Yes, it's here, and it is dedicated to the beautiful @MakenaPotter

Translations for Mando'a are at the end of the chapter.

Please comment and enjoy!

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Chapter 1: The Mandalorian (Part 9)

Riding Blurrgback was actually more enjoyable than I had originally thought.

We moved quickly through the dry plains, and we soon arrived to the place the Ugnaught was leading us to, halting at the edge of a cliff side with me on one side, Din on the other, and the Ugnaught in the middle.

"That is where you'll find your quarry." He said, pointing with two fingers in the direction of the encampment.

Me and Din looked at each other, wordlessly communicating.

I gave him a nod, and he held out credits to the Ugnaught, who held up a hand and shook his head, denying them.

"Please." Din responded, still offering the credits. "You deserve this."

"It is true." I added, looking at the Ugnaught. "We would not have made it this far without you."

Still, he refused.

"Since these one's arrived, this territory has been an endless stream of mercenaries seeking reward and bringing destruction." He said, looking at the two of us before staring forward in the distance.

"Then why did you guide us?" Din asked, following his gaze.

The Ugnaught shook his head slightly. "They do not belong here. Those that live here, come to seek peace. There will be no peace until they're gone."

"Then why do you help?" Din questioned again as he looked at the Ugnaught, making me give him a look.

Was he really that dense to the point that he couldn't tell the Ugnaught wanted his peace?

Peace sounded nice, although I knew that it would most likely never be possible for me.

I was a creature born and bred for war, and I would die as such.

"You are a di'kut~" I sing-songed to him under my breath, knowing neither of them could hear me.

"I have never met a Mandalorian." The Ugnaught informed us as he looked at me, speaking to me, his words making me regard him as I straightened my spine a little more.

"I've only read the stories. If they are true, then you will make quick work of it. Then, there will again be peace."

We looked out into the distance, my military mind already planning ahead.

The Ugnaught kicked his mount in the side, turning it and lifting his hand in farewell. "I have spoken."

                                                       ***

With the Blurrg's safely hidden, we crawled to the edge of the canyon, looking down.

We laid on our bellies next to each other, Din pulling out a small telescope while I simply flipped down the rangefinder on my helmet.

"How many Nikto guards do you think there are?" Din murmured, not looking at me.

"I know there's a couple in front of that building right there. That must be where they have the bounty, but there's bound to be guards in the rest of these formations." I answered, my gaze scanning over and studying everything.

"So...we're outnumbered."

"Yeah." I sighed back, my brows furrowing in confusion as some of the Nikto's sat up or stood quickly, calling out to each other.

I followed their gazes until my own was met with the sight of an IG-11 droid that was headed towards them.

"Oh, no." Din muttered, lowering his telescope. "Bounty Droid."

"Dank ferrik." I growled, flipping my rangefinder back up and pushing myself to my feet, making sure to stay low until we were out of the line of sight from the Nikto's.

Even though we were a ways away, I could still hear the Droid's voice echoing around the rocks.

"Subparagraph 16 of the Bondsman Guild protocol waiver compels you to immediately produce said asset." It announced, and I paused, peeking my head over a boulder to watch, Din hovering right behind me so he could see too.

I saw one Nikto reach for his blaster, but the droid quickly shot him, firing at all of the guards as they ran. The ones that escaped darted inside of buildings, slamming the doors shut behind them so it couldn't follow.

The bad thing was, it prevented us from following too. I glared at the droid as Din sighed heavily.

"Droids." He muttered, sounding as annoyed as I felt.

We ducked back down to continue our approach, listening to the droid repeat it's message.

We came up behind a building and paused on the side as I peered around the edge of the wall, memorizing everything before turning back to Din.

"Where is it?" He asked, looking down at me, keeping his voice down as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"In the middle of the clearing. It's still armed." I murmured back, sighing heavily through my nose.

"Mm." Din hummed, stepping closer and holding out his hand to me. "Let me see the fob."

"Why?" I asked, my voice coming out more hostile then I'd ment it to.

This was a classic set up; ask for the fob, kill your partner, them take all the bounty's credits for yourself.

While I didn't think he would do that, I still wanted to know why he wanted the fob.

He sighed softly, looking into my visor. "I just need to show it to the droid so it won't shoot me." He murmured calmly, offering his hand to me now instead of demanding the fob, almost like he wanted me to be comfortable.

I regarded him for a few seconds, still wary.

"Trust me." He added, lowering his voice to a deep rumble in his chest that sent a shiver down my spine as he moved closer.

There couldn't have been more than a foot of air separating us, and by the tenseness of his shoulders, he knew that too.

Apparently I made him as nervous as he made me, and I was smart enough to figure that out.

"That's a stupid plan. Just running out there. Your pretty much asking to get shot." I commented as I glanced down at my belt, unhooking the fob from it.

I passed it to his hand, my fingers brushing his for a second, and I could've swore I saw him gulp nervously as we touched. The action was simple and less then three seconds, but I wished it lasted longer.

I noticed he was staring and crossed my arms over my chest. "Din?"

"Huh? Oh.." He murmured, the sound of my voice seeming to snap him out of his trance.

His fingers closed around the fob as he cleared his throat awkwardly, stepping back.

