See Me, See You: A Mandalorian Story

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y-F I V E

THIRD PERSON POV

"Get out of the way!" Cara ordered, heaving up her automatic machine blaster and aiming at the sewer's gate, going to Hell with it, but nothing changed. "Damn it!" Cara tossed away her weapon.

"Your astute panic suggests that you understand your situation." The Imperial leader called out. "I would prefer to avoid any further violence and encourage a moment of consideration. Members of my escort have completed assembly of an E-Web heavy repeating blaster."

Mando, Cara, and Karga listened closely, only to be shocked on what the enemy would reveal next. "If you are unfamiliar with this weapon, I am sure that Republican Shock Trooper Carasynthia Dune of Alderaan, will advise you that she has witnessed many of her ranks vaporize mid-descent, facing the predecessor of this particular model."

At the sound of her full name and title, Cara was taken back, but this guy had more to unveil and was far from finished. "Or perhaps the decommissioned Mandalorian hunter, Din Djarin..."

Mando stepped forward when his real name was called out. He hadn't been call that since he was a child.

"If you do not cooperate with my proposal, all of you will end up six feet under, just as the former Unseeing Assassin, Reinamiya Beckett, will be when my troops destroy her for intercepting between them and my asset."

"Reina?" Cara gasped, turning her head to Mando, who froze.

The man also knew who Karga was. Karga in return demanded what the Imperialist proposed and what assurance he offered if they were to comply, at which the Imperialist was very honest, finishing his speech with, "I will give you until nightfall, and then I will have the E-Web cannon open fire."

Cara and Karga bickered whether they should take the enemy's offer, while Mando confessed, "I know who he is. It's Moff Gideon. He knew my real name. I haven't heard that name since I was a child." He explained how he knew for sure. "And now, Reina is in trouble."

"I thought Reina was dead?" Karga remembered. Cara shook her head. "She had stayed behind at the ship in case we needed a quick get-away and..." Cara stopped herself. "Mando, what do you think?"

"Moff Gideon says he needs us, which means the child got away safely. I was worried when Kuiil didn't respond, but if they'd captured the kid, we'd be already dead." Mando assessed, then he fiddled with the commlink in his palm. "Whether Reina intercepted or not, Moff Gideon knows she's involved. If Kuiil won't reply, then maybe..."

"Hail them again!" Cara finished his thought.

"Come in, Kuiil." Mando called into the comm. "Kuiil?...Nothing."

"They might have jammed the link." Cara huffed.

Abruptly, the comm beeps and a series of cooing and babbling chattered in. "Kuiil has been terminated." The IG unit chimed in. Immediately, Mando became defensive. "What did you do?" he growled into the comm.

"I am fulfilling my base function."

"Which is?"

"To nurse and protect the child and Ms. Reina Beckett." The droid stated, the zooming of a speeder almost drowned his monotonous voice out.

"Reina?" Mando gasped. "Where is she?"

"Right here, Partner!" Her voice was a god-send to Mando's ears. "It's a good thing you gave me a commlink, huh?"

"You and the child have to get out of here." Mando ordered.

"Too late!" Reina laughed, and the comm was static with blaster shots.

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REINA'S POV

Wearing my hood over my head, my black mask over my mouth, and my goggles over my eyes, I rode on the speeder behind IG-11 as he zipped straight ahead towards the stone arch, the entrance into the main bazaar, and we both took out the Stormtroopers with one shot each. As we raced down the strip, I could make out the silver and black scenery and could fire upon the passing enemy guards with accuracy I could never match even when I could see normally. Whatever this new power I had, I'm grateful for it.

As we advanced towards Mando's and the others' location, taking out all the Stormtroopers, the baby sitting inside the knapsack strapped to IG-11's chest laughed amusingly. Soon, we reached an open square, where there were dozens of armed Stormtroopers waiting for us and they opened fire the moment we revealed ourselves. Leaping off the speeder, we sent it flying into the troopers, exploding from collision.

I unshealthed my katana and deflected each blast that came my way. How? I have no clue—it was as if my body was responding on its own. Once I got close enough, I slashed down each enemy. Every once in awhile, I whipped out my blaster to take a few out. IG-11 and I worked side-by-side coherently.

Suddenly, a series of lasers sprang out from the destroyed window panel of what I guessing used to be the Client's safehouse, taking out even more troopers. And then, from the panel door, emerged the Mandalorian with Greef Karga right behind him. Mando and my gazes locked on to each other, and we both nodded. I'm sure we both smiled under our covers.

As I cut and slashed through the Stormtroopers, I gradually maneuvered my way to my partner. And eventually, we were back to back. There were no words spoken between us since we had our minds focused on other matters, but I speak for the both of us, that we were glad we were still alive.

However, despite the back-up IG-11 and I provided, more troopers reinforced their allies and we were beginning to feel outgunned and outnumbered, even if we were in the beginning. IG-11 started taking hits as he protected the baby on his chest. That's when Mando jumped into real action and heaved up an E-Web automatic cannon, launching an array of explosives upon the enemy. The machine firing from inside the compound continued, so I assumed Cara must be inside. Through the silver and black battle, I noticed troopers for the panel door, and I advanced my through to stop them from blowing it, decapitating a trooper along my way. But I was too late, the panel door burst, and the enemy filed in.

Then, another figure appeared in the battle, having a very superior aura around him. I didn't know who he was, but I didn't take any chances. Cut the head off the snake. I pushed my way away from Cara's position and charged towards the Imperial leader. But I was surrounded, and to avoid getting killed, I was trapped deflecting lasers.

The Imperialist raised his blaster and nailed Mando in the back of his Beskar helmet, catching his attention. The Mandalorian was slow to take aim with the massive cannon in his hands, and it gave the enemy plenty of time to change his trajectory to something much more deadly...

"Mando, NO!" I cried, but I was drowned out and sent flying backwards from the ammuniation battery's explosive destruction, of which Mando was only a few feet away from when it burst. I immediately digged myself back to my feet and sprinted to Mando's sprawled-out body, Cara met me halfway. "Grab his arm." Cara huffed, and together we dragged him back into the compound with Karga and IG-11 covering us. Once we successfully retreated and were locked in the safehouse, the firing finally ceased.