GALDANA || the mandalorian

PART THIRTY-EIGHT

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The first thing Fwega felt was the coolness of the chair against her jumpsuit. It sank in through the thin material until she was chilled to the bone, shivering slightly as her eyes snapped open.

The girl from before leered, sitting in another chair across from her. Green eyes met green, one like sunlight across ivy and the other like a sickly small pond that was left to be drowned in algae. The lights flickered above them and the woman looked up, glaring.

Fwega groaned slightly, lifting her head up from the bench and facing the girl head-on.

"Who..." Fwega coughed, thick sludge pooling at the base of her throat. The girl grinned widely and offered her a glass of water.

As she drank, the girl studied her, watching as Fwega's hand moved to her back pocket.

"Oh, no, lovely. There'll be no comms, not yet." She licked her teeth.

"Who... who are you?" Fwega croaked, setting the glass down beside her. Her eyes danced over her bright blue hair and her eyes grew widener in realization.

"You're-"

"My bad, babe, I didn't introduce myself!" Zita stood, spreading her arms so Fwega could look at her full body. Her crisp, purple suit looked too clean to have seen action, but the long trenchcoat around her shoulders was muddied at the bottom, like Fwega's boots. "The name's Zita. Let's see..." Zita thought for a moment, holding up two fingers. "Let's turn this into a game! You have three questions, and you just wasted the first one on asking who I was. Go ahead, then. Two more."

"You didn't fully complete my last question," Fwega answered. She needed to word her sentences more carefully from now on.

"Oh, poh. I guess I didn't." She fluffed out her blue afro. "You like it, highness? I'm growing it out."

Fwega only looked at her in answer.

Zita pouted. "You're no fun. Everyone hyped you up! Mythrol and Peli both said that you were a delight." She sighed. "We'll have lots of fun later, don't worry, love. I'm a Galdonian too, of course. I would've been one of your nobles, I assume, it's been a lil while."

"What do you want from me?"

"Oh! Another one right out of the gate! She's feeling frisky today folks! Are you gonna risk it all? Three million credits is your lucky number!" Zita turned, looking around the empty room like she was surrounded by a roaring audience.

Fwega tilted her head.

Zita blinked when she didn't receive a round of applause. "So, your mandalorian didn't tell you about your bounty, huh. Figures." She paused and sat down, draping an arm around the back of her chair.

"I suppose I do own you an explanation. It's funny how freeing justification is, don't you think? Everyone loves to know why. Well, I'll tell you why." She leaned closer, her eyes burning into Fwega's. "Because I want to."

Fwega closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was just told.

"It's always been poetic to me to be the last of something. It's nothing personal against you, highness. There's just no room in this infinity for both of us. The last Galdonian- now that is poetic cinema."

"Are you going to kill me?"

Zita sombered. "Yeah. Eventually. I've chased you everywhere, Fwega Galdana. Almost got caught a few times by your hot rebel friend and your hubby. Oh, wait, he's not your hubby yet, right? Your link isn't completed yet... It's so close. To be fair, it's kinda bumming me out." Zita took a knife out of her pocket and brandished it, stepping closer. Her friendly demeanor stayed, a clear contrast between her and the sharp knife now on Fwega's throat. "I wonder... can he feel this?"