Darasuum // Din Djarin Mandalorian ♠️

Chapter Twenty-Five - The Plan

Word Count: 1,619 words. 

Warnings: None.

Aria's POV

I didn't remember making it back to my room last night, but I must have because when I woke I lay on top of the covers, clothes still on from the night before. The second half of last night was a small bit of a blur due to whatever it was Mayfield was feeding me. I had talked to Din last night, I remembered that, but how had it ended?

"You good Solo?" Miggs asked, approaching my side. Mando and I stood by a small hologram table.

"Fuck you Miggs," I dismissed, hearing the clear teasing in his tone.

He shoved my shoulder lightly. "Thought you could handle your liquor."

"Oh I can, but that wasn't kriffing liquor. That was piss poor alcohol and you know it."

"Can't afford much else."

"Since we're all here then," Ran's boisterous voice joined the conversation. Xi'an and Burg followed behind him.

I didn't miss the way that Xi'an looked at Din beside me, swaying her hips from side to side as she walked. I made sure she didn't miss the harsh stare I was giving her in response, leaning against the table in front of me.

"So," Mayfield began, "the package is being moved on a fortified transport shop," – he clicked a button on the rim of the table, lighting up the hologram of a New Republic 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," Mando spoke up, crossing his arms.

"Thought you knew that."

"We knew that it was New Republic," I explained to my friend, "not that it was a prison ship. I helped build these things, they're fortresses. Impossible to get on without being caught."

"Unless..." Mayfield dragged, "... we have a way of getting New Republican codes. We were just going to use a scrambler but now that you're here..."

I took a deep breath, sparing a glance at Mando. I couldn't read him. "We're breaking a prisoner out," I tried. "Are we sure he didn't do something worthy of it?"

"That's not your problem," Xi'an told me, taking a step across Din towards me.

"I'd like to know who we're breaking out," I told her, "and who's murder they were convicted for?"

"How do you know it's murder and not just a smuggler that got caught?" Ran asked.

I pointed to the hologram. "That's a second-generation prison cruiser. The code on the side, TX385? That's one allocated to murder. Each ship carries different crimes. This one... this one is a ship full of hundreds of people that have killed civilians or New Republic officials." I turned to look at Miggs. "You better tell me that he didn't kill someone innocent because since when did we did help people who kill for sport?"

Xi'an answered for him, turning my attention back to her before Mayfield could speak. "Since when does a smuggler wear a lightsaber?" she posed, casting a glance down towards my belt.

I took a breath, stepping closer to her. "Can't a girl have a hobby?"

Mando's gloved hand wrapped around my arm, squeezing gently. "Solo," he muttered.

"A job is a job," Ran tried. "Do you want the coin or not?"

"Besides," Xi'an told me, her voice almost a playful whisper. "It's manned by droids." She then tilted her head to look at the Mandalorian behind me. "Still hate the machines Mando?"