𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊, 𝔡𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔧𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫

𝐭𝐞𝐧

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

IT HAD BEEN about an hour since Mando had dropped Sevara off at the Razor Crest. After her outburst, she was exhausted and Mando had suggested for her to get some rest until he returned from wherever he was going. He hadn't disclosed his destination and all Sevara knew was that he had taken the beskar with him. Being all alone, she had considered curling up in the co-pilot seat as she had done that morning, but after the revelation that the Empire still knew of her, Sevara didn't think it was wise to be in plain view.

So, Sevara had stationed herself opposite the landing deck with her blaster aimed high towards the door. Even though the Client had let she and Mando go free, Sevara didn't want to take any chances of the Empire taking her, regardless of the bounty hunter's promise. With the onset of paranoia circulating through her mind, Sevara's thoughts were otherwise occupied with the child, and what the Client planned to do with it.

Her chest ached as it dawned on her that the child had been ripped from her just as her own had, deep down in the treacherous caverns of the Spice Mines. As Sevara leant her head against the panels of the ship, her gaze drifted to the small 'T' that was inked into her skin, tracing the letter with her fingertip. Her mind wandered to what Teran would have thought about the way her life turned out. The death of her fiancé had been the beginning of the turmoil that set her on a path far from the one Sevara had in mind, though she didn't blame him for one moment. Teran Sargon had risked his life for the future of the Rebellion, sadly losing it during an Imperial invasion on their rebel base mere minutes before Sevara was taken into captivity by the Empire, too.

She shook her head, wishing to erase the cloudy haze that overtook her mind each time she recalled the battle. In tow with the events that had occurred earlier that day, Sevara had grown fatigued and her eyelids heavy. Slumped against the wall with the silence as her only companion, Sevara found her eyes fluttering shut. She made an attempt to pry them open, but perhaps Mando was right, she did need some rest. So, with her eyes closing once more, all worries evaporated as she fell into a much deserved slumber.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

A GENTLE TOUCH shook Sevara awake. She opened her eyes to see her gaze obscured by the polished beskar of Mando's helmet. He offered her a hand, hauling her up to her feet as he asked, "What were you doing down there?"

Sevara's cheeks burned upon the realisation that Mando had seen her sleeping on the job. She glanced down at their joint hands, looking up at him as she replied, "You know, just checking the ship is still holding up from our repairs." As Mando tilted his head, she sighed and told him, "Fine. I guess I'm still a little jumpy and... and was afraid that someone had a bounty on my head whilst you were out doing what, exactly?"

Mando bowed his head, saying, "I know, I'm sorry. I promised that I would keep you safe, yet I left you by yourself."

Sevara simply nodded, forgiving him although she couldn't exactly blame him. Her gaze wandered to his armour, noting how his broken chest plate had been replaced with a shining silver. She raised a brow at his new ensemble and made a gesture to it, asking, "Is this what you used your reward on?"

"Yes," he said.

She sighed, pulling her hand from his as she wrapped her arms around her torso, brushing her fingertips against the indentations of her scar. Sevara gazed at his impeccable armour, stating, "At least it was good for something."

A moment passed as they stood there, unsure of what to do or say, with the lack of the child's presence weighing down heavily. It felt as though a piece of them was missing, and rightly so. The small creature was such a focal point of the relationship they had established in the time Sevara had known the bounty hunter. Her throat tightened as she thought of the child, with it's large brown eyes and contagious smile that never failed to brighten her day. Sevara longed to hold it once more, to see it even if for just a small second. Alas, she and Mando had lost that chance when they handed the child over.

"Come on," said Mando as he beckoned her to the cockpit. "It's time to go."

With heavy steps, Sevara followed suit and made her way to the co-pilot seat. She settled against the cool-red material and buckled up her seatbelt, gazing out the window at the grey rocks before them. Mando began firing up the Razor Crest, but as his hand hovered over a broken lever, his demeanour seemed to shift.

"What's wrong?" Sevara asked as she glanced at him, wondering why they hadn't taken off yet.

Mando picked up the small sphere that had been removed from the lever, his gaze fixed on it for a moment. He raised his hand and slowly began to screw it back on, replying, "Nothing."

As he pushed the lever forward, Sevara could sense his uneasiness, for she felt it to. Like Mando, she had no desire to leave the planet whilst the child was still in the custody of the Client. Mustering up the courage, Sevara quietly said, "I don't want to leave it either."

Mando turned to her, and though she couldn't read his expression beneath his helmet, his slumped shoulders suggested that part of him agreed with her. With a forceful hand, he cranked back the lever and said, "I'm going back."

A wave of relief rolled over Sevara, her hands flying to her buckles as she undid her straps and shot to her feet. But Mando raised a hand, saying, "You're not coming."

She rolled her eyes, gripping the handle of her blaster as she said, "Mando, when has that line ever worked?"

"No, I mean it," he said, a serious tone to his voice. Sevara was taken aback, but he continued, "You asked me to protect you and that's what I'm doing. If you go in there, the Empire could potentially see you as a threat and take you back to the Mines."

She nodded, her gaze one of steel as she took a half-step towards Mando and told him, "I know. I understand the consequences but I've already lost one child to Empire, I'm not gonna' lose another."

Mando tilted his head, quietly asking, "You lost your child?"

Sevara took a moment to steady her breathing, but remembered their task at hand and replied, "Yes, but now isn't the time to talk about it. We need to go and rescue our child, okay?"

With a brief nod, Mando lead Sevara out of the Razor Crest and into the bustling streets. Although her heart thumped with the fear of being found out, Sevara marched onwards, determined not to lose anyone else to the threat of the Empire.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

i'm really sorry that this chapter is a little more slow paced than usual, i've had a little bit of writers block today :/

anyway, thank you for reading!