apostasy | the mandalorian

twēlvē

tw: bleeding (towards the end)

The pair stepped out of the well-groomed bedroom, the darkness of the dimly lit hallway hid them once again. They stuck as close to the wall as they could manage with the countless tables and couches lining either side. If Evri didn't know any better, she'd say they had entered the palace on Naboo. She had never seen it in person, of course, but she had seen holorecordings. It just goes to show you that even after the Empire fell, the evil still found a way to fill their pockets.

Evri's knuckles turned white against her blaster, fearing her injuries since the raid on Sabik would hinder her marksmanship. The thought was brief though, as a pair of guards rounded the sharp corner just ahead of them. Their eyes narrowed in confusion, immediately raising their rifles and aiming at the two trespassers. Evri ducked behind a large statue, pressing her back against the wall while Din took the offense. His beskar clanged in defiance at the many blasts sparking against it, the harsh noise eventually ceasing when the guard on his left met the end of Evri's blaster, and the other fell to the Mandalorian's.

As soon as their bodies hit the royal blue rug, the partners met eyes. The disruption would surely bring more guards to the area; they would have to move on quickly.

With the first line of defense out of the way, Din pulled out his tracking fob, listening for a higher frequency as he pointed the blinking object around the room.

"This way," he said, gesturing forward with his helmet.

Evri was already falling in behind him as he led them around the corner. This hall was much taller than the last with one wall entirely made of glass. The city seemed even more vast from there, an endless stretch of skyscrapers and bright lights fading into the distant fog. Evri only allowed herself to marvel at it for a moment before remembering the true nature of it all.

This planet had supported the Empire. Every building, every street, every jewel, was fueled by their homicidal nature. She had promised herself the day she left Tesvin that she would never kill on another person's agenda. If she was going to take the life of someone else, she was going to do it on her terms. And though this man was a bounty, and Din had asked her to assist him, she wanted this man's blood on her hands. She wanted to make him suffer.

The house was much like a maze, the lack of clear visibility, and seemingly endless hallways able to distract even his diligent mind. If they didn't have the tracking fob, they would be utterly screwed.

They continued forward, holding their blasters at their sides and using the newly found light from outside - if you could call it light - to look around. The end of the hall held another sharp turn, making Evri's breath hitch at the possibility of more guards popping out at any second.

No job was ever this easy - it couldn't be. She had never been bounty hunting, but she knew better than to think they were leaving without a fight.

Despite this, she pressed on, the fuel of her aggression coming from a deep-rooted pain from her past. A past she struggled to reconcile with, but couldn't live without. Din's confidence was the only other thing keeping her going; his determined steps and calm demeanor were a true testament to just how long he had been doing this.

As they reached the feared corner, Din pressed his back into the wall, ushering Evri to do the same as another pair of voices came into earshot.

"Have you heard from Rox? He and Ender were supposed to be on hall duty,"

"No; I'm sure they just forgot to check-in. There's no way for anyone to get in here anyway."

"What if something is wrong?"