The Rogue: The Mandalorian

Back to hell

A/n: okay guys.... we're at 6k reads and I legit started crying a couple days ago because of how nice you all are and just how much support you give this story and all the nice comments being given. I just.. it's so much and when I opened the app and just saw this flood of notifications and read through them I started crying. Thank you sososososo much for everything and I'm so glad you all like this story!

Also thank u RikuWolf  for letting me use ur account to finish the episode ur a beautiful human, go send her some love people.

Edit: I forgot the photo.....
-emo

No ones POV:

The trio were back in space, very reluctantly on Kores part. She loved being on solid ground, especially with Mando and the child. It was like they were a family and that meant everything to her, but she packed away her dress back in the trunk and the three were on their way.
The child was sleeping next to Kore, who was reading a book. Mando was piloting like normal until he received a transmission.
"My friend, if you are receiving this transmission, that means you are alive. You might be surprised to hear this, but I am alive too. I guess we can call it even. A lot has happened since we last saw each other. The man who hired you is still here, and his ranks of ex-imperial guards have grown. They have impose despotic rule over my city, which has impeded the livelihood of the guild. We consider him an enemy, but cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission, I will very much make it worth your while. You have been successful so far in staving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prize. So here is my proposition. Return to Nervarro. Bring the child and girl as bait. I will arrange an exchange and bring loyal guild members as protection. Once we get near the client, you kill him and we both get what we want. If you succeed, you keep the child and girl and I will have your name cleared with the guild, for a man of honor should not be forced to live in exile. I await you arrival with optimism." The transmission cut and Kore looked at the back of Mando's head, having heard the whole thing.
"So what are you going to do?" She asked casually, turning the page in her book.
He turned to look at her, watching as she stared at her book with the child gently nestled in her arms.
"I don't know."
"You want to keep him safe right?"
"I want you both safe."
Kore blushes faintly and looked at him.
"Then you know what you are going to do."
Mando looked at her a moment longer before turning back to the controls and started flying the ship somewhere.
'A man of honor should not be forced to live in exile...' Kore thought. He was right. He shouldn't. But life with her would be just that. Kore had to be a ghost but couldn't ask Mando to do the same. "Until our paths cross again." She said quietly.
"What'd you say?" Mando asked, not catching her last words.
Wearing a sad smile she shook her head. "Nothing."
"Okay."
:*:*:*:
Once again the three were back in the lush planet that brought back memories of the small village they helped, and of Mando and Kores first kiss. Both thought of this as the ship landed but didn't mention it.
They walked to the pub and watched as Cara finished beating some guy in a match. The crowd dispersed and Mando, Kore and the child walked over to her. They stopped a few feet from her, then met at a table.
"It seems like a straightforward operation. They're providing the plan and firepower. I'm the snare."
"With the kid?" Cara asked.
"That's why I'm coming to you."
"I don't know. I've been advised to lay low. If anybody runs my chain code, I'll rot in a cell for the rest of my life."
"I thought you were a veteran?"
"I've been a lot of things since. Most of them carry a life sentence. If I do much as book passage on a ship registered to the new republic, I'm..."
"I have a ship. I can bring you there and back with a handsome reward. You can live free of worry."
"You get a handsome reward. I get a tin man and kid. Take the deal." Kore half joked.
Cara laughed at her. "I'm already free of worry, and I'm not in the mood to play soldier anymore. Especially fighting some local warlord."
"The douche is imperial." Kore said.
That changed something for Cara.
"I'm in."
:*:*:*:
Back on the ship Kore and Cara were in the main deck while Mando was piloting.
Cara looked at Kore, who looked sad but content.
"What happened between you two?"
"I'm sorry?"
"You weren't like this before you left. Sure, you were a little into the guy but it seems to have worsened since I last saw you."
Kore laughed and combed her hand through her hair.
"Yeah well. I guess I fell for him. Didn't think I could do that anymore to be honest."
"You loved someone before."
"Yeah. He was... just the best thing ever. I loved him. So much. We were supposed to get married... but it couldn't happen."
"What happened to him."
