THE ARC OF SKYWALKER | a star wars story✔️

29 | the job

—DIN HATED THE FACT HE CAME RUNNING BACK TO HIS OLD BOSS WHEN HE CALLED.

Asa had questioned him relentlessly on where they were headed now to do a job, but he didn't reply. He didn't want to tell her about his old team and what he had done in his past in fear that she wouldn't accept him anymore.

A small part of him knew it was stupid to think that. Din already knew of Asa's horrific past, but he didn't really want her knowing about how he acted back then. In short, he was arrogant, cocky, trigger-happy, and he wasn't exactly the greatest person to be around. He was also never with the same woman twice unless it was a fling.

"Din, where the hell are we?" Asa asked when she saw an illegal outpost coming into view. She glanced to him, a dark look on her face when he refused to answer as he flew in and landed. He continued to climb down the ladder to the hold and go where their kid was.

"Din!"

"Put this on."

He threw clothes at her before handing her an old Mando helmet he owned. The woman frowned at the clothes before going to change in private.

While she did so, Din walked out of the Crest and out to meet his old boss, Ran. The short, middle aged man with wild gray hair and an unruly beard greeted the bounty hunter and patted his shoulder.

"It's been a while, good friend." Ran stated with a lopsided grin and gestured for him to follow.

Din nodded to him in acknowledgment but his attention was caught by the fast approaching footsteps behind him. His eyes landed on Asa, who was now dressed in black and gray with a red helmet covering her features. She had her lightsabers clipped to her belt and a blaster to her leg. Judging by the tenseness in her body language, she wasn't happy with what was happening nor with his refusal of explaining everything to her.

"And who's this lovely creature?" Ran asked as he eyed her up and down.

Din could feel the anger radiate off of her as she inched closer to him, her shoulder pressing into his.

"Ace is my partner." He replied, his tone telling the man to drop the subject.

"Partner, eh?" The older man questioned anyway. "I thought the great Mando worked alone?"

"Things change."

Ran led the two in the direction of their team. Asa gently grabbed his wrist before squeezing it harshly. Din could tell she wanted an explanation and to get out of the outpost as soon as possible.

Later... Din thought as he shook his head to convey his message. Asa shoved his arm away and stepped forward a few paces in front of him.

"This is the leader of your team, Mayfeld." Ran introduces and a bald headed man looks up at him. "You take orders from him. Do as he says and he'll get you your payment. He was once an Imperial sharpshooter before he started working for me."

"That doesn't say much." Din and Asa said at the same time, Asa sounding more mocking.

"I wasn't a stormtrooper you wise asses!" Mayfeld shot back, a glare on his bearded face. Din could see Asa's shoulders shaking from laughing quietly.

Ran laughed, patting Din on the back before leading him to meet the rest of his team. Mayfeld followed behind Asa, Din noticing the male checking her out from behind. Every muscle in his body tensed as he went to confront him, but when he saw the familiar purple skinned Twi'lek female, his blood ran cold and if he could get anymore tense, he would have in that moment.

Xi'an sauntered forward, smirking and twirling her knife as she bared her fangs. She ran her tongue over her teeth in a flirtatious way.

"You remember her, don't you?" Ran said with a smug grin as he walked past her.

"Xi'an." Din said stiffly as he looked down at her. He noticed Asa's gaze was set on the Twi'lek.

"It's been awhile." She said with a grin as she looked him up and down. Din stayed stoic but got a bit worried when he felt Asa's anger and jealously radiate off of her.

"Got yourself another whore, I see. Where'd this one come from? Canto Bight? Bib Fortuna's castle?" Xi'an antagonized as she walked closer to Asa.

Din shook his head, muttering curses under his breath as he let Mayfeld introduce the other two members: a large, red skinned man with horns named Burg and a droid named Zero.

This is going to be a long day...