Back on the ship, Alina and Grogu were tucked comfortably in their beds, but the boy continued asking questions about his new armored guardians. After Leno was well fed and cleaned up, he began to loosen up quite a bit since the encounter with Amina. Perhaps it was due to his impressive and innate ability to sense emotions of those around him. Leno is a remarkable young boy, full of wonderful curiosity, but also filled with fear and uncertainty. It's understandable of course, from everything he's been through recently.

"Do you ever get hot?" Leno asked while Kia gathered prepared the bed, gesturing to the armored plates on her thighs.

"No," Din answered flatly as he leaned against the doorway of the children's room, his arms folded over his armored chest, and his helmet resting on a nearby shelf.

"Is it heavy to wear?" Leno continued asking.

"We're used to it," Kia responded, handing the boy one of Din's oversized black shirts.

"Are the helmets hard to see out of?" Leno asked as he tossed the large shirt other his head and shoulders.

"No. There's enhanced technology in them that helps us see things that others cannot," Kia says as she prepares a bed for their newest child to sleep in, grabbing blankets and pillows from one of the cabinets.

"How would you like to see the stars, kid?" Din says as he unfolds his arms and shifts his weight forward onto his feet.

There's a renewed sense of enthusiasm in Leno as Kia guides the boy up the ladder for him to see all of the blinking lights and sounds, then slow rise to orbit, and finally the jump into hyperspace. Leno watched Din look over the control panel as he sat in the pilot's chair, starts the warm up procedures and diagnostics. Once the computer returned with a good outlook, Din switched on the main engines and the ship was soon in the air. As always, the stars were dazzling blue and white, and Kia always loved to watch them stretch and warp past the window. But now it's even better reflected in the boy's curiously bright and shining eyes.

***

The next several days had flown by rather quickly with the children, and Kia has been able to keep a steady schedule. Her time has been filled with childcare, cleaning, mealtimes, meditation sessions, and free-range play. It's been hard for children to remain cooped up in a flying metal box for days on end, so Kia has had her hands full with keeping them focused and helping them vent their high energy.

For those who haven't traveled long distances through hyperspace, the continuous humming of the engines and the recycled air takes some getting used to. Yet the children don't make much trouble. With their eager enthusiasm in learning the Force, along with their persistent questioning on interplanetary travel and cultural history, Kia and the children have been endless companions during their trip to Tatooine.

Surprisingly, the children have been getting along rather well in such a short time together. Perhaps it's because of the mysteries of the Force, or maybe it's the result of being pent up together so closely. Four days of constant parenting and family time in such close-quarters is a factor Kia hadn't thought of before. Even though it's exhausting and she misses her down time with Din, on the other hand it's also sweetly captivating. It's a life Kia did not expect, but it's one she would not trade for any other life.

Yet she ponders the idea of presenting Leno to Luke. Maybe the boy will be better off with him than with her. But at the same time, Kia can't ignore her desire to train new foundlings. She marvels at the thought of possibly creating an order of her own, one that is uniquely different than the outdated Jedi Code. She wonders what Luke would think of this. Would he be upset? Would she be considered an enemy of the Jedi now that she's been casted out? Perhaps it's best to ignore this fantasy and do what is right - take the boy to Luke.

***

On the last day, Alina is bouncing on the balls of her feet; but the ramp could not descend quickly enough no matter how fast she jumps. Once the doors open completely, the hot air immediately hits them. Dry, sandy, and the scorching heat of two desert suns roasts everything it touches. As Din collects his weapons from the rack, Kia prepares the children for a day on a blazingly hot desert planet.

Even though Tatooine is known for being a hot bed of illicit activities, yet the violence inside the city of Mos Espa has been relatively low ever since the Pykes were driven out. It only took a couple of minutes to walk to the main plaza of the city center. Straight away, Din and Kia notice the large amounts of streamers, balloons, lanterns, and colorful bouquets hanging throughout the city streets and main square. Kia raised her visor up towards the decorations, and Din seemed to be studying it too.

