PURPOSE | The Mandalorian

XXXVIII

I stood behind Din's pilot seat as the Crest touched down on Nevarro, and I already heard shuffling around in the cargo bay from Kuiil and the bluurgs. I could only assume Cara was still sleeping and I groaned to myself, remembering that I said I'd wake her up.

As I handed Din his helmet, he smiled sadly at me as his dark eyes gave me a loving, appreciative look. For a moment, I let my eyes rove over his face, memorizing the curve of his lips, the shape of his cheekbones, and every scar that flecked his skin. I smiled back at him. "I love you," I whispered, placing a kiss to his forehead before he slipped the beskar over his head once more.

Placing a comforting hand on Din's shoulder, I gave it an affectionate squeeze before I jumped down the ladder, not bothering to keep the landing quiet as my boots thudded loudly on the floor. Kuiil didn't notice it, too busy unlatching the bluurg cage, but Cara jumped right awake, jolting upright in her seat.

Her eyes immediately landed on me, her face blank as she watched me bend down and grab my helmet. Then I said sarcastically before I slipped it over my head, "We're here."

Rolling my shoulders back, I turned just in time to watch as Din climbed down the ladder. He gave me a slight nod, and I smiled beneath my helmet. While he helped Kuiil with the bluurg cage, I sauntered towards the weapons vault and opened the still broken doors. I slipped multiple blades into my boots, and even some into my pants pockets. Then I lifted one of the larger rifle blasters off of its mount, turning it over delicately in my hands. Satisfied with the weapon, I slung the strap over my head and let it hang across my back. And just for good measure, I slipped a handheld blaster into the holster at my hip, my lightsaber clipped to my belt on the other.

"That's quite a collection," Cara called over my shoulder, eyeing the large machine blaster that was mounted on the wall next to my head.

"Take it," I smirked, and the look in her dark eyes turned purely feral as she heaved it off of the wall, holding it against her hip as she assessed the massive weapon.

Then she flicked her gaze back to mine. "Thanks," She said with a wink.

I nodded in response. Silver caught my attention out of the corner of my eye, and Din turned to us as he stood to his full height.

"Ready?" He asked.

Cara and I shared a certain look. Then we turned back to him, and I tilted my helmet slightly to the side. "Ready as we'll ever be," I replied, nonchalantly resting my hand on my lightsaber hilt.

Din's chest fell as he let out a long exhale. "Alright," He sighed, tapping a button on his vambrace. The bay ramp groaned to life, and Din, Cara, and Kuiil mounted the three bluurgs that the Ugnaught insisted on bringing. As the door continued to groan open, Din reached his hand out to me, and I kept my face blank as I grasped his hand, letting him swing me onto the bluurg behind him.

The ship shook as the bay ramp hit the ground, and Din led our crew down onto the dirt.

An older man, who I assumed to be Greef Karga, was surrounded by three bounty hunters, by the looks of them. He stepped forward and called to us, "Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando, but things have gotten complicated since you were last here."

Din remained silent. I began studying each of the three bounty hunters, each more intimidating than the last. The one I was worried about the most was the Trandoshian to Karga's left, who opened its jaw and slowly licked its long tongue across its teeth.

Karga chuckled to himself. "It also seems that introductions are in order. It appears that we both brought a security detail." I narrowed my eyes at him over Din's shoulder as he brought our bluurg to a stop. Karga continued, glancing at Cara, noticing the tattoo that wrapped around her bicep, "I recommend the shocktrooper stay behind and guard the ship. These lava fields are lousy with Jawas."