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Getting up in the morning was like Mando going a week without an assignment with a twist: hard and painful (his headache had grown worse). He still got up, though, and took Grogu outside to the early morning (the most important thing was that he was still walking). He tried to get him to play, but The Child wanted nothing to do with it and clung to Mando’s lower leg.
Something caught Mando’s eye not far from him. Luke’s X-Wing was in front of the forest, R2-D2 checking it. Luke must’ve gotten it when Mando went inside last night. Was he serious about accompanying him on this new mission… whatever it was? What happened to that simple father-son conversation? Not that Mando didn’t like Luke—he merely didn’t want to be in charge of three young people now (though he trusted Luke and Rotta could take care of themselves). The problem wasn’t solved yet, either. Mando still couldn’t get Grogu to leave him alone. He thought they connected while watching the stars, though. No?
“Good morning, Mando!” Rotta emerged from the Razor Crest, Luke behind him but keeping his distance, and approached Mando and Grogu. He forced a smile and said to Grogu, “Good morning, little guy,” facing Mando. “I don’t understand why Luke doesn’t like me, Mando.”
“It’s not that,” Mando calmly stated. “He doesn’t trust you.” He thought the reason was obvious.
Rotta cringed. “Because I’m a Hutt?”
Mando nodded. “But I know you’re a good Hutt, Rotta.”
Did he blush? “Aw, thank you, Mando.”
“You just need to prove that to Luke,” Mando finished with. “Like you did to us.”
Rotta opened his mouth, but shut it when Luke reached them; however, he passed them and went to his X-Wing. Luke placed his hands on his hips and asked R2, “How’s she looking, R2? We’re going to take a small break from the academy.”
“We are?” R2 seemed to beep.
Luke bobbed his head and gestured at his ship. “We’ll get ready while you prepare her.” There, he left R2 and came within reach of Mando. “Are you okay to fly today?”
Since when was Mando never okay to fly? He could still see through his visor, and if it got bad, he always had autopilot.
“Let’s go.” Mando started forward, but soon remembered that Grogu was on his leg, so he slowed his pace and shook it slightly. “Come on, kid. There’s a new assignment waiting for us.” He swore that Grogu was even clingier that morning, but didn’t know why. However, he tried his best to ignore it while he and Rotta entered the Razor Crest and returned to the cockpit.
While Mando booted her up, he saw Luke working with R2 outside.
He slipped behind the X-Wing to change into his orange pilot suit. It wasn’t long until he climbed into it, his boots shaking from excitement, and R2 appeared at the top. Despite his Jedi status, Luke still had a lot of energy. Granted, Mando did, too, at his age, but the last thing he wanted were energetic and clingy people when his head was killing him.
He tried so hard not to yell at Grogu, but he kept unstrapping himself and leaving his seat to be near him. Finally, he said, “Grogu, please, I need to concentrate,” and put him back in his seat. This was like when he first met him all over again, but Mando didn’t want him sitting in his lap in case the ship was attacked again.
Grogu must’ve sensed the frustration in Mando’s voice because he finally stayed still, though he watched him carefully.
Mando sent Adelphi’s coordinates over to Luke, who put his helmet on and asked, “Are you sure about this, Luke?” into his radio.
“Oh, please,” Luke answered back, bringing his microphone close. “It’s not my first rodeo.”
True, and it certainly probably wouldn’t be his last.
The X-Wing and Razor Crest soon lifted into the morning atmosphere, their shadows appearing over the valley, and they headed for space.
On their way up, Mando said to Luke, “So, how did you find us yesterday?”
“I was returning to the academy with R2 when I saw you crash,” he answered back, smiling in his craft. “You’re not the only one curious about these invisible enemies, Mando.”
“Just call me Din.” Mando flew before Luke and led the way higher into the atmosphere.
Luke remained near him. “All right,” he said. “Din, if you feel like you can’t fly anymore, just let me know.”
“It’s nothing,” Mando coolly replied. “Just a bump on the head.”
Luke smirked. “I can feel your pain. Just be wary—of both you and whatever attacked you, in case it’s still in space.”
It looked like Mando wouldn’t be able to hide from him.
After a bit, the two ships exited Ossus, and the world became nothing but stars and darkness once again.
In the cold void, R2 beeped, and his text appeared on a screen in Luke’s ship.
Reading it, he said, “That’s right, R2, we’re leaving Ossus for a mission. I already let Ashoka know. Don’t worry—she’s looking after the academy until we return.”
More beeps.
“Because Mando and Grogu need us,” Luke explained to R2, “but I’m not going to hold their hands. They need to learn themselves.”
More beeps.
Luke paused, and then he said, “We’ll see what happens with Rotta.”
A few moments passed, and then R2 beeped again (more frantically that time).
“What do you see, R2?” Luke inquired.
Those short beeps turned into long wailing ones when something jerked between Mando and Luke’s ships, sending them spiraling. However, they quickly caught themselves, and Mando held his helmet to protect it from smashing the flight deck again.
“Not again,” he grumbled, checking the area where the jerk came from.
“Was that the invisible enemy?” Luke wondered. He and Mando flew in circles around the empty area in space.
Silence, and then Mando answered: “Yes.”
“Did something attack us again, Mando?” Rotta appeared at the cockpit door. He held the frame with both hands, but his large body still swayed back and forth while Mando tried to steady the Razor Crest.
