The Mandalorian stood in silence by the door to his covert for a moment, staring at the holodisc in his hand. Once again, he has met yet another Mandalorian from another clan who was not afraid to uncover her face. He has always followed the Way. Believed in it. Held onto it for his entire life, until he met Grogu. And now it seems he will be permitted to visit him.

He holds the holodisc in his hand, looks to his left then to his right, making sure no one was within hearing range. Then he clicks the button on the holodisc and a familiar young man in black robes appears in his palm.

"Good day, Mandalorian. By now you have met my associate, Kia. The child is doing well and is learning very fast. However, I recognize that you are in possession of an artifact that has given you a very important leadership role of your people. I am offering you an alliance, and have assigned Kia to assist you in reuniting the clans. Until we meet again. Good luck and may the Force be with you."

When the holoimage disappeared, a feeling in his stomach turned and his throat locked up. He tries to control his heart rate as he thought about having to go see the kid. He just can't believe it! He gets to see the him again! Now he has a new mission. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He hasn't felt this excited in...months? Years maybe?

Now that he's thinking about it, he remembers the look in Kia's blue eyes when she stared into his. He was not used to that. Regular people did not know where to look with his helmet on, but other Mandalorians do. She did. Din swallowed again and took another deep breath then placed the holodisc in his pocket.

Her behavior was quite obvious in the tone of her voice and how she was reacting towards him. He knows the effect he has on women in general. Barmaids and pleasure girls were the norm for him. He's no stranger to catching the attention of ladies in the cantinas he has visited throughout his life, but this woman was different.

She saw straight through him. She knew what he looked like. She knew who he was. She knew his name and his culture. Although he has known other women in his covert, but they never paid attention to him and he was never interested in them either. Yet Kia walks a thin line between a Jedi and a Mandalorian. She is even more rare than anyone he's ever met in his past. Nevertheless, Kia has intrigued him to a point that it makes him feel weak. His stomach turned each time he thinks of her.

He takes a deep breath and tries to focus on what he needs to do next. The injury in his leg has now made it difficult to maintain his normal posture, walking has become near impossible. He punches a few buttons on the control panel of the door, and has to duck to enter through it and nearly falls off the ladder on his way down. He does not know what to expect by meeting with his covert after all this time. He anticipates that things may not end in his favor.

***

Kia tried her hardest to ignore his magnificent armor. She knew he had pure beskar! It revealed how much credits he had to create it, and it felt shallow of her to be so affected by simply looking at it. She remembers the images from Grogu's past, but seeing the beskar-clad warrior up close gave her goosebumps. A powerful, quiet, and attractive Mandalorian male was very appealing to her, and he certainly looked very desirable with his high-priced armor that he likely never takes off.

She has grown up with men and women in armor. So why was he so different? Because he was the Manda'lore? No, that didn't seem to be very satisfying. She cared very little about power and control. But it was his nonchalant attitude mixed with his voice, deep and husky like syrupy honey and the look on his face when he gave the child to Luke.

She saw his deep brown eyes when she looked into Grogu's memories, his expression was full of love and affection for the child. She understood this, foundlings are very important to Mandalorians. That was not the face of a ruthless bounty hunter, that was the look of a father in love.

***

As soon as she rounded a corner and down another alleyway, she paused to switch on her helmet's audio sensors to the highest setting. Then she turns on her infrared vision on her helmet's visor and she instantly was able to see and listen to everything around her.

Reaching out through the Force, she can sense Din's emotional state as he enters the covert. Her intention was not necessarily to spy on him, even though she knows this is exactly what's she's doing, but to gain a bit of insight on how his covert would treat him once they find out he has the Darksaber, and now that he has removed his helmet. Would they support him, reject him, or fight him for the saber?

***

As it turns out, it was all of those things. As soon as he enters the covert, his leg injury caused him to tumble to the ground and he gets treated by another Mandalorian with a very familiar family name. Kia remembers the stories of Pre Vizla, who was once the leader of the splinter group called Death Watch. Her clan considered them to be a terrorist organization, yet Kia never got that sense from Din Djarin. Yes he can be merciless, but a terrorist is not a word she would use to describe him. Then again, she knows she only just met him and should not let her foolish infatuation overcome her rational thought.

