Calamity || The Mandalorian

ten

As Mando gently landed the Razor Crest on the planet Sorgan, Kasia grunted slightly at the impact, her shoulder giving a short throb of pain before quickly fizzling out. In her lap, the child cooed softly, and she smiled down at him as he let his head drop back against her stomach.

"Listen," Mando spoke up suddenly after finishing landing procedures. Kasia snapped to attention at the words he directed to both her and the child. "I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna look around. It shouldn't take too long." He stood up from the pilot seat and turned to face both of them, his helmet dipping to look down at the child before glancing up at Kasia. "Now, both of you—don't touch anything. I'll find us some lodging and I'll come back for you two. Just... stay here."

With that, Mando nodded once before turning on his heel and making his way to leave the ship.

Kasia and the child both stared after his retreating figure for a beat before glancing at each other. "Yeah, so we're not going to do that right?" she asked the kid and he cooed in agreement. Stifling a smile, she stood and, after ensuring that she did indeed have both her blasters holstered, stalked after the Mandalorian, child clutched in her right arm.

Mando gave a long-suffering sigh the moment he saw them but said nothing, obviously having expected them to follow. From his position in her arm, the child smiled up at Mando and Kasia felt a wave of affection emanate from the Mandalorian. She pretended not to notice as she set the kid on the ground between the two of them.

"Gods I missed the smell of fresh air," she breathed, taking a deep whiff of the pine-scented forest air.

"So dramatic," Mando muttered, his modulator picking up on the otherwise inaudible murmur. Kasia laughed and made her way off of the Razor Crest, Mando following a second later as he rolled his eyes under his helmet. Behind the two of them, the child struggled to keep up with their longer strides.

The walk to the village was long but finally they reached the small city center and entered what Kasia supposed counted as a tented restaurant. As the trio walked to an open table, they passed a muscular and tattooed woman. Though he concealed any physical reaction well enough, Kasia didn't mess the near imperceptible breath Mando gave as he first noticed her. She frowned but said nothing.

When they reached an available table, Kasia slid into one of the seats as Mando hefted the child up and placed him in another before taking his own.

"Thank the Gods we're finally here, I'm starving," Kasia groaned as she pouted down at her stomach. She glanced to the child, "You feel me kid?" she asked, and he cooed in agreement. Together they glanced over at Mando, but he shook his head. "Of course you're not hungry," Kasia muttered under her breath. "You probably live off of the sustenance of solitude and captured bounties anyway."

Just then a bar maid approached them, "Welcome, travelers. Can I interest you in anything?"

"We'll take two cups of bone broth, for me and the little one," Kasia piped up, a wide smile across her face. She didn't bother ordering for Mando.

"Oh, well, you're in luck. I just took down a grinjer, so there's plenty," the barmaid informed her and Kasia returned an awkward smile, unsure whether she was making a joke or if she was being serious. She turned to where Mando sat silently, "Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?"

As expected, he shook his head, "Just the two."

"Very well," the woman said, turning to leave.

"That one over there," Mando suddenly spoke up, indicating the muscled woman they had passed earlier. "When did she arrive?"

Kasia perked up at the unexpected question but kept her expression perfectly neutral as she glanced at the woman and then back at the barmaid.

"I've seen her here for the last week or so," the barmaid informed him, voice slightly uncertain as she spoke.