42. That was her number. Now with the resistance, 42 must cover her past life which proves difficult when she cannot tell her true name. And that Dameron guy . . . He needs to stop asking questions.
Follows The Rise of Skywalker
Author's note: This story follows the characters from the newest Star Wars trilogy. It contains spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker as well as Mandalorian lore. Enjoy! - H. V. Hart
Transmission incoming, the intercom blurbed. It was from a masked source on the planet Ajan Kloss.
I put my ship in autopilot as I floated outside of the Kessel System.
I didn't have time for this. I was on a job.
My curiosity got the better of me. I accepted the transmission.
"42 speaking," I said.
"Hello, I am calling to inform you that Kaliana Gledliss has passed."
It was the voice of a droid. They didn't have the courtesy of telling me in a living voice.
"How?" I asked harshly.
"Her X-Wing was shot down while fighting for the Resistance. I'm sorry."
A droid, sorry? I didn't think so.
"The Resistance offers our condolenc—"
I hung up.
With angry tears streaming down my face beneath my mask, I threw my ship into gear and blasted down towards the orange planet below.
I didn't get to say goodbye . . . Kaliana. She was like a sister to me. Always trying to do the right thing. Always kindhearted. Ripped from the world like a frail piece of fabric.
I cursed. "Pull yourself together," I scolded myself. "Finish the job. Mourn later. Or never. That's good too."
***
When you're trained in the ways of the Mandalorian, finishing bounty-hunting jobs is easy.
With the fugitive's corpse in tow, I marched back onto my ship, placing the lifeless sack off to the side.
As I powered on my ship, a new message appeared. It was from that same planet that the droid had called from.
The funeral for Ms. Gledliss will be tomorrow on the planet Ajan Kloss. Coordinates posted below.
I sighed.
I knew I would feel bad later if I didn't go. Kaliana didn't have any family. She most likely listed me as her only contact. I couldn't do that to her. I couldn't dishonor her in such a way.
I'm going, I decided.
But first I had to get my reward.
***
Trying to drag a corpse across a sand-filled planet isn't exactly my favorite way to spend an afternoon. Trying to take it through a bustling town may be even worse. But the reward sure made up for it.
With pockets full, I got back on my ship and plugged in the coordinates.
The planet of Ajan Kloss was a vast ecosystem entirely made of jungle. The forest was dense with greenery. I thought I wouldn't be able to find this place.
As I neared the coordinates, I spotted an opening. A fleet of X-Wings lay covered in leaves to conceal them. Men and women rushed about in orange beneath the trees.
A transmission came over my intercom. You've entered a restricted area. State your business or be terminated.
I picked up my mic. "I'm here for a funeral. Kaliana Gledliss."
Prepare for landing. We'll send someone out to wave you in.
As I exited my ship, a man came to greet me. I threw my rifle onto my back and stepped down the rap. I could tell by the look on his face that they rarely saw Mandalorian around these parts.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "The funeral services are happening over here. I-I'm sorry for your loss."
I remained silent.
As I walked through the Resistance Base, there were evident whispers about the Mando that had walked into their space.
The bodies of the fallen we laid in neat rows, covered with a dull cloth. Their dog tags were laid next to them.
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"Last name?" asked the man.
"Gledliss."
They had arranged them in alphabetical order.
Kaliana was still just as small as I remembered.
I pulled a blue flower from my satchel that I had picked up on my travels. I gingerly placed it on her chest.
The man who'd escorted me watched silently. I wanted to snap at him. Why was he still here?
