not so lonely [din djarin]

chapter 3

ARVALA-7

"There is no way we're gonna get this to work without a full maintenance facility. This is gonna take days to fix," Mando said as the group took in the state of Mando's ship. Before Rhi could even open her mouth, Mando stopped her. "No, we're not taking your ship."

"If you care to help it might go faster. There is much work to do," Kuiil said, unpacking the parts and his tools.

"If you uncuff me, I could also help."

"Yeah, and run away," Mando added. "No chance."

"C'mon Mando, where would I run to, hm? The Jawas? I already told you, I know mechanics. I can help. Three is better than two."

"She is right," Kuiil said, welding two pieces of scrap together.

"No," Mando refused. "She stays in the cuffs."

Rhi huffed and sat down next to the kid. She watched as Mando and Kuiil fixed the ship. Kuiil worked mostly on the electrical, while Mando was on the brunt of the work. Eventually, Rhi started drifting off to sleep, so she laid down and closed her eyes.

"Are you really going to turn them in?" Kuiil asked Mando. Mando had stopped working to watch Rhi sleep.

"Yes," he answered honestly. "I have to."

"I didn't realise you followed the rules."

Mando let out a snort, "The reward is too great. And besides, the guild would kick me out if I didn't turn them in."

"The guilt will be greater than the reward. I see the way you look at her. Anyone could, even if we can't see your face. And the way you two work together."

"She saved me. At the Mudhorn cave. She pushed me out of the way. And she's not wearing any armor. If it had hit her, she would have died. I'm turning her in to the imps, and she risked her life to save me," Mando told Kuiil. "And, she stole my blaster one night. Not to kill me. To kill herself. She would rather kill herself than have me turn her in to the imps. Makes me wonder what they're going to do to her."

"Do you know why they placed a bounty on her?"

Mando nodded, "She's killed 112 imperial soldiers. 'That's just confirmed kills', she told me. But she says she's a bounty hunter."

Kuiil pointed at Rhi, "The symbol on her wrist. She was an imperial soldier herself. A high-ranking one, from the amount of stripes underneath it. There are five stripes, Lieutenant Colonel."