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N I N E. on one condition. word count:7274
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"SEE? I TOLD YA. What did I tell ya? I'd get that information for you. We're practically partners! I should be gettin' paid!"
You leaned against the wall as Peli spoke, listening in as best you could. The dizziness you felt was finally fading, and you were beyond thankful to Peli, who was the one to offer you water and support on the walk back to the hangar-not that you'd ever tell her, of course. You thought her ego was already too big as is.
"Yes and no," the Mandalorian's voice came, muffled and soft. "You got me information, but not the information I wanted."
"What? Those names?" Peli replied. You could practically hear the eye roll through the wall. Her words were followed by a loud 'Pffft.' "They don't matter. Mando, listen: she knows where you can find others like you! And you've got a trained assassin from the guild! I suggest not killing her-"
I can count on Peli, at least, you thought, relaxing your shoulders.
"-but keeping her for ransom!"
Nevermind.
There was a brief silence; you held your breath and bit your bottom lip.
"The Assassin's Guild doesn't operate that way," said the Mandalorian. "They'd kill her. There's a reason you don't meet retired assassins."
" . . . Yeah, that's a fair point. But what does it matter to you anyway? You almost shot her back at the bar."
"She was ready to murder that dug, Peli. The last thing either of us need is a rogue assassin-one that is affiliated with us-killing people out in public," he explained. "You would be arrested for harboring a criminal. Your business would be shut down. And I wouldn't get the information I need."
"Then why do those names bother you so much?"
"As much as I detest the idea of aiding an assassin, we need to consider the thought of her being blackmailed. I can't think of a reason as to why . . . " He stopped. You pressed harder against the wall, desperate to hear more. " . . . As to why she asked me to let her kill him."
"Well, then ask her yourself-"
At the sudden rustle of footsteps, you stumbled back; your foot caught a mound of loose sand and you slipped, bottom landing firmly on the desert sand. The BD droid from before-was his nameBD-49?-hopped onto your knee, whistled, and spun in a tight circle. He bobbed his head at you, and to your surprise, imitated you falling back-first into the sand, whistling a high note.
Your look clearly told him you were unimpressed.
"Forty-Niner, leave her alone!" Peli shouted as she and the Mandalorian exited the interior hangar, the engineer shooing the little droid away.
