CHAPTER 16: THE TEMPLE

Din's thoughts were clouded by agony, so he was barely aware of what Gideon was doing. He could hear Cara yelling but he could not focus his vision until the vibrating sound of the Dark Saber swinging reached his ears. The humming sound jarred him back into the moment just as he heard Cara exhale sharply — as the blade impaled her.

Cara's head fell back to the table and slid to the side. She fought to keep her eyes up long enough to look over at Din. Her eyelids began to fall as she searched his helmet face, she wanted just a glimpse of his eyes in her last moments of consciousness. Din stared back at her in disbelief, watching her skin go suddenly cold on the visual display thermal scan. Her lips tried to form a word, but then her eyes drifted closed, and her body sagged against the blade that had gone through her and into the table.

"CARAAAA!" Paz screamed before the cry could escape Din's mouth, because Din had no breath left.

Ahsoka looked down at Tarre as she ran, and she could see the fierce determination in his face.

I felt her too, Tarre. You are doing well, control your anger and your fear. We are almost there.

Ahsoka turned a corner and with two flicks of her lightsabers she blocked and redirected the blaster fire of three troopers rendering them unconscious.

Gideon turned toward Paz, "And now — for you."

Gideon pulled the Dark Saber from Cara's chest and the table behind her, causing her to sag even more against her restraints and her blood smeared over the table.

Paz looked at Din who was struggling to maintain consciousness and then at Cara, who was bleeding liberally from her chest. For a moment sheer panic gripped him, but suddenly, he remembered Din's words. Paz closed his eyes and searched deep inside himself to find a place to make peace with his fate.

"Love…trust…honor…" he reached out to his nephew, "Tarre — this is the Way…"

Tarre heard his uncle, and he tried to reach Din and Cara but they were fading too quickly from his mind to reach them, so he put a hand up as Ahsoka leapt over the fallen troopers she had just subdued in the hall outside the office.

Ba'vodu — Buir — Cyare — trust the Force.

Paz gasped as he felt Tarre reply and he opened his eyes and saw Gideon holding the Dark Saber above his head — and his teeth were clenched — because he was struggling to move.

The office door was open, and outside Paz could see several incapacitated troopers. Ahsoka was standing there calmly with one hand up toward Gideon and she had the former Imperial frozen in place. She watched as Tarre's pram approached Din and Cara.

Ba'vodu — trust the Force, Tarre repeated.

Tarre was standing up in this pram, hovering between Din and Cara. He held both of his tiny hands up and his face completely placid as he gently lifted both of their sagging bodies up against their restraints for what seemed like an eternity. Paz was holding his breath, straining to see any sign, any movement from either of them but he saw none.

Then he heard Tarre sigh audibly, and set Din and Cara gently back down in their restraints again.

"Din? CARA?" Paz yelled. Din groaned and looked up slowly, but Cara did not move.

Tarre turned toward Paz, and with a flick of his wrist he released the restraints so that Paz could cross over to Cara before he released her restraints and she fell down into his arms. Din was released as Cara was, and struggled up off the ground then moved to Cara lifting her head up and brushing her hair back from her face.

Cara's eyes were still closed and she appeared lifeless. Din reached down to her wound and found it was completely healed, only the massive blood stain remained around the scorched tear in her suit. His visual display confirmed, she was breathing, her heart was beating, and her vitals were stable.

"She — she's alive, Paz," he choked out through his tears. He lifted Cara's forehead to his helmet and sighed deeply. Paz also felt tears burning the corners of his eyes.

Din turned and looked at Tarre, who suddenly seemed slightly taller, and he also appeared completely undiminished by the incredible act of healing he had just performed.

"Ad'ika, thank you," he whispered. Tarre smiled back at him.

Din turned to Paz and put a hand on his shoulder, "Go, brother. Get her back to the ship. We — will finish here."

Paz hesitated for a moment, but he trusted his brother, Ahsoka and Tarre. And he knew Din was not yet strong enough to carry anyone very far. Din lifted Cara up by holding her around the waist, then Paz knelt down and Din laid her across Paz' shoulders. Paz wrapped his right arm around her leg and his right hand gripped her hand in front. Paz grunted as he moved to standing, and then he immediately headed for the door.