There were tons of street vendors set up for the festival. A group of children were running around, kicking a ball back and forth. It was a typical sizzling day on Tatooine, as the two suns are shining bright above their heads, but the decorations were absolutely stunning. Flowers of all kinds lined the buildings and archways like they have always been there.

Just then, a deep modulated voice boomed behind them that spoke quite firmly, "Djarin."

"Fett," Din replied happily as the two men share a strong handshake.

" 'Bout time you two got here," Boba teased as he released Din's hand.

"Looks like a celebration," Din says softly through his modulator as he scanned the area with his visor.

"It's Harvest Day, so I've organized a celebration. The people need it after everything that has happened recently — It's good to see you again, boss," Boba says as he patted Din's armored shoulder. Then his dark green helmet shifted downwards as he examines the two new children gripping onto Kia's hands. "I see you got two more," Boba's soft beritone resonated from his helmet's modulator.

"Actually, the girl belongs to Mia and Vax. I've been asked to look after her. The other we rescued on Glavis. It's a long story, but it is something we need to discuss right away," Kia replied softly and with an anxious sigh.

"Of course. Follow me," Boba murmured as he takes the lead towards the center of the main plaza. The townspeople are starting to gather in the marketplace courtyard. Up ahead on their right they see young children lined up to get their faces painted, while loud music echoed from at least four different directions of songs that neither of them recognized. On the left side of the open area, the group of older kids were still in the middle of an intense kickball game. A hard tug on Kia's arm forces her to stop.

"Kia, can we go play with them?" Alina begged, her round eyes sparkle with wonder. Kia could not deny them of their valuable social time with other children.

"As long as you stay close, and look after Grogu," Kia answered with a sigh of concern. Looking to her left, Kia noticed that Leno didn't seem as eager to join them.

"Ad'ika, it'll be alright. We'll be right here," Kia reassured him. Leno responded with a faint smile, then quickly headed out to follow Alina and Grogu's hovercrib towards an elderly Twi'lek woman who's painting kid's faces. Kia sighed heavily as she watches the children walk away. She knows the time may soon come for her to let Leno decide his own fate.

***

Once inside the old Sanctuary cantina, Kia and Din are reunited with Black Krrsantan and Fennec Shand standing around a table that contained a holomap of Coruscant's upper level. The interior walls of the once charred ruins of the tavern were no longer blacken from the explosion. Several newly crafted wooden tables have been added, the bar has been replaced, freshly bottled alcoholic beverages have been placed on shelves, and all of the broken windows and doors have been repaired.

However, it still felt incredibly claustrophobic in Kia's mind. The entire place still smelled like burnt bodies and death. And the screams of victims can be still be heard echoing through the cosmic energy. Cries shrieking out in pain, calling for help. But no one came. As the team gathered around the map, Kia could sense a dark shadow of agony upon the once luxurious taproom. This is the curse of being gifted with the Force.

"There is something I must say," Kia calls out as the rest of the team spin around to face her. "About that Twi'lek boy I rescued on Glavis," she continues as she raised her hands to remove her helmet. The stench of the smoldering remains of those who suffered in the attack is now prevalent in her nostrils.

"He is now one of our foundlings," Din answered proudly. He does not know what she has discovered.

"Actually - there's more," Kia breathed out as a sense of dread filled her mind. "She was my master - " she continued to say, but stopped to swallow a lump in her throat. She tried to hold back her emotions, but as she explained it became apparent that she still had sentimental feelings for her old teacher.

"Who are you talking about, Kia?" Din asked. "I thought Luke was your master."

"He is, but he didn't teach me everything. Her name is Amina. She is a Dark Force User," Kia tried to explain as she took a deep breath.

"A what?" Din blurted out. Kia hasn't told him how she learned of the dark force.

"It's the opposite of a Jedi," Boba interjected sternly.

