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CHAPTER SIX 

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DIN had allowed Grogu to come with them — not that he had much say in the matter since the kid was hanging on both of their legs. Artemis had picked him up and now the two of them were making their way towards the cantina.

The redhead hadn't bothered to pull the hood over her head, trusting that not many people would be there in there in the first place.

"I like it," Din told her.

Artemis turned her head. "What?"

"You without the hood."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

They entered the cantina and sat down at one of the tables. Artemis put Grogu down in what was obviously a children's chair and turned to look at Din who was already looking at her.

"What?" Artemis asked, a smile playing on her lips. "Do I have something on my face?"

Din chuckled. "No."

"Welcome, travelers!" a servant said, as she came towards their table. "Can I interest you in anything?"

"Bone broth, two," Din replied, gesturing at Grogu and Artemis.

"Oh, well, you're in luck," the servant replied, smiling. "I just took down a grinjer, so there's plenty. Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?"

"Just the two," Din said.

"Very well," the servant said.

"That one over there," Din said, nodding at a black haired woman who sat some tables away. "When did she arrive?"

The servant turned around to follow his gaze, before turning back to them. "I've seen her here for the last week or so."

"What's her business here?" Din questioned her.

"Business?" the servant repeated, not seeming to follow. "Oh, well, there's not much business in Sorgan, so I can't say."

Din shoved some credits over to her.

"She doesn't strike me as a long runner," the servant continued, before noticing the credits. "Well, thank you, sir. I will get those broths to you as soon as possible and I will throw in a flagon of spotchka just for good measure. I'll be right back with that."

And with that, she left.

"I don't think that's how they do things over here," Artemis said.

Din looked back at where the woman had been sitting only to find out she was gone.

"Stay here," he ordered Artemis, while standing up and making his way outside.

"And there he goes," Artemis muttered to Grogu. "Probably getting his ass kicked."

She turned to look at the child only to see him already walking halfway through the cantina.

"Hey!" Wait up!" Artemis exclaimed, dashing after him. "You can't just walk away!"

She followed Grogu outside and saw Din laying on the ground, his blaster pointed at the woman that laid next to him.

Artemis crossed her arms while looking down at them in amusement.

"Seems like I missed the party."

Both of them looked up and the woman's eyes widened before scrambling up and saluting her.

"General Bryce."

"Please call me Artemis," Artemis said. "The war is over so technically, I'm not a general anymore."

The woman nodded and smiled slightly. "I heard the stories and I must say you look different than I would have expected."

"Let me guess, the hair was a dead giveaway."

The woman grinned. "Yeah, it kind of it."

Artemis turned to look at Din. "And that's why I keep my hood up."

Din grunted and pushed himself up before looking at the woman. "You want some soup?"

⋆⋆⋆

"SAW most of my action mopping up after Endor," the woman — or Cara Dune as she had introduced herself — said. "Mostly Ex-Imperial Warlords. They wanted it fast and quiet. They'd send us in on the drop ships. No support, just us. Then when the Imps were gone, the politics started. We were peacekeepers, protecting delegates, suppressing riots. Not what I sighed up for."

Artemis shuffled awkwardly onto her seat. Although she technically wasn't part of the Rebellion — or New Republic — anymore, she still felt responsible for her people.

"How'd you end up here?" Din asked her.

"Let's just call it an early retirement," Cara replied, before drinking her soup. "Look, I knew you were Guild. I figured you had a fob on me. That's why I came at you so hard."

"Yeah," Din said, "that's what I figured."

"Well, this had been a real treat and honor," she added, glancing at Artemis, who gave her a smile, "but unless you wanna go another round, one of us is gonna have to move on, and I was here first." She then dipped her head to Artemis. "General."

Artemis returned the nod and Cara walked away.

"Well, looks like this planet's taken," Din said, looking at Artemis and Grogu, who was sitting onto her lap.

It was already dark when they returned to the ship and the kid was sleeping peacefully in Din's arms. Artemis smiled at the sighed and the Mandalorian looked up.

"What?"

"Nothing," Artemis replied, shaking her head but the smile stayed on her lips.

They sat down onto the hatch of the ship and Artemis laid down so that she could watch the stars above them. The only thing she heard were birds and Artemis had to admit she felt at peace here.

"I wish we could stay here forever," she whispered, her green eyes looking up. "I haven't felt this calm since . . . I don't even know."

Din tilted his head to look at her and grabbed her hand with his free one — carefully to not wake the child.

"When did you become a general?" he asked curiously.

"After we blew up the Death Star," Artemis told him. "Actually Luke did it but I helped."

"Who's this Luke you keep talking about?"

