Mando wanted to yell (tell Grogu that he could’ve escaped the enemy by himself), but couldn’t, not after Grogu helped him like that. Maybe Luke was right; maybe he wasn’t in the right mindset to fly.
“Will you do me a favor, Din?” Luke inquired. “If not you, would you get yourself checked out for Grogu, once we land? I’ll then stop bugging you.”
The thought passed through Mando’s head. He looked at Rotta, who returned his expression. They couldn’t delay for long because of the new bounty, but if it would help Grogu…
“All right.” Mando moved his gauntlet close to his helmet. “I’ll do it, Luke, for Grogu, but we can’t delay the assignment for long.”
“I think your health is more important than the assignment,” Luke admitted. “You’ll be in and out.” With those words, he flew before the Razor Crest, toward the familiar planet before Mando.
To Rotta, Mando said, “This might be a good time for you to try to get through to Luke, Rotta.” He passed him, Grogu still on his shoulder, and returned to the cockpit. Mando waited until he sat down and strapped in before saying, “Thank you, Grogu.”
Eyes brightening, Grogu gave him an air hug.
***
“Well, that wasn’t a long journey,” Zeb said, resting his furry, purple hand on Mando’s shoulder pad. “Welcome back, Mando.”
Mando, Grogu, Rotta, and Luke had just landed at the New Republic Base, where they were greeted by a few pilots and mechanics who immediately got to work on the Razor Crest.
Luke soon joined the group, helmet under his arm, R2 at his heel. He examined the base and tilted his head back.
“Wait,” Zeb said, noticing him. “Is that Luke Skywalker, Mando?”
Mando nodded, and Luke waved. “This is an impressive base you’ve got here, sir. I’m getting reminded of Hoth, but with a tropical twist.”
“This is Zeb,” Mando introduced, gesturing at him. “He’s my wingman.”
“Nice to meet you, sir!” Zeb said, shaking Luke’s hand. “We don’t see many Jedi anymore.”
“That’s why I’m working on a new Jedi Academy on Ossus,” Luke elucidated, releasing his hand. “But enough about me.” His attention switched to Mando. “Could you get Mando checked out? He was attacked by the invisible enemy coming to Ossus and hit his head. Grogu’s a little worried.” His eyes next moved to Grogu, who stood behind Mando’s leg.
“His head?” Zeb asked. “No worries, sir. We can hold off on the meeting for a bit.”
They were making a big deal over nothing. Mando was fine, but he had to do it for Grogu, even though he so badly wanted that new assignment right now.
“I’m fine,” he argued. “You can go ahead and give us the new mission.” However, he stumbled as he tried to back away from the group and hit the side of his helmet. Was it his head or his helmet? Mando didn’t know anymore.
“I don’t think so, my friend,” Zeb said, taking his arm and slowly dragging him away. “That’s a significant blow. Your visor’s cracked.”
This was so embarrassing: a Mandalorian getting lugged to the medical bay in the New Republic Base, but Mando finally stopped fighting when he saw Grogu’s face and thought, For him.
It wasn’t long until he sat in the medical building of the base, surrounded by white and a few pilots coughing and changing bloodied gauze. Medical droids and nurses checked their vitals, a few droids spraying bacta on the pilots’ wounds. Mando wondered if that was the work of the invisible attack on the X-Wing. He wouldn’t be surprised.
Zeb waited outside, but Grogu sat on Mando’s lap, reckless.
In and out, in and out. Mando moved Grogu to his left thigh.
The doctor before him, a tall man about Mando’s age with emerald-green eyes and short brown hair, asked him a series of questions before checking his balance, memory, etc. A droid beside him took notes.
“You know,” the doctor, Dante, joked, “for a man of your profession, I’m surprised you haven’t had more head injuries.”
“Our armors are very resilient,” Mando explained. He was back in his seat with Grogu.
“Your helmet says otherwise.” Dante took both sides of Mando’s helmet and gently rocked it back and forth. “Any pain when I move your neck?”
“No, it’s just my head.” Could this be over already? Mando’s cheeks burned.
