Temple?”
Grogu blinked up at Din for a long moment. Somewhere in there Din got the impression of utter terror and he was half out of his chair to scoop the kid up before it vanished. The kid’s ears went back and he wrung his hands. Then he stood and turned to look out the window. His ears fluttered before rising back to a more normal position. When he turned back to Din, now standing fully himself, Grogu rocked one hand back and forth, then raised his arms in a definite request to be held.
Din scooped the kid up and sat back down, noting that Djarin had definitely moved closer. But it looked like a defensive move. “Sorry, kid. Bad memories?”
Ears down, Grogu snuggled close to Din’s chestplate. Din almost didn’t hear it, but Grogu was letting out a soft whine.
“We don’t have to go.” Din would do anything to save his child that pain.
Grogu huffed and forced himself straighter. Ears flicking, he shook his head.
“We need to go?”
Slowly, Grogu nodded.
“Okay. I swear I’ll be right there the whole time.” Din stroked Grogu’s back and let the kid cling to his armor. “Moss, tell the Jedi we’ll be there. But anything upsets the kid and I’m out of there.”
Moss was watching, eyes wider than normal. They nodded. “I will be quite clear.”
“Any word on Kamino?” Din needed to get that sorted if he was going to get the Senate off his back.
“Vice Chancellor Awaud should be here soon and said he would be bringing an update.”
***
When Goran Awaud did arrive, after three of the more obnoxious senators slipped in and demanded to rant at him about the importance of the war, Din held off on the update for a minute.
“I have a request. I want to hire three of the best trainers I can get my hands on. Experience with multiple forms of combat preferred.”
Goran Awaud cocked his buy’ce. “That won’t be cheap.”
Din knew. The Republic was paying decently and covering all food and lodging, but Din was also supporting an expanding staff and refused to pay less than a living wage. Which was outrageous on Coruscant. He was going to have to find some other income or start selling some of the overpriced garbage the previous chancellor had socked away in the office.
Heck, the shabuir was probably corrupt as well as Sith. Pity Din couldn’t get access to the old goat’s accounts.
“I need to train up the Senate guard if I’m going to leave my child in their care at any point.”
“Right. I’ll put out word.”
Din liked that about Goran Awaud. He knew when to press and when there was no point. Children were the future. That was all there was to it.
“Now, Kamino. My people started arriving last night, local time. So far the Kaminoans are letting them in to perform the audit.”
They shared a look. They were both skeptical as to how long that would last. Still, Moss’ research into the contracts gave them the advantage. As long as the Jedi approved the audit, and they did, Din could order one.
“We’ll schedule regular calls for updates. Evening our time would probably work out best for a regular call right now.”
Din nodded and gestured to Moss to arrange it. “And make sure to rotate in some of the clones to those calls. I want to get a feeling for them.”
Moss and Goran Awaud both nodded.
“My team is slowly slipping into the daily activity of the Senate. It will take time to disappear into the general noise, but I suspect we’ll start gathering useful intel within the month and have actionable evidence on the worst senators within six months.”
Goran Awaud was definitely smirking under his buy’ce.
“Be sure to work with Senior Investigator Vant once we start collecting that actionable evidence. I’m told it’s better to arrest than assassinate.” Din might have been smirking back.
Djarin let out a faint sound, probably shock, and Goran Awaud chuckled. “Already arranged. The good man seems quite eager to get a chance to actually do something about corruption on Coruscant.”
A weak clearing of the throat drew both Din’s and Goran Awaud’s attention to Djarin.
“Yes?” Din asked after Djarin stared at them both from behind his helmet a bit too long.
“Ah… well… There may be a few in the Guard who could help speed up that timeline…” Djarin looked pale and hesitant, but stiffened their spine as they spoke.
“That would be helpful,” Goran Awaud said promptly. “Should I have my people coordinate with you?”
“Sergeant Djarin.” Djarin bobbed their head in a faint nod. Goran Awaud did well to hide his surprise, but Din caught a hint. “But you’d be better off connecting with Lieutenant Twailen. He has further contacts than I do.”
“Thank you, Sergeant,” Din said with a tap to his kar’ta beskar with his fist. “Rooting out corruption in the Senate is one of my primary goals as Chancellor.”
Djarin echoed the movement, though the robes hid much of it. “It will be my honor to assist with such a goal.”
