Bounty hunting is a complicated profession

Family

Swallowing your tears, you followed Cara and Greef through the tunnels. IG-11 had stayed behind with Mando and you were hanging to the hope that it could somehow find a way to treat his injury without having to remove the helmet.

When you put the necklace around your neck, you saw that your hands were stained with his blood and had to fight the urge of bursting into tears yet again. That's when you felt it. It was weak but you were certain it was him. Stopping dead in your tracks, you turned around and waited as he got closer, a part of you not daring to trust your senses until you had visual confirmation.

Right around the corner you heard the faint crunching sound of boots stepping on the gravel and the rattle of pebbles being kicked. Cara and Greef turned around, blasters on the ready, when Mando and IG-11 appeared around the corner.

You rushed to him, relief washing over you. He seemed to be better, even managing to walk on his own though he was still staggering and unbalanced. Holding back the urge to hug him — didn't want to knock him over — you got to him with a tremulous smile, afraid you'd start crying again.

"I told you." He said reaching to your shoulder for support, his voice still strained but stronger than before. "Right behind you." He placed his hand on the back of your neck and lowered his head, resting the front of his helmet against your forehead for a second and you finally relaxed.

This wasn't the first time he had done that — resting his head against yours — and, since that gesture seemed to mean something for him as it automatically put him at ease, you let him do.

"I got you." Cara said as she grabbed Mando around the waist, placing his arm around her shoulders to help him walk.

"You're nursed, I've completed my orders." The droid said to you and you smiled at it as you stood on Mando's other side. You couldn't support him like Cara, but he could lean on you as he walked.

You walked through the tunnels not sure which direction to go. Mando was better but you could tell he was still in pain.

"If we get the smell of sulphur and we follow it, it'll lead us up to the plains where the river flows." Greef said.

"And the Imps will catch us before we make it to the ship." Mando told him, grunting in pain. "We need the Mandalorians to escort us to safety."

You kept walking through the tunnels, and you thought that at least it would be harder for the troopers to find you if not even you knew where you were.

"Stop. I can stand." Mando suddenly said, taking his arm off Cara's shoulders and testing his balance. She let go of him and, as you were about to do the same — letting go of his waist and moving away from his side — his hand gripped your shoulder, holding you in place.

"The bacta infusion is working." IG-11 said as you looked up at Mando with a puzzled expression on your face. You had no problem whatsoever in staying by his side like that, so you didn't complain.

"I'll try to find tracks." He said looking around.

The bacta was certainly working because his mind seemed to have cleared up, he was moving around with much more ease — even if he was still grabbing onto you — and he was less dispersed and chaotic, much more focused.

He led the way through the tunnels, having recognised the place, until you reached a large open room. Everything was covered with a layer of dust, as if there had been no one in there for quite some time and, in the middle of the room, was a pile of Mandalorian helmets and armour.

Grief stricken, he let go of you and walked to the pile, kneeling beside it. It took you a moment too long to understand his reaction but, when you did, you felt your heart sink. If Mandalorians couldn't remove their helmets then, the people those belonged to were...