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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

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          ARTEMIS first reaction upon seeing Cody, was to leap out and grab him away from there. However, that didn't happen as Din wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from going.

"It's a suicided mission, Fury," he quietly told her.

"I don't care," Artemis said, trying to get out of his grip. "They have Cody. Cody!"

Cody's head snapped up upon hearing his name. His eyes narrowed as he tried to look into the cantina.

"Commander?" he asked hesitantly, as if not sure he had heard her right.

Din held her even tighter and Artemis could feel his fear of her going out. She relaxed slightly.

"I know who he is," Din said suddenly, his arms still wrapped around her waist as if not trusting her to not go and storm outside. "It's Moff Gideon."

Artemis tensed. She had heard that name before.

"No," Cara said, turning from her work with the vent. "Moff Gideon was executed for war crimes."

"It's him," Din said. "He knew my name."

"So?" Greef said. "What does that prove?"

"I haven't heard that name spoken since I was a child," Din told him. "Except for Artie."

"On Mandalore?" Greef asked.

"I was not born on Mandalore," Din said.

"But you're a Mandalorian," Greef said.

"Mandalorian isn't a race," Cara told him.

"It's a Creed," Din finished. "I was a Foundling. They raised me in the Fighting Corps. I was treated as one of their own. When I came of age, I was sworn to the Creed. The only record of my family name was on the registers of Mandalore. Moff Gideon was an ISB Officer during the purge. That's how I know it's him."

"That's how he knows who we all are," Cara said.

"He says he needs us, which means the child got away safely," Din said.

"I can stall him," Artemis said, looking up at Din.

"No," he immediately said.

"It'll give you enough time to get through that vent," Artemis said, nodding at where Cara was still working with the lightsaber. She then placed her hands on his arms. "I can do this, Din."

"I can't lose you," Din quietly said, placing his forehead against hers.

"You won't," she promised him. "Besides, I did tell you I have some tricks up my sleeve."

"I still don't want you to go," Din said. "But I understand you have to do this."

"Thank you," Artemis said. "I'll be right back. I promise."

"You better. If not, I'll follow you and drag you back here."

Artemis smiled, pressed a kiss on his helmet before turning to Cara.

"You can handle it?" she questioned the dropper, nodding at the lightsaber.

"I'll be fine," Cara said, nodding. "You go and get him."

Artemis smiled and dashed towards the door. Her smile faded away as it slid open and dozens of blasters were pointed at her. However, that wasn't what caught her attention

Cody looked older and thinner than when she'd last seen him. He wore a simple black shirt and pants that looked too big for him. He looked starved and exhausted and Artemis heart broke as she thought of what had happened to him. However, when his dark eyes met her green ones, she recognized the man behind them.

It was still Cody.

"Commander," he said, straightening his back and if it wasn't for the fact that he was handcuffed, he would have saluted her.

"Artemis Bryce," Moff Gideon greeted her. "Finally we meet in the flesh."

"Moff Gideon," she greeted him back, knowing that she needed to act at least civilized towards him if she ever wanted to achieve anything.

Artemis straightened her shoulders and strode over to him, ignoring the blasters pointed at her. She tried to remember the little things Padmé had taught  her and Ashoka about negotiations, but the only negotiations that came to her mind were aggressive ones.

"I have a proposition for you," she said, stopping a couple of feet in front of him.

"Please enlighten me," Moff Gideon said.

"We can settle this without any battle," Artemis began. "Only you and me. A duel. I see you have obtained the dark saber," she added, glancing down to see the silver hilt hanging onto his belt.

"Now why would I do that?" Moff Gideon said. "I have absolutely outnumbered you. So why would I fight you which could lead to me dying?"

"You might have the numbers but will your men want to fight for you when they hear you don't want to fight for them?" Artemis questioned him.

"Good soldiers follow orders," was all Moff Gideon said.

