The Space Between Us - The Mandalorian

Chapter 8

"All the Empire does in enslave!" Aula spat back, earning another shove, this time from Cara's rifle.

"So much as another peep out of you and I'll kill you right here and now," she hissed.

"Who is this annoying woman who doesn't know how to hold her tongue?" the client asked, eyeing Aula from across the table.

"This ex-soldier found her assisting the Mandalorian and child," Karga explained. "Brought them all in."

"Good.  Look outside? Is the world more peaceful since the revolution? All I see is death and chaos. I would like to see the baby."

"It is asleep," Karga stopped the client from reaching out to open the pram.

"We'll all be quiet. Now open the pram-" However, before they could panic, a Trooper came over and whispered something to the client who rose to his feet. "Do not think me to be rude, but I must take this call."

He headed over to the bar counter. As soon as his back was turned, Lore slipped out of the the cuffs and Karga slipped him the blaster. "You've got one chance..."

"And ow, by the way," Aula told Cara, rubbing her now red cheek.

"Sorry, but I was trying to play along."

"I know, but did you have to hit me so hard?"

BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!

Everyone dove down to avoid the fire, consistent blaster fire from outside. 

"What the hell was that?" cried Aula when the shooting finally stopped. Everyone was wondering the same thing.

The client was dead, as were his group of Troopers, as well as the droid who had been working behind the bar. 

Cara raced to the window, rifle in hand, and cursed.

A line of armed Troopers, some in black armour, and some in white, were lined up outside the cantina, rifles pointing through the opening in the now-removed window. More Troopers were arriving - their small group was severely outnumbered.

Cara eyed the assembled enemy. "Well, that's definitely more than four..."

Lore began speaking to Kuiil over the radio, trying to reach him and receive an update. "Kuiil? Do you copy? Are you back at the ship yet? They're onto us. Kuiil, come in. Kuiil, are you there? Kuiil?"

An Imperial ship was landing and a man in long robes emerged, striding forward to stand at the front of the assembled army of Troopers. "You may think you have some idea of what you are in possession of but you do not. You have something I want, and it means more to me than you will ever know."

They were completely and utterly surrounded. There was no way out.

"Is there another way out of here?" asked Cara desperately.

"No, that's it," said Karga.

"Come on, there has to be a back way out," hissed Aula.

"What about the sewers," suggested Lore. "The Mandalorians have a covert down in the sewers. If we can get down there, they can help us escape."

"Yeah, sewers are good," decided Cara.

"I'll check for access points." Lore scanned the room through his visor.

"Uh oh," said Cara. "They're setting up an E-Web."

"A what?" asked Aula.

"It's over," sighed Karga.

"I found the sewer vent," announced Lore, rushing over and moving the furniture out of the way. They tried pulling the grate off the vent opening but it was sealed shut.

"I'm gonna blow it, out of the way." Cara opened fire upon the grate with her rifle.

"Your astute panic suggests that you understand your situation," the Imperial man called. "I would prefer to avoid any further violence."

"I think that's a load of crap," muttered Aula.

"I would like to encourage a moment of consideration: members of my escort have completed assembly of an E-Web heavy repeating blaster."

"So that's what it is," Aula mumbled.

"If you are unfamiliar with this weapon, I am sure that Republican Shock Trooper Carasynthia Dune of Alderaan will advise you that she has witnessed many of her ranks vaporize mid-descent facing the predecessor of this particular model." Cara looked a mix of having seen a ghost and wanting to kill.

"I advise disgraced Magistrate Greef Karga to search the wisdom of his years and urge you to lay down your arms and come outside. The structure you are trapped in will be razed in short order and your storied lives will come to an unceremonious end."

"What do you propose?" shouted Karga back at Gideon.

"A reasonable negotiation."

"And what assurance do you offer?"

"If you're asking if you can trust me, you cannot. Just as you betrayed our business arrangement, I will gladly break any promise and watch you die at my hand. My assurance is this: I will act for my own self interest, which at this time involves your cooperation and benefit. I will give you until nightfall, and then I will have the E-Web cannon open fire."

"I say we hear him out," said Karga.

"The minute we open that door, we're dead," countered Cara.

"We're dead if we don't. At least out there we've got a shot."

"Well I'm shooting my way out of here," Cara decided.

"Still not persuaded?" called the man.  "Well perhaps the decommissioned Mandalorian hunter, Din Djarin, has heard the songs of the Siege of Mandalore, when gunships outfitted with similar ordnance laid waste to the fields of Mandalorian recruits in The Night of a Thousand Tears. You have until nightfall. Choose wisely." 

The Troopers remained in position, appearing ready to shoot down anything that moved. 

"Din Djarin? What's Din Djarin?" Aula asked Lore. Then it hit her. "Wait - is that your name?"

"Yes."

(Din, yay! ;) 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :))