PURPOSE | The Mandalorian

XXV

Using whatever strength and focus I had left in my body, I commanded the Force to carry the kid into Din's arms. It obeyed immediately, ripping the little green child away from Toro and flying it into Din's chest plate. A little aggressive, I'll admit, but at least the kid was safe now. Din stumbled back a few steps, but he thankfully didn't drop the kid as he snapped his head towards me.

"Hey!—" Toro snapped, but the air in his lungs was cut off by my Force choke hold on his throat. Then I used the Force to drag him across the sand until he was gasping for air on his hands and knees directly in front of me.

While he continued to choke, I leaned forward, holding back a hiss of pain as I placed a light finger under his chin. I then gently lifted his head, so he would look me in the face while the life left his beautiful ocean eyes.

"I would kill you," I whispered over his strangled choking, giving Din a certain look before he lunged for his blaster, "But I already promised my friend that privilege."

The sound of blaster fire echoed throughout the hangar as Toro slumped to the sand in front of me, the blaster wound on his back already smoking and smoldering. I stared at his lifeless body, waiting for him to magically rise to his feet to take my advice and kill me, but after a minute, he didn't stir. And when a few more minutes passed without so much as a drawing breath from Calican, I finally released the breath I had been holding.

Din exhaled deeply, lowering his blaster with slumped shoulders. The child, which was standing right next to his leg, tilted his head slightly to the side with his ears twitched down. I could sense his fear, but also his relief and gratitude towards Din for saving him. And me.

I let my head thump back against the crate I was propped up against. "Help me up," I said breathlessly to Din, who immediately jumped into action as he approached me. "Let's get out of here."

"Good idea," He mumbled quietly, carefully wrapping my arm around his shoulders again. Then he asked, "How is your leg?"

I bit my lip to keep a whimper from escaping my mouth. "It hurts like a bitch," I seethed through clenched teeth.

Din grunted as I leaned into him more, letting him take on most of my weight. As much as I hated making him carry me, my body was just too exhausted. From using the Force and fighting off the infection in my leg, as well as healing my broken femur and replenishing the blood I'd lost back in the Dune Sea, it was more than my body could take. I was honestly surprised I hadn't passed out again.

Thank the Maker that Soleil had found me. If not, I'm certain I would have died.

Din continued to help me up the ramp of the Crest, only letting go of me once I had gingerly situated myself onto the bench in the belly of the ship. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the hangar lady hovering just beyond the mouth of the ship, nervously twiddling her thumbs.

"What happened out there?" She asked breathily, observing the damage that was done to my leg from afar.

I flashed her a weak smile, motioning her on board the Crest while Din began removing my thigh plate from my leg. While she walked up the ramp, I said, "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Once she got a closer look at my wound, a profound grimace crossed her face. "That looks awful," She muttered, turning away so she wouldn't have to look at it any longer. She glanced at Din, who was on a mission searching for the hospital-grade medpack he had onboard the Crest.

"I'm assuming you didn't get paid," She wondered out loud, "But that's okay, I'm just glad you guys made it back in one piece." She quickly glanced back at my leg and grimaced again. "Relatively," She amended.