"That is the short way to explain it, yes. Amina is working with the Empire. It seems they are still hunting down Force-sensitive children. I saw her as a friend. I thought she may have changed - but - I guess she'll always be a Sith."

"This changes things," Fennec chimes in. "With the Empire on our backs, it won't be long until they catch up to us."

"Well, I have an informant who knows of a covert hiding in the lower levels of Coruscant," Boba says as he gestures to an area on the map. "There is a place called The Cauldron. The owner is a Besalisk named Gekeld. He is who we are meeting."

"I don't like this. We may need some back up," Kia suggested. "I'll contact Mia and Vax," she proposed as she pressed a series of buttons on her vambrace.

"It's probably best if we leave the children somewhere safe," Din says as he turned to look at Fett.

"Don't worry boss, I'll have my best guards watching them," Boba says as he waved at the Wookie who growled in protest. "Fennec will also remain here to manage my operations in my absence. We should leave soon."

Kia nodded once, placed her helmet back on her head, and excited the cantina as quickly as she can to cleanse her senses. As she walked out into the brightness of the dessert suns, she lifts her wrist up towards her chin and begins communicating through her comlink.

"Mia, we'll be leaving for Coruscant in a few hours. But we may need some back up. You in?"

"Oh most definitely! We've been helping Sabine and Fenn train some new recruits. We could use a break," the exciting voice of her old friend is heard through the radio frequency.

"Excellent. It'll be great to see you again."

"Same here, Kia. We'll see you on Coruscant."

"See you soon, Mia."

As Kia disconnects the comlink on her vambrace, she stares out into the crowd of locals. She folds her arms across her armored chest and leans back against the stone structure. She watches as each resident slowly meanders their way past various merchant stalls and food carts, taking in the sights and smells with cheerful chatting.

As Kia's attention zeros in on Alina, Grogu and Leno with their faces covered in glitter and paint, a wide grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as she observes the children playing. It was a relief to see them interact with other kids. They looked so innocent as they ran wildly in all directions, giggling and laughing, completely unaware of the dangers of the galaxy. They need to see that even in dark times, joy can still exist.

Suddenly, her next movement is involuntary. Leaping out of her distracted thoughts, her body jerking herself back to reality at a chubby New Republic pilot in an orange flight suit who had spoken to her.

"You were a member of the Red Aces, weren't you?" The middle-aged man asked with intense curiosity as he stared at her many Rebel symbols on her black armor. He's wearing a white helmet with the symbol of the Rebel Alliance on the side, while holding a holopad in his left hand and a small circular item in the other.

"Hm," Kia hummed under her helmet in slight discomfort. She doesn't normally enjoy talking about her time as a pilot, not even with Din. It's a portion of her life she typically keeps locked away inside her mind. War is a real life nightmare that can rip anyone to pieces, tormenting even the strongest warrior to tears. No matter what side a soldier is on, it can disfigure you physically and leave you emotionally torn apart.

"That was a long time ago," Kia eventually answered after a brief, uncomfortable pause.

"But your squadron helped to liberate Cawa City from Imperial control! I hear you also played a part in defending the city against the Pykes. Is it really true that you are a Jedi?" The man blurts out enthusiastically.

"This is true," she replied stoically as she remembered that battle like it happened yesterday. Many of her comrades lost their lives that day. Friends she has known for years, died instantly in a hail of rockets and fire. Once the war ended, that became her last tour of duty. On her final mission, she was tasked to escort a famed Rebel princess to Naboo. That assignment ultimately lead her to meet her twin brother, the Jedi named Luke. She was incredibly fortunate to have survived combat. To have had the opportunity to be a part of the New Order, even if it was short lived, was an unbelievable privilege.

"We could use someone with your skills and expertise to help us maintain order of Mos Espa," the soldier said as he placed a heavy metallic item on the table in front of her with a clank. Once he removed his palm away, Kia realized what the item is.

