SEE ME, SEE YOU: Series Two

C H A P T E R S E V E N

THIRD PERSON POV

Mando wasn't too happy when he, Reina, and the child finally reached Mos Eisley. Just like his female partner predicted, it was dark and the bustling saloon crowd had taken over where they assumed they would find Peli Motto. Both Mando and Reina were exhausted from their trek across the desert, and the mechanic's boasting demeanor was almost too much to handle all at once.

They found her lounging at a booth playing a card game with a creepy-crawly creature with giant mandibles that could snap Reina like a twig. Peli side-eyed the two of them as they stopped at her table, and then at the Mandalorian armor Reina carried on her sore shoulder. (Mando had offered earlier to relieve some of the weight off her during their journey, but the bounty huntress insisted she carry her own weight.)

"You finally found a Mandalorian...and you kill him." Peli scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"False alarm, I'm afraid." Reina shrugged.

"How did you get the armor?"

"Helped the marshal who had it kill a krayt dragon."

"Is that all?"

"He was my last lead on finding other Mandalorians." Mando spoke, disappointed. Suddenly, Peli's opponent chittered and clicked out a statement, in which the mechanic translated that if Mando covered his call in the card game, he can hook them up with someone with information.

"What's the bet?" Mando considered.

"Five hundred." Peli avoided eye contact with a smack of her lips.

"That's a high stakes game." Mando noted.

"Well, he's on a hot streak."

Without much of a choice, Mando tossed in some credits. Peli confirmed the call, paused, and then slammed down her hold with a "Ha! Idoit's array! Pay up, Thorax!" She began collecting her win. "And don't you start crying, Mando. You'll rust!"

Classic Peli, Reina shook her head with a smile. "What about this person with information we were promised now?" she asked. The creature chittered a reply.

"He says the contact will meet us at the hangar." Peli translated, and then pushed passed Mando, heading for the exit. "Come on, I already gave your ship a tune-up, so she should be ready to head out once the contact arrives. Now, Reina, tell me more about this marshal you met at Mos Pelgo. Is he cute?"

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Reina bounced the child on my lap as she and Mando waited for Peli to return. She got word the contact had arrived and wanted to converse out a deal before meeting them. The mechanic finally returned with the news.

"Okay, so here's the deal: A Mandalorian covert is close. It's in the next sector, one system trailing. I don't know anymore than that. What I do know is that the contact will lead you to them."

"How much will that cost me?" Mando questioned.

"Well, that's the great news. It's free."

"And the not-so-great news?" Reina presumed, knowing there has to be a catch.

"The contact wants passage to the system." Peli said through gritted teeth.

"That's not so bad." Reina cocked her head in confusion. "That's no problem. Unless?"

"Do you vouch for them?" Mando asked Peli.

"On my life." Peli nodded.

"Fine."

"What's the catch?" Reina stopped Mando from walking off.

"Well...No hyperdrive."

"You want us to travel sublight?" Mando backed out of the deal almost instantly. Reina pulled on his cape before he could march off. "Mando, come on. It's just one sector over."