gold dust woman • din djarin

CHAPTER 1 [REWRITE]

Asha meditated in the swamp surrounding her hut. As her breathing slowed she felt herself starting to levitate off the boggy ground.

She had been hunted since the day she was born. Her force sensitivity was like a beacon, drawing attention of the worst sort. As a young child she had been taken from her home by the Emperor and brought up to serve as his top assassin. She couldn't count how many people she'd killed over the years—rebels, imps with questionable loyalties—they were all the same. She built a glorious life for herself at a young age, earning herself a penthouse on Coruscant and a lavish lifestyle even the most elite officials could only dream of.

It all came crashing down (quite literally) when the Empire fell. Fearing retribution from the New Republic, she ran as far away as she could and hid herself well. Of course, she was still a wanted woman, but as the years passed the bounty hunters waned and her various homes became more permanent. Dagobah had stuck the longest so far. The intense force energy surrounding the planet muffled her presence from interested parties and the dense swamps were enough to ward off any remaining bounty hunters who wanted to try their hand at capturing her.

She figured she would very well spend the rest of her life on the planet if she had to. Perhaps one day the heat would die down and she would be able to take up smuggling or other less admirable pursuits, but the New Republic was quick to flex their muscle and she had few friends in what remained of the Empire.

Unable to focus her mind, she huffed and pulled herself to her feet, mentally preparing herself for yet another trek back to the hut where she'd spend yet another night alone.

•••

Across the galaxy, Din Djarin was in need of work, and he'd just found the two highest paying bounties around. The first seemed easy enough, collect a fifty year old asset and return it. The second appeared to be more of a challenge, but he was up to it.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" The man, who was apparently only a middleman for the client, asked. "This woman has power like no other, she can fry you with her bare hands. She fights with two lightsabers."

"I can handle it," Din said adamantly. "Give me the tracking fob."

"That's the other thing," the man warned. "She's on Dagobah, the energy there will cloak her. No kind of tracker will work. You have to find her on your own."

"I promise you, I'll find your girl."

"If you must pursue her, I wish you luck. You're the first to take this job."

"And I'll be the last. You'll have her soon enough."

"She's also required alive. If you somehow manage to kill her, you may take the glory associated, but there will be no payment. If she is harmed in any way, then your rate will be reduced."

"Understood." The Mandalorian nodded. "What's her name?"

"Kashmira."

•••

Asha heard the engine of a ship buzzing overhead before she saw it through the Dagobah fog. She knew immediately that she needed to run for higher ground so she could get eyes on whoever it was that had decided to make a stop on her planet before they could spot her.

She pulled her black cloak over her shoulders, clipped on her lightsaber belt, and began her walk to the hilltop that she knew would have a view of the only place somewhat suitable for landing on the planet. Was there finally another bounty hunter stupid enough to come for her?

She reached her hilltop and found the ship exactly where she had expected it to be, but something wasn't right, she could feel the presence of a strong force user. It didn't make any sense, what strong force users were even left in the galaxy, much less ones that would come for her? She was even more puzzled when a man in the armor of a Mandalorian exited the ship. She climbed into a tree to remain out of his view. She could feel that he wasn't the force user she felt. That energy remained with the ship.