A New Republic Law Enforcement Badge.

Not moving from her position, Kia tilted her helmet down to study the golden and black Rebel symbol encased in a transparent coating. This was not a day to offer this to her.

Kia looks back up at the man in standing before her as she takes a deep breath, "You do realize my husband is friends with Fett."

"Yes. That is the main reason why the New Republic is asking this of you. With your connections, we are hoping that the new Daimyo would be willing to accept a peace offering in exchange for providing protection for the city. All we want is to put an end to the violence."

Kia chuckled lightly, "Fett cannot be controlled. The only option is to not betray his trust. He will not be pleased with this. Do you really think he will listen to an ex-Jedi turned marshal?"

For a moment, the man looked bewildered as he took a breath before speaking, "The task will not be simple, but this is the duty of an officer."

There a part deep within her that is eager to accept the role and the responsibilities it comes with, yet she knows her main priorities will always be her clan.

"I cannot make any guarantee that Fett will comply, and my family will always come first," Kia said as she unfolds her arms and steps forward. After removing her helmet, she reaches out to pick up the badge then slips it into her left pocket.

"Understood," the man said with a single nod as he pulls out a small comlink from his center pocket. "Here - " he continued as he gently placed the item on the table and slides it towards her. "If you ever need back up." Without saying another word, the pilot walks away and disappears into the crowd. With a sigh, Kia picks up the comlink to discreetly drop it into one of her many compartments attached to her belt, then places her helmet back over her head.

Unexpectedly, Din appears beside her. "Are you going to tell him?"

"You spying on me?"

"It's not like you've never spied on me, remember?"

"You have a good memory."

"I will never forget how we met."

"Neither will I."

"You haven't answered my question."

"I haven't decided."

"He won't be happy," Din replied, referring to the self-proclaimed crime boss of Mos Espa.

Kia chuckled, "he's hated me since day one."

"He doesn't trust you yet. Give it time."

Just then, the retired bounty hunter in dark green armor emerged from the cantina. "I've arranged to have your children stay with Fennec and the Wookie. Nothing will get past her watchful eyes, I promise you."

"Good, because if anything happened to those little ones - " Kia spoke in a deeply intense tone as she swivels her helmet to look directly at Fett's dark visor. "I'll kill you first," Kia threatened, completely ignoring her husband's advice and newly acquired duties. Once those words left her mouth, she felt rather foolish to have allowed her overprotective instincts take control of her. But she couldn't help herself. She felt like a mother to them and her anger got the best of her.

"I like this one boss - she's got a temper," Fett chuckled low in a taunting demeanor.

"Don't push it, Fett," Kia snarled back as she grits her teeth.

"Kia," Din murmured as he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder to stop her. With a sigh, Kia stepped back a few feet and turns around to collect the children.

"Kids, come here," Kia calls out to them.

As the children gather together around her, all sweating and panting from playing in the heat, Kia kneels down on one knee and removes her helmet.

"Children, listen to Fennec. We must leave you here for a bit. It's too dangerous for kids. Remember, trust the Force," Kia says as she kissed each one on the forehead.

"You leaving us?!" Leno called out, his eyes begins to water.

"For a short time, yes. I promise to come back for each of you. Do not cry. I'll always be here for you. Be brave now. A Mandalorian doesn't cower."

As she gives a hug to each of them and stands up, Din walks up behind her and places his hand on the small of her back. "She's right. Mandalorians show no fear. We shouldn't take long."

***

"We'll take my ship," Fett says as they slowly approach the spaceport hanger. As The Slave One comes into view, that's when Kia senses a faint voice calling to her in the wind. A disturbance in the Force. It's warning her of impending danger. There is a split second in which Kia fights the urge to turn back around, to not get on the ship and stay on Tatooine. But she knows the Force can sometimes be deceiving, so she ignores the feeling and follows the two men up the ramp of Fett's ship.