THE RECRUIT

MERN: Tome

Classified Imperial Base
Barracks
Daro
LST: 10:05:18 // DAY: 14
Taipan

"Kih mesh'la!"

"Uncle Mando!" Taipan says running to meet the Mandalorian bounty hunter. "Ba'vodu Mando!" The dim light trickling in beneath Sycorax reflects off his chrome armor in tiny glints. The indigo accents shimmer around the T-shaped visor.

He kneels in the doorway with open arms and swoops her up onto his shoulders.
"You're getting so big Tai'ika."

Taipan's arms hardly fit around his shiny helmet as she steadies herself. "Mentor says I'm getting stronger every day. Oh, and I learned a new trick with my throwing blades."

"You'll have to show me another time. But I did bring you a present," he says wiggling her legs. His voice is gruff with the smoothness of a sharpened blade.

She giggles and says, "Mentor told me you were going to bring goodies."

"Awe, man he ruined the surprise," he says sighing dramatically.

"Brother," says the Zabrak walking up to the Mandalorian grinning.

Mando takes hold of the Zabrak's outstretched forearm. "Ori'vod, it's been too long."

"A hundred and forty rotations, give or take. Kind of difficult to count the days when the sun doesn't rise on this blasted asteroid."

"You know— like I've been telling you— you could leave."

The Zabrak sighs and shakes his head. "Living nomad as a mercenary is no life for a child."

"And this place is?" Uncle Mando makes a sweeping gesture. The walls of the hypogeum are decorated with an assortment of old-world shields, blades, maces, and battle axes. Some of the tools have been upgraded over the years with ion-blaster and ballistic advancements. Plenty of new-age rifles are mounted next to heads of various beasts slain in Sycorax.

"Brother you know I can't abandon this place. The child's life would be in danger the moment my face showed back up on the grid."

Taipan squints at her reflection on the Mandolorian's helmet. She snarls and grins at her pointed teeth. The curvature warping her face. She prides herself in the animalistic reflection of a red monster growling back at her. The cranial horns on her head are starting to grow in.

"If this was such a horrible place why bring her here anyways?" The Zabrak says parking his backside on the edge of a supply crate.

"Tai'ika, the grown-ups need to talk." The Mando's voice lowers a notch.

Taipan looks over at her mentor, who crosses his arms and nods once. She mimics his initial sigh and says, "Okay."

She climbs off the Mandolorian using his armor like grabble netting. He places a hand on her back as she jumps to the ground.

"Why don't you go find us some jogan fruits?" The hunter says, "I think I saw a green Twi'lek carrying a whole basket on her head."

Taipan reluctantly walks off and says, "Okay." She heads out the door intent on going towards the stairs out of the hypogeum. She glances over her shoulder.

Neither man is looking at her. She ducks behind the wall flanking the open entrance which is just within earshot.

"Ori'vod, it was my duty to find the child a caretaker. I got lucky finding you. Why do you wish her away?" The Bounty Hunter's armor shifts and it sounds like he had taken a seat.