Artemis smiled and she could feel a small part of him being jealous.

"I have only mentioned him two times," she pointed out.

"That's much considering you haven't mentioned anyone else," Din replied.

And she hadn't, Artemis realised.

"Luke is the son of the person I considered my older brother," she told him quietly. "He's a Jedi, too. I trained him for a bit until someone else appeared who took over." She looked back at the stars. "And now he's somewhere building his own Acedemy to train Force-sensitive children."

"Why didn't you help him?"

"Because if I did, I'd never have met you," Artemis said, smiling at him. "And that was one of the best things in my life."

"I'm flattered," Din said. "And of course, your arrival was pleasant."

"Pleasant?" Artemis repeated. "I just gave you one big ass compliment and you come with pleasant?" She leaped towards him and he quickly placed the child in the ship before taking her arms, stopping her from playfully pushing him. A laugh came from out of his helmet.

"Oh, Artie, you're much more than just pleasant."

"That's better," Artemis said, pulling back, but Din didn't let go. Instead, he pulled her closer to him and lowered his head so that his forehead touched hers.

Artemis closed her eyes and felt herself relax in his arms. However, the presence of two men made her pull back.

"What is it?" Din asked quickly.

"We have company," Artemis murmured, glancing at two men who were coming out of the three line. Din stood up, making the gap between them bigger, and watched the men approach them.

"Excuse me," one of the man said, stepping forward.

"There something we can help you with?" Din grunted, not bothering to look at the man as he jumped off the hatch and checked the engine.

"Uh, yeah," the man replied, as he and his friend walked closer to them. "Raiders. We have money."

"So, you think I'm some kinda mercenary?" Din questioned the men sharply.

"You are a Mandalorian, right?" the other man asked. "Or at least wearing Mandalorian armor. That is Mandalorian armor, right?"

"It is."

"See? I told him. Sir, I've read a lot about your people . . . Tribe. If half of what I read is true —"

He was quickly interrupted by his friend. "We have money."

"How much?" Din questioned.

"Everything we have, sir."

Artemis heart ached. If they were offering them everything they had, it must be bad.

"Our whole harvest was stolen," the man continued.

"Krill," the other man added. "We're krill farmers."

"We brew spotchka. Our whole village chipped in."

Din turned to look at them. "It's not enough."

"Are you sure? You don't even know what the job is."

"I know it's not enough. Good luck."

"This is everything we have," the man pleaded, making Artemis look at Din. "We'll give you more after the next harvest."

When Din didn't reply, the other man nudged his friend. "Come on. Let's head back."

"Took us the whole day to get here," his friend complained. "Now we have to ride back with no protection to the middle of nowhere."

Artemis was about to ask Din if they couldn't help them, when the man himself turned around.

"Where do you live?" he questioned the farmers.

"On a farm. Weren't you listening? We're farmers."

"In the middle of nowhere?" Din repeated.

"Yes."

"You have lodging?"

"Yeah. Absolutely."

Din exchanged a glance with Artemis before looking back at the men, who were eying the duo curiously.

"Good. Come up and help."

The four of them started unloading the ship onto the speeder that the men had brought.

"I'm gonna need one more thing," Din said. "Give me those credits."

He then turned to Artemis and handed her the credits. "Could you go and get that Cara Dune? We'll need her help."

Artemis took the credits. "Consider it done."

⋆⋆⋆

"SO we're basically running off a band of Raiders for lunch money?" Cara questioned, once she and Artemis had returned and they were on their way to the village.

"They're quartering us in the middle of nowhere," Din replied. "Last I checked, that's a pretty square deal for somebody in your position. Worst case scenario, you tune up your blaster. Best case, we're a deterrent. I can't imagine there's anything living in these trees that an ex-shock trooper couldn't handle."

He then leaned back and placed his arms on the edge of the speeder and around Artemis shoulder, which surprised her. He wasn't one to show affection when there was someone else with them. Nevertheless, Artemis went with it and placed her head on his shoulder before closing her eyes, drifting off in what would be a dreamless sleep.

She was woken up by the kid who put his small hand on her cheek. She glanced up at Din and decided he was still asleep — it was hard to figure out with the helmet.

"So you and the Mandalorian, huh?" Cara asked amused, making Artemis head snap up.

"What?"

"You're together?"

Artemis shook her head, cheeks burning slightly but she managed to hide it. "No."

"Are you sure?" Cara asked, not believing a word she said.

Artemis didn't reply, instead, she caressed Grogu's head, avoiding all eye contact.

"I must say, I thought you were with Luke," Cara continued. "You know, since you always seemed to be together."

Artemis could feel Din stirr besides her at this and she shook her head.