Kore looked at the ground, her heart aching at the thought of her last meeting with him.
"He had to forget me."
*flashback*
The home was quiet, a man in brown robes was at the table eating. When he heard the door open he looked over and smiled at his fiancée. He noticed the tears trailing down her eyes and rushed over.
"Doll? What's wrong? What happened."
More tears flowed her cheeks the longer she looked at him.
"They found me."
His faces paled before it switched to determined. "Then we leave. Come on we can go somewhere else."
"For how long? Lucas you want a family. We can't have that with imperials and the new republic always chasing us."
"I'll do it for the rest of my life if we have to. Kore, I love you." Lucas took her hands in his as her head fell.
"I'm sorry. I can't ask you to do that."
"You aren't asking."
"But you think it."
Lucas looked taken aback and then sighed. "You said you wouldn't use that on me."
"I can't help it!" She screamed."I don't want to know what you're thinking, but do you think they know how to train someone with that ability when they don't even have it?!"
"You promised." He said walking away a bit.
"Well... I have to break that promise once more." She lifted up her hand with tears in her eyes and spoke, "you have think I'm just a lost traveler. You gave me directions and I am leaving. You don't remember me or these last two years. You think you've been living here."
Kore watched with tears in her eyes as Lucas forgot who she was.
*back to present*
"He forgot you? How?"
"Head injury. I thought it best to give him a clean slate without all my baggage so I let him go."
Cara nodded and the two went up to the cockpit with Mando, not knowing he'd heard their entire conversation. Kore caressed the kids head as she leaned against the doorframe.
"Does your contact need to vet me?" Cara asked.
"Doesn't know you're coming."
"Really? That could be a problem."
"It won't. But if it is, that's his problem." Mando got up and walked over, looking at Kore a moment. She smiled at him before moving aside and sitting in the chair. Cara followed Mando out while Kore stayed with the child.
The child climbed out of his bed and walked out the door, Kore watched him amused. He was gone a minute then came back and went over to the control panel.
"What are you doing?" She asked just before the child started pressing buttons and messing with the flight pattern. Kore almost fell to the ground before she went to grab the child.
Mando and Cara came in the room just as Kore took the child away, Mando fixing everything the child just wrecked.
"I thought you were watching it?"
"Well I was but you know, you should watch what you say around it!" Kore snapped.
"We need to get another person to watch the kid."
"Yeah." Mando and Kore said at the same time.
"You got anyone you can trust?"
:*:*:*:
"Kuiil!" Kore happily greeted as they entered the ugnaughts home.
"Hello Kore." He then turned to the child and said "it hasn't grown much."
"I think it might be a strand-cast."
"I don't think it was engineered. I've worked in the gene farms. This one looks evolved. Too ugly. This one, on the other hand, looks like she was farmer in the Cytocaves of Nora."
"Shut your mouth my child is a wrinkly beauty."
"Kore." Mando said.
"You dare disagree with me?"
Mando decided to ignore her for the time being and turned to Kuiil. "This is Cara Dune. She was a shock trooper."
"You were a dropper?"
"Did you serve?"
"On the other side, I'm afraid. But I'm proud to say that I paid out my clans debt, and now I serve no one but myself."
Kore smiled at the ugnaught. She was happy at least one was able to leave the empire. Not all were so lucky.
The bounty droid from the encampment came in carrying a tray of tea and Mando and Cara both shot up, pointing blasters at it. Kore felt no real grievances towards the droid so she stayed sitting.
"Would anyone care for some tea?" IG-11 asked.
Kore raised her hand. "I'd like a cup please."
Kuiil turned to Cara and Mando.
"Please lower your blasters. He will not harm you."
"That thing is programmed to kill the baby."
"Not any more." Kuiil went on a tale of how he fixed the droid and taught it.
(A/n: I'm too lazy to write out the whole monologue.)
IG-11 handed Kore a cup and she thanked it, drinking the hot liquid.
"Is it still a hunter?"
"No. But it will protect."
Mando and the droid had a staring contest and only stopped when Kore started narrating what was happening.
