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"My friend-" Hebe jolted in fright as she sat next to Din in the co-pilot's seat, tapping him urgently to look at the hologram of the person she never wanted to see again. "If you're receiving this transmission, it means you're alive. You might be surprised to hear this, but I am alive too. I guess we can call it even."
"No shit," Hebe tutted in aggravation but Din shushed her.
"A lot has happened since we last saw each other. The man who hired you is still here, and his ranks of ex-imperial guards have grown. They have imposed despotic rule over my city, which has impeded the livelihood of the Guild. We consider him an enemy, but we cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission, I will very much make it worth your while. You have been successful so far in staving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prize. So, here is my proposition. Return to Nevarro. Being the child and the woman as bait. I will arrange an exchange, and will provide loyal Guild members as protection. Once we get near the client, you can kill him and we both get what we want. If you succeed, you keep the two and I will have your name cleared with the Guild, for a man of honour should not be forced to live in exile. I await your arrival with optimism."
The two sat in silence for a moment before leaning to look back at the peacefully sleeping child, its smooth skin glowing softly in the dim light, he looked like a little angel to the two of them. It didn't take mind reading to know what Mando was thinking, Hebe's gut twisted uncomfortably as the man started typing in coordinates after some hesitation. "You're kidding Mando?" She watched him wide-eyed, letting her usually neutral face twist into light horror. He stared at her for a few seconds before going back to what he was doing, equally dreading as her but he felt he had no other choice in the matter. If this could prove their absolute safety then he definitely could not pass the opportunity by. He just hoped she'd understand.
"After knowing how hard and dangerous it was to escape that place, you're going to put an even bigger target on our backs. The kids back! It's not worth it, what if we lose him? Or we lose-" she cut herself off with an exasperated sigh. She had the feeling he knew what she was going to say. She felt the anxiety pulling her eyebrows together as she bit onto her knuckle, glaring holes into the man who shot out of his seat and ripped her hand out of her mouth as she drew blood.
"Hey! Listen to me. I would never want to put you or the kid in serious danger, but right now I'm not having much of a choice. I need to ensure your safety, they'll just keep sending more bounty hunters after you, we can't keep batting them away like flies. The faster we deal with it, the faster we can..." He trailed off as he squeezed her shoulders. "Catch a break...or something," he sighed. Gently pulling her back to her seat by the hand trying to calm her after being riled up. She nodded reluctantly and she kept silent and aware the entirety of the flight there, neither of them disrupting the silence.
Hebe only spoke up when she noticed that they were looking at Sorgan, not Nevarro. "Why are we here?"
"We're gonna need some reinforcements don't you think?" Mando responded as they entered the atmosphere. Hebe suddenly perked up, she knew only one reason to be back here. She felt her spirits rise at the thought of seeing Cara again, though it hadn't been that long since she last saw the mercenary. Mando noticed this, once they had landed he led both the child and Hebe towards the place they had visited first on Sorgan and where they first encountered Cara. As they walked in it wasn't hard to spot the woman collecting bets from other on goers. "Looking for some work?" Mando Chimed in as a smirk grew on Carla's lips upon seeing the duo again, plus the little green dude that waddled behind them.
Mando got to explaining their situation, Hebe helping explain while preoccupying the kid with her hair. "It seems like a straightforward operation." Hebe had to stop herself from snorting. It was anything but. "They're providing the plan and firepower. I'm the snare."
"With the kid and your girlfriend?" Both Mando and Hebe grew uncomfortable, both muttering their denials at the same time. "You wish," Hebe teased quietly, rolling her eyes earning a long stare from Din and a hearty laugh from Cara. "Yeah okay..."
"Anyway, that's why we're coming to you."
"I don't know. I've been advised to lay low," Cara shrugged. "If anybody runs my chain code, I'll rot in a cell for the rest of my life."
"I thought you were a veteran-?" a man strolled by, dropping some credits down on the table, Cara grinning at him. "Come back soon." Mando continued to reason with the mercenary, up until he mentioned that the man they were going up against was imperial, the woman paused. "I'm in." she took a swig of her drink before heading to go grab her things. Mando turned back to Hebe. "You wish?" he repeated monotonously. Hebe laughed mockingly to herself, taking a sip of her drink.
"Come on Mando, I know you're thirsting for me," she smirked, stroking the child in her lap, she'd only meant it as a joke but Mando froze and his body tensed considerably. He finally turned back to the girl who was leaned back, letting the kid take a little sip of her water. Leaning forwards down to her ear, hands holding either side of the chair. "You. Wish..." he jeered, Hebe shrank into herself shyly as he glared at her, a small smile pulled at her lips, trying not to laugh at the tenseness of the situation.
"Keep telling yourself that."
"You two done? Haven't we got places to be?" Cara had finally come back, punching Din on the shoulder as she strolled over to the exit, thankfully saving Hebe, she hoisted up the child and ducked under Din's arms. He was still stiffly leaning on the chair he was teasing his partner on, he cleared his throat as he moved to follow the two women, who were lost in a conversation. It didn't seem long before they were off the planet, both women in the hangar whilst Mando had the kid on the copilot chair in the cockpit, preparing for another visit. After a few minutes, the two girls moved up into the cockpit, both standing back. "Does your contact need to vet me?"
"Doesn't know you're coming."
"Which is probably a good thing, he's quite insufferable," Hebe grimaced.
"Really? That could be a problem," Cara raised an eyebrow.
"It won't," he span around. "But if it is, that's his problem," both women exchanged amused looks, following as the Mandalorian exited the cockpit, leaving the kid to his own devices. "He alright up there alone?" Cara asked as she dropped down, making room for Hebe to come down the ladder. "Yeah," Mando replied as he opened a display of weapons for the girls to look at. "Pick one." Carla's eyes lit up, picking up and inspecting different pieces of equipment.
"You trust the contact?"
"Not particularly."
"Not at all," Hebe chime in, watching as Cara picked up a blaster, Din noticed how Hebe was scanning over the cabinet and gestured for her to pick one. She raised an eyebrow as if the say 'really' he just stared until she did as he said. "He and I had a run-in last time I was there on Guild business."
"So then why are we going?" she shot him an odd look.
"I don't have any choice. You saw what happened on Sorgan. They'll keep sending hunters. The kid will never be safe until the Imp is dead." Hebe nodded along, in her peripheral, she could see a little green head poke down the ladder. "And you're okay with bringing him back there?"
"That's what I said," Hebe rolled her eyes.
"Not really. Thats why I'm bringing you," as Mandi finished, Cara nodded with a satisfied smile on her face, she had found a large blaster. Hebe, however, was leaning more towards a Bendak Starkiller blaster, one that Din used a lot. They were interrupted as the ship was suddenly blaring, shaking the two women grabbed onto the walls for support as Mando quickly ascended the ladder, only to find the little one messing with some controls. Mando peeled him away from controls and pushed the little green monster onto Cara who pushed him onto Hebe. Mando levelled out the ship.
"We need someone to watch that thing."
"yeah."
"No shit."
"Language," both Din and Cara scolded Hebe, who placed the kid down back in his chair.
