Chapter 22: Guns for Hire

The Mandalorian visits an opulent world.

Somewhere in space, a Quarren crew member serves a fish to Captain Shuggoth, who is submerged inside a cylindrical tank. After eating the fish, one of the Quarren navigator tells Shuggoth that they have found a way to bypass Trask. Another crew member spots an approaching Imperial starship. Lacking the firepower to repel them, Shuggoth orders her crew to hail their leader before emerging out of the water tank, which slides down the command bridge. She tells the Imperial light cruiser that they are a peaceful Quarren freighter heading to the Mid Rim Territories to do business and were unaware of local warlords who required payment.

The respondent responds that they are not criminals. Shuggoth apologizes for any unintended disrespect, saying that Galactic Basic Standard is not her first language. She says that they were not aware of the majestic Imperial presence in the region. On the bridge of the Imperial light cruiser, Axe Woves replies that they are Mandalorian and that it is too late to hire them. He is accompanied by other Mandalorians, including Koska Reeves. Woves explains that they have been sent to track her down. When Shuggoth protests this is an act of war, Woves responds that they are mercenaries for hire who are very good at what they do. He declines her offer and explains that they have been hired by a Mon Calamari viceroy who believes Shuggoth has absconded with his son. Shuggoth claims it is a lie and says that she is unwilling to jeopardize peace with the Mon Calamari.

Woves says that he understands that Shuggoth is in love with the viceroy's son but that he has a job to complete. The viceroy's son enters the bridge and tells Woves that he won't be going home. Woves apologizes that he has been tasked with bringing the son back to his family. Woves tells Reeves and her team to make it quick since they have a contract waiting for them on Plazir-15. When the viceroy's son reiterates his defiance, Woves tells Shuggoth to reason with him because he does not want to damage Shuggoth's ship.

Shuggoth tells the viceroy's son that he has to go because she cannot risk the peace between the two species for a childhood "fling." The viceroy's son is hurt but Shuggoth reaffirms her love for him while telling him that he needs to leave. Reeves enters the bridge and leads the viceroy's son away. Shuggoth tells him that he can do it while Reeves leads him away. When the viceroy's son says that he thought the Mandalorians were honorable, Reeves replies that they can trade honor for a few credits.

Bo-Katan Kryze, Din Djarin, and Grogu travel on Kryze's Gauntlet starfighter to the idyllic planet Plazir-15, which is covered in Mandalorian-style domes. Djarin and Kryze notice a fleet of former Imperial warships, which belongs to Kryze's former army led by Woves, who have set themselves up as mercenaries. Kryze thinks that Woves set up base on the planet because it is not listed on the New Republic Registry. When Djarin asks what Woves and his followers are doing on Plazir-15, Kryze thinks that Plazir-15 has hired the Mandalorians for protection. Due to their earlier falling-out, Kryze decides it is best to land away from Woves' fleet.

The Mandalorians and Grogu are greeted by an announcer who assigns them a docking slip before remotely taking control of their ship. Kryze says they are going for a ride. After the ship lands at their designated hangar, the Mandalorians and Grogu disembark onto the landing platform where they are greeted by a black RA-7 protocol droid and a black astromech droid, who tell them to proceed to a hyperloop pod. When Djarin asks why they would have former Imperial droids on an Outer Rim world, Kryze says that his guess is as good as hers.

When Kryze asks the automated pod to take them to the Mandalorian fleets' docking rig, the automated system responds that they need to get permission from the High Senate to get access to self-defense forces in the peacekeeping zone under the terms of the Coruscant Accords. The automated system asks the Mandalorians for permission to scan their chain codes. The automated system informs them that they have been summoned for a meeting with the local planetary government before the pod speeds away for the meeting. The Mandalorians discuss their next moves while traveling through the opulent and shining city.

The hyperloop pod brings them to a banquet hosted by Plazir-15's rulers, Captain Bombardier and the Duchess, who are joined by several aliens including Biths, Rodians, Sullustans, and an Ithorian. He invites the Mandalorians to sit down before serving them secretions. Bombardier tells his guests that he was a former Imperial facilities planning officer who through the New Republic's Amnesty Program was able to help rebuild Plazir-15. The Duchess vouches for her husband, describing him as a rehabilitated former Imperial whom she fell in love with. The Duchess finds Grogu cute and asks if she can cuddle the baby.