There is another person in the covert, a female who seems to be the chieftain of the clan. After listening to her speak, it was clear that Din considers her opinions and leadership to be a very important aspect in his life. He has shaped his entire existence on the idea that you cannot remove your helmet, an old concept that none of the New Mandalorians follow. This woman, who goes by the name 'The Armorer,' told Din that the Jedi forgoes all attachments. In a way that is true, but that mandate is what caused the fall of the Old Order in the first place. At least this was how Kia felt.

Today she is a clan of one. Alone, yet lucky enough to have met Luke Skywalker all those years ago. It has been very challenging for her to agree with every code and creed. Particularly when it comes to attachments. She still finds it extremely difficult to accept it and to let go of her Mandalorian ways of how important family is.

After all, we are sentient beings, not droids incapable of emotions. Her clan had kept her from falling to the dark side, they made her feel safe and well-loved. She could not say the same about the Masters at the Temple, who treated her only as a student and nothing more.

Not being able to control one's fear and anger can tempt anyone to the dark side. Not love. Love can give you strength, as long as you don't allow jealousy and possessiveness to overpower you. Her purple lightsaber was an indication of how her emotions can fuel her abilities. This was why Master Windu had chosen her to be his padawan when she got old enough. Unfortunately, that day never came.

Having attachments are natural. Kia had always felt that completely letting go of all bonds can be very dangerous and could lead, even the strongest person, to the dark side. Learning how to cope with loss appropriately, as well as mourning and grieving, is a part of life. Over the years she has learned that there is no Light or Dark side, there is only the Force.

After a while, Kia saw the duel between Djarin and Vizla. It was to be expected, of course. Carrying the Darksaber has many hazards, especially when it comes to other Mandalorians who wish take the saber and be the next ruler.

Yet she could tell Din was unsure of himself and his mind was distracted, leading him to fail in controlling the saber during his training with the Armorer. Perhaps it was because of her, the knowledge of a potential visit with the child has clouded his judgment. Kia felt somewhat responsible for this. The Armorer seemed very wise and knowledgeable, but also a bit mistaken and narrow-minded.

The hardest part was hearing that woman tell Din that he was no longer a Mandalorian. How could she say that?! To the Manda'lore of all people?! That woman does not have the authority to say that to him. Banish him from their clan, yes. But to remove his identity completely, the only life he knows, it seemed to be a very cruel way of teaching him a lesson. Plus, the mines have all been destroyed thanks to the Empire, but maybe she could help him with this mission.

Although, the last time she was on Mandalore, she had lost her entire clan in the war. That was the second time in her life that the Empire had slaughtered her family in a purge. This was the reason she had decided to join the Rebellion as a fighter pilot. That ended up being the best choice she had ever made, because it led her to Luke.

The Mandalorian bounty hunter was a legend in which many feared. The mysterious man in beskar was someone you wouldn't want to meet, especially if you were a wanted criminal. A silly part of her was attracted to this aspect of him. However, being a Jedi Knight was everything she had always wanted, but then it became a distant dream once the Empire rose to power. Now that she's finally given this title, she doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize it.

***

As the Mandalorian exited his covert, his mind was racing and he closed the door behind him. He had clung to his discipline, code and purpose his whole life, including the sacrifices. He didn't know anything else. He had denied himself attachments and protected against opposition. Nothing, either good or bad, could have enticed him to break his oath. Until he met the kid.

Before the kid he had no doubt, he did not question it as he grew up and learned in the ways of his creed. There was no hesitation when he took the oath. He was a Mandalorian, confident of its gospel and rightness. He was intent on following the code, no matter the price. He was dedicated in his decision.

He had lost his way the moment he started viewing the child as his own. The smallest uncertainty began to surface where there had been only determination. Of course his heart is true to the righteousness of the Way. He will always be a man of honor and be courageous. It was the rest of him that was in trouble.

He had been seen! Initially by a droid who saved his life, then by his enemies. And finally...by the child. His foundling. He could not let the kid go without looking at him with his own eyes. The child needed to see him. He was not a machine made of metal. He was a human. He had a name and a face. The kid deserved to see the real him.

He is alone once again and he always will be. His identity had been removed. His clan, his only family, had just turned their backs on him. And why? He maintained every rule except that one thing. His heart will always be a Mandalorian, even though he had been banished from his tribe. The only thing he has left is knowing that he will be visiting the child again.

He was just about to declare to himself that no one would ever see his face again; but as he rounded a corner, he comes face to face with the Mandalorian Jedi, Kia Starflier.