Y'all got that quick... I'm sorry about the delay.

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Chapter 1: The Mandalorian (Part 4)

I remained silent as every bounty hunter in the cantina seemed to hold their breath, awaiting his next words.

Adrenaline began to seep into my veins, the thought of a new hunt exciting me, as I leaned forward.

Mando gestured with his head.
"Let's see the puck."

Karga remained serious, staring straight into both of our visors one at a time. "No puck. Face-to-face. Direct commission." He leaned forward, nodding soberly. "Deep pocket."

Me and Mando both sucked in a slow breath in unison, and I raised a brow at Karga as Mando spoke up first.

"Underworld?"

Karga sighed tirely, shrugging his shoulders a bit as he leaned back.

"All I know is no chain code. And it's a partner job." He added looking straight at me and gesturing to the two of us.

I felt that familiar anger return, and I glanced to the side of the other Mandalorian, clenching my jaw before looking back at Greef.

I needed to take the job, it was my only option if I wanted a good pay.  He knew that, and he used that to his advantage, pressing on.

"The client requested the both of you personally. He said it would be worth your while." He reached back into his pocket, holding out a small card.

"Do you want the chit, or not?"

Neither of us moved, and I clinched my fists tightly.

Stars, Karga always knew how to get his way with everything, didn't he?

I finally released an annoyed breath, snatching the chit address out of his    hand.

I stood and turned without another word, exiting the cantina and stepping into the Navarro heat, not carrying if Mando followed or not.

The chattering of vendors and the sound of sizzling foods filled the air as I glanced down at the chit in my hand, memorizing the address and heading towards it.

"Hey!" I heard a man's voice call out from behind me as I turned a corner, stepping into a dim alleyway.

"Hey! Mando!" he called again, and I recognized the voice of the other Mandalorian, now much closer, a hard edge to his voice as he tried to catch his breath.

I didn't acknowledge him and kept walking.

"Wait-" he growled, his hand grabbing my shoulder to stop me.

Before he could react I spun around, twisting an arm around his back and shoving him against the wall helmet first, holding his arm and pinning him.

"Let's get something straight…" I hissed in his ear, bending his arm a little more to show him how easily I could break it at a moment's notice.

"I don't know who you are, and frankly, I don't really care. I am not happy that we're stuck together for this bounty, and I don't need you screwing it up."

"So from now on, I won't be taking orders from the likes of you, Soldier Boy." I seethed, twisting his arm a little tighter.

"Are we clear?"

I could practically feel the hostility rating between the two of us as he glared at me from the corner of his eye.

A low growl crackled his way through his modulator as he tried again to free himself, resulting in me bending his arm so much, he flinched in pain and fell still.

I leaned closer, my smaller body hovering right next to his larger one.

"Are. We. Clear?" I repeated, a harsh deadly bite in my words.

He was silent for a few more seconds before he sighed heavily.

"Yes." He gritted out, his jaw clenched tightly.

I held him for a few more moments before releasing him and stepping back, watching him closely in case he tried to to attack me in return.

To my confusion, he didn't, only stared at me as he shook out his arm, rolling his broad shoulders, wincing slightly.

This puzzled me.

If it had been me in that situation, I would have immediately fought back if the enemy showed weakness, taking him down and probably snapping his neck if I didn't feel like dirtying my knife.

My first instinct told me to do this, but I didn't.

The fact that he was restraining himself, and that there wasn't a blaster shot in my chest made my curiosity for this stranger grow.

"You've got a hell of a grip." He muttered, raising a brow at me as he gestured to my hand that rested near my blaster, the other one on my hip.

I tilted my head at him and he did the same.

I wasn't sure how to reply, but something deep inside of me fluttered upon hearing his praise.

"Thanks."

I kept my voice flat, emotionless, as I tapped my fingers against my hip, eager to get going.

"You're welcome," He sounded honest, not like he was trying to tease me in any way.

There was an uncomfortable silence as we both stared at each other with tilted heads.

"Shall we?" I finally questioned, desperate to kill the awkwardness between us.

He hummed as he placed his hands on his hips, nodding towards the end of the alleyway and the chit in my hand.

"Lead the way."

I glanced at him again as I released a small sigh, dropping my hands and walking back out to the open marketplace, listening to the soft footfalls on the sand as Mando followed.

I led him through winding passageways and past peoples of all races and species; more alleyways and past stalls and vendors, before we finally came upon our destination.

I studied the chit, double checking that I was at the correct address as Mando curled his gloved fist, knocking couple times on the heavy metal door.

A small hatch opened to our right, and a chit droid popped out, chittering something in a language I couldn't identify.

I understood enough however, stepping in front of Mando slightly so I could hold my chit up for the droid to scan.

