Bounty hunting is a complicated profession

Asusto

A couple of hours later, you exited hyperspace outside Asusto's atmosphere.

"I'm going to land at some distance from the coordinates they gave me." Mando explained as you approached the planet. "We'll have to walk but I prefer if they don't see us coming."

He was uneasy about the mission, you could tell, but he was still confident in himself — which, truth to be told, was quite reassuring for you.

After landing in a small clearing surrounded by vegetation, you headed out of the cockpit. Before opening the ramp though, he handed you a blaster.

"I don't think you'll have to use it" he lied "but it is better if you have it, just in case."

You took the weapon and got out of the ship. Hoping his lie became true, you strapped it to your waist wondering if — if it came to that — you'd be able to shoot anyone with it. Your hesitation didn't only reside in your ability as a gunman but also in that, at that point, you heavily doubted your ability to inflict damage to anyone; at least after the backlash you had experienced from what had happened in Sorgan.

"I'll need you to be alert" he said, joining you outside the ship and closing the ramp "do that radar thing and let me know if you can feel anyone."

You nodded, smiling at the way he had said "feel".

The planet you were on was heavily forested and walking through the vegetation was proving difficult and tiring. Mando was not speaking as he was extremely concentrated in his surroundings — probably thinking you were about to get ambushed.

The temperature was quite high, that plus the humidity, and the effort you were making, was making you sweat intensely. With your soaked clothes clinging unpleasantly to your body, you couldn't help but wonder how could Mando withstand the effort. His clothes were thicker than yours and he also wore the beskar over them — not to mention the helmet — yet, he was leading the way at a good pace, showing no signs of fatigue.

Almost an hour had gone by when you suddenly noticed that you weren't alone. Pulling Mando's arm, you signed to him that there were at least three people in the direction you were heading.

"Ok, try not to make a sound" he told you, signing too. Then, he pointed the blaster on your waist, urging you to take it out.

As you got closer, you informed Mando you could now feel up to four people. A few moments after, you started to hear them.

"Did you hear his voice? He squealed like a gamorrean!" A male voice said as he laughed loudly.

"Yeah, you've said it three times already," another man told him "how about you help us load all this onto the ship?"

"Yes, move your fucking ass already!" A female voice added.

Mando turned around and gestured to you to crouch.

"We're going to circle them" he signed "you go to the right, I go to the left. I'll take the lead, you cover me, ok?"

You nodded and started to walk around the spot where the smugglers were — as you were now quite convinced that's what they were.

When you reached a fallen tree, you finally had a good view of what was going on. The cargo ship that had been hauling the spices to Tund was on the ground, with clear signs of having been attacked. Next to it lay a pile of bodies, you recognised them as Toongs, although it was hard to tell since some of them were covered in blood and torn to pieces.

To its left, there was another ship: a heavily modified Class 720 freighter. Beside it, were two men, one with long hair, and carrying a blaster rifle almost as big as him; the other was huge, with pale—greyish skin, and bald.