Then Din and Tarre turned back to Ahsoka who still held Gideon frozen with the Dark Saber above his head. Ahsoka slowly levitated Gideon, and then rotated him around to face them.

"I can see it has been a long time since you faced a fully trained adult wielder of the Force," Ahsoka said with quiet contempt.

Din looked over at Tarre who seemed to be facing his former captor with amazing calm.

"You are surprised that our Youngling is not at all drained by his efforts to save his family?" Ahsoka sighed with irritation. "Unfortunately, there are many aspects of the power of the Force you will never comprehend. Using your powers due to fear or because your Master demands it empties your life Force. Healing with love and care for the well-being of others — is a far more powerful connection to the Living Force that Tarre has only just begun to explore."

Ahsoka then dropped Gideon to the ground, "This is your one chance. Come peacefully — or we will stop you."

Gideon had struggled the entire time he was frozen, so he was breathless but now he returned to laughter.

"I know who you are Ahsoka Tano. And you may have power, but you are no Jedi! I have won! The Child is MINE!"

Gideon turned toward Tarre, who looked back at him filled the room with his thoughts.

I have a family now. No one will ever possess me. And you — will never hurt anyone ever again.

Ahsoka spoke firmly to Gideon, "He is not the weak Youngling you so easily manipulated. You cannot defeat us. Surrender."

Gideon swept the Dark Saber around to try to clear his path to grab Tarre, Din reached out to move Tarre out of the way, but before he could move the pram Ahsoka blocked the blow with her white lightsaber throwing Gideon back several steps.

Gideon tried to swing again, and Ahsoka moved between Gideon and her friends and blocked his strike with both of her lightsabers this time pushing Gideon all the way back to the table Paz had been restrained to.

Din also took a step in front of Tarre and his hand hovered over his blaster, but he was in awe of Ahsoka's display of discipline and power in the Force. Facing a fully trained and experienced Force wielder made him wonder how the Jedi could ever have fallen. He knew that they were far beyond blasters at this point.

"You have failed, "Ahsoka said with quiet venom. "The Mandalorians have disabled your ship. Surrender."

Gideon clenched his teeth and jumped back up only to be blocked again by Ahsoka's calm face as he pushed the Dark Saber against Ahsoka's defensive stance. Then he reached for the Duchess blaster, but Tarre was faster, and levitated the blaster to Din's hand.

Din immediately broke down the weapon and found the Duchess component, he threw it on the ground and blasted it.

When the arc energy faded to nothing, Gideon finally fell to his knees, and Ahsoka levitated the Dark Saber into Din's waiting hand. Then Din handed his binders to Ahsoka and she set about restraining Gideon.

"He will serve the Empire! His power will bring us to the next Order! The Final Order!" Gideon yelled as Ahsoka dragged him out of the room.

Din looked down at Tarre and Tarre cocked his head slightly.

No revenge, Buir. Only peace.

Din put a hand on Tarre's back, "This is the Way."

Cara could feel a cool sheet under her hand and the smell of fresh tea and bar-b-q meat from the bazaar. She smiled to herself, Nevarro was so familiar, like and old friend. She allowed her eyes to blink twice at the sunlit room filled with warmth — instead of an office inside a ship floating in the cold of space…

She sat up straight, put a hand to her chest and pulled apart the sleeping shirt she was wearing. Her wound was gone.

For a moment she wondered if she had dreamed it all, but the pain of the Dark Saber impaling her was so fresh that it made her pectoral muscles spasm. She knew it was real — and that meant —

"TARRE? TARRE!" She yelled out throwing back the sheet.

Just as she stood up from the bed, the door slid open and Din was standing in the doorway staring at her.

"Where's Tarre? What did he do?" She cried, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

Tarre toddled in between Din's legs and waved at her with a squeak. Then he hopped up into her arms.

"Cyare!" Tarre said.

Cara hugged him a little too tightly, and then smiled down at him through tears.

"Nice try, buddy! But it's 'CAR-rah," Tarre snuggled up against her chest with his head and ears under her chin and trilled happily.

Din stepped closer to them, "No — he got it right. He called you a Mando'a word."

Din put an arm around her back and she looked up at him suddenly aware of how close he was.

"It means 'beloved'," he whispered.

Cara's tears rolled down her cheek and she rested her forehead against Din's helmet. She stroked Tarre's head against her chest and Din held them both in his arms.

