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IT'S BEEN a long time since Natalia has stepped foot in Mos Eisley. The last time she had even stepped foot on this dust ball of a planet had changed her life forever and she owed it all to the Mos Eisley Cantina of all places.
The place was more empty than Natalia remembered it, though she should have figured nothing less now that Jaba and his little band of slime were all gone. From what she could tell nothing remained of Mos Eisley other than the locals and a few stormtrooper helmets through spears. It looked like a violent version of the memorial Natalia had helped Rex and Ahsoka set up for the fallen clones after Order 66.
"This place used to be alive with people." Natalia said as they walked into the nearly empty cantina. "Now it's just a hunk of junk."
"You've been here before?" The Mandalorian asked.
"A long time ago." Natalia said with a small nod. "That's where it all started." She pointed to one of the booths in front of the bar. "Right there in the chair."
"That's great. Now can we focus on what we actually came here for?"
Natalia scoffed. "I'm going to sit down. You can find us a job."
Natalia didn't wait for his reply before heading to the chair she had first met Luke in. Only there was a minor problem, some half ass excuse of a man was sitting in it. He had his feet propped up on the table with a coin in his left hand. She could practically sense the ego this man had and she knew she already didn't like him.
"Can I help you?" He asked as Natalia approached him.
"Get up." Natalia ordered.
"Excuse me?" He asked as he removed his feet from the table.
"You heard me." Natalia said as she placed her hands on her hips.
"I've been sitting here." The guy argued.
"I don't care." Natalia stated. "Get up."
"No way."
"It wasn't a question."
"Break it up." The Mandalorian said as he approached the two.
"Better luck next time, blondie." The guy said with a smug smirk.
A glare formed on Natalia's face and had it not been for the Mandalorian catching her arm mid swing, she would have punched the guy in the face. "We're leaving, there's no work here." The Mandalorian said.
Natalia pulled her arm out of the Mandalorian's grasp and glared up at him. "What do you mean there's no work? This is Tatooine."
"Well, if you're looking for work, have a seat, my friends." The guy said as he gestured to the seat in front of him.
"I'm not your friend." Natalia spat, glaring down at the man. "We'll go find work somewhere else."
"Wait. Hear him out."
"Hear him out?" Natalia questioned.
"Name's Toro, Toro Calican." The guy introduced himself. "What's yours, blondie?"
"You don't need to know my name." Natalia spat.
"Relax." The Mandalorian said as he sat down in the booth, leaving room for Natalia to sit next to him. Natalia audibly groaned before sitting down.
"Picked up the Bounty Puck before I left the Mid Rim." Toro said as he placed the puck on the table. "Fennec Shand, an Assassin. Heard she's been on the run ever since the New Republic put all her employers in lockdown."
"I know the name." The Mandalorian stated.
"I followed this tracking fob here." Toro said as he dug the fob out of his pocket. "Now the positional data suggests she's headed out beyond the Dune Sea. Should be an easy job."
"Well, good luck with that." The Mandalorian said causing a smirk for form on Natalia's face.
"Wait, wait, wait, hey." Toro protested as the duo got up to leave. "I thought you needed work?"
"Work." Natalia said. "Not a death sentence."
"How long have you been with the Guild?" The Mandalorian asked.
"Long enough." Toro argued.
"Clearly not." The Mandalorian argued. "Fennec Shand is an elite mercenary. She made her name killing for all the top crime syndicates, including the Hutts. If you go after her, you won't make it past sunrise."
"Look, this is my first job." Toro argued.
"Oh, we figured that out, hot shot." Natalia said as she folded her arms over her chest.
"You can keep the money, all of it. I just need this job to get into the Guild." Toro scoffed. "I can't do it alone."
The Mandalorian looked over to Natalia and a small glare formed over her face once she realized what he was silently asking. "No." She spoke sternly.
"Meet us at Hangar three-five in half an hour." The Mandalorian said with a small nod.
"Are you insane?" Natalia asked, her anger only fueling at the smirk growing on Toro's face. "Bring three speeder bikes and give me the tracking fob." The Mandalorian said as he held his hand out, instantly wiping the smirk of Toro's face.
Toro looked down to the fop then the Mandalorian's hand before smashing the fob against the wall, shattering it. Natalia threw her hands up in the air with a roll of her eyes. "Are you serious?"
"Don't worry." Toro reassured. "I've got it all memorized."
"If you betray us, I'll burn you alive." Natalia said as she glared at Toro.
"Is that a threat?" He scoffed.
"It's a promise."
"Half an hour." The Mandalorian stated.
"Looks like you're stuck with me now, partners." Toro called as the duo walked towards the door.
"We're all going to die and it's your fault." Natalia muttered as they walked out of the cantina and back into the scorching heat.