Djarin replies that Grogu does not take kindly to strangers. However, Grogu uses the Force to jump into the air and allows the Duchess to cuddle and fed him. The Duchess explains that Plazir-15 decided to move into a new age and held direct democratic elections for the first time in their history. Bombardier responds that they are both nobility and democratically-elected leaders. When Djarin asks about the Mandalorian ships docked in their fields, the Duchess explains that they hired them for protection since the Charter of the New Republic prevents them from having a standing military due to her husband's Imperial past. Bombardier claims that all of their resources go to the people.

When Kryze requests a meeting with the Mandalorian "privateers," he invites the Mandalorians to see the "view." While the other guests stay behind, Bombardier and the Duchess have private talks with Djarin and Kryze. They explain that they have a problem with malfunctioning reprogrammed Imperial droids, who have caused traffic accidents, heavy equipment failures, and assaults. When Kryze asks what this has to do with them, the nobles explain that Plazir-15's constables are ill-equipped to deal with former battle droids. Bombardier tries to defend his droid reprogramming program.

When Kryze suggests sending the Mandalorian privateers to deal with the problem, the Duchess explains that the Charter prevents any standing army from entering their city and forbids constables from carrying firearms. Djarin points out that they allowed him and Kryze to carry weapons. Bombardier explains that weapons are intrinsic to Mandalorian society while Plazir-15 is a pacifistic society. Kryze is reluctant to get involved in the droid "problem" and says she is not a mercenary. Bombardier offers to extend formal diplomatic recognition to Mandalore in exchange for Kryze's help. He offers to lobby the New Republic to extend diplomatic recognition to Mandalore.

The Duchess says that she is aware of the split between Woves and Kryze over ruling Mandalore. Kryze replies that she has abandoned her plans to retake Mandalore. The Duchess says that the offer still stands. When Kryze asks Djarin what he thinks, he says he is willing to deal with the droid problem.

Inside the command centre, Commissioner Helgait briefs Kryze and Djarin about the situation. Using security camera footage, he explains that the rogue Imperial droids were reprogrammed former Imperial stock destined to be scrapped at Karthon. Though the droids programming was a success, a rogue rubbish disposal droid malfunctioned and began tossing rubbish in the streets. He shows more footage of malfunctioning and rogue droids including a former B1 battle droid hurling shopping goods, a driver droid causing a landspeeder crash, and a cook droid attacking patrons with knives. When Kryze suggests turning off the droids, Helgait explains that there is a failsafe cutoff switch built into the system but that the citizens voted against any interruptions to droid services. When Djarin inquires into the matter, Helgait explains that droids do all the work on Plazir 15, leaving citizens free for recreation, the arts, and participating in direct democracy. If they shut down the droids, Helgait says their citizens will not survive because they have become dependent on droids.

Helgait tasks the Mandalorians with hunting and eliminating the rogue droids until they can fix the problem. Kryze tells him to give them the list of the rogue droids. Helgait responds that they will have to go into the lower levels of Plazir-15 and speak to the Ugnaughts.

While descending into the lower levels on a turbolift, Djarin tells Kryze that he warned about societies becoming too dependent on droids. The two descend into a workshop where Ugnaughts are busy working on various droids including B2-series super battle droid. Kryze tells the Ugnaughts that she has been sent by their Duchess to deal with the droid problem but is ignored by the Ugnaughts. Djarin introduces himself to the Ugnaughts, telling them that he is a friend of the Ugnaught Kuiil. He tells them to assist with their questions and task. This has the effect of stirring the Ugnaughts, who serve their guests refreshments.

Djarin explains that he and Kryze were sent to hunt down and eliminate the malfunctioning droids. An Ugnaught denies that there is problem with the droids. When Kryze mentions that the droids are wrecking havoc on the surface level, the Ugnaught responds that these halls are the city's central processing unit and reiterates that the droids are not malfunctioning. Djarin replies that they are not suggesting that the Ugnaughts' workmanship is to blame and vouches for the Ugnaughts' skill with smithing droids. He flatters his Ugnaught hosts by telling them that they are the most hardworking species in the galaxy before reiterating their assistance in investigating the malfunctioning droids. The chief Ugnaught speaks with another Ugnaught, who passes a disc to the chief. The chief tells Djarin that this is a list of the droids that they seek. Djarin thanks his hosts, telling them that he is indebted to them.