After conferring with the Mandalorians, despite Din's mistrust of any justice system, they decided to contact the New Republic to process Gideon and the remaining crew of his Star Destroyer. There were too many prisoners for them to keep on Nevarro. In addition, even Din and Paz had to admit they had to advocate for extradition of Gideon to the Core, because they knew on Mandalore Gideon would be torn apart. Gideon would have to be re-tried for his war crimes as well as his current crimes, including the imprisonment of Force sensitive innocents, and a new attempt at total genocide of the Mandalorian people, and there was no way a Mandalorian court could be considered impartial.

Once the prisoners were collected by the New Republic prison ship, Din and Paz personally saw to the handoff of Moff Gideon. Din watched ship depart, and while he still felt that ultimately the New Republic was doomed to repeat the sins of the past, for the first time since he met Tarre he allowed himself to believe that the immediate threats to Tarre's future were handled.

Paz and Tristan were anxious to return to Mandalore, but Din hesitated. Paz came to visit one evening and Din knew he had an agenda. Tarre stood on the windowsill with his nose on the glass waiting, because, of course, he knew who was coming.

"Tarre, relax kid. You're getting all worked up and it's just Paz!" Din's nerves were unsettled by Tarre's bouncing and dancing around on the sill.

When Paz walked up he and Tarre made funny faces at each other in the window, smudging up the glass horribly. Tarre giggled and laughed until he fell off the windowsill and Paz rushed in to make sure Tarre was okay.

Din and Cara were sitting in the main room watching the ridiculousness going on. Cara could not contain her grin, Din, of course, was annoyed. Paz walked over and hugged Cara warmly, then smiled at Din.

"Sabine finished your armor again!" Paz grinned.

The Armorer had to reforge Din's right pauldron, sigil and thigh guard, and Sabine was not satisfied to repaint only those two pieces. She took Din's cuirass for almost a week before she was content with her work. She had continued the green shading, and elements of Vizsla blue, but had added a lot more variation to the colors. From far away it looked like one shade of green, but closer up, more tones in the color could be seen, and as Din moved the hue shifted even more.

Tarre was eager to show Paz that Sabine had added an important new detail. He toddled over from the window and hopped pointing up at Din's chest plate. Paz looked closer and realized that it was a stylized and enlarged print of Tarre's hand over Din's left chest, over his heart.

Tarre squeaked proudly a sound that could only be interpreted as, "That's me!"

Din picked up Tarre and set him on his lap and started drawing circles on his back in order to calm him down.

Paz chuckled and then sighed.

"So Tristan has set departure for two days from now. Have you guys decided?"

Cara smiled, "I'm not making that decision, this is about you three."

Din looked over at her sharply. "You have as much say in this as we do."

Cara shook her head, "No. This is about your family, your planet, and Tarre's future in your family. I need you three to hash this one out."

Din looked at Paz, then back at Cara. "Are you saying that you will come?"

Cara sighed, "I didn't say that. But I can say — that I could spend time there."

Paz frowned. "Cara, you know that's not what any of us want. The last thing we want is to leave you behind."

Tarre wiggled out of Din's grip and hopped over to Cara's lap and frowned trilling at her. Cara groaned, and piked Tarre up so he could put his head under her chin.

Paz threw his hands up. "Okay, let's just go for the celebration. Ahsoka and Sabine are going. Go for just two weeks."

Din sighed, "Fine."

Cara rolled her eyes, "This feels like a trap."

Paz chuckled. "I don't know Cara, it's a warrior culture. You may like it more than Din does."

Cara lifted a brow. "Do I need the Armorer to set me up before we leave?" She chuckled at her own joke.

Din and Paz looked at each other.

"How did you know?"

Cara looked back and forth between them. "Know what?"

The Armorer's new forge was built in a large open air compound. There was a large training square where Din had run his trials before Gideon's attack. To the right were barracks that could house over two hundred Tribe members, and to the left were washing facilities, the armory, kitchens and a forum for social activity.

Cara had not been back since the attack because they had been so busy with managing the prisoners. The Armorer had also been busy with all of the Mandalorians on the battleship who wanted her famous specialty armor work done. They had admired Din's cuirass and she had many visitors and special orders. And many of the visitors stayed for a night or two and socialized with the Tribe, thoroughly enjoying their time on Nevarro.

