The Mandalorian: Beskar and Bone

Chapter 2: The Children

The walk back to the Razor Crest was silent, save for the coos of the Child. Elaine walked briskly to keep up with the Mandalorian's strides, causing her to lose her breath.

"Do you know why you're wanted?" The Mandalorian asked. They had a long ways to go and he may as well try and get some information out of the girl.

She shook her head.

"Do you have a name?" 

She nodded. "Elaine."

"Does he have a name?" He asked.

Elaine shook her head. "I don't know. The guards never really spoke to us and he's too young to tell me."

"How old are you?" The Mandalorian was shocked to find out the Child was 50, so he wanted to make sure that Elaine fit his assumtion. She counted on her fingers before setting on her whole hand.

"I'm five." She said.

The Mandalorian nodded, but inside he was confused. What could the client want with two children? His thoughts, however, were stopped when he noticed the small lizards that inhabited the area scuttling back into their dens. His hand lingered near his blaster as his senses we're put on high alert.

"Stay close." He told Elaine.

Suddenly, a Nikto jumped down from the ravine wall and attacked. Elaine grabbed the Child's pod and hid behind a rock. She peeked over just in time to watch the Mandalorian kill the attacker and his friend. He holstered his blaster and looked to the kids.

"It's safe." He said.

Elaine nodded and came out with the Child, and their trek continued.

~~

When the Mandalorian returned to the Razor Crest, it was in shambles, and Jawas were escaping in their Sand Crawler.

"Stay here!" He ordered as he ran after them, keeping a small hope to get his ship back together. Elaine watched as the Mandalorian chased the Jawas, stopping periodically to snipe them. He finally boarded and climbed up the latter, only to be shocked by a Jawa and fall off.

Elaine gasped and ran towards him. She didn't know who this man was or why he was taking her and the Child. But he had saved her from the droid and was nicer than any of the Niktos had ever been.

Mando opened his eyes to see a pair of concerned brown eyes staring down at him.

"Are you okay?" Their owner asked.

Mando groaned as he sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine." He watched the Jawas roll away, fuming with rage. "Come on. Let's go."

~~

The Mandalorian found the Ugnaught working on his farm equipment. When he approached, the elder simply said, "I thought you were dead." He looked down at the children next to Mando. "This is what was causing all the fuss?"

Mando looked at the little green one. "I think it's a child." He looked at Elaine. "And I'm not sure about her species."

The Ugnaught nodded. "It is better to deliver them alive then."

"My ship has been destroyed." Mando told him. "I'm trapped here."

"Stripped. Not destroyed." The Ugnaught corrected. "The Jawas steal. They don't destroy."

The Mandalorian clenched his fists. "Stolen or destroyed, makes no difference to me. There's no way to recover the parts."

The was cooing and Elaine turned to see the Child was chasing a frog. Elaine smiled, but stayed by the Mandalorian's side.