While traveling through the hyperloop pod, Djarin explains to Kryze that there is a customary way for communicating with Ugnaughts. Accusing their work of malfunctioning is considered an insult. Djarin tells Kryze that the Ugnaughts think that the next droid malfunctioning event will occur at the loading docks. Kryze is unsure but agrees to investigate this lead. The two travel to the loading docks where repurposed B2 battle droids are loading boxes of cargo. Djarin alludes to his past encounter with droids.

The two are greeted by a B1 battle droid foreman who tells them that they are in a restricted area and requests their identification. Kryze explains that they have been sent by The Duchess to investigate the droid malfunctions. The B1 foreman is aware the reports and tells Kryze that he has had the entire fleet of B2 loading droids undergo maintenance protocols as a safety measure. To test the foreman's theory, Djarin tangles with several B2 loading droids. Most ignore him until Djarin knocks the crate out of the hands of one. The B2 battle droid pushes Djarin aside and runs away with the Mandalorians in pursuit.

The droid runs through a crowded street and hurls a crate at Djarin and Kryze, frightening the crowd. The two Mandalorians continue their pursuit. The B2 droid jumps onto the front of a landspeeder before hurling a power unit at his pursuers. The Mandalorians dodge the object and continue their pursuit through a bar. Djarin corners the droid by jumping out of a window and landing on it. Kryze shoots the droid with her blaster pistols. arrive and order civilians to move away from the crime scene. While inspecting the droid, Kryze finds a spark pad for a droid bar called "The Resistor." The two decide to investigate the address while constable droids deal with the wrecked droid.

While walking to "The Resistor," Kryze tells Djarin to let her do the talking, disagreeing with his methods of exposing the rogue B2 loading droid. They visit "The Resistor" where droids help themselves to various droid beverages. The droid patrons respond with silence when the Mandalorians enter, leading Djarin to reason that they do not expect many organic beings. Kryze speaks to the droid bartender, who confirms that this is "The Resistor." She shows the bartender the spark pad belonging to the rogue B2 battle droid. She explains that there has been a series of droid malfunctions linked to the bar.

When the bartender professes his innocence, Djarin raises a tool and threatens to remove his memory circuit unless he cooperates. The other droids watch in shock. A blue protocol droid starts to walk away but Djarin orders it and the other droids not to move. Kryze tries to reason with Djarin, saying that their behavior is programmed and that all they do is reason. Djarin responds that all droids are supposed not to harm organics but many do not follow the rule. Kryze tells Djarin not to assume that the droid bar is the problem.

The bartender offers to help but Djarin is suspicious of the droid. The droid tells his Mandalorian visitors that the droids are anxious about being replaced by humans, stating that most of them have been refurbished and reprogrammed. He explains that several droids date back to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. While the New Republic would scrap most of those droids, Plazir-15 gives them a second chance. Djarin says that the recent string of catastrophes do not help the droids' case. The bartender explains that is why they want to help. He reiterates that they do not want to be replaced since they have a lot to contribute. The droid says that human life is so short and that they can return the favor to their organic creators. The various droids beep in unison.

Kryze asks the droid bartender a selection of the beverages the malfunctioning units ordered. The bartender explains that all droids on Plazir-15 are served Nepenthé, a lubricant that protects against mechanical wear while delivering program refreshing sub-particles. When Djarin asks if Nepenthé reprograms the local droids, the bartender explains that it patches the programming as the commands of the mainframe change. He shows them a box full of spark pads and observes that all the malfunctioning droids imbibed from the same batch of Nepenthé. Kryze and Djarin look at each other.

Later, a female lab tech shows the Mandalorians the remains of the malfunctioning B2 battle droid they tangled with. Kryze tells the tech she is looking for programming sub-particles. Following a test, the tech confirms that the particles are still active. The white spherical lab droid suddenly goes amuck and attacks the humans with its laser blasters. Djarin destroys the droid with the Darksaber. Kryze agrees the particles are still active.

Using a microscope, the lab tech discovers that the sub-particles are actually nano-droids. Kryze asks how the nano-droids got into the Nepenthé. When Djarin notices the striations, the lab tech thinks they are aberrations in the metal. Kryze realizes they are writings and gets the lab tech to rotate the microscope. Kryze realizes the writings are a chain code. The lab tech studies the chain code and deduces that they were manufactured by the Techno Union and have been in storage for ages. The lab tech says it is peculiar that the chain title says that the nano-droids did not arrive by .