Artemis' eyes darted towards Cody, who was still looking at her in disbelief. He didn't deserve a life like this. He had been a good soldier. A great one even. And one of her best friends. Her captain.

Artemis grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it.

"I wasn't asking for a duel," Artemis said coldly.

"This isn't the Jedi way," Moff Gideon said, igniting his dark saber.

"No, it is my way," Artemis replied before leaping forwards, her blue saber crashing on his black one.

"Foolish girl," Moff Gideon spat. "I was personally trained by Darth Vader."

"Well, I was trained by his first master," Artemis hissed.

Their sabers were clashing against each other and they moved so quickly it was hard to notice who had the upper hand.

"Cody, get inside the cantina!" Artemis shouted, her eyes not leaving Moff Gideon who leaped forwards.

Artemis gritted her teeth as she tried to push him back, but he was stronger and it had been a while since Artemis had last engaged into a duel with another saber wielder.

While holding the hilt of her saber with her right hand, she stuck out her left hand, calling for her other saber and hoping Cara would be done by now.

It flew loyally into her hand and she ignited before uniting them and pushing Gideon off of her. She lashed out towards his arm and managed to give him a deep cut. He stumbled back but didn't let go of his dark saber.

And then, IG-11 appeared on a bike speeder, the kid hanging onto his back. It started gunning down the stormtroopers in front of the cantina. Artemis turned around again only to see that Moff Gideon had disappeared from view.

"Kriff," she cursed under her breath.

"Commander!" Cody exclaimed, running up to her.

Artemis turned her lightsabers off and engulfed him in a short but tight hug.

"You got old," Cody said, as she let him go.

Artemis chuckled. "Had to happen sometimes, Cody."

"I'm glad you're still alive."

"You, too."

"Can you help me out of this?" Cody asked, showing her his handcuffs.

"Yeah, sure," Artemis said, turning her lightsabers back on and cutting through the metal cord that connected his hands. "That'll have to do for now."

"Works fine," Cody said, taking a blaster off the ground. "Just like the old times?"

Artemis smiled. "Just like the old times."

They emerged into the battle, side by side, and Artemis soon found out they were still in sync.

"That was not stalling!" Din called over to Artemis. He and Greef had ran out of the cantina to help her fight off the stormtroopers. "That was suicide!"

"Oh please, I had everything under control!" Artemis called back, a smile playing on her lips. "And I didn't die, did I?"

"Why do I feel like you are going to be the death of me?" Din wondered out loud.

"I'm not," Artemis said, blocking shots that were coming at them. "I promise."

Din ran towards the E-Web and used it to shot several stormtroopers down.

"Ah!" Cody said, as a shot hit his shoulder.

"Cody!" Artemis exclaimed. "Din, cover me!"

"On it!" Din said and she kneeled down beside Cody, who was clutching his shoulder. She tore a piece of her shirt and covered the wound with it.

"Can you stand?" Artemis questioned him.

"Yeah, don't worry. It's just a scratch," Cody assured her, but his expression told her otherwise.

And then an explosion went off behind them. Artemis covered Cody with her own, trying to protect him from the blast. She looked around and saw Din laying on the ground. He didn't move.

"No!" she exclaimed, dashing towards him. "Din! Cody, help me move him!"

Cody grabbed one arm and slung it over his neck while Artemis took his other arm. They dragged him into the cantina, IG-11 and Greef covering their backs.

The door closed and Artemis laid Din on the ground.

"Stay with us, buddy," Cara said, trying to find a wound. "We're gonna get you out of here."

"How's the vent?" Artemis asked Cara. "Did you finish it?"

"Almost," she said.

"Leave that to me," IG-11 said, turning to the vent.

Artemis turned back to Din, placing both of her hands on the side of his helmet.

"Stay with me," she said.

"I'm not gonna make it," Din said softly. "Go."

"Shut up," Artemis said. "You just got your bell ring. You'll be fine."

"Leave me," Din said.

