The Mandalorian's Slave

Waiting is the Worst Part

The ride back to Kuiil's house isn't as enjoyable as the ride to the encampment. By the time we return to his house, my skin is red and sweaty from the sun.

"Is there anything you would like me to do?" I force myself to have a complacent tone.

"No. You may eat lunch."

I haven't eaten breakfast so my stomach is eager for more food. Kuiil serves me leftover stew and more spiced water.

"Thank you," I say. If possible, the stew tastes even better today.

"You are welcome. How long have you been the Mandalorian's slave?"

"About a week. We travel so much it's hard to keep track of time." I eat slowly to savor the taste.

"And how did he come into possession of you?"

"He killed my old Master. By law, that makes me his." A possession. That's all I am.

"Why does he keep you around? Mandalorians usually travel alone."

"I'm not sure," I admit. "I have this strange ability and I don't know how to control it. But I think that's why he keeps me."

"Strange ability?" Kuiil leans closer to me.

"Yes. On the day that the Mandalorian killed my Master, I somehow managed to sort of freeze everything. And recently I've been feeling strange things." It sounds so stupid to say out loud.

"Hm. Rest while you can. I am sure he will return soon."

I nod my thanks and return to the spare room. This time I lay down on the cot. It still smells like him, a strange combination of iron, sweat, and scented cologne. I can't sleep. Not while he's out there, risking his life.

This is stupid. I should be excited at the prospect of him dying. That would free me. But instead some idiotic part of me is praying that he lives. I am a fool. I sigh. Waiting is the worst part.

Eventually I fall asleep but I'm plagued my nightmares. The dreams are hazy but one thing is for certain: I'm being hunted. And no matter how far I run, there's always someone right behind me.

The sun is setting when I wake up. My head feels like it's full of cotton. Groggily, I get up walk out into the kitchen. Kuill isn't there. Neither is my Master.

I walk outside, where the air is finally starting to cool off. Kuill is tending to the blurrgs but there's still no sign of the Mandalorian. I try to ignore my own heart sinking.

"Do you need any help?"

"No. Keep a lookout for your Master."

I do as I'm told, waiting on the doorstep. My eyes strain in the dimming light but I see nothing. I stare at the horizon. I stare some more. Waiting really isn't a fun a job.

The sun is getting dangerously low when I spot movement on the horizon. There's the Mandalorian, walking stiffly but alive. And floating behind him is a strange orb. I have a thousand questions to ask him, but right now I'm just thankful that he's alive.

I rush over across the yard to him. He looks pretty badly beat up. His limp is even more noticeable up close and his armor looks like it was put to good use.

"Let's clean you up." He doesn't complain as I lead him back to Kuill's house and into the back room. He sits down heavily on the cot, exhaustion taking over. I flick on a light to see the full extent of his damage.

"May I touch you?" He nods, a pained aura surrounding him. Thankfully, his injuries don't seem to be too bad. The most important wound to address is a deep gash on his left arm.

"We'll need to stop the bleeding. I'll see if Kuill has bandages." He nods and lets out a grunt of approval.

I walk into the kitchen where Kuill has a medical kit ready for me. We don't bother exchanging words.

I rush back into the spare bedroom, nearly running into the orb that hangs suspended in the air.

"What is that?"

"The bounty."

"Their head?" I peel back some of the rough fabric covering the Mandalorian's arm.

"No. The bounty is alive inside." He winces as I rub a cleanser over his wound.

"Hold still." I grab some gauze and press it down firmly. But the blood is too much. "I need to cauterize this." I reach into the kit and pull out a small cauterizing pen. "This is gonna hurt."

"It already hurts." Even through his helmet, I can hear the pain in the Mandalorian's voice.

"I'm sorry." I dab as much of the blood away as I can. The pen lights up in my hand. It hums with energy as I run it along the jagged edge of the gash.

The Mandalorian groans in pain as I work. His arm tenses up as I will myself to go faster.

"Almost done," I promise him. He nods. I wonder what he's thinking under that helmet. But now isn't the time.

The cauterization is over quickly. I pull out a clean bandage and bind his wound, just in case.

"Your welcome," I say, admiring my work.

"Pretty sure slaves have to do whatever their Masters tell them to do." And just like that, my triumphant mood vanishes.

"So explain the capsule thing." I jerk my head back towards the strange floating ball.

"The bounty is inside. The bounty is a child."

"A kid? What?"

"Yes."

"We can't turn in a child." This isn't my place. But whatever they want with a child, it can't be good. And I don't even know who "they" is.

"This is not up for for debate. We're leaving."

"You're exhausted and look like hell. We should stay one more night."

"No, we must leave," the Mandalorian says in a growl.

"You're limping so bad you can barely walk." I point out.

"I don't recall asking for you to be so disobedient." His voice becomes low and dangerous. Part of me knows that I should stop before I get slapped. Or worse. "Where's Kuill?"

"Outside tending to the blurrgs. Why?"

"Make sure the door is closed." He completely ignores my question.

"Why?" I'm not gonna stop asking until I get an answer.

"It's time you learned your place."