𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎 ── THE MANDALORIAN

II. NEGOTIATIONS

𝖁𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎 !
II. NEGOTIATIONS

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THE WIND ROARED IN her ears, drowning the sound of the speeder purring beneath her. Kera let out a thrill of delight, her fingers flexing upon the throttle, coaxing the speeder gently to scale the Dune Sea faster.

Cobb Vanth suddenly interjected, seated upon his own speeder and motioned for his deputy to slow down, Kera simply rolled her eyes and listened for what was possibly one of the first times ever.

"You don't understand what it was like. The town was on its last legs. It started after we got the news of the Death Star blowing up. The second one that is. . ."

Then came the story. It was told of Cobb Vanth's point of view days before he had found Kera dehydrated by the remains of her ship with a reprogrammed protective droid by her side. It was the story retold, one of which Kera had heard before when she was first told after an attack of the Sand People which she aided in defence of the town ── her sanctuary. Yet, the thought of it drowned a different memory one of agony and loss and the mystic and ancient power that burned in her veins.

And Kera drowned in it.

"Ah, so you're the infamous Pirate Princess of Takodana," Jao Rakoda smirked, who was undoubtedly the infamous leader of the Coruscant Merchants' Guild.

Within the Outlander Club, Kera smiled, her painted ruby red lips glimmering under the fluorescent lights as she crossed her leg over the other with a batter of her dark eyelashes and a flirtatious giggle.

Her voice was, light, airy and seductive, "I'm sure you're mistaken, Mr Rakoda. Yet, I don't look like a bounty hunter and a thief do I?" As if to prove her point, Kera gestured to her tight glimmering velvet dress and flawless ebony curls. It was a perfect and unblemished facade.

   "No, not necessarily, dear flower but roses have thorns do they not?"

Kera tilted her head to the side, her finger tracing at the rim of her untouched drink, her facade hiding the fear that pitted in her stomach, only one other person Kera trusted had ever said that analogy before, "Who decided to choose the analogy that I was a rose?"

Jako Rakoda pressed his elbows against the table and leant forwards, his scared yet handsome face illuminated in the light. Kera couldn't help but shiver at his cool, steady gaze.

"I know who you are Kera Verr, there is only so long you can run. Unfortunately, for one of your. . . talents, it can only be so long before it is brought to light."

Kera smiled ruinously, a mask to hide the fear that settled in her heart, clinging to her facade, despite how the threads she clung too were snapping away ── one by one. This mission had been stupid. Foolish. She knew how perilous, how risky and reckless it was. Maz Katana, her adoptive mother had forbidden her to leave but she had done it anyway and Kera had to face the damning consequences.