The Gunslinger (a Mandalorian Story)

Chapter 1

A lonely lizard watched as a caravan of camel-like beasts, laden with trade goods, slowly crossed the sands as it has done for thousands of years. Yet, thousands of years ago the desert was not there. The legends told by the nomads talk about an ancient mighty empire with busy towns surrounded by green fields that was now buried under the centuries of sand. Now dunes roll like the waves in the sea. The planet's axis has tilted ever so slightly and ever so slowly the climate changed. The life giving liquid had become scarce and the sands have returned in force slowly covering all traces of men's presence on the planet. Now only the black vulture creatures were circling in the sky, soaring on the warm currents above the endless sand dunes encroaching on what was left of a little hamlet of Espa. Like other towns before it, this place was going to be swallowed by the sands.

The settlement was small - about thirty dilapidated houses, and a couple of two-story buildings. One was used as a cantina, and the second was the headman's house and in the center of it all - a water tower. Necessary minimum in order to at least somehow exist in the middle of the hottest point of the Dune Sea.

The speeder stopped at the edge of town and the rider got off. He was a tall man, clothed in steel armor, his face unreadable behind his Mandalorian helmet, drifting from place to place, always running from the long hand of the Imperials who chased after him and his precious cargo. Sand crunched under his leather boots with a heavy sole as he walked slowly towards a group of local men loitering in front of the cantina. "The welcoming committee." Their faces soured as he approached the cantina.

"What do you want, stranger?" A tall human with many scars crossing his face stared Mandalorian directly in the face. The man was missing his front teeth lost in a drunken brawl a few days ago. His breath smelled of alcohol which would explain his confidence in his own superiority. After all there were three of them and only one stranger. "I am the law around here and I say that you are not welcomed." The man offered a crooked smile and spat "So, get on your bike and leave." With these words, the ugly human opened up his torn leather jacket and put his hand on a butt of his heavy blaster.

"I do not mean anyone any disrespect," said the Mandalorian, his face unreadable behind his helmet visor. "Just want to top off my supply bags and be on my way."

"Who is this ugly little green creature?" The human would not stop. He was clearly spoiling for a fight. Mando noticed that Baby Yoda woke up from his long nap and was listening intently.

Another local in shabby armor and scraggly beard joined in "I know who you are! You are that fugitive Mandalorian who stole from the Guild. Why don't you run along before you get hurt?" The man pulled out his blaster and pointed it at the Baby.

Mando's reaction was quick. "You, double-crossing piece of Bantha dung!" Mando's hand slid towards his trusty NN-14 Heavy Duty. However, as he was about to pull his weapon out of its holster, he noticed that some invisible force lifted the tall man off the ground. There he was in midair, dangling his feet and trying to say something, but no sound was coming from his mouth. Suddenly, the man gulped and started choking. Soon he was rolling on the ground with his hands helplessly scraping the ground. Mercifully, the man stopped thrashing around and was still. He was dead. Mando has seen this before. He looked at Baby who stretched out his little hand in all too familiar Force-choking motion. They called it the Vader's touch.

"Any other takers? I didn't think so," Mando concluded cheerfully. It took a minute for the men to realize that their friend is dead. They stared in horror at the cute little long-eared creature that just killed one of them. "Sorcery! It's a demon. He is going to take our souls!" The men ran in panic.

"Time for lunch," Mando thought as he walked towards the cantina holding cooing Baby Yoda in his arms