:*:*:*:
The sun was setting on Arvala-7 and Kore walked outside just as Kuiil was walking back. She went over to Mando and tapped on his right shoulder, ducking left as he turned.
When he finally looked at her he sighed.
"Really?"
She giggled and interlocked her fingers behind her neck.
"Yep."
They stood in silence a moment before Kore broke it.
"Are you nervous?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. The kid and your safety is what's important to me."
"There's no guarantee we'll come back."
"What are you planning?"
"What? I'm not planning-"
"I've been living in a small ship with you for long enough to know you. You're planning something."
She just looked out at the sun and sighed. "I swear. I've just been thinking lately."
Mando moved closer to her.
"About?"
She shook her head and then leaned against the fence that held the blurrgs in.
"Nothing."
Mando didn't want to push her anymore so he just nodded and walked away.
"Promise me you'll stay safe?" She called out.
He stopped and turned to her. This wasn't an easy promise and they both knew it'd be broken.
"Of course."
:*:*:*:
The ship was on autopilot and everyone was in the lower part of the ship. Kuiil was feeding his blurrgs, and Kore and the child were watching Cara and Mando arm wrestle.
"I got you, Mando." Cara grunted out.
"She might actually have you beat." Kore said, not supportively.
"Care to double the bet?"
They both continued to not get anywhere and Kore rolled her eyes. "This has been going for five minutes. I'm waiting for one of your arms to snap."
The child looked scared before he raised his arm and Cara started to choke. She dropped Mando's arm and reached for her neck. Kores eyes widened and looked down at her own hands, before her eyes darted to the child. He was force choking Cara. Kore rushed over and picked up the child, shaking him a bit.
"Stop! No you can't do that! She's a friend!" Kore yelled.
"That is not okay!" Cara yelled, after getting her breathe back.
"Hmm. Very curious."
"Curious? It almost killed me!"
"The story you told me of the mud horn now makes more sense."
Mando looked at Kore, who looked like she was going to be sick.
"What it is, I don't know. But what it does, this... this I've heard rumors of."
"What? When you worked for the empire?" Cara snapped.
Kore looked between them.
"Don't get mad at him for the empires actions!"
"What do you know of the empires actions?" Cara yelled at her
"You're talking to one of the empires favorite weapon."
Cara face crumbled into disgust.
The air within the ship was tense. Kore hated what she did but would rather have Cara pissed at her then Kuiil who was sold into the empire and had no choice.
Mando spoke up to Kuiil. "Tell you what. I could really use your craftwork right now. Can you pad this container so the child can sleep better?"
"I shall fabricate a better one."
Kuiil got to work and the child stayed with him. Cara and Mando were in the cockpit while Kore was off on her own. She took out her black Imperial robes and slipped them on, pulling back her hair as well. Kore moved towards Kuiil, watching him make the new bed for the child.
They arrived on the planet and each got on a blurrg. Cara took one look at Kore and her face hardened more. The blurrgs walked off the ship and towards four men, Greef Karga in the middle.
"Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando, but things have gotten complicated since you were last here. It appears that introductions are in order. It seems we both provided a security detail. I recommend the shock trooper guards the ship. These lava fields are lousy with Jawas."
"She's coming with me."
"But the town is now run by ex-empire. If a rebel dropper is with us, they'll all get their hackles up."
"She's coming."
Cara looked at him, asking if he dared question it again.
"Fine. At least cover you're tattoo. No need to flaunt it. Now, where is the little one?"
Mando presses a button on his wrist and the pod with the child in it moved towards Greef, opening up in front of him.
"So, this little bogwing is what all the fuss was about." He picked up the child and Mando reached for his gun while kore clenched her fist, trying not to send him flying already.
"What a precious little creature. I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on its wrinkled little head." When he put the child down everyone eased up.
"Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all."
Mando closed up the pod and brought it back to them.
"The sun drops fast on Nevarro. We can walk for a spell, camp out at the riverbank, then make our way into town at first light."
The group rode for a while, making their way (downtown...) through the lava fields until nightfall hit and they set up camp.
