𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊, 𝔡𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔧𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

"WELCOME BACK, MANDO!" A tall, burly man said, donning a deep brown vest with a thick belt around his middle. He took a half step towards them, his gaze shifting from the child in Sevara's arms to her worried expression as he said, "Now put the package down."

"Step aside." Mando said as Sevara's eyes caught his fingertips lightly dancing over the controls of his rifle, "We're going back my ship."

The man chuckled, stating, "You put the bounty down and perhaps I'll let you pass."

"The kid's coming with us."

Sevara was acutely aware of the blasters aimed at her skull, not daring to even make the smallest of movements in case their attackers interpreted it as a threat. Her spine was stiff as she listened to the man, saying, "If you truly care about the kid, then you'll put it on the speeder and we'll discuss terms."

Mando hesitated, asking, "How do I know I can trust you?"

The man scoffed. "Because I'm your only hope."

Glancing to Sevara, Mando strapped his rifle back onto his back as he softly lifted the child from her arms. Her heart thumped as she desperately scanned the 'T' shaped visor of his helmet for any hint of what his plan could be, for they couldn't have gone through all they did just to give up now. Mando beckoned for Sevara to follow him as he took slow steps towards the speeder, pausing at the edge as he gazed down at the child, his eyes closed once more as he slumbered. She glanced sideways at Mando, a short gasp escaping her as he whipped out her blaster from her waistband, firing red beams towards their attackers.

Chaos ensued. Immediately after he pulled the trigger, shots of all colours were being fired their way. In one swift movement, Mando had scooped up Sevara along with the child and heaved them into the speeder, soon ducking alongside them behind the raised edges as he fired the blaster back. He turned to the droid attached to the speeder, barking, "Drive!" The droid released a series of 'beeps!' in response, to which Mando pointed the blaster to it, instructing, "Drive!"

As the speeder gained speed, Mando pulled the trigger in all directions, dodging other's blasts as the fired towards him. Sevara stayed low, shielding the child with her body as they rode towards the Razor Crest, her eyes widening as the speeder came to a halt. A smokey cloud ejected from the droid as it had been hit, slowing them down in the middle of the crossfire.

Mando cursed beneath his breath, his hands shooting to the rifle at his back, pulling it towards him as discreetly as he could. Sevara watched as he inched the rifle past the confinements of the speeder, aiming for a figure atop a tall building, blasting them to smithereens as he pulled the trigger. She shut her eyes tight as one by one, their attackers exploded into a burst of flames, courtesy of the bounty hunter.

From within the shadows, the man from before called out, "That's one impressive weapon."

"Here's what I'm gonna' do," Mando stated, his voice loud and clear as it bounced off the walls of the lifeless street. "I'm gonna' walk to my ship with the girl and the kid, and you're gonna' let it happen."

"No," the man countered, "how about this? We take the kid, and if you try to stop us, we kill you and we strip your bodies for parts."

Sevara caught a slight movement in her peripheral, sending the hairs on the back of her neck to shoot up straight as Mando sensed it too, bucking backwards into the attacker and using his rifle to send a ripple of electricity through them. It was a blinding flash of colour shooting every which way, with the remaining attackers closing in on them. Mando raised his fist, sending a spray of flames across their span of foes, a grunt escaping his lips as the fire fizzled out.