See Me, See You: A Mandalorian Story

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y-O N E

THIRD PERSON POV

"What does he want?" Reina scoffed as Mando fidgeted with the controls to clear the static so that they could hear the recorded hologram's message of the Bounty Hunter's Guild boss Greef Karga. "I don't know. Shh." Mando held his hand up as he finally was able to get a connection.

"My friends, if you are receiving this transmission, that means you both hopefully are alive." The dark-skinned man set his hands on his hips in the hologram; he still wore that signature leather vest of his. "You might be surprised to hear this, but I am alive, too. I guess we can call it even."

"Didn't you shoot him?" Reina reminised back when they first escaped the Guild on Nevarro almost two and a half months ago. It felt so much longer. "I shot him where the Beskar steel block was in his inside pocket." Mando reminded, and I noticed a smoked laser hole in Karga's vest right where his heart was. "Nice shot." Reina smirked.

"A lot of happened since we last saw each other." Karga's message continued. "The man who hired you is still here, and his ranks of ex-Imperial guards have grown." Karga crossed his arms in disapproval. "They have imposed despotic rule over my city, which has impeded the livelihood of the Guild. We consider him an enemy, but we cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission, I will very much make it worth your while, for both of you."

"I'm not sure if I like where this is heading, Mando." Reina sucked air through her teeth as her eyes fell upon the baby in his capsule, who had apparently fallen asleep.

"You had been successful so far in staving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prize. So, here is my proposition. Return to Nevarro. Bring the child as bait. I will arrange an exchange. and provide loyal Guild members as protection. Once we get near the client, Mando, you kill him, and all of us get what we want. If you succeed, you keep the child and I will have your names cleared with the Guild, for a man of honor and a woman striving for a new life should not be forced to live in exile. I await your arrival with optimism."

Greef Karga's message ended and the hologram disappeared. There was silence between the two bounty hunters as they take in the boss's proposal. When Reina gently gripped Mando's shoulder, she thought her partner had the same response as they both turned their heads to the sleeping child, who was snoring softly.

"We can't go alone." Mando stood up and pushed past Reina to head down to the landing deck.

"Mando?" Reina froze in disbelief. "Mando? You can't be serious?" She followed him down and yanked at his cape. "If we keep running like this, we'll only live in fear for rest of our lives."

"You trust Karga?" Mando questioned, his voice very serious.

"No! But do we have a choice?"

"We knew the risks of leaving the Guild," Mando defended himself. "but we've been fine so far."

"So you're okay with always running away?"

"We are not running away!" Mando snapped. "We are protecting the kid and each other."

"Yes, by running away."

"I'm not risking you and the kid on Karga, whether he is telling the truth or not."

The Mandalorian tried to separate himself from Reina's grip on his cape, but instead Reina huffed and pushed him into the wall, one forearm pressed on his collarbone and the other on his chest. Mando's hands clasped onto Reina's biceps as both of them glared at each other.

"I'm sick of running away, Mando." Reina's painful vision began to blur when her eyes started to water. "I can't do it anymore. Don't you want a quiet, no-worry life? To just live, for once?"