Cara could see several of Clan Wren laughing and talking with Tribe members some with helmets on, others without. The rapport was palpable and the atmosphere was relaxed and informal.

"Welcome, friend," Cara turned and smiled at the Armorer as she walked up to her and took Cara's arm in hers.

"Sister," Cara corrected her with a grin.

The Armorer nodded, "Sister, I hear my gift has been revealed by the indelicate brothers."

Cara laughed again, "All they said was that you had a parting gift before we leave — temporarily."

The Armorer took Cara's arm, "Temporarily? What do you mean?"

Cara shrugged as the Armorer led her toward the forge, "I get the impression that Mandalore — doesn't suit Din very well."

The Armorer sighed, "Many things do not suit Din Djarin. And yet he must learn to change."

Cara chuckled as the Armorer dropped her arm and headed toward the shelves covered in pieces of armor. She retrieved a beskar chest plate that had been set aside and brought it over to Cara.

"Sabine of Clan Wren insisted on completing the artwork before I could present it to you."

Cara felt tears forming at the corner of her eyes as she ran her fingers over the metal. Sabine had incorporated the teal from her tactical gear, and meshed it with the greens of Din's cuirass. She finished it off with the same stylized handprint of Tarre, but on her chestplate the handprint was over the location of where the Dark Saber had impaled her.

"I felt it was time that the Tribe contributed armor to your protection, as you have done so much to protect us," the Armorer's voice softened. "And due to your injury, the chest plate was the appropriate first piece."

Cara looked back up at the Armorer and whispered, "Thank you, sister."

The Armorer nodded. "I will add more over time, whether you stay on Mandalore or not," she added slyly.

Cara looked at her friend, "Why do you not return?"

The Armorer in her golden helmet, held her gaze for a few moments, "I have nothing to return to. All was lost in the Purge."

Cara's brow creased, "But Zaral called you her oldest friend… and she is the head of House Vizsla."

The Armorer put a hand on Cara's arm, "Some wounds are too deep, and the daily reminder is …too much to bear."

Cara nodded, putting a hand over the Armorer's. "Will you tell me the story, some day?"

The Armorer regarded her for a few moments, "Perhaps, some day." Then she motioned toward the armory, "Come, let us fit your doublet with clasps to hold your armor, the battleship leaves tonight."

Cara allowed the Armorer to busy herself with outfitting Cara and they embraced before she left that afternoon. Cara walked home wearing her new chest plate, which at once felt heavy and embracing. She understood for the first time why armor was such a significant part of what made a person a Mandalorian.

She passed by Karga's building, stopped for a moment and smiled to herself, then walked in.

"Carasynthia! I just saw Mando — and speaking of which look at you!" He pointed to her new beskar. He leaned in, "You two better not be sneaking off. I'm the only one who gets to officiate you two —"

Cara put a hand up, "Don't get any ideas. It was a thank you gift from the Armorer. That's all."

Karga chuckled, "OK, fine, I get it." He reached out and took her hands. "Please, come back some day. Nevarro will be desolate without you both."

On the four-day trip to Mandalore there were several hyperspace jumps and plenty of time for Cara to catch up with Ahsoka who was continuing her lessons with Tarre. They practiced with Cara more than Din on reducing Tarre's chatterbox thought to manageable conversations. Din would just get overwhelmed and shut down completely and Tarre would get frustrated with him because Din could not keep up.

Ahsoka's patience with Tarre was impressive, and Cara watched her as an example of how to manage Tarre better.

Din and Sabine were busy with finishing the augmentation of the shield pieces for all beskar armor. Sabine was obsessed with turning the shields into pieces of art, and Din wanted the shields to appeal to all Mandalorians with armor so he offered to help. Sabine started to feel more confident about the possibility of a future that would allow Mandalorians to fight without fear that her creation will annihilate her people.

Paz and Tristan were often occupied with Clan business and were in holographic meetings with the leadership of Mandalore. Cara did not take an interest in what was being discussed in these meetings but she could not help but wonder if Din would be eventually caught up in such matters.

One evening Cara was walking with Tarre through one of the truly beautiful viewing window areas of the ship where in hyperspace one could sit in a reclined chair and contemplate the systems that were flying past, when Paz caught up to them.

