Falling for a Mandalorian

Chapter 17

Elara was beginning to grow worried. A full day passed and the Mandalorian hadn't returned yet. Peli brought her meals in the ship and kept her company when she wasn't working on the Razor Crest. 

"Chin up," Peli told her when she began to look glum. 

"Tatooine is a big planet and your Mandalorian seems capable enough. I bet he's on his way back now." 

Elara tried her best to smile. 

"Thanks, Peli." 

Elara was organizing supplies in the cargo bay when she heard yelling. She picked up the child and knelt down behind a crate. 

"I don't know who you're talking about. I haven't seen a Hapan around here. I think I'd know if I had seen one." Peli's voice echoed loudly. 

"She's lying. Search that ship." A male voice growled. 

Elara recognized it as Calican's. The unmistakable sound of a blaster rang out and Elara froze in fear. She knew she was trapped. She didn't have time to make a run for it and if she went deeper into the ship, it would only be a matter of time till they found her and the child. She’d have to try and shoot her way out. 

Heavy footsteps trampled the cargo bay ramp. She placed the child down and tried to tuck him into a safe position amongst the various boxes. Then she readied her blaster. Elara heard loud snuffling and then the green tusked face of a Gamorrean appeared. She squeezed the trigger of her blaster and shot him in the face. The Gamorrean fell to the ground dead. 

"There!" Calican shouted. 

Elara stood and quickly surveyed her surroundings. There were five of the menacing beings, each advancing toward her. She fired more shots at them, but they only glanced off the Gamorreans' armor. Giant hands grabbed her roughly from the side and ripped the blaster from her hands. 

"Let me go!" Elara cried out, struggling against her captor. 

She looked back and saw Calican picking up the child. 

"No! Leave him alone!" 

She tried to kick the Gamorrean, but he ignored her and dragged her from the cargo bay and into the hangar. She was brought before a large being with an immense slug-shaped body. She knew it was one of the Hutts. 

"See Rotta, a full blooded Hapan. And one with red hair. Those are rare even by Hapan standards." Calican said with the child in his arms. 

Elara watched as the child raised his hands and reached for her. When she didn't come to take him from Calican, the child began to struggle. Rotta the Hutt answered Calican in a guttural language that Elara couldn't understand. Calican stepped forward and accepted a large sack from the hands of Rotta.

"This is a fair sum. Keep me in mind if you need a bounty hunter." Calican replied with a small bow. 

Elara glared at Calican, willing him to meet her eyes. He refused to look at her and instead stared down at the child, who had begun to cry. Tears of anger and humiliation rolled down Elara's cheeks as a Gamorrean guard snapped a chained collar around her neck. 

The chain was handed to Rotta who jerked Elara toward him. Elara tripped and fell to her knees. The Hutt said something in his language and began to laugh. All of his Gamorrean guards joined in as well. Elara stared up at his bouncing jowls, wishing she could use the chain he held to choke him. 

Rotta turned and began to slither out of the hangar, pulling Elara along behind him. Elara gasped as they passed Peli’s limp body. Her droids crouched around her, beeping forlornly. She hoped that she had only been stunned and wasn't dead. Elara looked back at the child as more tears threatened to spill. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that the Mandalorian was safe and uninjured. He was their only hope. 

When the Mandalorian found Fennec Shand dead and no trace of Calican, he knew something had gone terribly wrong. He cursed aloud and mounted the dewback, urging it to ride back to Mos Eisley as fast as possible. He should have never left Shand alone with Calican. 

The ride felt impossibly long and he tried his best to stay calm and stop imagining the worst case scenario - Elara being sold to the Hutts and the child returned to the Imps. As the Mandalorian continued on, fear turned to anger. If Elara or the child were harmed, he would make Calican pay. A Mandalorian in love was a dangerous enemy. 

It was nightfall when he arrived. The usually busy hangar was eerily calm. The Mandalorian made his way to Bay three-five, where he saw Pelli’s droids shaking with fear in her office. The Mandalorian turned the corner with his blaster drawn. Calican stood with the child in the crook of one arm and a blaster pointed at Peli's head with the other. 

"Took you long enough." Calican taunted the Mandalorian. 

"Where's Elara?" He asked, keeping his blaster pointed at Calican. 

"Your girlfriend? You won't find out till you drop your blaster. I'm calling the shots now." Calican replied with a cocky grin. 

The Mandalorian slowly placed his blaster on the ground. 

"Now put your hands behind your head." Calican ordered him. 

The Mandalorian raised his hands, thankful that Calican didn't notice he had an object grasped in his palm. 

"Tie him up." Calican said, shoving Peli forward. 

Peli approached the Mandalorian from behind. 

"He sold her to the Hutts. I'm sorry. I tried to stop them, but they stunned me." She whispered as she pretended to tie the Mandalorian's hands. 

He stiffened momentarily and Peli backed away. 

"Fennec Shand was right. Not only will I become a legend in the guild for killing you, I also made a ton of money selling your Hapan." Calican said with a laugh. 

"Sorry, Mando but business is business and you’re nothing but a filthy traitor." He added as he adjusted his grip on his blaster. 

Before Calican could pull the trigger, the Mandalorian pressed a button on the object in his hand and threw it at Calican's feet. The flash bang illuminated the bay brightly and then exploded with a loud boom. 

Calican cried out in surprise and dropped the child. He raised his blaster to shoot the Mandalorian, but couldn't see anything besides the afterburn of the blinding light. 

A fist punched from the left and knocked the blaster from his hands. Calican tried his best to fight off the Mandalorian, but he was no match for him in hand-to-hand combat. The Mandalorian easily knocked him to the ground and pinned him with a hand on his throat. 

"Where is Elara?" He demanded through gritted teeth. 

When Calican didn't respond, he tightened his grip. 

"The Hutts. Rotta the Hutt bought her. If you let me go, I can help you get her back." Calican sputtered. 

"Not a chance." The Mandalorian said as he raised his blaster to Calican's temple and fired. 

The Mandalorian stood and turned to Peli. She held the child in her arms. 

"Don't worry about the little one. He's fine. I'll watch him. Go! Save her!" 

The Mandalorian gave Peli a quick nod and then sprinted into the darkness of the night.

Hey everyone. Hope you're all being safe and doing well in these trying times. Despite being in a state with a high level of COVID-19 cases, I am still working full-time as a librarian. Even though we have switched to curbside pickup and drop off only, we still have a high level of interaction with the public. Although this story hasn't been my first priority this past week or two, I haven't forgotten. I'm going to try my best to write during lunch breaks - for both you and me. I need a break from the stress and anxiety of reading the news all day. 😊

Stay safe and well, dear readers.