“Good.” Din turned back to Goran Awaud. “Sergeant Djarin has been asked to select a team to guard the Child.” He stroked the kid’s back as he continued to cling to DIn’s armor.
“A good idea.” Goran Awaud nodded, making notes. “And my last item… we have been contacted by a creedbound goran. They surprised us all, arriving on Coruscant. However, that’s as far as they’ll go. You’ll need to meet with them in Keldeb’ika.”
Din was stunned. He’d figured he’d be lucky to get a comm call and probably be limited to communications through Goran Awaud. For a creedbound goran to come to Coruscant… it seemed impossible.
“Moss, can we clear my afternoon?”
All of the aides stared, and Din ignored it. Moss frowned under their fur before slowly nodding. “I think…we can move Commander Hoff up to lunch and push the Senators to tomorrow.”
“Sir, Chancellor,” Djarin said hesitantly. “This afternoon isn’t enough time to secure the area.”
Din turned to the guard. “Secure the area?”
“The visit of the Supreme Chancellor to…well, anywhere, it’s something that needs to be prepared for. The area must be secured to prevent assassination attempts. We’ll need to vet everyone you’ll be meeting with.”
Din snorted. “No.”
“Sir, the Guards—”
“I am not going as the Supreme Chancellor,” Din cut in, turning away from Djarin. “I am going as a Mando’ad to meet their religious counselor.”
Djarin was definitely gaping. “Sir, such a meeting could be had here—”
“The Goran has said not here,” Din bit out. He wanted this meeting, and was terrified of it. “I will met the goran. It will be in Keldeb’ika. It will be this afternoon.” He rose to his feet and braced himself like the warrior he was as he looked at Djarin. “I can handle assassination attempts if necessary.”
“Sergeant, give in,” Goran Awaud recommended. “Beroya is not the same kind of Chancellor you’ve had before.”
***
It was interesting that, despite having killed Chancellor Palpatine and publicly fired his vice-chancellor, many of Palpatine’s cronies seemed convinced that Din was going to be on their side. Perhaps because they were just used to scheming in the Chancellor’s office.
Din hadn’t bothered to dissuade them. Or say anything, actually. He sat in silence and let them talk every time. The aides in the room always took copious notes to give Senior Investigator Vant. Either the di’kut would eventually get the hint or they’d end up arrested.
Din was hoping the latter would come first.
Today they were cut off when a human stalked in. They looked self important in their blue uniform the color of the Senate Guards’ robes.
“Commander Hoff to see you, Chancellor,” one of the guards on the door called through before pulling the doors shut.
Yeah, that sounded like shebs covering at its finest. “Commander Hoff, we have an appointment in an hour.”
“Gentlebeings, I am sorry to interrupt.” Commander Hoff focused his attention on the senators in the room and ignored Din’s words completely. “I need to speak to the Chancellor immediately about an urgent matter and must ask you to leave for reasons of security.”
Huh. Maybe this was normal for everyone, because the senators packed up with a minimum of fuss and a few more soothing words from the Commander. In only a few minutes it was just Din and the Commander, Grogu being in the back room with Jedi Master Koon and Sergeant Djarin.
Din stood during the leavetaking and now crossed his arms and stared at the commander. Waiting.
“What is this about you planning to leave the Senate district without a guard?”
Din dropped his hands to his belt, fingers rubbing over the grip of his blaster.
“This is madness. It would take us weeks to clear Little Keldebe. You are the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. You owe it to the citizens not to take such risks.”
Din hated repeating himself. He gripped his blaster and looked over to the head aide on duty, Osha-Sal Beniwa in this case.
“Commander Hoff, the Chancellor arranged a meeting with you for lunch. Your staff said you did not have an availability earlier,” Osha-Sal said with formal politeness. But Din could see the glint of irritation under the superficial calm.
“You did not say the meeting was an emergency,” Commander Hoff countered.
Osha-Sal raised an eyebrow in disdain. “In truth, since the Chancellor came into office, you’ve never suggested a meeting with him and we had assumed you had delegated all matters of the Chancellor’s guard to senior staff while you attended to the investigation of the previous Chancellor.”
Had they? Din had never heard the Commander’s name until that morning. He’d never known how the Senate Guards were managed.
Commander Hoff looked insulted before dismissing Osha-Sal and refocusing on Din.
“Chancellor, you cannot leave the Senate District today.”
Din turned to Osha-Sal. “Can I fire him?”
