The Mandalorian

The Hunt

     Mando sighed as he got up from the table. The togruta stole the chit from him which meant he would have to find her. He left the cantina and started toward the shipyard, he hoped that she would be there, perhaps mending her ship. 

  "Hi, Mando!" a voice rang out from very close behind the armored man. He whipped out his blaster and turned toward the voice. Valea stood in front of him and laughed. Mando tilted his head at the woman in bewilderment. "You're jumpy aren't you?" Mando put his blaster away. He studied the togruta in front of him. He hadn't seen very many in his travels, though some of his bounties were of Valea's species. He had never seen one with her coloration: her pastel yellow skin reflected the sweltering sun and the white markings on her face traced over her soft cheekbones.

    "You have the chit," Mando spoke the obvious. Valea nodded.

  "I was waiting for you to come out of the cantina. I don't like to be in there for too long,"

    "Do you know where we're going?" Mando still didn't like the idea of working with another person. Trust was not something he gave out for free.

  "Yeah, but it's through a lot of back alleys, makes me wonder what kind of person we're working for." Valea had taken quickly to the idea of partnering with Mando.

    "We should get going. I want to start as soon as possible," Mando told her. He held out his hand and Valea furrowed her eyebrows.

  "I give up, what do you want me to do with that?" She asked as she pointed a slender finger at his hand.

    "Give me the chit, so I know where we're going."

  "I think I'll keep it. You can follow me." Valea turned around and started walking, leaving the Mandalorian to glare after her.

~***~

    Valea led the way through the market place. Mando quietly followed her, keeping a suspicious gaze on her back. He let his eyes wander down to the togruta's feet and tilted his head. Her small, pale feet were bare as they shuffled through the hot sand. He wondered if her feet were burning, or if perhaps they were numb already.

  "It should be just down here," Valea said as she pointed down an alleyway. Mando nodded and started into the alley. Valea followed closely behind him. She studied the Mandalorian in front of her with a scrutinous gaze. His armor had been worn and scratched, and the bodysuit underneath it seemed to have patches where it was once torn.

    "Were you born into the Mandalorian religion, or did you chose to join?"

  Valea's question was ignored. She huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms.

    "Do you ever take your helmet off? I mean, you have to right? Or is there like a flap that opens so you can eat?" Valea giggled at her own statement, but Mando remained silent. Valea pouted silently. Mando came to a stop and Valea almost ran into his back.

  "Which door?" Mando glanced over his shoulder at her. Valea straightened up and pulled the chit out of her dress pocket. She glances at it and then around the alley. She furrows her eyebrows and walks over to a door at the edge of the corridor. A door droid pops out of a hole in the concrete wall. Valea holds up the chit and the droid disappears. After a moment the door hisses open and stormtroopers emerge. Valea's eyes visibly widen as the two bounty hunters are escorted inside.

    "Imperials?" She whispered to herself in disbelief. They were brought into a decently sized room. An old man was sitting at a table, glowering at Mando and Valea.

  "Greef Karga said you were coming," The man said. Valea squared her shoulders and let a blank expression fall onto her face.

    "What else did he say?" Mando questioned.