𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑯𝑼𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑹 - The Mandalorian

eighteen

18|OLD FRIENDS

Asra happily sat at the long dining room table with the Child on her lap, both eating their breakfast. Din had left to do some repairs on his ship so the pair were left to wander the vacant planet.

"Hey buddy, want to go for a walk in the flower garden?" She asked the child, pushing her white hair behind her ear. "Yeah? Come on, let's go."

She placed the child on the overgrown path and led it towards the colourful garden. She smiled when she heard it giggling, chasing after butterflies. Asra sat down against the large pink tree that rested in the back corner of the garden, her eyes trained on the Child.

Asra began to sing an old song from her heritage, tapping her fingers against her thighs. Her singing stopped when she felt the ground begin to shake slightly, then it got stronger.

The healer jumped up in fright, having flashbacks from the last time a storm hit. She leaped forwards and cradled the clueless child in her arms, watching as her childhood home crumbled. Asra raised her hand, using the Force to push away an incoming rock that threatened to hit the pair.

"Asra!" The Mandalorian ran towards the pair, blasting any rocks that got close to the healer or himself. "Are you hurt?"

"No, we're fine." She ran into his arms, breathing heavily against his chest. "We were in the garden at the time."

"We need to leave now!" He shouted over the destruction, grabbing her hand and dragging her back to the Razor Crest.

"Wait, I need to grab something." Asra passed the Child to him and ran inside the house. She stumbled up the stairs and forced open her parents room, grabbing a familiar golden necklace and ring off her mothers night stand.

"Let's go." Mando shouted at her, grabbing her hand again and pulling her to the ship. He threw her and the Child inside and climbed up to the control room.

"Hey, you're okay." She stroked the Childs head, scratching behind his ears as she tried to hold back her tears. After finally calming down, Asra made her way up to the control room, the Child asleep in her arms.

"There might be a way to stop all this running." Mando informed her as she put the child in its makeshift bed.

"How?" She questioned, sitting down in her usually seat and watching him carefully.

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life."

~•~

The Mandalorian set down the Razor Crest on a familiar terrain. Asra was excited to see her friend again after only a short period apart.

"Come on." She followed after the man into the rest stop, cheering when she saw Cara Dune kicking some aliens butt. When the fight was over the two wandered over, the Child closely stumbling behind.

"Looking for some work?" Mando greeted the woman, following her over to a table.

"I've missed you." Asra laughed when she saw Cara pull an awkward face.

"I've missed you too." She grumbled back, sitting down and beckoning over a server.

"It seems like a straightforward operation." The Bounty Hunter began to explain his plan to the ex-shock trooper. "They're providing the plan and firepower. I'm the snare."

"With the kid?" Cara asked, glancing down at the curious child who was looking excitedly around the building.

"That's why I'm coming to you." He replied.

"I don't know. I've been advised to lay low." She shrugged, looking at Asra who stared at the strange liquid that was poured into her glass. "If anybody runs my chain code, I'll rot in a cell for the rest of my life."

"I thought you were a veteran." Asra pursued her lips as she contemplated trying her drink.

"Come back soon." Cara thanked the man who placed the money on the table. "I've been a lot of things since. Most of them carry a life sentence. If I so much as book passage on a ship registered to the New Republic, I'm-"

"I have a ship." Mando cut the woman off. "I can bring you there and back with a handsome reward. You can live free of worry."

"I'm already free of worry, and I'm not in the mood to play soldier anymore." The brunette shrugged, taking the drink off Asra and pouring it into her cup. "Especially fighting some local warlord."

"He's not a local warlord." He said, lowering his voice slightly. "He's imperial."

"I'm in." Cara raised her glass with agreement before finishing it off.

"I told you to start with the Imperial part first." Asra smirked, counting the money on the table. "But it is nice to have the gang back together."

"So where have you two been since I last saw you." The brunette asked as they left the rest shop and went back to the ship.

"Everywhere!" The blonde answered, waving her hands dramatically. "It feels like we have flown around the entire galaxy."

"I bet he's flown around your entire galaxy." Cara winked and nudged the woman teasingly.

"At least three times." Asra nodded, playing along with the joke.