Osha-Sal looked thoughtful. “I am uncertain. The Senate Guards report to one of the Senate committees. I would have to research what connection the Chancellor has to that committee. I know you would have leave to direct which of the junior members are permitted to guard you, but I am uncertain how much control you have over the management of the Guard.”
While they spoke, Commander Hoff pursed their lips and began turning red.
“Please research,” Din directed. “I am disinclined to place my supposed protection in the hands of a being who ignores me.” Now that Osha-Sal had mentioned it, it seemed odd that Din had been the one to being the conversation with the Senate Guard. The commander coming to him would have made more sense, especially if guarding the Chancellor was one of their primary duties.
“I don’t know what you think you are doing, bounty hunter—”
Din raised his blaster and cut off the blustering. “I am Chancellor Beroya, Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. If you cannot respect the being, then respect the title. If you cannot do that…” Din let his finger tighten on the trigger for a moment before releasing without firing. “Resign before I find a way to fire you.”
Something in that must have gotten through, because Commander Hoff took several deep, heaving breaths and visibly pulled himself back.
“Chancellor.” Commander Hoff brought his hand to his head in some kind of salute. “I am Commander Hoff, leader of the Senate Guard. It is the duty of myself and my men to protect you and the Senate from all dangers. Please allow us to do our duty.”
Nodding, Din holstered his blaster. “Commander Hoff. I am sorry you felt the need to disrupt your schedule for this, though it is good to finally put a face to your name.” He paused a moment and let the words sink in. “I am not leaving the Senate District as the chancellor. This is a matter for a Mandalorian to seek religious guidance. I am prepared to leave through a back door and otherwise hide my trail, but this is something the Senate Guard cannot be involved in.”
Commander Hoff looked deeply frustrated. “I had hoped we were done with this cloak and dagger shit with Palpatine’s passing.”
“Oh? And what did Chancellor Palpatine need to hide?” Din asked wryly. He knew Commander Hoff had not spoken to Senior Inspector Vant. He’d asked earlier that morning to be sure.
“I do not know,” Commander Hoff said through gritted teeth.
“Hmm. Perhaps you should speak with Senior Investigator Vant. There is much we do not seem to know about Chancellor Palpatine.”
Commander Hoff managed another salute and apparently took Din’s words as a dismissal as he stalked back out of the office.
So much for discussing guard arrangements and Grogu’s personal guard squad.
***
Sergeant Djarin proved more helpful than Commander Hoff. Din finally made use of that escape tunnel and Djarin met him on the other end with a run down looking vehicle. He drove Din, Grogu, and Ko-Katan Kryze to the outskirts of Keldeb’ika and handed them over to several Mando’ade working for Goran Awaud.
“I’ll wait here until you’re ready to return.” Even in civies Djarin stood out in the outskirts of Keldeb’ika where armor was still common.
“I can call.” Din had several new comm codes saved for members of the Senate Guard and Goran Awaud’s staff.
One of Goran Awaud’s Mando’ade snorted and popped off their buy’ce. “I’ll get him settled and keep him company in a bar. Comm when you’re on the way back.” The hopped into the vehicle and pointed down an alley.
Well, that worked. Now…
The other two Mando’ade to meet them led the way through the winding streets of Keldeb’ika. It was impressive how much the area differed from the surrounding towers despite the base construction being the same. Somehow add ons had filled in the roads and altered the layout to something completely different.
At least in Din’s old cloak he almost blended in around here. Full beksar was pretty rare, but most everyone was willing to ignore just another Mando’ad, even one accompanied by someone unarmored. Moss had insisted Ko-Katan come as Din’s aide to take notes on any political matters. And Din had agreed because he wanted to get the young man exposed to many types of Mandalorian.
Ko-Katan definitely didn’t seem familiar with Keldeb’ika. He was faking nonchalance well, but was a bit too wide eyed, trying to hide how he was looking everywhere.
“When we get to the goran, kneel and wait. Listen. You will have questions. Ask me or Goran Awaud later,” Din directed. He also tapped Grogu’s head as he peered out of the new satchel at Din’s waist. Moss had provided it before Din left, the gray armorweave just as protective as the blue but more subtle. “And you, behave.”
Grogu chirped up at him and batted at his hand.
“Everyone seems to look to the gorane for more than just armor,” Ko-Katan murmured.
“Yes,” Din said. “They are leaders, advisors, and lore keepers. Armor is but one fascet of their position.”
