𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑯𝑼𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑹 - The Mandalorian

twenty one

21|HEALERS

"Asra?" The healer instinctively grabbed her blaster and aimed it at the intruder. "Calm down, it's just me."

"Sorry, Dyn. I guess being with you has given me a new habit." Asra lowered the weapon and sat up, noticing how he looked down at her thin clothed body. "Fine, I'll let you grab a breast."

"What?" Mando stuttered, quickly standing up awkwardly.

"I knew that would make you blush." She laughed, standing up and putting on a blouse and long skirt, a light blush on her cheeks. "Anyway, let's go."

"Yeah." He nodded and followed her out the room, joining the other two and the Child in the main area.

"Oh, it looks extra adorable." Asra pinched the childs cheeks and pecked its head as she looked over it's new cot.

The group were met by Greef Karga and three other bounty hunters, everyones guards raised high. They rode the blurrgs over to the guild members with the child floating behind in it's new cot.

"Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando, but things have gotten complicated since you were last here." Greef Karga walked up to group. "It appears that introductions are in order. It seems we've 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." Mando replied stiffly, not trusting the man.

"But the town is now run by ex-Empire." Greef informed them all, still staring at the bored looking woman. "If a Rebel Dropper is with us, they'll all get their hackles up."

"She's coming." The Mandalorian repeated.

"Fine." The guild leader grumbled, sighing in defeat. "Fine. At least cover your tattoo. No need to flaunt it. Now, where is the little one?"

Asra glanced at the Mandalorian as he used his wrist controls to move the cot forwards to the man and opened the top. Her hand went to her blaster tied to her leg as Greef Karga reached to touch the child.

"So, this little bogwing is what all the fuss was about." Greef commented as he picked it up. "What a precious little creature. I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on its wrinkled little head." He put the child back in its cot before addressing the group again. "Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all. The sun drops fast on Nervarro. We can walk for a spell, camp out at the riverbank, then make our way into town at first light."

No other words were passed as Greef Karga led them towards the riverbank. Asra wrapped her arms tightly around Mandos waist as she sat behind him, resting her cheek on his cool metal armour.

"I don't trust him." She sighed, speaking loud enough so only the Mandalorian could hear. "He is going to kill us when our backs are turned like the coward he is."

"I know but I promised to protect you." He answered back, placing his gloved hand over her one. The sun eventually set over the lava coated land so the large group decided to settle down for the night.

Asra sat down on her cape beside the Mandalorian, watching as the guild members set up a fire pit with the lava and cooked an animal they spotted earlier. She ate her meat and fed small pieces to the child, smiling to herself as it made babbling noises.

"I guess the little bugger's a carnivore." Greef pointed to the pair with interest. "Never seen anything like it. They were ready to pay a king's ransom for that thing. Must be for some kind of highfalutin menagerie."

"Let's go over the plan again." The Mandalorian changed the topic of conversation while passing Asra some more meat.

"We both enter the common house." The Guild leader began to explain again. "We show the client the bait. We join him at the table. And you kill him."

"Tell me about his reinforcements." Mando asked.

"They're all ex-Empire. As soon as they lose their paycheck, poof, they'll all scatter." He continued.

"And what if they don't?"

"They will." Greef Karga said confidently.

"That's not good enough." The Mandalorian snapped back. Asra placed a comforting hand on his arm while still feeding the child, while saying her own babble.

"If, for arguments sake, a few of them don't realise 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, will cut down anyone who bucks." The Guild leader shrugged to his example.

"How many will there be?"

"No more than four." He sighed, while standing up. "He travels with, at most, a Fire Team. Trust me. Nothing can go wrong."

The man was interrupted by a large creature flying down and attacking Greef Karga, pulling the meat out of his grasp. The Mandalorian pushed Asra down out of harm's way while shutting away the child. Asra clutched her blaster with shaking hands as she attempted to fire at the creature, barely hitting it.

As a second creature appeared, one of them grabbed a Blurrg and flew off with it. Another one grabbed one of the guild members and flew away while he screamed in pain.

The red sky calmed as the creatures flew away, everyone still wary with their weapons raised. Asra jumped to her feet and checked on the child, stroking its head as she breathed out with a sigh. She pulled it on to her lap and hugged it close.

"He's hurt badly." Kuiil announced loudly, looking over the wound on Greef Kargas arm.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." The stubborn man replied, leaving everyone off. Asra put the child on the floor beside the Mandalorian and looked over the wound, noticing the poison travelling up his arm.

"Hold still." She commanded, grabbing her medical bag and looking for an appropriate antidote. "They got you good." Asra stabbed an adrenaline pen into his arm to reduce the pain.

"How bad?" Mando questioned as he walked over.

"Bad." Cara answered for the healer, noticing her assessing the wound. "The poisons spreading fast."

"So this, this is how it happens." Greef joked, chuckling through the pain.

"Don't be so dramatic." Asra shot him a look before digging through her bag, pulling out different containers. "Shit, I swear I packed it."

"Get this thing outta here." Cara growled as the child moved closer and raised its hand.

"Wait, I know what he is doing." The healer stopped everyone from pushing the child back.

"He's trying to eat me." Greef cried as it placed its hand on the wound, healing it with the force. Everyone looked shocked at how the wound had disappeared, the poison leaving his system too.

"You're going to steal my job." Asra chuckled, picking the child up and cuddling its exhausted body close.

"Asra, we need to talk." Mando announced, breaking the silence and dragging the girl to the childs cot. She put it to bed and waited for the Mandalorian to question everything she knows. "You knew about this?"

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life." He did not hesitate to answer. She pulled out a small dagger and grabbed his gloved hand, pulling away the material so she could see his palm. Asra striked the dagger deeply into his hand and pulled it out.

"Watch." Asra cupped his wounded hand with both of hers, healing it with the force. "We need to protect that child from all dangers of this world and take it back to where it's from. My people were hunted down and destroyed for refusing to share this skill. I refuse to let the same happen to it, Din. Please."

"I understand." Mando wrapped his arms around her small body and held her close as she held back the tears.