Masked Love

XVII

A hologram of a man stood in front of us. He smiled softly as the transmission continued, "You might be surprised to hear this but I am alive too. I guess we could call it even."

I turned to Din as he sat slowly in his seat, "What does he mean 'Call it even.'"

"I shot him." He answered. His voice low with the modulator. His gaze didn't leave the transmission once.

"A lot has happened since we last saw each other. The man who hired you is still here and his ranks of ex-Imperial guards have grown." The man said.

I sucked in a breath. It could only be as bas as I was imagining it. The amount of Imperial guards ten times the amount we saw on Kanarru. Just slowly growing as we played around on other planets.

"They have imposed despotic rule over my city. Which has impeded the livelihood of the Guild. We consider him an enemy but we cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission I will very much make it your while."

No absolutely not. There was no way Din was going to even consider this. It was too dangerous to get near an Imperial army. Even with me by his side.

"You have been successful enough on starving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prize. Both of them."

I furrowed my brows as my eyes grew wide. Both? As in the kid and I? I thought I was a bounty they wanted dead. One last person out of the way protecting the child. What changed now?

"Kirra...They have changed your bounty and have asked you be brought in alive. Why that has changed I cannot say. So here's my proposition. Return to Navarro. Use Kirra and the child as bait. I will arrange an exchange and provide loyal Guild members as protection. Once we get near the client, you kill him and we both get what we want."

This was absolutely crazy. There was something that wasn't sitting right with me one bit. I looked down at the child. Thinking of all the things that could happen to him if this went wrong. It was too big of a risk. There was no way Din was considering this.

"If you succeed you keep the child, and the girl can finally be free. No longer will she have to live on the run, and under your protection. And I will clear your name with the Guild. For a man of honor should not be forced to live in exile. I await your arrival with optimism."

With his last words the transmission stopped. Yet the two of us still stared like it was replaying. Like the man was still spouting all the things we wanted. I tried to steady my breathing as Din stayed silent.

"Who was he?" I asked quietly. My voice shaking as I stayed behind his seat. Just staring at the back of his helmet.

"Greef Karga. An agent with the Guild. He was the one who gave me the bounty for the child. I thought I killed him when the kid and I escaped." Mando answered as he tilted his head over his shoulder towards me.

"It's got to be a trap." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest, "There's no way its this easy."

"Maybe..." He said quietly as he turned away from me.

My hands fell to my side. I was in complete disbelief by the short answer he gave me. "You seriously cannot be considering this?"

"I trust Karga." He said quietly as he stood up. Walking past me quickly out of the cockpit. I knew him well enough now he was lying. But why I couldn't tell.

I let out a baffled scoff as I followed behind him through the hallway, "You shot and almost killed him."

"Its a chance for you and the kid." He replied as he turned to me quickly. His voice growing louder.