Kore sat next to the pod and Mando, watching the flames of the fire pit. Mando looked at her, taking notice of her imperial robes.
"Why'd you change?" He asked.
'Because I'm leaving..' she thought. Instead she shrugged and messed with a piece of the meat she was given.
"We're going to a place crawling with stormtroopers. Thought it'd be better to try and blend in rather then stick out."
Kuiil fed the child and Kore smiled. She knew she'd miss this.
"I guess the little buggers a carnivore. Never seen anything like it. They were ready to lay a Kings ransom for that thing. Must be for some kind of highfalutin menagerie."
"Let's go over the plan again."
"We both enter the common house. We show the client the bait. We join him at the table. And you kill him."
"Tell me about his reinforcements."
"They're all ex-empire. As soon as they lose their paycheck, poof, they'll all scatter."
"And what if they don't?"
"They will."
"That's not insurance. The Empire is like a disease. When you think you've killed it. It just comes back in a new form." Kore muttered.
"If, for arguments sake, a few of them don't realize that I'm their best path to alternative employment and they elect to react impulsively, then these three fine guild hunters, along with that battle-hardened shock trooper, and this weapon of war, will cut down anyone who bucks."
"How many will there be?"
"No more than four. He travels with, at most, a fire team. Trust me."
Kore looked towards the sky, sensing something was about to happen.
"Nothing can go wrong."
"Famous last words."
Right then a creature flew out from the fog and snatched the meat that was cooking. Everyone started to freak and shot towards the sky.
The baby was watching until Mando closed the pod.
One creature grabbed one of the blurrgs and Kuiil started to yell.
"No! Let go of her! Drop her now!" Her was shooting at it but it managed to get away.
It was silent for a moment, until one came out of no where and grabbed one of the guild hunters.
Yet another creature came for a blurrg, but they were able to shoot it down.
Kore stopped the one that attacked Mando, snapping its wing.
The four immediately went over to the pod once there was a moment to breathe, protecting it at all costs.
There were no more creatures and Kore let out a long sigh.
Greef grunted in pain and Cara and Kuiil went over to him.
"He's hurt badly."
"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. Ow!"
"Hold still. They got you good." Cara took out a medical pack and stuck something in his arm.
"How bad?"
"Bad. The poisons spreading fast."
"So this... this is how it happens."
"Don't be so dramatic. I need another medpac! Got any other medpacs? Anyone?"
Kore walked over and knelt beside them.
"Move over."
"What are you going to do?" Cara asked, more like sneered.
"Will you just move?!"
She nearly pushed Cara out of the way and placed her hand on Greefs arm, concentrating. Slowly the wound started to heal until it was no more. Everyone just stared as Kore got up and walked away.
Mando walked over to her and just stood next to her, sensing she didn't want to talk. Instead she just leaned into his side and sighed.
:*:*:*:
The next day they neared the town and began to slow. Greef stood in the front and stopped walking.
"I guess this is it.." he said a moment before spinning around and shooting the two men he came with.
Mando and Cara pulled guns on him and Greef put up his guns.
"There's something you should know." He walked over and kicked away the guns from the dead bodies. "The plan was to kill you and take the girl and the kid. But after what happened last night, I couldn't go through with it. Go on. You can gun me down here and now and it wouldn't violate the code. But if you do, the and the child will never be safe."
"I'll never be safe no matter what happens. But no harm is coming to this child." Kore said.
Mando looked at her before turning back to Greef.
"We'll take our chances." Cara commented.
"The imperial client is obsessed with obtaining these assets. You tried to run, but where did it get you?"
"This is ridiculous."
"He's right." Kore said looking over at the group.
"Listen, we both need the client to be eliminated. Let me take the girl and the child to him and then you two.."
"Not on your life."
"No."
"Let's just kill him and get outta here."
Mando lowered his gun and looked at Kore.
"He's right." Mando Agreed with her.
"What are you doing?"
"As long as the imp lives, he'll send hunters after them."
"It's a trap."
"When isn't it a trap? Come on let's just go."
They discussed it more, deciding to bring Kore, Mando, and Cara, leaving Kuiil to take the child back to the ship. The three took the pod as a trick and were on their way into the small town.
