Promises and Deals | The Mandalorian

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Tired of the manipulation, Alora races forward and throws his head into the ladder, happily watching the Twi'lek fall unconscious. "I had that," Mando mutters from behind as she climbs the steps. She sends him a look before she gets to the top.

Instantly, she throws her blade across the hull, grinning as it finds its target in the droid standing in front of the Child. As the droid flops to the ground, the Child coos happily when he sees her.

Mando climbs up behind her with Qin's body over his shoulder. "We gotta be quick," he says after seeing the body. Placing Qin down, Mando throws the droid into the prison ship before closing the hole.

Alora waits until he looks at her before she slips the blinking tracking beacon into Qin's pocket with a playful grin. "That's..." Mando shakes his head. "That's a good idea."

She shrugs. Obviously.

It only takes a few minutes for Mando to pilot the ship back to the space station they started at. Alora stays with the Child in their small space, gently cradling him to sleep as Mando makes the exchange. She has no interest in their dealings as long as they get the credits promised to them.

As Mando walks back onto the ship, closing the hull behind him, he sighs as he looks over at her. He doesn't do much before he climbs up to the cockpit and takes off.

Realizing the Child had fallen asleep once more, Alora gently places him into his small hammock before she makes her way to the cockpit just in time to see X-Wings destroy the space station. She sits down with a sigh, tucking her legs under her as the ship goes into hyperdrive, the space around them disappearing in a cloud of light.

"Kid asleep?" Mando asks, glancing back to see her nod before looking back out of the ship. "That's good." They fall into a comfortable silence. "I knew that was a bad idea."

Alora chuckles. "Yeah, you really need better friends."

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"Yeah, you really need better friends."

Her voice is rough—rougher than Mando would have thought. He doesn't know what he imagined, but the gravely tone of her voice is almost soothing. His hand freezes above the lever as he slowly turns to look at her.

With her mouth hanging open, the girl's stare is filled with shock. She moves her jaw experimentally as she narrows her eyes. "I..." He's never seen someone so awed by their own voice.

He does not know what to do. "They weren't friends. Old colleagues," he chooses to say as he turns his chair to face her, his arms resting on his knees. "We needed the money."

"There are better ways to make money," she snaps before she blinks in surprise. It takes her a moment, but she eventually adds, "With this and that Toro character, I don't know whether you just have bad luck or you attract the bad ones."

"A little bit of both, probably."

"Ha ha." She crosses her arms and leans back in her seat. "Guess you're in good company. I attract the bad ones too. It's kind of a problem."

He grins under his helmet. She has a sense of humor—at least, she isn't dull. "We'll help each other out then."

Clicking her tongue, she shrugs. "I'm sure we will."

"Do you have a name?"

"Do you?"

"You really wanna play this game?"

She presses her lips together. "I mean, you did almost give us up to some sketchy Imps, so why not give you a hard time?"

"I also rescued you."

"I noticed. Took you five hours."

Mando goes to reply but pauses. "Really? Five hours? I thought less."

The girl sighs as she adjusts in the seat to lean forward. "I honestly didn't think you would come back," she admits with a small shake of her head.

He takes a moment. The look in her eye...she's been abandoned before. "What did the six taps mean?" He asks instead.

"I gave you six hours." The look disappears from her gaze. "Six hours to come back. After that, I was going to get us out or die trying." Her hand, whether consciously or not, reaches up to scratch her chest where Mando knows a tattoo lies beneath her clothes.

"Six taps for six hours. Smart."

"I guess you didn't get my twenty minutes?" She arches a brow almost playfully before she spreads out her fingers, clenches her hands before repeating the motion. "I'm glad I got you or else you would be stuck on a New Republic prison ship."

"I had a plan."

"I'm sure you did." She coughs a few times and runs a hand down her face. "I forgot how tiring talking can be."

"How long?"

"Years." Leaning her head back, she stretches her arms in front of her experimentally, seeming to marvel at her own muscles. "You can call me Tiri, by the way."

Mando tilts his head. "Is that your name?"

"Is Mando yours?"

Well, she got annoying very quickly.

"My name is too recognizable," she says when he doesn't respond. "Tiri is safer. For you and for me."

Mando nods as he sits back in his seat. "So, General Tiri—" Annoyance flashes through her eyes. It makes him smile. "Where to next?"

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ALORA SPEAKS

Hope you enjoyed!

-L