𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑯𝑼𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑹 - The Mandalorian

twenty five

25|BATTLE

Asra Blen placed a comforting hand on Mando's shoulder, noticing how he stilled for a moment, going quiet as if he was deep in thought.

"I was a foundling." Mando informed the three of them. "They raised me in the Fighting Corps. I was treated as one of their own. When I came of age, I was sworn to the Creed. The only record of my family name was in the registers of Mandalore. Moff Gideon was an ISB Officer during the purge. That's how I know its him."

"That's how he knows who we all are." Cara stated as she stood up with all the blasters under her arms.

"I've met him before." Asra hummed in thought. "He visited my father on Manara. I remember peeking into his office and seeing the man. I was beckoned forwards and Moff offered to buy me or marry me. Anything to get me into his possession. I was heir to the Manara throne and one of the few with the ability to heal people with the force."

"It was said your entire race was wiped out, even those who went into hiding." Greef said aloud, staring at the woman with shock. "Should I bow?"

"Bow and I'll give Moff your head." She glared at him, looking to Mando when she saw him move up behind her.

"He says he needs us, which means the child got away safely." Mando explained to everyone. "I was worried when the Ugnaught didn't respond, but if they'd captured the kid, we'd already be dead."

"Hail them again."

"Come in, Kuiil." The Mandalorian spoke into the communication device. "Kuiil? Nothing."

"They might have jammed the link." Cara suggested as she lined up all the weapons. The comms beeped and they were all greeted with the sound of the child cooing.

"Kuiil has been terminated." The IG unit answered their calls. Asra collapsed to the ground, her legs feeling like jelly as she cried into her hands.

"What did you do?" Mando demanded to the droid.

"I am fulfilling my base function.

"Which is?"

"To nurse and protect." The bounty hunter threw the device back into his pocket before kneeling down before the mourning woman, stroking her hair off her face.

"Asra, I know what he meant to you but we need to get out of here first then you can mourn his death." He sighed, lifting her chin so he could see her eyes. "I promised to protect you so we need to fight and get out of here."

"Okay." She nodded, letting the man help her to her feet as she brushed away the tears. "I'm going to kill him for what he did to my family."

They were interrupted by multiple gun shots echoing through the air, the stormtroopers all turning their attention away from the group to investigate what was happening.

"Look!" Cara beckoned them over to the window. The IG Unit rode in on a bike with the child strapped to its chest, shooting every soldier in sight.

"Cover me." Cara jumped on to the bar and shot at troopers through the window while Mando exited the building, helping the droid. Asra grabbed her blaster and helped Cara, aiming for any that got too close to the Mandalorian and Greef who had followed behind.

The Mandalorian grabbed the E-Web and fired at the stormtroopers while the droid protected the child. The door of the building expoded open causing the two women to be forced to the ground. The black troopers began to fire rapidly at everything.

"You're about to see why the royal family of Manara favoured the Jedis." Asra announced, grabbing her lightsabre from her bag. She ignited it and stood up, the indigo shade lighting up her face as she blocked the incoming bullets. The healer pounced first, slicing one trooper in half before removing the seconds head. Cara blasted the third one before it shot the woman.

"You are full of surprises." Cara laughed as they took a quick breath. An explosion from outside interrupted the pair and Asra watched as Mando was thrown across the opening, laying still on the gravel ground.

"Din!" Asra put her lightsabre away and ran over to the man, grabbing under his arms and dragging him back inside with Caras help. Greef and IG-11 covered them before closing the door and pausing the gunfire. "You better not die on me now, you have a promise to withhold."

"Stay with us, buddy. We're gonna get you out of here." Cara added as they lay him down against a chair.

"This is our only path out. Can you clear it?" Greef asked the droid, showing it the sewer vent.

"Please, stay with me." The healer begged, the tears building in her eyes as she assessed his body to find the wounds.

"I'm not going to make it." He mumbled, his voice hoarse as he barely remained conscious. "Go."

"I'm never leaving you, I'm your healer." Her voice cracked as she touched the back of his head, her handed coated in blood.

"Shut up. You just got your bell rung. You'll be fine." Cara added, searching through Asra's bag for the correct objects.

"Leave me."