"I was looking for you two! Tarr'ika!" Tarre jumped up almost to face level and Paz caught him before Tarre could grab his nose. He tickled Tarre ruthlessly and then motioned for Cara to join him on the reclining chairs.

"I'm sorry I tracked you guys down like this but I needed to ask you something," Paz confessed. "Did you know the Armorer asked Din to be the next leader of the Tribe?"

Cara sat up and blinked at Paz, "No. Neither of them mentioned it to me." She thought back, "The Armorer made a comment to me about how many things don't suit Din, but I thought she was referring to how he handles his friendship with me…"

Paz lifted a brow, "Friendship? Really, Cara?"

Cara rolled her eyes at Paz, "Not officially anything more than that, Paz. And to be honest, I'm pretty comfortable with that right now. Let's not make it any more complicated."

Paz put his hands up, and smiled, returning to the initial topic. "Well, Zaral is not exactly happy with the Armorer. She sees Din as second in line after me — which of course Din is not happy with."

Cara nodded, "So what happens if Din walks away?"

Paz shrugged, "Nothing, I won't disown him, and I'm the oldest living member of our immediate family in the Clan. But the implications for House Vizsla could be — significant."

Cara's brow creased, "But couldn't Tristan or someone of Clan Wren take over?"

Paz nodded, "And he has more than earned it. But Zaral, of course, doesn't like that." He chuckled. "None of this will help my case to get Din to stay, of course." Paz reached out and took Cara's hand as Tarre crawled up to his shoulder. "I had hoped that the only person I had to convince was you. But now — I understand there's even more conflict going on inside his helmet."

Cara smiled, "Paz, he would never leave you again."

Paz wobbled his head and grimaced, "Would he save my ass again, of course. But would he save me from Clan politics…?"

Cara chuckled, "Point taken."

"Okay, Tarr'ika, you're pulling my ear off now, time to come down," Tarre had been trying to climb up on Paz' head for a better view of the widows but his foot claws were pulling Paz' ear.

He looked down at Tarre and smiled, "Is it time for bed? Was this a walk to tire out this guy before bedtime? Maybe Ba'vodu should take on bedtime duties today?"

Cara made a sweeping arm gesture as an invitation for Ba'vodu to take over. The three of them happily returned to their quarters for bath and bedtime.

Din adjusted his thigh guard again. The new one did not hit his leg comfortably despite several modifications. Everyone kept telling him he must have scar tissue from the Dark Saber, but he knew that Tarre's healing power did not leave any scars. The muscle stretched and moved as it should, and the bone was sound. In fact, Tarre had returned him to full health. He was stronger than he had been since the first battle with Gideon. But for some reason, after hours of wear, every day he had to massage his leg.

He re-clasped the guard once again, then leaned back against the wall, and his gaze drifted back over to the Dark Saber which sat on his table. It seemed to be calling to him. He walked over and picked it up.

The weight of it always surprised him, and the hilt while very cubic and sharp, seemed to mold into the hand of the holder. Metal was a living element, it reacted to its environment and reshaped to adapt to the forces acting on it. Din wished his thigh guard would adapt to his leg as quickly.

He activated the Dark Saber and held it up. He was to return the Saber to Zaral that morning for safe keeping in the House of Vizsla. He was happy that it would not be going to a politician. He did not know how big Tarre would grow, but he hoped Tarre might hold it — one day.

A knock came at the door.

"Din, are you playing with the Dark Saber in there when your brother has been pacing out here worrying that we will be late for the transport to the Clan celebration?"

Din quickly turned off the Saber, slipped his helmet on, and pressed the button to open the door to his room.

He shrugged at Cara, but did not reply to her challenge. He then walked past her as she glared, and Tarre jumped up into his arms as Paz fixed him with a wide-eyed stare.

"Let's go," Din said simply.

Paz tossed a glance back at Cara who rolled her eyes and then he put on his helmet and followed Din and Tarre.

They boarded the transport just in time and were joined by Tristan, Sabine and Ahsoka. Tarre immediately jumped up to sit next to Ahsoka and started chattering away with her. Paz sat next to Tristan and Sabine to discuss the days festivities. Cara sat next to Din and took another shot.

"What is up with you?" She whispered harshly.

"It's nothing," Din replied simply.

