Metanoia | The Mandalorian ON HOLD

Chapter 14

"So, the package is being moved on a fortified transport ship." Mayfeld started explaining as he displayed the ship. "Now, we got a limited window to board, find our friend, get him out of there before they make their jump."

"That's a New Republic prison ship. Your man wasn't taken by a rival syndicate. He was arrested." Said Mando and Mayfeld leaned on the table forward to him.

"So what?" He asked while Burg grunted.

"A job is a job." Said Ran.

"That's a max security transport and I'm not looking for that kinda heat." Explained Mando.

"Well, neither are we. So just don't mess up." He replied.

"The good news for you is the ship is manned by droids." Said Xi'an, stepping closer to Mando. "Still hate the machines, Mando?" She asked teasingly, pointing to Zero with her knife as he walked out of the Crest.

"Despite recent modifications, the ship is still quite a mess. The power lines are leaking, the navigation is intermittent, and the hyperdrive is only operating at 67.3% efficiency.  We have much better ships. Why are we using this one?" Said the robotic voice of Zero as he joined the others.

"'Cause the Razor Crest is off the old Imperial and the New Republic grid. It's a ghost." Explained Ran.

"Yeah, and we need a ship that can get close enough to jam New Republic code. So, when we drop out of hyperspace here, if we immediately bank into this kinda altitude, we should be right in their blind spot, which will give us just enough time for your ship to scramble our signal." Added Mayfeld.

"It's not possible. Even for the Crest." Denied Mando.

"That's why he's flying." Ran pointed at Zero with his head. Mayfeld laughed as Mando tilted his head, ready to argue with Ran but he interrupted him. "Mando, I know you're a pretty good pilot, but we need your on the trigger. Not on the wheel."

"Don't worry, Mandalorian. My response time is quicker than organics. And I'm smarter, too." Said Zero.

"All right. I...Yeah. That's good." Ran patted the droid's shoulder as he turned and went to the group near the ship. "Forgive the programming. He's a little rough around the edges. But he is the best."

"How can you trust it?" Asked Mando as they turned to watch the group, pointing to the droid.

"You know me, Mando. I don't trust anybody." Ran clicked his tongue and put his hand on Mando's shoulder, leading him to the ramp. "Just like the good old days, Mando. Huh?" He said and Mando closed the ramp, heading to the cockpit while Zero piloted the ship out of the hangar.

~

Juno and the child were sitting on the bed, Juno whispering softly some stories she was told when she was younger by her parents to pass time when they could hear people talking and laughing, teasing and insulting Mando. Juno didn't like it one bit, she cared for him, he was slowly becoming somewhat of a father figure to her and the child, so hearing someone being disrespectful to him made her annoyed.

Suddenly, there was a commotion and the door in front of them opened. The child cooed as they looked at the group with wide eyes as they watched them too.

"Whoa!" Said Mayfeld and moved closer to the kids. "What is that? You get lonely up here buddy? Huh?" He stopped and turned to Xi'an. "Wait a minute. Did you two make those? Huh? What are they, like pets or something?"

"Hey." Said Juno, offended.

"Yeah. Something like that." Replied Mando in a low voice.

"Didn't take you for the type." Said Xi'an, getting closer to Mando. "Maybe that code of yours has made you soft."

"Me, I was never really into pets." Said Mayfeld, looking away from the kids and to Mando and Xi'an. "Yeah, I didn't have the temperament. Patience, you know? I mean, I tried, but never worked out.  But I'm thinkin' maybe I'll try again, with this little fella."

He went and took the child into his arms. Juno looked at Mando, concerned, and stood up, coming a bit closer to the man. She could see he was on alert and Mayfeld noticed it as well. He tried to startle the Mandalorian, pretending to drop the child. He didn't move, sensing he wouldn't drop him and Mayfeld chuckled. Just then, they could hear Zero's voice. "Dropping out of hyperspace, now."  The ship started shaking, throwing everyone out of balance. "Commencing final approach, now. Cloaking signal, now."

The ship was spinning and shaking as Mayfeld dropped the child. Juno, being close to them, quickly caught the child but went falling when Mando caught her, pulling her to his chest as he tried to shield them from anything falling their way. "Engaging coupling, now." Once the ship was somewhat steady, Mando quickly grabbed Juno with the child into his arms, putting them back to the bed.

"You okay?" He asked quietly. Juno just nodded her head and the child cooed.

"What's going on?" She demanded, whispering.

"Shh. Later." Was his only reply and then he closed the door. Juno sighed, looking down to her hands when the child grabbed her fingers. She looked at him and smiled, happy to have his company and the child cooed at her.

"Coupling confirmed. We are down. And relax. Commence extraction, now."

"Useless droid didn't even give us a proper countdown." Spat Xi'an as Burg picked up two cases that fell, throwing them away with a grunt.

"Z, are you sure they can't see us?" Asked Mayfeld through the comms.

"The Razor Crest is scrambling our signature and I am inside the prison system. It's impressive that this gunship had survived the Empire without being impounded."

"All right, we got a job to do." Said Mayfeld. "Mando, you're up."

Mando walked closer to where the hatch opens and kneeled before it. He pressed a button that revealed the access point to the prison ship. He attached a device to the access point, the group watching as it began beeping rapidly until the metal opened. He then stood up and walked a bit away from it. "It's me?" Asked Mayfeld.

"Always you." Grunted Burg.

A moment later, Mayfeld hopped out of the Crest with Xi'an and then Burg following. Mando looked one more time to the door behind which stayed the kids, not very keen on leaving them alone with the droid. But he had a job to do and so he, too, joined the others.