Artemis closed her eyes and tried to find where his wound came from. She slipped her hand under his helmet to the back of his head and pulled back when she felt something wet. Her hand was covered in blood.

"Din, I know you don't want it, but I need to take your helmet off," Artemis quietly said.

"No," Din said firmly. "You leave me."

"Do you honestly think I'd leave you?" Artemis questioned him, sounding a bit offended. "I'm not."

Din touched her cheek. "Please . . . Fury . . . If you stay, you'll die."

"Then we'll die together."

"No, you have to make sure the child is safe," Din said. "Here," he added, giving her his mythosaur necklace. "When you get to the Mandalorian covert, you show them that. You tell them it's from me, Din Djarin. You tell them the foundling was in my protection, and they'll help you."

"We can make it, Din," Artemis pleaded. "I can heal you, but you just need to take the helmet off."

"You know I can't do that, Fury."

Artemis sighed, silently cursing the ways of the Mandalorian.

"Commander," Cody quietly said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but we need to go."

"No," Artemis said, shaking her head. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Fury —," Din began, but he was interrupted by flames erupting from the window. Artemis leaned over Din, trying to protect him from it.

The door opened and more flames were sent their way. Artemis' breath stocked and for a moment, fear building up inside of her. She closed her eyes and tried to control her feelings.

Fear was not the way of the Jedi.

"You protect the child," Din told Artemis, as he raised his hand to touch the ends of her hair and curl it around his finger. "I can hold them back long enough for you to escape. I'm sorry, Cyar'ika. Let me have a warrior's death."

"I won't leave you," Artemis said, taking his gloved hand.

"This is the Way," was all Din said.

"No, it's not," Artemis flashed back. "It's not my way."

A red-striped incinerator trooper entered the cantina and raised his flamethrower. Artemis bowed over Din, placing her forehead against his helmet.

"I love you."

Din squeezed her hand.

"I love you, too."

Artemis closed her eyes and awaited the flames that would certainly burn them all. However, her eyes opened again as a powerful Force almost knocked her off her feet. She frowned and turned around, seeing the child standing protectively in front of them. He used the Force to deflect the flames back at the trooper, driving him out.

He then fell down.

"Grogu!" Artemis exclaimed, dashing towards the small green creature. She picked him up and met his big black eyes. "Good job, little one."

Grogu cooed exhaustingly and Artemis handed him to Cody.

"Protect him," she told him and he nodded.

"With my life, commander."

"IG-11, how's the vent?" Artemis questioned the droid.

"I am ready," IG-11 said, making Artemis nod.

"You guys go ahead, I'll heal Din and we'll come for you. Here," she added, placing the mythosaur necklace around Grogu's neck. "You'll need this."

"Commander —," Cody started, but he was interrupted by Cara who pulled him towards the vent.

"We will be fine," the Shock Trooper said. "Don't take long."

With that, Cara, Cody, Grogu, Greef and IG-11 disappeared into the vent. Artemis kneeled down next to Din and removed his helmet.

"You're stubborn, you know that?" Din told her.

"I guess that's why I'm still alive," Artemis said, placing her hand on his head. "Don't move."

She then closed her eyes and focused on the Force around her, ignoring her muscles that were still aching from her fight with Gideon.

Slowly, she felt the wound heal but it took her longer than usual. Halfway, she had to place her hand on Din's knee to steady herself.

By the time it was healed, she fell forward and Din caught her.

"Fury," he quietly said.

"I'm fine," Artemis assured him, looking up at him in exhaustion. "Healing someone takes a lot of energy," she added. "That's why I'm alway tired after doing it." She then pushed herself back up. "But we need to go. They will come back with more."

Din jumped up, took his helmet and put it back on.

"You sure you're okay?"

Artemis smiled. "I have you," she simply said.

Word count: 2267

We are so close to the ending of season one! Just one more chapter :)

Thank you all for reading, commenting, liking. I really appreciate it!! :)

Published: 12.03.2021