"I-I won't get shot." He stammered, his thumb toying with the as the other rubbed the back of his neck.

Maker, he was a mess.

I cocked my hip out to one side, leaning back a little as I raised a brow at him.

"Really?" I asked sarcastically, my gaze dragging up and down his form slowly, taking him in. "You don't sound to sure there, Djarin."

He caught himself, lowering his arm as his fingers clenched the fob tightly in one hand.

"I won't get shot." He repeated a little more firmly, finally meeting my gaze and looking into my visor with his own.

I was still skeptical, it honestly was a horrible plan, but if he wanted to just run out there, so be it.

I shrugged lightly. "Have fun."

He gave me a slight look, then moved around me, pausing for a second before he stepped out into the open.

"IG Unit! Stand down." I heard him demand, which was immediately followed by a grunt and the familiar ping of a blaster bolt ricocheting off of Beskar.

I rolled my eyes and walked to the edge of the wall, barely peeking around it to watch.

Din was on the ground next to some fallen metal barrels that I assumed he had been blown back into, but he quickly sat up as the droid regarded him, it's arm whirring as it lowered it's blaster.

"I'm in the Guild!" He snapped, sounding pissed.

"You are a Guild member? I thought I was the only one on assignment."

Din pushed himself to his feet, striding over to a wall for cover. "That makes three of us." He huffed, glancing around.

"Three?" The IG Droid echoed, and I decided then would be the best time to show myself.

I stepped out towards it as I pulled out my blaster, aiming it at the droids head as it did the same to me.

"He didn't stutter." I replied coolly, and the droid computed before lowering it's blaster.

I did the same, turning and leaning behind the side of the wall opposite of Din, the archway separating us.

"So much for the element of surprise." He muttered, glancing at me, then the droid.

"Your sarcasm isn't needed." I retorted, glancing over at him in return before I resumed scanning for danger.

"Sadly, I must ask for your fob. I have already issued the writ of seizure. The bounty is mine." The droid stated in it's mechanical monotone, swiveling it's head before focusing on us again.

"Bullshit." I shot back, narrowing my eyes at it. "It's anyone's bounty until you get hands on it."

"Yeah, and unless I'm mistaken, you are, as of yet, empty-handed." Din snapped, agreeing with me.

"This is true." The droid stated, focusing on us.

Din glanced at me before looking at the droid. "I have a suggestion."

"Proceed."

"We split the reward."

I looked over at him sharply. "What?"

"This is acceptable."

Now I was getting pissed.

"Um, excuse me." I snapped to the droid, making it turn it's head to look at me.

"Proceed." It droned, focusing on me.

I rolled my eyes and let out an aggravated sigh. "Do you mind if me and my partner here have a little chat? No? Great." I answered for myself, glaring at Din.

"Meg te fuck vaabir gar mean, 'split te reward?' Vi're already spitting bic!" I exclaimed angrily in Mando'a, giving him a look that could've frozen the fires of Mustafar.

"Ni kar'taylir, a vi'll linibar bic's gaa'tayl taking dayn an these Nikto's. Bic's jate'shya then having bic trying at kyr'amur mhi, staabi?" He stated, gesturing to the droid a little with one hand as he met my gaze.

"Ni don't mirdir gar seeing te ceratir." I growled, shaking my head as anger bubbled inside of me.

"Ni haa'taylir bic shi fine, a vi linibar at vaabir ibic meh vi're gonna ve'ganir ibac bounty bal slana'pir be olar ti cuun lives." He deadpanned, checking our surroundings before looking back at me.

I was annoyed as hell, I was already having to split the reward fifty-fifty, and now I was only raking in twenty five percent.

I should've never taken this job in the first place.

I glared at the ground as I avoided his gaze, gritting my teeth.

"Ni'm draar going at ve'ganir paid, cuy Ni?" I muttered, scanning the area firing at a Nikto guard that stood up on a roof.

Din fired at another, glancing back at me as the Nikto fell. "Gar sarcasm isn't needed." He quipped back smugly, repeating my line from earlier, and I could hear the little smirk he had in his tone.

I gave him a look, clenching my jaw as he stared at me. "Fine!" I exclaimed, letting out an exasperated sigh as I threw up my hands a little.

"Great. Now let's regroup, out of harms way, and form a plan." He announced to us both, beckoning for the droid to come take cover.

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Di'kut - Idiot

Meg te fuck vaabir gar mean, 'split te reward?' Vi're already spitting bic! -  What the fuck do you mean, 'split the reward'? We're already spitting it!

Ni kar'taylir, a vi'll linibar bic's gaa'tayl taking dayn an these Nikto's. Bic's jate'shya then having bic trying at kyr'amur mhi, staabi? - I know, but we'll need it's help taking out all these Nikto's. It's better than having it trying to kill us, right?

Ni don't mirdir gar seeing te ceratir. - I don't think your seeing the point.

Ni haa'taylir bic shi fine, a vi linibar at vaabir ibic meh vi're gonna ve'ganir ibac bounty bal slana'pir be olar ti cuun lives. - I see it just fine, but we need to do this if we're gonna get that bounty and get out of here with our lives.

Ni'm draar going at ve'ganir paid, cuy Ni? - I'm never going to get paid, am I?

Gar sarcasm isn't needed. - Your sarcasm isn't needed