Cara sighed. "Listen, I'm not going to make any decisions for you. You are an adult, and so am I. We can each make our own choices."

Din nodded, "Yeah."

Cara leaned in, "So be a damn adult, and just make a choice. You're gonna break someone's heart no matter what you choose to do. So get on with it, buddy."

Then Cara got up and walked over to Ahsoka and Tarre, he was levitating Ahsoka's activated lightsabers and while Ahsoka was unafraid it made Cara nervous.

Din looked out the window of the transport as it exited the hangar. Mandalore loomed below but as they approached he saw more activity, ships, trade, and signs of civilization than he had ever seen in his life. There was hope, it seemed, after the Galactic Empire.

Din remained as silent and posed as a statue through the entire celebration. The celebration was a hero's welcome and a demonstration of their hope in the future without fear of the Duchess. But Din spoke with very few people, he did not eat, he did not dance, he did not clap for the performers.

The one moment in the entire day when Din softened slightly, was when Din, Cara, Tarre, Paz, Zaral, Tristan, Sabine and Ahsoka met with Kor-Kayan who had taken his place as the head of Clan Kryze. He was only just recovering from his years on the prison ship, but he could not escape whispers of people who desired him to take office. Din felt for him. He handled ceremony without pomp quite well, and as one of the most prominent prisoners they had liberated, he bestowed on all of them medals for their valor in the fight against tyranny.

Ahsoka, it seemed, knew Kor-Kayan well. They embraced and spoke for quite some time after the medal presentation. She brought him over to speak with Din, Paz, Tarre and Cara.

Paz shook his hand first, as the head of their family and Clan Vizsla, but Kor-Kayan was there to speak to Din.

"Din Djarin, of Clan Vizsla, I am happy to finally speak with you. I was in no state to converse on the prison ship. I am eternally grateful for your rescue. A medal does not seem enough of a reward."

Din bowed slightly. "Thank you, Kor-Kayan of Clan Kryze, but I was just doing my duty." Din would normally stop there, but suddenly felt the need to add, "I'm glad to see you are recovering well."

Cara turned toward them, "How do you know Ahsoka?"

Kor-Kayan smiled at Ahsoka, "Ahsoka taught me and my friends at the Academy how to bring down corrupt governments."

Ahsoka laughed, "Korkie was a great student."

Cara smiled, "Korkie?"

Korkie laughed, "A corruption of Kor'ika, my Aunt's favorite name for me." Sadness crept into his eyes but he continued to smile, "She was like a mother to me." He brightened, "As was my other aunt, Bo-Katan, who I know Clan Vizsla revered. I hope that in our new bright future our Clans may continue to honor each other."

Din put out his arm to Korkie, and he took it, "This is the Way."

Korkie nodded, "This is the Way."

Paz put a hand on both of their shoulders and smiled.

Din wandered the compound, following his instinct looking for Tarre. Everyone he asked, it seemed, had seen Tarre, but no one knew exactly where he was. For the hundredth time, Din considered putting a tracking device on the kid. He kept his heart rate down, he knew Tarre was safe and indoors, but he kept slipping away more and more and Din knew it was purposeful. Tarre was trying to gain some measure of independence, but Din was not quite ready for that. After all, Tarre was only fifty.

Din reached out again, and something told him to turn into the gardens.

"Tarre? Are you out here?" Din could not remove all irritation from his voice.

A voice called out, "Over here, Din Djarin."

Din followed the pathway through the trees to a clearing where Ahsoka, Korkie and Tarre were all sitting with legs crossed, meditating.

Ahsoka moved over so Din could sit between her and Tarre.

"Sit. Meditate," Ahsoka said calmly.

Din put his hands up, "I was just looking for —"

"Sit, Din Djarin. Meditate," Ahsoka said firmly.

Din knew that tone, he sat down, but did not know where to start with meditating.

"Your mind is full. Begin with emptying yourself," Ahsoka said quietly.

"But, how —"

"Empty, yourself," she repeated.

Tarre opened an eye, and gave Din a disapproving squeak.

Din had a mind to grab the kid by one of his giant ears and drag him back to their rooms. But he forced himself to put his hands down on his knees and begin to let his many worries drop out of his mind.

Paz he was not worried about. He would find someone else to inherit House Vizsla, even if Zaral did not approve.

