See Me, See You: A Mandalorian Story

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y

REINA'S POV

We couldn't catch a break from the Imperialists. It was wave after wave; from the bazaar to the mouth of the tunnel to the Imperialist leader persuing our demise himself. If you want something done, take matters in your hands. If only Moff Gideon had already tracked us down and was among the dead Stormtroopers IG-11's sacrafice had taken out...

The Tie-Fighter, a speck of silver in my eyes, charged towards us and Moff Gideon fired a series of lasers at us, while we counterattacked with our own firearms. Though, Cara was the only one wielding an effective automatic rifle. Moff Gideon soared over our heads and began to circle around.

"He missed!" Karga exclaimed.

"He won't next time." Din grunted.

"Our blasters are useless against that thing." Cara huffed.

"If we only could throw a charge that high," I pondered out loud. "We could blow it to Hell."

"Let's make the baby do the magic hand thing." Karga suggested, and turned to me since I held him in one arm, and waved his fingers at the little one, hoping to motivate him. "Come on, baby! Do the magic hand thing!" In response, the child waved his wrist back.

"I'm out of ideas." Karga huffed.

"I'm not." Din reached down and grabbed the jetpack given to him by the Armorer. "Reina's right. We have to set a charge on it." He hooked the jetpack on his back, his cape draped to the side, just as Moff Gideon had finished the lap and operated it to life from the controls on his gauntlet. I handed him two charges from my belt and squeezed his forearm. "You are still injured. Be careful. But most importantly," I winked. "Blow it to Hell."

Moff Gideon began his assault and suddenly, Din was gone. He and the Tie-fighter disappeared behind us and I couldn't see anything. All you could hear was the roaring of the engines. It wasn't long however until the sweet victorious sound of an explosion followed by the whining of the engine and its demissal crash.

Just as I watched the silvery Mandalorian touch down safely on solid rock, I, with the baby cozied in the knapsack in the arms, jogged over and playfully punched him in the arm. "Nice flying."

"It's over." Din nodded, and started to reach out pat my arm, but we were interrupted.

"That was impressive, Mando." Karga nodded while he and Cara also approached the hero. "Very impressive. Looks like your Guild rates just went up. Or should I say, both of yours?" He glanced over at me with a nod.

"Any more Stormtroopers?" Din questioned.

"I think we cleaned up the town." Cara sighed with a smile. "But I'm thinking of sticking around just to be sure."

"You're staying here?" I asked, surprised. So was Din, who stepped forward to where we were side by side.

"Well, why not?" Karga scoffed. "Nevarro is a very fine planet. And now that the scum and villainy have been washed away, it's very respectable again."

"As a bounty hunter hive?" Din tilted his head in doubt of a 'respectable planet' like Nevarro.

"Some of my favorite people are bounty hunters." Karga put a hand on his and my opposite shoulders with a smirk. Then, he turned and placed a hand on Cara's shoulder, who proudly straightened her posture. "Perhaps, this specimen of a soldier might consider joining our ranks." As Cara and him struck out a deal, the baby squirmed in my arms and squealed softly, reaching out to Din's right arm with both its tiny hands. Din and I both gazed down at the child and back at each other, and we both had the same thoughts running through our minds.

"—But you, my friends, will be welcome back into the Guild with open arms." Karga finished his monologue. "So, both of you, go off and enjoy yourselves. And when you're ready to return, you two will have the pick of all quarries." He promised.

In reponse, Din carefully picked the child up from my arms and placed him gently in the crook of his own arm, the baby gurgling with delight. "I'm afraid," Din gazed over at me and then at the child, and back at me. "we have more pressing matters at hand."

Cara walked over and rubbed the tips of the baby's long velvety ears, and looked up at Din. "Take care of this little one." They nodded respectfully at one another, and then Cara slid over in front of me and, at first reluctantly, gave him a tight hug. "And you take care of him. And be careful."

"Thank you, Cara." was my response in her ear.

"Well, I guess you were right, Beckett." Karga shook his head as he scoffed once more. "It was a good mistake that the two of you ended up as partners. And maybe, rather the two of you caring for the little one, it'll take care of you."

We nodded our final silent goodbyes, and Din, with the baby in one arm, wrapped the other one around my waist and told me to hang on tightly. I clung onto his cape and back, my chin pressed into his shoulder, as Mando kicked off the ground and soared into the air with his jetpack serving its purpose. As the wind whipped through my hair, I watched Greef Karga and Cara Dune shrink smaller and smaller through the curls.

When we reached the Razor Crest, we held a proper burial for the Ugnaught Kuiil, who we couldn't fully repay our gratitude after all the times he saved us...This was the least we could do...

When we finally boarded the Crest, what seemed like weeks since we've both sat in the cockpit, the sun, according to Din was setting in the west. The baby was placed in its capsule next to me, and Din powered up the Crest to take off. A few moments later, Din and I both heard a sucking sound coming from the child. From what I could concur, he had something in his mouth.

"What do you got there?" Din questioned, and reached forward to gently grab whatever it was out of its mouth. I looked down at Din's hand and recognized it as the emblem Din had given Cara to show the Armorer when he was injured. The cord was hung over the baby's neck. "I didn't think I'd see this again."

"Cara must've known you pull through and made sure you would get it back." I breathed. Din nodded, and then elevated his head to look at the baby. "Why don't you hang on to that for me?" He said, letting the baby continue to suck on it.

He then turned to me, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling. My body was exhausted, but looking at the Mandalorian and seeing my misty reflection in his silvery visor, it took all my pain away. Din didn't lean in to lift his helmet and kiss me, but he did cupped his gloved palm on my jawline, stroking his thumb just below my eye. I leaned into his hand and closed my eyes, and though I couldn't see anything, the image of Din's face under that helmet appeared in my mind.

After a moment, Din removed his hand. "Thank you, Reina. For being here with me. Well, us." He referred to himself and the baby. "I don't know what I would've done without your support."

"No problem, Partner." I smirked. "We've both grown a lot over these past few months, and it's because we trusted each other. I say the easy part is over now; finding these 'Jedi' is our new challenge." I paused for effect. "Now, where to begin?"

In response, Din flipped a few switches and raised a lever, and the Razor Crest zipped into Hyperspace.

TO BE CONTINUE...