Across the Universe | D. Djarin

The lonely warrior

7 months later - Din's POV

The strong stench of raw meat wafted throughout the room. I could unfortunately smell it from under my helmet, I felt like I was trapped with the stench, but it was unfortunately not the worst thing I've smelt in my time as a bounty hunter.

I walked up to a door that was covered by a plastic curtain and parted it open so I could walk through. I stepped into a room that had several tables covered in slabs of meat. Half carcasses hung from the ceiling on meat hooks. I took a look around the room to try and figure out where my bounty was.

There were several men in the room with me, carving up slabs of meat with large knives. Those cleavers could be a problem if a fight broke out. But it was nothing that I couldn't handle.

I spotted the next door at the end of the room. My lips parted and I took in a breath before I shut my mouth shut again. Her name was resting on my tongue, and I was about to say it out loud. Without even thinking about it, I was about to tell her that the door was at the other side of the room. Even though she wasn't here.

I clenched my jaw as a sharp pang of pain ran across my heart. I felt it travel through my nervous system, taking over every inch of my body. I tilted my head slightly and started to walk forward again. Quickly passing by the workers and the hanging meat.

I had done that too many times, coming far too close to calling out her name when she wasn't there. I missed her badly, as much as I missed the child. My family was far away from me and I know that it's for the best, but it doesn't stop me from yearning for them.

I slowed down as I stood in front of the second door. I parted the plastic curtain and stepped into the room. I sighed quietly as I looked around the room. There were four men inside along with a computer and a large desk. My gaze immediately fell on the man behind the desk, who happened to be my bounty.

"You look lost." Kaba Baiz said from behind his desk

"I'm here for Kaba Baiz." I said

"What makes you think he's here?" Kaba Baiz said. I reached up to my belt and pulled out a tracking beacon. It was rapidly flashing red and beeping repeatedly. Once I had shown it to the men I placed it back in my belt.

"What do you want of him?" Kaba Baiz asked, clearly this man doesn't know that I have a bounty puck too.

"He owes someone important money." I answered

"Who?" Kaba Baiz asked

"That's not my business. I'm here to bring him in." I stated

Kaba Baiz looked around like he was thinking before he turned back to me. "Well, if I see him, I'll let him know."

I reached into my belt and pulled out a round bounty puck, placing it on the desk in front of him. "I see him right now."

I turned on the bounty puck and a holo image of the man immediately popped up in front of him. He straightened up and chuckled uncomfortably.

"That's not me. That doesn't even look like me." Kaba Baiz tried to persuade me.

"I'm gonna give the rest of you the opportunity to walk out that door. I have no quarrel with you." I told the other men in the room.

Kaba Baiz shook his head at me. "They're not going anywhere. Looks to me like you're surrounded. But you look like the practical type. Let's discuss our options."

There wasn't any way that I'd bargain with this guy. "I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold."

I reached for my blaster, my fingers just managed to wrap around the blaster when one of the men rushed up to me and bit down hard on my thumb. I grunted in pain and dropped my blaster. I quickly spun around and head butted the man, forcing him to let go of my hand.