“Something did,” Mando said, “but there’s nothing there.” Yet, the ship jerked again, and his head screamed in pain. Would it ever end?
Mando and Luke studied the empty void in space, and Mando asked, “Are you picking up on anything, Luke?”
“No,” Luke answered back, bewilderment flashing across his face. “I see what you mean.”
“I saw a figure on Adelphi,” Mando explained, “but it vanished when I flew up there. And now I’m not getting anything.”
“Did the galaxy get new technology?” was Luke’s next question. “Maybe the Empire found a way to hide evidence of themselves, so it doesn’t show on our radars.”
“Like a DNA change?” Mando guessed.
Luke nodded. “I’m going to get a closer look. You stay back since you’re injured.”
As if! Mando never ran from a fight. He wanted to solve the mystery just as much as Luke. Yet, the second he reached for the throttle, he groaned and clutched his helmet with both hands. Grogu whimpered, but Mando said, “It’s okay, Grogu—we’re going to figure this out.”
“Let me help.” Rotta tried squeezing into the cockpit, but got stuck in the doorframe. “Just tell me what to do so Luke can see that I’m the good Hutt.”
“Just hold back for now,” Mando told him. “At least until we reach Adelphi.”
“But I’m feeling pretty useless here,” Rotta argued.
“Well, I’m the only one here who knows how to fly a ship,” Mando fought back. “How about you boys watch me for now?” Flying lessons would come after they solved the mystery.
Mando punched the throttle, and he and Luke crossed paths in the void where the jerk came from. They shot at it, but the blasters hit nothing but air.
“What are you doing, Din?” Luke asked Mando. “I told you to hold back for now.”
Mando knew he was looking out for him, but he was the Mandalorian, not Luke.
Luke remained calm, but Mando could hear slight frustration in his voice when he came a little too close to him. “Your flying is off. I think you should put the ship on autopilot before something happens.”
“Thanks, Luke, but I know how to fly my own ship.”
“Just like Han,” Luke mumbled. “He thinks he’s invincible.”
“I know how to fly my own ship, Luke.” Yet, Mando hit another jerk in the void, which sent him hurtling toward Luke, who quickly moved out of the way. That time, he and Luke were tossed around like they were in a black hole, but there was nothing there. It was like they were caught in a nasty game of space voodoo.
“Mando, you need to put the ship on autopilot,” Luke tried again. “You’re in no condition to fly right now.”
No, Mando could still fight. He turned on the Razor Crest’s shield; as soon as he did, something hit him from behind, penetrating a hole in that shield, and he spun out of the void toward Luke.
What was after him?
Where Grogu sat, he narrowed his eyes and unbuckled himself, quietly slipping out of his seat. He moved toward the flight deck, but another jerk threw him back into Rotta, who caught him.
Grogu met his eyes and gestured at the flight deck toward the autopilot button.
Luke’s voice soon passed through his head. “It’s up to you now, Grogu.”
Grogu gestured at the flight deck one more time. He and Rotta waited until they ensured Mando wasn’t looking, and then Rotta tossed Grogu forward.
With the help of the Force, he caught himself and landed on the deck behind the autopilot switch.
Finally, Mando looked at him and said, “Grogu, what are you doing?”
I’m sorry, Dad, read Grogu’s eyes, but I have to do it. With that, he pulled the autopilot switch and held onto it.
“Grogu!” Mando reached for him, but Grogu held his hand out to him, stopping him from moving until the ship flew out of the enemy’s path and no longer jerked.
Grogu released Mando and then pulled the light-speed switch. The force chucked him back into Rotta like the recoil of a gun, and they slid toward the common room, catching themselves on one of the circular tables.
“Grogu!” Mando called again as the Razor Crest entered the familiar blue wormhole, with Luke right behind it.
The journey was fast, but it felt like forever for Mando. As soon as he and Luke escaped the wormhole and found themselves floating in Adelphi’s vicinity, he unbuckled and stumbled around the cockpit for a bit before finding the exit.
Tripping over his own feet, Mando fell onto his front, but quickly stood and rushed to the common room. There were a few chairs, a play area for Grogu, and three large circular tables there. Rotta was under the middle chair, his head touching the bottom, arms crossed over his muscular chest.
“Rotta!” Where on Earth did stoic Mando go? “Where’s my son? Rotta, please!” Did he seriously say “please”?
“Don’t worry, Mando.” Rotta slithered out from the table and opened his arms, revealing Grogu nestled in them, eyes closed. “He’s right here.”
“Oh.” Instantly, Mando returned to his stoic self and cleared his throat. That wasn’t going to happen again.
Mando took Grogu from Rotta and replaced his panicked voice with, “Thank you, Rotta.” He could hear the relief in it and hugged Grogu to his shoulder.
The Child soon opened his eyes and cooed, pushing away from Mando’s armor. He set his hand on Mando’s cheek, and he closed his eyes behind his mask. Please say that wasn’t a tear he felt dripping down his cheek. A Mandalorian did not give in to their emotions.
Mando’s voicemail button on his gauntlet soon beeped. It stopped, and Luke said on the other line, “Congratulations, Mando. Your son just saved your life.”
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End of Episode I: The Invisible Enemy!
Current Word Count: 10,532
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