Solivagant-The Mandalorian

32

" echo "

Lana had never sailed before. It was something very different from what she was expecting. The large craft moved fast into the seemingly never-ending waters. It seemed like with every passing hour they were getting nowhere. She was in love with the water though. Her and Din stood at the rail watching it, watching the waves the craft created and watching them slowly die out.

The same man they met at the Inn approached them. "You ever see a mamacore eat?" He asks, lifting his foot up to rest on one of the piles of ropes scattered around the ship. "Quite a sight." Din nor Lana responds. "Child might take an interest. You should take a look. Come on over here." It annoyed Lana how much he was asking, they had little interest, they were hear for one reason.

They walked to the giant grate in the center of the ship. A crane moved a pile of fish over it as the grate opened. "All right, close enough." Din says. The net of fish is dropped into the open body of water. Bubbles ran to the surface as the creature began to eat below. "She must be hungry. Oftentimes we'll feed her in the early morning, but we missed that 'cause we were goin' out of port!" As the man finishes his sentence, he takes his staff and hits the child's pod into the open water.

"No!" Din yells, Lana goes to grab her pistol, a man behind her grabs her arms and holds them down. "Let me go you gungan!" She screams and kicks. Din doesn't think and dives after the child. As Lana struggles, she hears the man, "Lock it up! Go, go! Now! Go!"

Lana ferociously kicks around trying to fight off the man. "Mando! Let me go!" The grate closes over the once open body of water. "Stop! Stop!"

"The beskar is ours!" The man laughs. Lana is thrown into the side of the ship by the man who had grabbed her, she goes for her pistol, but the man kicks her stomach, sending shock waves through her body. She again, reaches, earning another kick. The man gives her one last hit to her temple with a staff. Her mind was buzzing. The force of the man's final hit lays her on her back, her head pounding looking up the sky. All the sounds around her seem to mix together. She can't make out anything. She felt blood run down the side of her face and into her hair.

She wanted to close her eyes. She couldn't help the child or Din. She felt powerless.

A figure stands over her. It was like the world was in slow motion. She was dissociating so much; she couldn't brace herself for another brutal kick. "Lana, Lana. I'm here to help."

She takes a deep breath, coming back and finally regaining her surroundings. He grabs her under arms and lifts her to stand. "Mandalorians." Is the only thing she can say. The man puts her arm over his shoulders. Lana winces, grabbing her side.

He leads her to Din, who's trying to catch his breath, holding the child close to him. "Lana?" He holds out his empty arm. Lana finds a seat next to him, ignoring her pain and throwing and arm around his neck to bring him closer to her. "I couldn't help you." she whispers painfully. Din doesn't know how to reply, his breathing is still heavy. Lana pulls away still rubbing her side.