Partners | The Mandalorian

viii

Calidora had to admit, the village had the determination of hope that could rival the Rebel fighters during the war. After learning that the Klatooinians has an AT-ST, Cara and the Mandalorian wanted to call it quits. But the villagers refused to leave their home, their resilience was admirable and led to a boot camp like preparation to defend their home.

Calidora, steady with a blaster, worked close with Omera, who surprisingly had a very good shot. She also learned of her feelings for the Mandalorian, despite never having seen his face. She asked Calidora if she had, but Calidora never did, and she admitted that unlike the rest of the people, she wasn't that curious to see it.

The battle was successful, to the surprise of everyone. The AT-ST fell into the trap that Cara set up, and the Klatooinians scattered after seeing the villagers fight back.

Then it was quiet again.

Cara and the Mandalorian stood on the porch of their hut, Calidora sitting at Cara's feet, the two girls drinking spotchka. Omera came out from behind the hut with her signature caring smile.

"Can I set you anything in the house?" She asked the Mandalorian.

"Uh, thank you." He said. "Maybe later."

Omera smiled and left, the three of them watching her for a couple seconds as she walked away. Calidora sipped her spotchka, she quite liked it.

"He's very happy here." Cara motioned to where the children were playing.

"He is." The Mandalorian agreed.

"Fits right in." Calidora added.

Cara spoke again after a moment of silence.

"So, what happens if you take that thing off? They come after you and kill you?"

"No." The Mandalorian crossed his arms. "You just can't ever put it back on again."

"That's it? So you can slip off the helmet, and settle down with that beautiful young widow, and raise your kid sitting here, sipping spotchka?"

Cara looked down at Calidora with a disbelieving look, which Calidora had to agree with. Omera was beautiful and kind and had the hots for him, not to mention the child was happy here. It made perfect sense.

"You know, we raised some hell here a few weeks back." He said. "It's too much action for a backwater town like this. Word travels fast."

He sat down beside Calidora to catch her attention.

"We might wanna cycle the charts and move on." He told her and she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Would not wanna be the one who's gotta tell him." Cara's eyes were still on the children.

"I'm leaving him here." The Mandalorian answered. "Traveling with me, that's no life for a kid. I did my job, he's safe. Better chance at a life."

"What about me?" Calidora asked.

"Up to you."

"It's gonna break his heart if you leave." Calidora shakes her head.

"He'll get over it." The Mandalorian assured, still looking at Calidora. "We all do."

Calidora had a feeling he wasn't just talking about the child anymore. She just stared into the helmet of the man beside her, trying to think of something to say when Omera came back.

"Excuse me." She said, and the Mandalorian finally looked away from Calidora. "Can I have a word?"

"Of course." The Mandalorian said and stood up, following her out of sight from Cara and Calidora.

Cara took a seat on the other side of Calidora.

"Think she's gonna propose?" Cara nudged her.

Calidora finished off the rest of her drink.

"There better be spotchka at the wedding."

The two girls laughed.

"Remind me how you two ended up together." Cara said.

"Can't remind you if I never told you." Calidora teased.

Cara rolled her eyes and Calidora admired her dark red hair and the sunlight shining through it.

"Then tell me."

"I was one of his quarries." Calidora shrugged. "But I wanted to go back, I had some unfinished business with the client. A few months later he shows up at my door asking me to help take care of the child. Here we are, big happy family."

"Well that's a story." Cara tilted her head back to finish off her drink before her head snaps to look at the forest.

Calidora's eyes followed, trying to see what she was looking at, but couldn't find anything. She turned back to the woman beside her and watched as Cara's eyes scanned the tree line.

"I'll be back." She said, handing her empty cup to Calidora and standing up.

She walked off towards the forest, hand resting on her holstered blaster.

Calidora stacked the cups and waited. Her legs swung back and forth as she looked around the village she had stayed in for the last month. It was nice to stretch her legs. This planet was much nicer than her last one. It then hit her how long ago it was. Nearly a year since Qe'in, she hadn't thought of him at all. Then Juna. An overwhelming sense of guilty engulfed Calidora, she nearly forgot about Juna what with all the commotion. How could she do that.

Calidora watched the forest as she thought of Juna, she couldn't remember her smile, but she remembered how it felt to hold her.

Her eyes trailed the trees as she tried remembering every detail about her, trying desperately to keep her alive in her mind, when the shot rang through the air.

A member of the guild with a fob for the child.

Next thing they knew the trio was packing up and heading off. Goodbyes to Cara, the village, and the child's sanctuary.

"We weren't sold out." Calidora said when they returned to the Raxor Crest, the wooden wagon a speck on the forest trail.

"What?" The Mandalorian asked, sitting in his chair.

"It wasn't my staff that sold us out." Calidora clarified. "The guild had a tracking fob."

The Mandalorian realized what she was saying.

"I guess so." He started up the ship. "What about it?"

"It means I can go back." Calidora traced the contour of the child's ear, making him coo. "No one's after me."

The Mandalorian was quiet. Too quiet that Calidora thought he didn't hear what she said.

"Is that what you want?" His voice sounded off, but Calidora nodded. "Then I'll take you back."

And they were off.