Kore and Mando were cuffed while Cara and Greef walked beside them.
The stormtrooper that was leaning on a speeder stood up.
"Chain code?"
"I have a gift for the boss."
"Chain code?"
Reluctantly Greef handed it over. The stormtrooper ran the chain code and said "I'll give you 20 credits for the helmet."
Greef laughed. "Not a chance. That's going on my wall."
"On your wall?"
"Go with it."
"Go ahead."
They entered and watched as stormtrooper roamed the area. Kore hadn't seen so many since the empire.
"You said four. There are more than four troopers."
"Four guarding the client. Many more here in town. Thing got really heated once Mando crashed the safe house."
They continued walking until they got to a cantina. They entered and Kore surveyed that there were in fact four troopers.
"You see? Four."
They walked over to the old man from before and Kore did everything she could not to sneer at the man.
"Look What I brought you. As promised."
"What exquisite craftsmanship. It is amazing how beautiful beskar can be when forged by its ancestral artisans. Can I offer you a libation to celebrate the closing of our shared narrative?"
"I would be obliged."
The man motioned at the droid behind the bar and Kore got into the booth first, followed by Mando then Greef.
"It is a shame that your people suffered so. Just as in this situation it was all avoidable. Why did Mandalore resist our expansion? The Empire improves every system it touches. Judge by any metric. Safety, prosperity, trade, opportunity, peace. Compare imperial rule to what is happening now. Look outside. Is the world more peaceful since the revolution? I see nothing but death and chaos."
Kore slammed her fists on the table, only to get three troopers pointing their guns at her and everyone looking at her.
"Peace? Safety? Is that what you call what the empire was? Is that what you called Palpatine's and Vader's rule?! Peaceful?! How he would kill hundreds of his own troops, let alone what happened to the places they took over?! HOW WAS ANY OF IT PEACEFUL?!"
Mando put a hand on Kores knee to try and calm her down.
"Kore." His voice calmed her down a bit but she was still pissed.
"I've heard tales of you. You are much like the child."
Kore just sat there fuming.
"I would like to see the baby."
"It is asleep." Greef said trying to keep up the lie that they had the child.
"We all will be quiet. Open the pram."
A trooper walked up the the man and he looked over at them.
"Don't think me to be rude. I must take this call." He said before walking away.
Mando took off his and Kore cuffs and Greef handed him his blaster.
"You got one shot."
"This is bad. You said four."
"Well, thee are more. What can I tell you?"
They waited anxiously when blaster fire started raining in on the building. Mando pushes up the table to try and block some of the hellfire that was coming in. After a few moments it stopped and Kore ran over to the window, followed by Mando, Cara and Greef. She looked outside and suppressed a gasp.
"Death troopers." She muttered turning back to cover.
More stormtroopers got off a carrier and Mando tried contacting Kuiil.
"Kuiil? Are you back to the ship yet? ... get back to the ship and bail. Get the kid out of here. We're pinned down!"
A tie fighter landed outside and kores eyes widened.
"What. The. Frick."
A man in black armor emerged from the ship and walked to the front of the pack of stormtroopers.
"You have something I want."
"Who is this guy?" Cara and Kore asked together.
"You May think you have some idea of what you are in possession of, but you do not."
"Kuiil are you back to the ship yet? They're onto us."
"In a few moments, they will be mine."
"Kuiil do you copy? Kuiil!"
"They mean more to me than you will ever know.
"Kuiil!"
Kores mind was spinning. Something wasn't right and she needed to by him time. Resolution came to her and she turned to Mando grabbing his hand and looking determined.
"I love you."
Mando was shocked to say the least. Only one word came to his mind in this moment.
"What?"
"I love you Dyn. And I always will."
Quickly she jumped out the broken window, with her arms raised.
"Kore What are you doing?!" Mando yelled. Cara had to physically hold back Mando from going after her.
"Well I know I'm a knock out but I didn't think I'd have men pining after me for this long." She joked as she walked closer to the group. "Well you wanted me. Here I am."