Calamity || The Mandalorian

two

"So, what do I call you?" Kasia asked, trying to be casual even as she struggled to keep up with the Mandalorian. With his longer stride he easily outpaced her and every step he took she felt like she was having to take two. It was almost like he was trying to leave her behind.

To be fair though, she had been peppering him with questions and probably annoying the shit out of the taciturn Mandalorian. She was honestly impressed that he hadn't shot her yet, if only to shut her the hell up.

"Mando," was his only response.

Kasia merely scrunched her nose at the nickname. "Well, that's original," she replied, sarcasm positively dripping from her words. She pretended to think for a moment. "What about Beskar-man?"

She glanced up at the Mandalorian and could practically imagine the dubious expression he was making. Kasia frowned, "You're right. Much too long... Tin-can? Nah, that's just cliché," she paused. "You know, if you just told me your nam-"

"Mando is fine," he interrupted her, steel and a hint of a threat coating each syllable.

"Oookay. Touchy subject." Duly noted. To be continued.

For a moment, Kasia considered using her gift to merely read his mind and figure out his name. But... even she had to admit that that was unethical and unfortunately broke numerous personal boundaries. The gift was much better left to Sabacc.

"Can you at least tell me who wants to capture me? Maybe we can cut a deal," she tried, casting him a sidelong glance. The bounty hunter said nothing, and she sighed again.

She already knew who had placed the bounty on her—she had heard it in the Mandalorian's head moments after meeting him—but if she could get him talking, maybe she could find a chink in his otherwise immaculate armor.

"We're here."

The words startled Kasia slightly, and she glanced up to see a tattered old Razor Crest which honestly looked like it was going to fall over at any moment. There was some charm to it she supposed... if that charm included falling out of the sky and plummeting to an untimely death.

"Okay Mando, please tell me you're joking," Kasia said as she gaped up at the ship. The unironic set of the Mandalorian's shoulders, however, suggested otherwise. "Are you sure that that thing can fly?"

The Mandalorian sighed, the modulator picking up on the sound and likely making it louder than it was intended. "Come on."

Kasia followed him hesitantly as he strode to his ship, crinkling her nose as she stared up at the rusted hull. Gods, even the ships I sneak into are nicer than this. And that is certainly not saying much.

As they climbed through the hatch, Kasia continued to follow the Mandalorian, holding her cuffed hands out in front of herself. "Can you please take these off now?"

"No."

"Brilliant."

As she walked through the Razor Crest, Kasia scanned the interior of the ship. She supposed it was a little bit nicer than the outside. Her breath caught as she noticed a machine for freezing people in carbonite in the corner. Being frozen in carbonite was one of the few things which truly scared in this galaxy.

Breath quickening as her eyes caught on a cabinet which she had a feeling housed more than just Tupperware (she could see at least one rifle peeking out), Kasia scrambled to catch up with Mando as he entered the cockpit.

As he took the pilot seat, she slid into a seat behind him. "So, where are we going?"

"Nevarro," Mando said as he flipped a couple more switches. Miraculously, the ship seemed to power up, and within moments they were flying through the air and leaving the casino planet behind them.

She frowned and tilted her head slightly as she brought her feet up to rest on top of the control panel machinery. Hopefully nothing important. 

"I don't remember pissing anyone off on Nevarro," Kasia mused, wondering why Shat would choose that planet as the meeting point.

Mando sighed when he noticed her feet but made no move to push them away—she smirked a little at that. "We're not going there for you," was all he said as he reached past her right foot to flip a switch.

At that Kasia perked an eyebrow, "Oh?"

And, in a shocking turn of events, Mando said... nothing. 

She sighed. "Can you at least let me take off the cuffs now? I'm not going to attack you. And it's not like I have anywhere to run unless I were to jump into the endless void of space, which I certainly do not plan on doing—trust me I'm much too pretty for such an unfitting end."

At her words, Mando gave a small—seemingly unintentional—chuckle. "Oh my gods," she willed mock disbelief into her tone, "an emotion. I might have a coronary from shock."

The Mandalorian said nothing, but Kasia could practically feel him rolling his eyes. He glanced down and pushed a couple of buttons on the control panel on his wrist. Immediately, the cuffs deactivated, and she slid them off, rubbing her wrists.

"Why thank you," she gave the Mandalorian a once over. The starlight gleaming through the window of the cockpit seemed to paint his Beskar helmet silver. Beautiful. The craftsmanship was truly beautiful. Not for the first time she wondered what his face looked like under it.

"Jwelk Shat," Mando said suddenly, breaking the tense silence between the two of them.

Kasia blinked and shook herself from her daze. "Sorry?" She cocked her head, not quite having heard him. She had been too busy studying his figure to pay attention to his words.

"You asked who put a bounty on your head. It was Jwelk Shat," his voice was rough as he spoke, and Kasia got the feeling that this was just about as much as he usually spoke on a daily basis.

"That asshole?" she mused. "What did I ever do to him?"

At this, Mando turned his body fully to look at her. Noticing his attention, she smirked and raised an eyebrow as if daring him to speak. "He said you stole from him and burned his casino down."

Kasia merely rolled her eyes and began to pick at her nails. "Stole is a very strong word. I prefer strategically won. As for burning his casino down... well," she shrugged and glanced up at him again with a mischievous smile, "He was an asshole."

Unbeknownst to her, Mando smiled slightly under his mask. Still, outwardly he merely cast her one last long look before he turned around again to face the galaxy in front of him. Kasia stuck her tongue out at his back.

Suddenly a noise sounded from behind Kasia, causing her to whip around and bring a hand to where her blaster was usually strapped to her side. But when she saw what had made the noise, Kasia stopped.

Peering up at her through big brown eyes was the most adorable creature she had ever seen.