DEFENDER • THE MANDALORIAN

TWO

As quick as the moment was, it ended. The Mandalorian suddenly turns, pulling his blaster on Alya who is in the doorway. She holds her empty hands up, showing she was unarmed and had no ill will.

"No need to shoot." The Jedi tells the man, but he does not drop the blaster. The helmet blocks any emotion from being conveyed through the man's face, but Alya could tell through his body. He had been surprised at her sudden arrival.

"Who are you?" The hunter hovers his finger over the trigger of the blaster, not trusting the random woman who had appeared. His breathing remains steady and calm as he inspects the woman.

She wore a brown cloak, which hid her armor from the untrained eye. The Mandalorian had also spotted a bag on her side as well as a holster to a weapon he did not clearly recognize. Her hair was held back and her face held nothing; almost as if it was a mask much like his.

"I happen to be the other half of your bounty." As if her statement had gave the technology power, the tracking fob in the Mandalorian's bag began to beep loudly.

Much like the Mandalorian, Alya began to size her opponent up. He stood tall, broad shoulders towering over her. His size nor the blaster pointed at her face did not frighten her. Worn armor decorated his frame, showing that the man was no stranger to battle.

If they were to fight, which would most likely not happen, Alya believed that she would win. At that thought, the Jedi quickly cleared her mind; she should not have arrogance for it was against the way of the Jedi.

The Mandalorian puzzlement comes through his slightly tilted helmet. Alya doubted that he ever faced a person that would willingly face a bounty hunter. He most likely believed her to have an ulterior motive, which in a way she does.

Never in a million years, would she actually want to go with a bounty hunter that could pose a threat;however, Yoda's words keep ringing through her head, and she knows that going with the Mandalorian is the right thing to do.

The Mandalorian, while still confused, says nothing. He continues to hold his blaster at her as he digs handcuffs out of his satchel. He quickly glances at the child to ensure that it has not moved either. The child, in the carrier, just looks at the pair with keen interest, unaware of the cruelness of the world around him.

Alya also glances at the child and a familiar fondness sprouts within her. The small, green child reminded her so much of her old mentor. She couldn't help but hope that she would survive long enough to see him grow. Attachments, her consciousness warned her; getting too attached would be bad, it would lead to abandoning the Jedi Code.

Pulling out his handcuffs, the Mandalorian places them around the Jedi's wrists, locking them. Alya winces slightly at the tightness but says nothing of it. The bounty hunter efficiently undoes her bag that had been hanging by her side and relieves her of her holster holding her lightsaber.

He holds the saber and bag in one hand, blaster trained on her with the other. The Mandalorian inspects her lightsaber closely, having not seen a weapon like it before. Alya is unsure if the Mandalorian had ever heard of Jedi or if he simply did not believe in them.

The man opens the bag and sees nothing of importance, only some papers, a cloth, and a canteen. He places the saber in the bag and then puts it on his side. Alya watches with trained focus, making sure she knew where the Mandalorian had placed her weapon.

Alya simply remains still as the Mandalorian holsters his blaster. The small child in the egg shaped carrier coos and giggles as the Mandalorion slightly shoves the Jedi forward. The bounty hunter quickly turns and programs the egg carrier to follow him as Alya watches.

She had a feeling that this would only be the beginning.

•••

The walls of the shallow ravines towers over the trio that walk in silence. The small, egg carrier holding the Child, floated between the Mandalorian and the Jedi. Previously the hunter had been right by the woman, but soon he realized that she was not going to make an attempt to get away.

The silence between the group had stood since the journey to the Mandalorian's ship began; the only time it would break was when the child released small giggles or noises.

Alya saw no reason to attempt to make conversation with the Mandalorian. It was obvious he was not one for conversation, at leastnot one for conversation with a person you were going to give away for money.

Small, reptilian like creatures were running throughout the cavern, all looking at the trio with curiosity. Alya, as well as the child, were looking at the creatures with curiosity. If it weren't for the Mandoranian, Alya would have stopped to pick one up.

Suddenly, Alya senses something above them , something with the intent to harm. Her tied hands immediately goes to were her holster would normally be, but remembers the Mandalorian still had it. She would have to fight with the Force and her fists. Fighting with her hands tied would make it even harder.

It appears that the reptilian creatures had sensed it too as they disppear into the cracks of the walls. The Mandalorian halts, resulting in both Alya and the carrier to stop.

Alya felt more people above them and she got tenser, her body preparing for a fight. The Mandalorian looks up, feeling something off as well.

"They are above us." Alya quietly warns the hunter. He accepts her warning in silence, hand going to his blaster. The Jedi quickly puts her hands near the carrier, knowing that the child would be unable to defend itself. Her eyes snapped down quickly as she feels a touch on her hand. Brown eyes meet the wide eyes of the child. He senses it too.

A snarl echoes throughout the cave and a figure drops down from above. Alya quickly pushes the carrier away from what was bound to be a fight.

The Mandalorian quickly rushes to face the new foe, but before Alya can go to hep another drops from above. The Jedi rushes the new rival before he has the chance to comprehend it.

Quickly jabbing key pressure points with her tied hands, Alya sends the man to the ground. Before she can catch her breath, two more foes rush her. She quickly dodges out the way as one swings an axe at her.

Alya can hears the grunts of the Mandalorian as she uses the Force. The opponent that had been wielding the axe goes flying back, hitting the wall and landing with a thud. Hearing the other hunter rushing towards her, the Jedi quickly turns and headbutts the hunter, causing him to stumble back.

The woman wanted to avoid using too much Force while around the Mandalorian. Some Mandalorians were still upset about past altercations between their ancestors, she didn't want to risk losing her potential ally.

The hunter quickly recovers, but Alya sends him to the ground with a swift kick. She takes a deep breath and steadies herself as she looks around. Multiple bodies lie on the floor, from both hers and the Mandalorian's doing.

She watches as the Mandalorian finishes off the last of his opponents. One hunter rushes past her potential ally, in the direction of the child who had been watching the adults fight.

Alya prepares to use the Force to stop the hunter from harming the child, but before she can, the Mandalorian disintegrates the man using his weapon.

Ashes float to the floor as Alya looks over to the Mandalorian. His helmet is faced towards a fob that the disintegrated hunter had been carrying. The machine is beeping softly, showing that it was near the destination of the target.

There were more hunters after the child and after her, Alya assumes. Things just got a little more difficult.

"Well, this is not good."

•••

A/N: The amount of times I have had to write Mandalorian is insane. Also I am trying very hard to stay with Star Wars cannon for the Jedi and such. So if anything is out of place or is odd, please tell me! Also also, does Mandalorian seem in character? I am trying so hard to keep him from becoming to OOC. Thank you for reading!