Metanoia | The Mandalorian ON HOLD

Chapter 7

When Mando was sure they were far enough from Nevarro he put the ship on autopilot and stood up, going to the doors. "Watch the child. I'll be right back." He told Juno.

"Where are you going?" She asked, looking up at him.

"First-aid kit. I need to check on you."

He returned in a few minutes, holding the kit. He then kneeled in front of Juno, looking at her and pulling some things out of the box. "This is bacta spray, for the cut on your forehead." She didn't even know she had a cut. He applied the spray. "Do you have any other cuts? Where are you hurt?" He asked.

"No, I'll just have some bruises. My whole body hurts." She said, looking down.

"Here, for the pain. It should work quickly." He gave her some pills. "I'm sorry, for leaving you there. It's my fault you're hurt." He apologized. She looked back at him.

"It's okay, you came back for us." She forgave him. "I knew you would." She continued quietly.

"How? And how did you know that the Mandalorians would come?" Mando asked confused.

"My family and people from my home planet, we all share this so-called gift. At least we used to before the Empire destroyed my home." She started while Mando listened carefully, trying to understand her. "I'm what they call a seer but I haven't finished my training so I can't really control what and when I see something." Explained Juno.

"And what about him? Is he like you?" Asked Mando, nodding at the sleeping child. "Because I still don't understand what you did with the mudhorn."

"No, I don't think so." She shook her head. "And I too have no idea what we did. I know that I can do something else, like he can, but I can just lift smaller stones. I think that the baby did most of the job with the mudhorn." She chuckled softly.

Mando nodded to himself, getting on his legs and went to sit back in his chair. "You should rest." He told her. When he turned around to look at her, she was sleeping.

~

Juno woke up a few hours later to the ship shaking violently, then stopping. She looked around, seeing the Mandalorian picking up the child and holding him to his side. "What was that?" She asked.

"The child. He pressed some buttons. It's fine now." He answered. Juno stood up and went to stand next to them, looking at the controls. "Let's see. Sorgan. Looks like there's no star port, no industrial centers, no population density. Real backwater skug holo. Which means it's perfect for us." He then looked at the child. "You ready to lay low and stretch your legs for a couple of months, you little womp rat? Nobody's gonna find us here."

"Hey don't call him that." Scolded Juno, looking at the Mandalorian. The child cooed at her, as if agreeing with her. She then sat back down in her chair, taking the child with her. They were flying in the planet's atmosphere, looking for a place to land the Razor Crest when Juno spoke again. "I'm hungry."

"I'll find you something to eat when we land." Promised Mando and Juno sighed.

When they were safely on the ground, the Mandalorian looked at the kids." Listen, I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna look around. It shouldn't take too long." He stood up, pointing his finger at them. "Now, don't touch anything. I'll find us some lodging, then I'll come back for you. You two stay right here. You stay. Don't move. You understand?" The child grunted while Juno looked up at him annoyed. "Great." And he left.

When Juno heard the ramp starting to open, she picked up the child, going after Mando. "Yeah right. We're not staying here." When she got down the ladder she put the child down and stood quietly next to Mando.

He looked down when he heard the child cooing. Both kids looked up at him, Juno smiling widely. "Oh, what the hell? Come on." He sighed defeated. He walked down the ramp, going through the forest, the kids following him. Juno looked around, not having seen trees in a while. She then looked at the Mandalorian, seeing his blaster in his hip holder.

"Can I have a blaster." She asked with wide eyes.

"Absolutely not." Came Mando's reply quickly.

"Okay. Fine." She said, lifting her arms in defense.

When they got to the town, they walked to a canteen. The looked around, the kids in wonder, Mando analyzing everything and everyone. He noticed a woman, sitting in a corner, watching them in interest. They found a free table and sat down, Mando putting the child on a higher chair, when a waitress came to them. "Welcome travelers. Can I interest you in anything?" She asked politely with a smile.

"Bone broth, for the little ones." Replied Mando.

"Oh, well, you're in luck. I just took down a grinjer, so there's plenty. Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?"

"Just the two."

"Very well."

"That one over there. When did she arrive?" He asked. Looking at the woman in the corner.

"I've seen her here for the last week or so." She answered, shaking her head softly.

"What's her business here?" He continued.

"Business? Oh, well, there's not much business in Sorgan, so I can't say." She chuckled while Mando threw some money on the table.  "She doesn't strike me as a log runner. Well, thank you, sir. I will get that broth to you as soon as possible, and I will throw in a flagon of spotcha just for good mesure. I will be right back with that." She took the money and left. That's when Mando noticed the woman in the corner was gone.

"I'll be right back. Stay here." He told the kids, standing up and going out of the canteen, not giving Juno time to respond. "Keep an eye on the kids." He threw a coin to the waitress as he walked by.

When he was gone, Juno sighed, looking at the child. "And he leaves again. Bet he's gonna get himself in some trouble."  That's when the waitress brought the broth to them and Juno thanked her with a smile. She looked at the child and stood up, taking the broth with her. "Come on, let's go find him."

When they got to him, she didn't expect him to be laying on the ground opposite the woman from the corner, pointing their blasters at each other. She and the child looked at them with bored expressions, both of them slurping the broth loudly. "You want some soup?" Mando asked the woman.

They got up and walked back inside, all sitting at a table. "Saw most of my action mopping up after Endor. Mostly Ex-Imperial Warlords." Said the woman, Cara. "They wanted it fast and quiet. They'd send us in on the drop ships. No support, just us. Then when the Imps were gone, the politics started. We were peacekeepers, protecting delegates, suppressing riots. Not what I signed up for."

"How did you end up here?" Asked Mando. The kids still eating quietly.

"Let's just call it an early retirement." Answered Cara, sipping her soup. "Look, I knew you were Guild. I figured you had a fob on me. That's why I came at you so hard." She explained.

"Yeah, that's what I figured."

"Well, this has been a real treat, but unless you wanna go another round, one of us is gonna have to move on, and I was here first." She finished her soup and left.

The kids, too, have finished their meal. Mando looked at them. "Well, looks like this planet's taken." He said. Juno looked at him with questioning look while the child cooed.

"What are we going to do now?"

"Gonna go back to the Razor Crest, I'll think of something else then." Juno nodded and slowly, they got up and walked back to the ship.