Zaral he was not worried about, she would have opinions, but would let Paz handle Clan Vizsla business.

The Armorer he worried about, and felt the most indebted to. And she was quite close with Cara.

Karga he worried about. The man needed allies, and he was making a legitimate go of trying to re-establish order and some semblance of democracy with the Tribe.

Cara he always worried about. He needed her, he needed her presence, he needed her skill, he needed her wisdom, and he just needed her. So he wanted to make choices that she would agree with so she would find it easy to be there for Tarre — and him.

And Tarre he constantly worried about. He could see Tarre thriving in both Nevarro and Mandalore. But Din could see Tarre making more friends on Mandalore, and having a longer lasting family connection there. The family connection would be there as people with shorter lifespans passed on, each generation would come up behind the previous one to keep Tarre company, and continue to guide and safeguard him.

The only other choice was the Temple. The Temple had loomed in his dreams lately. In those dreams it was a temple almost engulfed in an endless jungle world where the jungle was constantly threatening to overtake the stone walls. Din could almost smell the jungle flora, and felt that all he had to do was reach out to touch it…

"The Temple — you have seen it?" Ahsoka said suddenly.

Din opened his eyes and took a breath, then turned to look at her. "In my dreams. But I assumed Tarre was projecting the images to me."

Ahsoka nodded, "Tarre has been seeing the Temple for years. Long before he met you. When did you start seeing it?"

Din shrugged, "After we were hit by the Duchess, I think."

Ahsoka blinked, "Well, Din Djarin, the Force may have already given you both the answer to your question."

"The answer is, it's time for Tarre to go to the Temple?" Din shook his head, he was not ready, it couldn't be time yet. "You said he was too young!"

Ahsoka put a hand on his shoulder, "No, he is too young to train. But a thought occurred to me. The Temple contains more than just the Jedi training. It contains vast knowledge. Including, possibly, Master Yoda's home planet, and Tarre's. It may be time for you to introduce him to the Master there, and seek that knowledge. That way, Tarre will know the way when it's time for him to return to the Temple, and he might be able to gain some information, if he ever desires to revisit his past. Once you are at the Temple, the Force will guide you on where to go next."

Din looked down at Tarre, and he smiled a toothy grin back up at him.

"Thank you, Ahsoka," he turned back to her. "What will you do?"

Ahsoka smiled and closed her eyes again, "I will wait here — until Sabine is ready to take up our mission again."

Korkie chuckled, "Which hopefully will never happen."

Ahsoka smiled but did not open her eyes.

Din nodded, and Tarre had toddled up to his knee. Din boosted Tarre up to his shoulder, then stood up and quietly left the garden.

"Coming up on Yavin! What are you two doing back there?" Cara said with exasperation.

Din appeared at the door of the cockpit tense and irritated.

"Playing keep away with my blaster apparently. If he levitates it out of my reach one more time —"

"Okay, sorry I asked — landing sequence initiated," Cara mumbled. "You know he just starts messing with you when he's nervous."

Din turned sharply to look at her from the ops position, "As if I'm not nervous?"

Cara sighed, and tuned him out. Din was a man of few words, but wind him up and suddenly he had many.

When they had landed, they found Tarre sitting on Din's sleeping bench and playing with his silver ball.

Tarre looked up at both of them with sad eyes and his ears completely folded, I'm not staying, right Buir?

Din shook his head and sighed, "No, I'm not ditching you here because you stole my blaster."

Cara smiled, "No, we are just going to introduce you to the Master. You'll have a conversation, and then after we try to locate your home world in the Archive, we'll go on our way."

Tarre turned his silver ball over in his hands again, and then put it down on his blue blanket. Then he hopped down and hopped completely out of the ship, skipping the ramp. He toddled a few steps forward and looked up at the imposing forest and the looming structure of the stone temple.

He looked back at Din and Cara, I can feel the Force here. Can you?

Din shook his head no. "Go ahead and explore. We will catch up to you."

Tarre hopped toward the Temple.

Din turned back to Cara, "You realize this could turn into a journey to his home planet? If that's what he wants."

Cara smiled and put a hand on the cheek ridge of his helmet, "I'm in."

Cara turned and jogged forward to catch up with Tarre. Din went back to close the ramp of the Razor Crest so that the jungle creatures could not take interest in their food stores, and then he followed them — into the Temple.