“Hm,” Dante said, releasing him. “Well, the good news is that nothing’s broken.” He whispered something to the droid, who nodded and turned, disappearing through a door on the other side of the room.
“And the bad?” Mando knew that bad news usually followed the “good” when a doctor said that.
“You’ve got a concussion, and your helmet is pretty damaged,” Dante explained, pointing out a few new cracks in it. “Your vision’s impaired because of the visor. But not to worry, until you return to Mandalore or fix it, we have a backup helmet. I know you guys usually never remove your helmets. We need to fix your vision for now.”
True. Mando couldn’t work with a cracked visor much longer.
Dante touched his helmet again. “It looks like the helmet caved in a bit, too, when you hit it, so it’s squeezing your head. Another cause of your persistent headache.”
He was basically saying the helmet was more damaged than Mando thought (was that really how powerful the invisible enemy was?).
“Okay,” he said after a pause, looking at Grogu. “See, Grogu? I’m okay. I’m going to get a temporary helmet until I fix this one.”
The Child seemed to smile, but then reached out and touched the stethoscope dangling from Dante’s chest. He hit it back and forth.
“Sorry,” Mando said, pulling him away. “He likes round things.”
“Not to worry.” Dante gripped Grogu’s little hand and shook it. “How old is he?”
“Fifty-five.”
“Fifty—?” Dante froze and looked up from Grogu, his emerald eyes now almost as wide as his head. “How old are you?”
Mando was used to this reaction now, ever since he adopted Grogu, and quickly said, “His species ages more slowly than humans.”
“Oh.” Dante relaxed. “That makes more sense. Did you consider that when you adopted him?”
“I did,” Mando replied, “but the little guy needed a buir, so here I am.” He bounced Grogu on his knee.
He climbed up his arm and held onto his shoulder.
“It’s how he became a Mandalorian foundling,” Mando included.
“You’re an impressive man,” Dante said, focusing back on Grogu. “You have the coolest dad, don’t you, Grogu?”
He nodded, reaching for his stethoscope again.
Mando’s heart flipped. The “coolest” dad, but he sure didn’t feel like that.
It wasn’t long until the droid exited the room, carrying something. He rolled to Dante and Mando and handed Dante the helmet.
It was an impressive thing (looked more technologically advanced than Mandalorian helmets): black and elongated. Mando wouldn’t have to wear a neck sleeve with it. It almost looked like it went with something larger, but that was the least of Mando’s worries as long as he had a helmet until he fixed his. It did save him a trip to Mandalore when the invisible enemy was out there, and he was about to attend a meeting for a new bounty with Luke and Rotta.
“Thank you,” Mando said, accepting the helmet from Dante, even though his shaking hands said he was a little nervous about wearing something different. “What about the concussion?”
“Your head should start feeling better once you switch out helmets,” Dante explained, “but to be safe, I would rest and take a break from flying for a bit—at least until after this new bounty. Better safe than sorry.”
Not fly? But how would Mando succeed with the mission if he didn’t?
“Isn’t Luke Skywalker an experienced pilot?” Dante said, backing away from Grogu. He removed his stethoscope and set it in his doctor’s bag, which rested on a table beside him. “I’m sure he can help.” He grabbed the bag, and it hovered over his thigh. “Well, see you again, Mando.” He chuckled to himself. “No, I mean… Come back if you get worse.” He rested his hand on the droid’s shoulder. “Good luck with Grogu and the bounty.” From there, he wiggled his fingers and left Mando, but not before finishing with, “And the invisible enemy.”
Mando and Grogu watched them leave. They didn’t meet eyes again until they were out of the building.
“Don’t worry, Grogu,” Mando said, standing and setting him down before him. “I’m going to fix this old helmet. Now, why don’t we see what Luke and Rotta are doing?”
Grogu cooed and ducked behind him so Mando wouldn’t trip over him.
On his way out of the bay, Mando’s foot became caught in the other, and he hit the wall, leaving The Child to chuckle before he became serious again.
“Damn helmet,” Mando grumbled, pushing off and reaching for his lips. “You didn’t hear anything, Grogu.”
For the second time, Grogu giggled.
ns216.73.217.39da2
and then Add to home screen.