Chapter 28

                                    

                                          
Gideon barely has time to activate the Darksaber.
Both my blades lock with his shimmering one and I force him to one knee, my eyes boring into his. Beads of sweat bubble up on his brow and trickle down his temples and despite the struggle, he manages to grunt out a few words. 
"Finally, the Mandalorian in you makes an appearance."
We break apart and he tries to come at me on the offensive, though I easily block his strikes. With each move, he tries to push me to the side and away from Din and the child. I stubbornly hold my ground. I don't bother answering his taunt. I'm focused on one thing, and one thing only. Killing Moff Gideon.
I hack away at him with my sabers and it's all I can do to remain in control of my movements. Blind rage wants to consume me more than anything, but I've seen the recklessness that can bring. 
The duel goes on for what feels like ages, though I know it can only be a few minutes at most before I finally get Gideon onto his knees. I raise the longer saber in the air for the killing move, but a voice stops me. 
"Tara!" I freeze in midair, my saber humming just above my ear as I stare at Gideon. I can hear Din approaching from behind me. "Tara, we need him alive."
As always, his voice brings me back from the darkness dancing at the edges of my vision. 
I slump my shoulders, breathing heavily from the fight and all my pent-up emotions, and my eyes start to water. Just as I'm about to lower my saber, Gideon lunges forward.
It all happens so fast, that I barely feel the sting of the Darksaber scraping across my stomach. 
I feel warmth blossoming from my middle and when I look down, it's already covered in blood. I frown at it. How did this happen? Why can't I feel it? 
Din's scream rings in my ears just before I fall to the ground, holding tightly onto my sliced-open stomach. My eyes drag upward to see Din and Gideon fighting. The Darksaber screeches and whines as it collides with Din's beskar staff over and over. My head falls back to the ground. 
The clanging of Mandalorian weapons fills my ears as I lay there staring up at the ceiling. It takes me back home. Not to Concordia, or any other planet we stayed on, but to Mandalore. Sundari City. The place I was told was my home. The only place where everyone was happy, truly happy, even for the briefest of times. We weren't on the run. Pre Viszla was as outwardly happy as he got. My mother was alive, and Bo Katan was my friend. Everything was good then. 
I close my eyes, expecting to see Sundari, but instead, my mind takes me back to Morak. I'm sitting in the mess hall across from Din. I can see his face, just as clearly as the first time. This time, he smiles at me. 
Something grabs me by the sides of my face and lifts me into a sitting position. I peel my eyes open enough to realize Din is hovering above me, one arm wrapped around me to keep me upright while the other keeps grabbing my chin or tapping my cheek. 
"Stop it," I mumble, trying to close my eyes. 
"Hey, wake up!" He orders, shaking me again. My head feels too heavy to hold anymore, so I let it drop onto his shoulder. I can hear his frantic voice in my ears, but it's muffled by all the ringing. 
Suddenly, heat and pressure fill my stomach. I frown, opening my eyes again to look down at the source. Grogu. His hand presses against my wound and a twinge of guilt surges through my mind at the blood staining his little hand. 
Slowly but surely, I feel my mind coming back to me. I leave Sundari, I leave Morak, all of it. I glance up at Din, disappointed to see the helmet still sitting on his head. I lift one hand as my strength starts to return, brushing it against the edge of the helmet.