“Huh. I don’t think my aunt knows that.”
Din didn’t need to find a response as they took another sharp turn and were led into a building at last. They passed through a bar, past two different store rooms, and finally through a half hidden door into a stairwell. At the base of the stairwell was the burning warmth of a beskar forge.
Din knelt at the table before the forge and set Grogu down at his side before he took in the goran they’d come to meet. Goran Awaud was by the tool bench, watching as the new goran forged… A vambrace from the look of it.
The armor was unfamiliar. At some deep level Din had expected (hoped) to see his own armorer when he arrived, and the cold silver armor in an unfamiliar shape was a strange disappointment. Like the armorer Din grew up with, the one did not paint their armor. But rather than the bold shapes of the plates, this goran wore etched armor. Each plate was patterned with a mixture of bold, angular patterns overlain with… well, it looked like vines. On a few plates there were even flowers.
It was truly a stunning set of armor.
Din had plenty of time to observe it as the goran continued to work on the vambrace, ignoring their guests. The kid only huffed in impatience a few times.
“Beroya.”
Finally, the attention came their way. Din could not actually sit any straighter, but he tried. Ko-Katan came back out of his slouch with a startled jump.
“Goran,” Din replied.
“Your companions?”
“My foundling and my assistant.”
The goran cocked their head, now studying the three of them.
“Ko-Katan Kryze. You are a long way from home. What do you seek?”
The teen glanced at Din from the corner of his eye before refocusing on the goran. “Beroya has offered to teach me skills for a leader.”
The Goran nodded. “We should all seek education and to educate others. This is the Way.”
Din echoed the vow, and smiled as Grogu squeaked something that might be taken as “the way.”
“You have taken an apprentice, Beroya. Good. You are teaching the foundling as well?”
“Yes. He has chosen to be a Mandalorian.” Din felt the swell of pride in his chest at remembering Grogu returning to him.
“Has he sworn?” The Goran’s gaze became sharper.
Din reached over and slipped the pendant from Grogu’s brown robes even as he shook his head. “He has not mastered speech and so cannot swear. But he has made his desire known.”
The Goran came over and knelt before Grogu. “Is that true, ad? Do you wish to be Mando’ad?”
Grogu rose to his little feet and nodded most firmly. He then shoved his robe sleeve up to show the beskar chainmail below.
“Beautiful workmanship,” the Goran commented after a careful look. They then looked at Din again. “Your goran was skilled.”
Din bowed his head at the compliment of one who might never been what he knew.
“Have you sworn to the foundling, Beroya?”
Ah. “No.” And he hated that. “By the time he returned…” Din cupped the cheek of his buy’ce, fighting for the words. “I had no right to the oath.”
“Hmm.” The Goran rose and returned to the forge. “Goran Awaud told me the story as you told him. I find some elements… difficult to believe.”
“As do I,” Din admitted.
“Convince me. Tell me why you removed your helmet.”
Din could feel the Goran’s gaze boring through him, and sensed Ko-Katan’s surprise beside him. He did his best to ignore both and focused on Grogu as he spoke. “The child was taken, captured by a being who wanted to use his blood for experiments. A true demagolka. The only way I found to track the ship was to access a network terminal that required a facial scan to allow access.” The feeling of panic from that day surged back. The fear for Grogu. The terror of baring his face. The nightmare of looking into the eyes of the enemy with no filters. “My narudar got me there, but could not make the scan.” He forced his eyes up to meet the Goran’s gaze.
“I did what I had to.”
The words echoed in the near silence of the forge for a long moment.
“Was this the only time you removed your helmet?”
“No.” Din felt a gentle touch from Grogu on his hand. “This child was Jedi trained, but suffered for many years in darkness. I could not help him complete his training, and feared his size meant he would never be capable of enduring Mandalorian training.”
Grogu spat out a disdainful “Patoo.”
“A Jedi rescued us when all seemed lost and the demagolka would win. And then he took the child to complete his training. I removed my helmet then, to say goodbye.”
“There is no greater thing than the love of a parent for a child.” The words were so soft, Din almost didn’t hear them over the flames of the forge. It was the first time Goran Awaud spoke since they arrived.
“This is the Way,” the Goran said. This time, everyone present echoed them.
“Our creed is not an easy one. It requires dedication, some would even say obsession. To never remove one’s helmet and never allow it to be removed by others. Some say it is too much.”
