Calamity || The Mandalorian

thirty-two

"So, remind me again how you know about this place?" Kasia asked with a skeptical brow as Mando landed the Razor Crest in the hanger bay.

She wasn't sure what she had expected when Din had first told her about this place and had made a vague mention to past jobs, but an admittedly creepy hunk of metal located in the middle of fucking nowhere was not quite it.

"I did some jobs with a... friend here back in the day," he answered her ambiguously as he rose from his seat. "It'll be a quick job—easy money. And no questions asked, like I already told you."

Kasia watched him for a moment, sensing his unease and hesitance, before finally sighing and forcing herself to her feet. Stretching dramatically, she quipped, "You know I'm feeling rather tired. Maybe I'll just sit this one out."

To her surprise, Mando seemed to almost consider her statement, as if trying to decide whether he wanted her to join him—as if she was about to let him walk into that hub of mercenaries and bounty hunters and who even knew whatever else alone.

"I'm joking, obviously," she said after a moment of silence. She walked over to him and pretended to tap on the glass of his helmet, "Hello? Beskar-brain? Anyone in there?" she laughed.

You're extremely annoying, Mando told her silently, rolling his eyes underneath his helmet as his lips curled upwards at the edges.

"But you love me anyway," Kasia contested his statement jokingly, a laughing light in her eyes as she turned towards where the child slept in his cradle next to them.

Mando sighed.

"Are we leaving him here again?" she asked over her shoulder. "It didn't turn out too well last time," she added wryly as the Mandalorian joined her to stare down at the child.

I don't really know what else to do. Unless you do actually want to stay here with him yourself, he suggested.

For a moment, Kasia actually considered the possibility—she could stay with the kid while Mando went out and did his bounty hunter shit on his own. It wasn't a bad option. But...

Kasia shook her head. "I should come with you. I have an inkling that you're gonna need the back up and I don't think anyone would suspect that someone would ever bring a child into a shithole like this—least of all a Mandalorian. We should just make sure that the little bugger can't get out on his own."

Without waiting for his reply, Kasia scooped the small child up into her arms. Not waking from his slumber, the kid simply snuggled into her shoulder as she made her way to put him in the room where they liked to hide him. Gently, she placed him down, smiling softly as the child gave a small whimper at the loss of contact.

"Stay safe, Ue'lae," she whispered as she stroked one of his ears. She felt Din at her shoulder, and for a moment, both of them simply stood there, looking down at the small child curled up on the mattress.

Finally, Kasia stepped back and locked the room, praying that the child would stay put and be safe.

"So, what are the odds of you letting me try out your disintegration gun again this time around?" Kasia cocked her head as she and Mando began to make their way out of the Razor Crest.

What are the odds of you ever becoming a good pilot?

At the unexpected question, Kasia shifted her gaze to frown at the Mandalorian. "Very miniscule," she answered honestly, though her confusion at the unanticipated question was evident in her tone.

Precisely.

As he answered her silently, his pace picked up and she was left a step behind as she registered his answer.