When Djarin asks how they arrived, the tech says that they were purchased by the , which is illegal under local law. The tech determines that these chain codes were ordered by an individual, Commissioner Helgait, the head of Security. The Mandalorians leave to confront Helgait, who is overseeing the security cameras.

Kryze tells Helgait they have questions for him. He tries to brush them away but Djarin tells him they are aware of the Nepenthé and the nano droids. Kryze adds that he programmed them to attack and disrupt. Kryze demands that he surrender to their custody but Helgait threatens to trigger a failsafe that would cause the droid workforce to attack the civilian population of Plazir-15. Kryze tells Helgait there is no way out and to give up.

Helgait counters that he never surrendered to the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire. When Kryze remarks that he is a Separatist, Helgait counters that is a pejorative term and claims to support democracy. As Helgait moves to touch the failsafe button, he praises Count Dooku as a visionary who was murdered by the Chancellor's Jedi enforcer. However, Kryze stuns Helgait with an electroshock dart before he can touch the button. The office staff watch in shock.

Elsewhere, Grogu helps the Duchess and Bombardier play a game that involves bouncing pill bugs through hoops with the Force. The nobles and their guests are impressed with Grogu's abilities. Djarin and Kryze bring Helgait to the Duchess and Bombardier. When Bombardier condemns his actions as despicable, Helgait remarks about the Quacta calling the Stifling slimy. He blames Bombardier for making the planet unrecognizable. The Duchess is shocked and upset by his betrayal. The Duchess affirms for Bombardier, calling for acceptance and forgiveness for former Imperials. Helgait seeks the Duchess' forgiveness. The Duchess says she may consider forgiving him but sentences him to be exiled to the moon of Paraqaat. Constable droids escort Helgait away.

As a reward for their services, the Duchess grants Kryze and Djarin an audience with the Mandalorian privateers and their highest honor, the Key to Plazir. She tells Kryze that she will always be welcome in their domed paradise. The Duchess also knights Grogu as a knight of the Ancient Order of Independent Regencies. She bids the travelers farewell. Djarin carries Grogu who waves goodbye to his hosts.

While traveling on the hyperloop pod, Djarin reassures Kryze that she is their leader and that her people will follow her. Kryze responds that Woves is now their leader and that she will figure out her playbook when she gets there. After arriving at the Mandalorian encampment, the two receive a frosty reception from Woves, who asks Kryze if she has come to join them as mercenaries. Grogu watches from his cradle. Kryze responds that she has come to reclaim her fleet. Woves counters that he is the commander of the fleet. Kryze challenges Woves to single combat for leadership, which he accepts.

Woves fires a rocket at Kryze but she activates her jetpack and charges at Woves, knocking him to the ground. The two fight with vibroblades but Kryze knocks him to the ground. Reeves and the others watch with concern. Unwilling to give in, Woves charges at Kryze with his jetpack and rams her into a starship. The two fight with their fists and he hurls her aside. Kryze charges at him with her jetpack before grabbing him in a headlock. She demands that he yield but he rockets them on top of a starship. After tussling, Kryze drags Woves down to the group with her whipcord.

Woves attacks her with a flamethrower but she blocks the blast with her shield projector. Kryze manages to knock Woves to the ground and demands that he yield at knife point. Woves refuses to recognize her as the true leader of their people because she will not take the Darksaber from Djarin, whom he regards as the rightful contender. Kryze responds that enough Mandalorian blood has been spilled by Woves and spares him.

Kryze tells Woves' followers that Mandalorians are stronger together. Woves counters that Djarin is a misguided zealot who is not of Mandalorian blood. Kryze counters that Djarin took the Mandalorian Creed and chose to walk the Way of the Mandalore just like their ancestors. Kryze adds that Djarin is every bit as Mandalorian as they are. Woves responds that the ruler of Mandalore should possess the Darksaber.

Djarin offers to hand Kryze the Darksaber but she says it is not a gift. To help her ascendance, Djarin admits that he was captured by the cyborg in the Mines of Mandalore and that the Darksaber was taken from him. He explains that Kryze rescued him and killed his captor. Djarin asks the Mandalorians to consider whether the Darksaber rightfully belongs to Kryze. Woves agrees that it belongs to Kryze. Djarin hands the blade to Kryze, who accepts it. She activates the Darksaber in the presence of the Mandalorians.

• "Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season Three Companion" — Star Wars Insider 222