“Never.” Din didn’t mean to speak. The word escaped him unexpectedly. But it was the truth of his heart. “I chose the creed.”
“And you chose to break it,” the Goran countered flatly. “Who is to say you will not again.”
“If faced with the same circumstances? Yes, I would again.” It was almost a relief to say that. The Armorer had not permitted him the chance. “But I will still live my life by the Creed for it is the path I have chosen.”
“Some would say I should take your armor. A dar’Manda should not wear beskar.”
Din clenched his fist under Grogu’s little hand. To give up his armor would be… a nightmare.
“If I must.”
“I would give him armor,” Goran Awaud. “I have already offered him a place. One who does so much for a child should not be considered dar’Manda.”
“Hmm. Some would say you must got to Manda’yaim to reswear the creed, that nothing less would suit for one who is dar’creed.”
“If I must.” Though it would be all the harder after pissing off Satine Kryze by taking her son as his student.
“I have rarely met one so devout, even in my own covert.”
Okay, Din had not expected a comment like that.
“And in truth, it would be interesting to see how Manda’yaim and the Galaxy take a politician who is creedbound rather than Evaar’la.”
“I do not wish to be given an out because I accidentally became Chancellor.” Din spoke firmly and honestly.
The Goran chuckled. “I hoped so. And that is why I would consider it. The best leaders are those who do not wish to lead.”
“Though the ability to do so does help,” Goran Awaud added.
“Truth.”
“I can only say I am trying,” Din admitted.
“Some things happen to the right person in the right place at the right moment.” Goran Awaud was definitely smiling under his buy’ce.
“Beroya, is there anyone alive who has seen you without your helmet?”
Din had to think for a moment. How would that work? Gideon was alive in this time and place, probably Migs too, but this version of them had not seen. “Only my foundling.”
“As it should be for close kin. Rise, Beroya.”
Din rose, and was directed to stand before a barrel in the back corner of the forge. Inside was water.
“Swear, Din Djarin,” the Goran said, voice low so the others would not hear. They lowered a ladle into the water. “Tell me the words of your heart.”
Heart pounding in his throat, Din spoke the words that had sealed his life so long ago. “I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors that I shall walk the way of the Mandalore, and that the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart.”
As he spoke, the Goran laddled water over Din’s helmet, the cold water dripping down to wet his collar. A second ladle of water was spilled over Din’s raised hands and a third split between his pauldrons.
The Goran set the ladle aside and closed the barrel. Din turned to face them and waited. Surely there was something more.
“You have bathed in the living waters and sworn. You are redeemed.”
“I…” Din couldn’t process that it was over. That the guilt that had torn at his heart so long was no more.
The Goran set their hands on Din’s shoulders and held firm. “You have done well, vod. You have lived the creed deeper than many who vow it, all levels of it. It is sometimes easier to hold to the armor than the rules for children and education. Even dar’Manda you sought to educate those around you and aided those in need. Even a corrupt Republic. I am proud of you.”
The pressure that had sat so long against his lungs that he had forgotten it dissipated. “I am in your debt.”
“No, no debt. Though I would like to know if I am imagining things or if that is really the darksaber on your belt.”
Din flinched and his fingers sought out the saber. He’d kept the hilt hidden in the back under his cloak, but… No, it should still be hidden.
“I hear it singing, as your foundling likely does.”
“It is,” Din admitted. “The demagolka held it to my foundling’s throat. I could not…”
“No, you could not. Won over a child. That is true mandokar’la.”
“I don’t want to be Mand’alor.” Din pretended it did not come out as a whine.
“Not while you’re Chancellor of the Republic. The political ramifications would be… No. But there will be consequences to your carrying that someday." The grip of the Goran’s hands shifted to a clap of the shoulders. “But not today. Come. If you wish, I would hear your vow to your child.”
Oh. He was Mandalorian, no questions. He could swear, take Grogu as his own. Din’s feet ate up the short distance to the others and he scooped up Grogu with damp gloves.
“Grogu, I am redeemed. I am Mandalorian again.”
Grogu let out a cry of joy and reached out his hands to Din’s face. Din leaned in and pressed their foreheads together, metal to skin.
“Grogu, I haven’t offered because… but I would like to adopt you. Not just as apprentice but as my child.”
Little claws clung to the cheek ridges of Din’s buy’ce and Grogu let out a noise that could be nothing but approval.
“Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad, Grogu.”