Salvation - The Mandalorian

Chapter 2

Din and Cara arrived at a settlement on Jakku. Cara had told her friend that they were at Niima Outpost, where many residents would hang out. They both figured that the young girl would be there, based on how Jakku seemed to run. Many scavengers would go there to trade the parts they found from old ships from the Battle of Jakku. They had seen a large scrapyard filled with old Empire and Rebellion ships when entering the system.

"This place is run by someone called Unkar Plutt," Cara explained. "Don't know much about him, but I've heard that he's a piece of work. It might be best if you speak with him first."

"Why me?" Din asked with a tilt of his helmet. "You're a Marshal. You have more authority than I do."

"Because you're a bounty hunter and a Mandalorian," Cara reminded him. "He'd much rather talk to someone like you than someone who has to follow rules."

"Fine," Din said with a slight shrug.

Cara waited outside the settlement as Din made his way through. He noticed a large stand in the center, a long line of scavengers in front. He guessed that Unkar Plutt had to be at the end of that line. The scavengers traded their parts with him, as they were holding bags of different salvages they discovered. Many of them looked at him curiously, wondering why a Mandalorian was on Jakku of all places. Din would wonder that himself if he wasn't on a big mission.

After what seemed like forever, it was finally Din's turn with Unkar Plutt. He stepped up and saw a Crolute behind the stand, figuring that it had to be Plutt. The creature gave him a look, seeming to first notice that Din had no salvage rather than the beskar he was wearing.

"Now what is a Mandalorian doing in my settlement?" Unkar questioned. "Normally your people are never seen here, unless there's a bounty you're searching for."

"Not exactly a bounty, but it's important business," Din said, cutting right to the chase. "I'm looking for someone who's in much danger. A young girl, around 15 years old. I was hoping you had seen her or know where she was."

Unkar seemed to know exactly who he was talking about, which made Din feel hopeful. But he doubted he could trust this Blobfish. "Maybe I know who you're talking about," Unkar said right before Din flipped him a few credits. He smirked when he saw the money, immediately taking it. "You just missed her. She came here to trade her salvage and left a few minutes ago."

Din raised an eyebrow under his helmet, wondering why Plutt would make a young girl scavenge for parts. "Do you know where I can find her?" He asked, giving him some more credits, which Unkar gleefully took.

"Check the Goazon Badlands," Unkar informed him. "She normally heads in that direction after she trades her salvage to me."

"Thank you," Din said with a nod of his head.

As he turned his head, he failed to overhear Unkar calling his goons to grab the beskar armor he wore. Din went to Cara, who had gotten them two speeders to get them out to the desert. The two of them travelled for a few hours, making Din more anxious as time passed. He hoped that no Imps had gotten there first. He couldn't let them take this girl's blood for whatever plans they had.

Finally, they made it to the Goazon Badlands, where many destroyed wreckage was. Din and Cara cautiously made their way through. The first thing they noticed was a fallen AT-AT Walker, which had a speeder right outside. Din examined the speeder, noticing that it was hand made. Someone, most likely a scavenger, lived in that Walker. He could only hope that it was the girl.

"Seeing anything?" Cara asking, looking around the Walker.

"Not yet," Din told her. He looked around and saw an opening in the Walker. "Just found something. An entrance inside."