Ducem Mortis | The Mandalorian

I

Ducem Mortis is latin for commander of death. That is what people call me. I can never remember when the name started to rise up or when it was address to me, but it was. My real name was Astraea, Astraea Drein. I'm more of an assassin than a bounty hunter. I typically kill someone of power and leave common killings for the bounty hunters. So when I got contact from the Empire I knew this had to be something.

A light cruiser appeared as I jumped out of hyperspace at the coordinates that were sent to me. "This is the Empire transmitting to Ducem Mortis, you have permission to land." A voice said through my coms. I engaged my landing gears as a blue force field leading to the landing deck dropped. I flew in before landing my ship, once I was stabilize I cut off my ship and watched as the blue force field was put back up.

Well, there's no turning back.

I turned in my seat before standing up, my ship was only a one level. It was pretty small but it's only me so there's no need for a big ship. I lowered the door to be met with two stormtroopers. My hand went to grip the katana that was strapped to my belt on my waist, as it was a reflex at this point. "We will lead you to Moff Gideon, follow us." One of them spoke before turning around and walking away. I walked off of my ship following behind him noticing that the other stormtrooper join behind me, instead of walking in line with the other stormtrooper. The light cruiser was enormous as dark colors of black and dark grey surrounded the walls. The only light was the white lights on the ceilings that lit up where to go. A few stormtroopers passed me looking at me briefly only to quickly switch their gaze once they saw that I had caught them.

We turned down another of many hallways as we continued to walk. That was when a red light came from one of the rooms off of the hallway. I slowed down as we got to the door, looking into the room through the glass. I could faintly see black looking stormtroopers being lined up on the wall. I took a step closer to the door wanting to see what exactly I was looking at, as I had never seen these things before only to be stopped, "Moff Gideon is this way." I looked over my shoulder to see that it was the stormtrooper behind me that had spoke. He took a step back as I looked him up and doing, saying with my eyes that he was too close. I looked back through the window in the door one more time before following back behind the stormtrooper that was in front of me.

After a couple of turns and a lift up a elevator the stormtroopers had stopped in front of a door. The one on my right raised his hand towards the control panels before pushing the button for the door to slide open revealing a man sitting at a desk. The man had chestnut color skin with brown eyes as he watched me. I could visually see the tiredness in the man's face as he had a stoic look. He gestured for me to sit down in front of him causing me to sit in the chair across from him. I quickly counted the amount of stormtroopers that he had in the room with us, two behind him and the two that walked with me, four in total. Assuming the man in front of me had a weapon of some sort on him this meant that there was five, five people I'd have to take out if needed.

"Is it true that they call you Ducem Mortis, the commander of death."

I licked my lips as my gaze left the man in front of me, "Yes, yes it is."

"I have a proposition for you. A Mandalorian known as Din Djarin has took my bounty, I need you to kill him for me."

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips. Moff Gideon looked at me surprised that I basically laughed his in face. I cleared my throat trying to swipe the smile off my face, "You mean to tell me that you finally got someone to find your bounty only for them to take it for themselves. This is gold." Moff Gideon didn't see the humor as much as I did causing him to slam his fist on the table. I looked up at him after his fit. "I can assure you that this is no laughing matter." My hand lingered over the handle of my katana as I could tell that Moff Gideon was on edge.

"You know I don't do little jobs like that. I kill people with power...like you," I spoke. I could see the stormtroopers behind him tense as my words settled in the air. Moff Gideon ignored my words as he spoke his next words, "Your katana, I've heard that by the slighted cut of your katana that you can kill your victims." At the mention of my weapon I looked at him, he's done his research. "My katana admits a poison at my use. Anything from a puncture into the body or small cut. If anything type of skin comes into contact with my katana. they will die."

"So tell me why I shouldn't just kill you and take it from you."

A small smirk made it way onto my face as I have had this conversation many times before. People have always been trying to take my katana from me, it wasn't anything new. But one thing that would always remain the same is that they would end up dead. I leaned back in my chair as I spoke, "You could try but men like you aren't the type to do it themselves, hence the problem you are in now." I could see Moff Gideon clench his teeth together as he knew I as right.

"My price is high."

Moff Gideon raised his hand signaling for someone to come into the room. The door slid open behind me revealing three stormtroopers caring multiple of bags of credits. My eyes widen slightly at the amount, I've never seen this much at once. I looked away from them and at the table upon hearing something slide onto the table in front of me. I looked down to see a file with the name 'Din Djarin' on it. I opened it skimming it quickly, "Do we have a deal?"

I looked up at Moff Gideon before looking at the credits that the stormtrooper held as they stood right next to him. I need the money. I nodded my head as I shut the folder, deciding that I'd read more later. I stood up from Moff Gideon causing him to stand with me he reached his hand out for me to shake only to drop it upon me looking at it and back at him. I turned towards the door as I the two stormtroopers who had brought me here were waiting for me.

"I do intend to have his head delivered to me upon completion. It is a pleasure to be doing business with you, Ducem Mortis."

A/N: Chapters will get longer. I just wanted to set the foundation with this one.