He sighed and I held back my own as it scanned, before muttering something and sliding back into the wall.

I stepped back and tucked the card in my belt, snapping my head back up at the door as the unmistakable sound of heavy locks unlocking echoed from the other side.

The door slid open revealing an old box droid there waiting.

It stared at us expectantly, and I stepped into the compound first, Mando behind me.

The door shut behind us, and the droid let us deeper down into the dark hallway.

I kept my guard up on high alert as we followed it, scanning the walls for anything I could use in the future if needed.

A panel was loose there, a few bolts missing from that one. I could easily slip a detonator in there for a hasty retreat, or maybe pry it open to see where it led.

My mind raced nonstop.

What was this bounty? What could possibly be so important, that they wouldn't give any information to the Guild leader himself?

It was strange. Something wasn't adding up.

I was brought back to the present as the droid led us to a door, beeping happily.

The door hissed open to reveal…. Stormtroopers.

My spine immediately stiffened, my eyes analyzing everything before me.

There was eight of them, and they were all armed. The client sat at a small table in the middle of somewhat dimly lit room.

He was gray haired and seemed to be older. He wore fine robes that showed his status, and the Imperial logo hung from a thick cord around his neck, much how my Mythosaur skull did now, tucked in my shirt and hidden from prying eyes.

His eyes devoured the two of us as we slowly entered the room, hungrily scanning over our Beskar before he clicked his tongue in approval of something.

The Stormtroopers eyed me especially, one was even bold enough to give me a nod of greeting. I stared back in disgust before glancing back at the client.

I may have been adorned in full Beskar armor, but it did nothing to hide my curves, if anything, it enhanced them, making every man in a fifty foot radius do a doubletake.

I was by no means extremely voluptuous, but I was trim and toned, and anyone would stare, so I couldn't really blame them.

It didn't stop me from hating it though, how some men could look at a respectable woman and see her as nothing more than a simpering piece of meat.

It infuriated me, so I always tried to put people in their place.

Now wasn't the time, though.

I needed to focus.

The client studied us intently as he spoke.

"Greef Karga said you were coming." He mused, his voice possessing a slight accent.

It was even worse it was even worse than annoying Karga's voice in my opinion, and it had the opposite effect on me from what Mando's did.

I slowly stalked forward, my visor trained on him as he stared right back.

I kept a close watch on the trooper guards in my paraphrahal vision, my hand resting near my blaster.

"What else did he say?" Mando asked standing next to me, his entire body rigid, and on high alert.

So, he didn't like the situation any more than I did. Good to know, it was nice to know that I had someone covering my six, and vice versa.

"He said you were the best in the parsec." The client answered, his gaze sliding over to regard him for a moment before nodding to me.

I smirked a little at that, the fact that I was first, and he was second.

I liked that I was the better bounty hunter.

More bragging rights for me.

It was silent for a few seconds as the tension in the room seemed to increase, then suddenly a door in the wall opened, and a man stepped out.

Me and Mando sprung into action almost immediately, standing back-to-back as we aimed our blasters.

The man's eyes widened with fear upon seeing the two Mandalorians with weapons drawn, and he cried out a "No!"

"Freeze!" A Stormtrooper yelled, raising his blaster at my chest, making Mando flip his rifle over his shoulder to aim at his.

"Drop your weapons!" Another Stormtrooper piped up, and in a matter of seconds, everyone had a weapon's drawn.

The man that had just walked in paled and he gulped nervously.

"No, no, no, no, pardon! Uh, sorry! I didn't mean to alarm." He stuttered, raising his hands in surrender.

He had a tracking fob in one of them, and he wore glasses. He seemed to be defenseless from what I could see, but I still knew better than to underestimate my enemy.

The client signed an annoyance, standing and gesturing to the terrified man.

"This is Doctor Pershing. Please excuse his lack of decorum. His enthusiasm outweighs his discretion." He explained calmly, stopping in front of us.

"Please lower your blasters."

"Not gonna happen." I growled, flipping them from stun to kill.

My gaze went from trooper to trooper, fixing them with a death glare before looking back over my shoulder at the client.

"Have them lower theirs first." Mando proposed, leaning back into me a little as he shifted his weight.

"We have you eight to two." One trooper seethed, making me grin.

What a fool.

"I like those odds." Mando deadpanned, nudging me a little.

It was silent after that, the only noise being the client's footsteps as he slowly approached him.

I tensed as he approached, ready to shoot him in a split second if he tried anything.

He looked straight into Mando's visor, lowering his voice slightly.

"He also said you were expensive."

He looked deep into my visor as well, staring into my eyes giving me a nod. "Very expensive."

He stepped back, addressing the two of us. "Please sit."

He turned away, giving the troopers a signal to lower the blasters.

They did glancing around each other uncertainly.