"Luke was my Padawan for a while," she explained. "And he's my friend, nothing more, nothing less."

Din relaxed next to her and Artemis had to fight the urge to roll with her eyes.

"So how did you do it?"

Artemis frowned. "Do what?"

"Escape Order 66?"

Artemis froze as flashes of her past appeared in her mind and the bodies of a lot of dead Clones.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Cara, who had finally realized that had touched a nerve, cast her eyes down. "Sorry."

Din, who seemed to think this was the perfect timing to wake up, sat up.

"Good morning," Cara said, looking at him in amusement.

"Morning," he replied, his arm still around Artemis' shoulder and he didn't seem to plan on pulling it back.

Artemis looked down. It hurt too much to think of Order 66, to think that Anakin had betrayed them all, killed almost everyone she knew. She had been there when he returned back to the light and it had made her feel better, but just slightly.

When they arrived at the village, they were greeted by a bunch of children who were overly happy to see them.

"Everyone, they're here!" one of the kids exclaimed.

"Come on!"

"Well, looks like they're happy to see us," Din said.

"Looks like," Cara replied.

"Hi," one of the kids said to Grogu.

"He's so cute."

Grogu cooed and Artemis knew he had won over their hearts.

"Aw!"

Din jumped off the speeder and turned around to help Artemis off.

"You do know I can handle getting off a speeder myself?" she asked amused, but she took his hand nonetheless.

"Just say thank you," Din replied, but she could feel that he was rolling his eyes.

"Thank you," Artemis repeated, grinning.

"Come," one of the men who had come to get them said. "I'll show you your lodgings. We only have two huts available —"

"I have my own," Cara said, throwing a knowing look at Artemis and Din.

"Then this is you," the man said, nodding at a hut. "The two of you are a bit further," he gestured at a hut further along the road. "Omera is already waiting for you."

Din nodded before the two of them made their way towards the last hut. A woman — Omera — looked up when they entered.

"Please come in," she said. "I hope this is comfortable for you."

Artemis looked around and immediately noticed there was only one bed that was big enough for two people.

"Sorry that all we have is the barn," Omera continued.

"This will do fine," Din replied, following Artemis gaze towards the bed.

"I stacked some blankets over here," Omera said, gesturing at the pile of blankets in the corner.

"Thank you," Artemis said, giving her a smile. "That's very kind."

Grogu, who had been walking behind them, was now pulling at Artemis' pants, gesturing that he wanted to be picked up. Artemis kneeled and picked him up at the same time a young girl entered the hut. Din turned around, his blaster ready, and the girl hid behind Omera.

"This is my daughter, Winta," Omera told them. "We don't get a lot of visitors around here. She's not used to strangers. This nice man and woman are going to help protect us from the bad ones," she then told the little girl.

"Thank you," Winta said shyly.

Din gave her a nod while Artemis offered her a smile.

"Come on, Winta," Omera began. "Let's give our guests some room."

"You can take the bed," Din said, as soon as Omera and Winta were gone. "I'll take the floor."

"Nonsenses," Artemis said. "We've been sharing a ship for almost five years, I think we can share bed. Besides, it's big enough for both of us."

"Only if you're feeling comfortable with it," Din said hesitatingly.

"I am," Artemis assured him. "I will even sleep with a blindfold on so you can remove your helmet." She then fell down onto the bed. "It's so comfy."

Din grinned and fell down next to her as she placed Grogu between them. He turned onto his side so he could look at her.

"May I ask you a question?" Din asked quietly, as Grogu closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"You can ask me anything," Artemis replied, just as quietly.

"What is Order 66?"

Artemis froze and casted her eyes down. "It was an order to kill all Jedi," she quietly said, her voice almost a whisper. "The clones had some sort of chip implanted in their brains that would tune out their feelings and kill us. It was a top secret order so I was surprised that Cara knew of it."

"I'm so sorry, Artie, I shouldn't have asked," Din apologized, but Artemis interrupted him by shaking her head.

"It's okay," she assured him. "I had to tell you at some point."

Din pulled off his gloves and placed them on the ground before opening his arms. "Need a hug?"

Artemis smiled, pushed herself up — carefully so she wouldn't wake Grogu — and let herself fall into his arms. Din gently caressed her hair and soon enough, Artemis found herself drifting off to sleep.

Word count: 2737

And we have arrived in my favorite chapter! I hope you enjoyed it and tell me what you think of it!

So, as you probably know, Artemis will frequently refer to things that happened in "The Clone Wars". Now, often this will be Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka or Cody and not really the situation they're in so you don't have to have watched it just to follow this book.

Published: 25.02.2021