The Princess, The Pea And The Bounty Hunter

Chapter Six: Never Diagonal...

Mando would land the ship on Sorgan with a heavy weight in his chest as he kept the chain of the necklace clasped in his hand...

Glancing to it ever so often as he contemplated what she tried to tell him...

That maybe it had truly been a vision and not just the mournful dream of a lonely, wandering hunter...

"Fifteen minutes to make ground and depressurize. Get ready to go," he said over the intercom, too distracted to shout.

Litha heard this from below as she roused from sleep, having taken the single bed to sleep curled up with the babe to keep him warm in the chill of space...

Yawning then, she stretched her arms, letting the little one sleep a while longer as she climbed out of the bunk and made her way to the small shower which seemed no larger to her than an unpadded coffin...

Nevertheless, she'd find herself cleansed yet not relaxed as she too was left to wonder...

Why had Mando been given a vision of her? Let alone one of the two of them standing on the balcony of her family's lake villa on Naboo...?

It was all just as confusing to her as it was for him and as she thought, she couldn't help but to grimace as Mando's surplus of stubbornness didn't exactly improve her means of understanding what their reunion could possibly mean...

"Molly, I could really use some advice right about now," she whispered across the void, "This whole Jedi thing isn't as straight forward as you always made it out to be and I'm afraid I lack Obi's patience with you," she went on as she reached out of the shower to fetch her towel.

"Well, that's not very nice...he did-" the whispering voice in her ear would be cut off as she fastened the towel.

"Yes, I know, I know, old man. He killed you twice and you lived in garbage. I've heard the story of your womp rat stew recipe a thousand times," she insisted as she made her way over to her duffle, collecting her suit and boots, "However, that doesn't help me now. You said that you've seen visions before, no? You used that pyramid thing through that Ezra kid," she reminded him across the veil and heard her master audibly groan in annoyance while she got busy pulling on her suit.

"He had potential, but was terribly droll nonetheless and he never saw me coming. He couldn't hold a candle to you, my star pupil," he assured her, half joking as she smiled to herself.

"Don't let Ani hear you say that, Molly. He'll kick you non-corporeal ass up and down the cosmos, like he used to during your demonstrations. You remember?" she chuckled out then as she zipper up her suit and followed up with her boots.

Litha then turned to see his ghost standing there with arms crossed...

The ghost of Darth Maul, turned Jedi, but wearing black as usual, "I choose only to recall the rematches where I won, dear child," he responded with sarcasm as he often did, "Now, get your crystal back from that boy, build us a lightsaber and let's cut down some trees!" he exclaimed then if only to make her laugh which it did...

Right before Mando came sliding down the ladder and she jumped, "What are you laughing at?" he asked as she pulled on her climbing harness, doing the necessary straps.

Litha resisted the urge to exchange glances with Maul who remained, "Just thinking about my teachers...the Zabrak in particular- Molly, he was a ridiculous, seven-horned meat head with yellow bird eyes and this..." she could help but to trail off and grin at one particular memory, "...stupid obsession with making sure every single sandwich I ever ate was perfectly cut in half. Never diagonal," Litha described it to him with a scan of the room to look at Maul before looking to Mando who seemed to pause at her words.

"He still around?" Mando wondered, hiding her crystal behind his back in the hope she wouldn't notice, but she had and her smile warmed.

Litha chuckled as she finished and the last buckle, collecting her knives from her bag before turning back to him, "No...actually, he died a long time ago. Though, his spirit is close to me, always through the Force," she explained plainly as she noticed Mando shift from foot to foot.

"Nervous little mercenary, isn't he?" Maul prodded, though Litha ignored him entirely as Mando seemed to have a change of heart somehow as his nerves turned and he slipped her crystal into his pocket.

Litha took this as contempt as he passed by her to open the bay door, "You don't like the idea of...having a Jedi around, do you?" she wondered and the answer should've be obvious...

It should've been a straight out yes, but even so, "No, that's not it..." he said as the door opened and the fresh air flooded the room, "...Or I suppose it should be, but still no. I just-" he growled at himself, "I don't like the idea of the universe choosing my partners for me. Of any kind. It ain't right...not having any real choice in deciding your fate," he scoffed at the very idea while Litha followed him.

"That's not how the Force works," she denied his statement, but with a huff and a tilt of his helmet, she would have his own retort.

"No, but it does let you probe people's minds. Very convenient skill for a Queen, I think," he shot back and her face dropped to a deadpan.

"I never once used my abilities for political gain. That is the way of the Dark Side. I only use mine for good or in defense of others!" she snapped then in irritation, offended by the very notion that he would think of her that way.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you, Highness," Mando would snip back then before they would finally notice the tiny footsteps coming across the floor.

Litha sighed then, taking the babe up into her arms, "And you'll forgive me if I mention the fact that I felt your emotions as well as your memories. Which makes you a liar for saying you want me to go home...at least without dragging you along with me," she mused then as she made her way down the ramp with Mando in tow.

"You win this round," he grumbled out, "But only because I refuse to argue in front of children. It's detrimental to their social development," he said as if quoting a book, surprising the girl as he caught up to her and the babe.

Litha offered him a look of pleasant disbelief, though doubtful all the same before he straightened his shoulder plate with a clear his throat, "I may have read a few articles on...kids and stuff last night," he confessed, though pausing as it earned a giggle from the Lady.

"You read Nanny blogs...?"

"I-...I did not! They were psychological studies!" Mando would defend himself fiercely.

"Studies conducted by nannies in college then," she prodded and he had half a mind to shove her, even if only to play. He really did...but after what happened the last time she touched him, he believed it best to keep his hands to himself.

Lest he risk her seeing any other dreams of his...