Upon lowering their weapons I slowly did the same giving Mando a nod of affirmation that it was clear. I brushed past him, lowering my voice to where only he could hear.

"Aran laam, verd." I murmured, our helmets almost touching before  I moved over to the client's desk.

"Whatever gar sirbur, alor'ad."  I heard him tease under his breath, making a shiver run up my spine.

I took a deep breath, holstering my blasters and taking a seat.

Did Mando just flirt with me?

Why?

I took another deep breath, trying to calm my now racing heart.

What the hell was happening to me?

"Focus Firaxa!" I scolded myself as he sat in the chair next to me.

I shook away the thoughts of his deep, husky voice and instead focused on the client, tilting my head expectantly.

Doctor Pershing moved to stand next to the client's right, gulping nervously again.

The client stared straight into Mando's visored gaze pushing a piece of black cloth forward.

I looked down at it curiously as he unfolded it, revealing two shining blocks of metal with the Imperial logo stamped into the tops.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise, and Mando glanced over to me before looking back at the client.

"Beskar?" He questioned with obvious interest in his voice.

"Go ahead. It's real." The client insisted, nodding to the both of us.

I reached out and carefully picked up one of the blocks, studying it intently as I ran my thumb over its smooth surface.

Visions and memories from my years spent as a foundling flashed before my eyes, and I smiled a little.

This this metal was as Mandalorian as I was, Beskar was a part of my culture, a part of who I was.

It was nice to see a pure block of it after so long.

However, it was also a painful reminder of the consequences of the Empire, and how it had overrun my planet.

I pushed the thought away before anger and pride could cloud my brain.

"This is only a down payment." The client explained as I slowly looked up at him.

"I have a camtono of Beskar waiting for the both of you upon your delivery of the asset-"

"Alive." Doctor Pereshing interrupted with a small bow of his head.

I turned to look at him with a raised brow as the client continued.

"Yes. Alive." The client clarified, sending the nervous doctor a slight glare.

"Although, I do acknowledge that bounty hunting is a complicated profession." He leaned forward, staring straight into my visor

It was unerving to me despite him not being able to see my face, he still knew right where my eyes were, and looked right into them, almost like he was looking into my soul.

"This being the case, proof of termination is also acceptable for lower fee."

Doctor Pereshing looked up, worry creasing across his features.

"That is not what we agreed upon." He stated, looking back-and-forth between us and the client.

The client glared at him, his lip curling into a sneer as he blew him off.

"I'm simply being pragmatic."

Mando looked back to him,  his thumb grazing over the Beskar in his hand.

"Let's see the puck." He repeated his line from earlier, making me roll my eyes.

The client frowned slightly. "I'm afraid discretion dictates a less traditional agreement." He explained slowly.

'Perfect.' I thought, my fingers curling around the Beskar in my fist.

"We can only offer you a tracking fob."

Doctor Pereshing hesitantly stepped closer, offering the fob to Mando, who took it.

He glanced down at it before tucking it on his belt.

I raised my vambrace, my fingers hovering over it, ready to type as I raised a brow at the client.

"I'm gonna need the chain code." I mused, my voice sounding cool and collected through my helmets modulator.

The client leaned towards me, inclining his head. "We can only provide the last four digits."

"What?" Said Mando, as puzzled as me.

"Just their age? That's it?" I questioned in disbelief, tilting my head slightly.

The client leaned closer. "Yes. Their fifty years old. We can also give you last reported positional data." He murmured in his cold, bitter voice.

"Between that and the fob, a bounty hunter of your skill should make short work of this."

I didn't respond, my suspicion and hostility for this man only growing as I inputted the information on my vambrace.

"Very well." I said curtly, standing up when I was finished.

Mando stood and followed me as I slowly walked towards the door, but the client continued to talk.

"The Beskar belongs back into the hands of a Mandalorian."

I tried to ignore him, but that furious pride came rushing back, making me freeze in place. I turned my ear towards him to listen, my hand resting above my blaster, ready to defend my peoples name.

"It is good to restore the natural order of things after a period of such disarray. Don't you agree?"

I clenched my jaw, tempted to turn and put him in his place.

Mando stopped me before I could however, placing a gloved hand along the small of my back, gently nudging me towards the door as it slid open.

I hesitated, not moving.

Normally if someone would've done this, I would've pushed them away, but there was something oddly comforting about his touch.

I allowed him to guide me down the hallway once the door slid open, stepping out of the darkness of my past and the client's compound, and into a new chapter with my strange new companion.

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"Aran laam, verd."- "Guard up, solider."

"Whatever gar sirbur, alor'ad."- "Whatever you say, captain."

It's out! What did you think? Sorry again for the delay, and thank you for all of y'alls support and patience!! Merry Christmas!