𝙎𝙊𝙇𝘼𝙍 𝙀𝘾𝙇𝙄𝙋𝙎𝙀, ᵀᴴᴱ ᴹᴬᴺᴰᴬᴸᴼᴿᴵᴬᴺ

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙀

Shivani's heart stops as Gideon raises his blaster, not to point it at her, but to aim for the one person she couldn't bear to lose. Din. "No." She mumbles, eyes wide with terror as the first shot pings off Mando's armour. He grunts at the contact and stumbles for a moment but remains unharmed. Recovering quickly, he whirls around with the E-Web and prepares to shoot Moff Gideon. But the Imperial is smart. Noticing the box of ammunition located close to the bounty hunter, he adjusts his aim. "No!" Shivani raises her own blaster with Gideon as her target, but something restrains her arms from behind.

Time seems to move slowly for her as she is forced to watch the man she despises pull the trigger. The box of ammunition detonates in an explosion of fire which blasts Din's body backwards. The rising flames do nothing but stoke the burning rage that has been building inside her. She yells out in agony, kicking and struggling as Din lies motionless on the charred ground of Nevarro. The Death Trooper, who had grabbed hold of her, dragged her kicking and screaming body over to Gideon.

"Hush, girl." He harshly commands, striding closer to the asset he had been yearning to attain. "All this fuss over a man who isn't worth the beskar covering his body." He tuts disapprovingly with a patronising shake of his head.

"Din Djarin is worth more than you will ever be, Moff Gideon." Shivani protests, her tired body still fighting against the trooper. "You will die writhing in the flames of your own destruction. And I promise you that I will be there, watching with a smile on my face as you burn in the hell you brought upon yourself."

Gideon scoffs out a laugh of disbelief. "Maybe so, my dear." He sneers at her tauntingly before aiming his blaster at Din's lifeless form once more. "But your precious Din Djarin will not be there with you."

Shivani growls furiously before driving her foot into Gideon's blaster and knocking the weapon out of his hand. Then she grips onto the arm of the trooper restraining her and uses it as leverage to lift her feet off the ground. Her legs then propel downwards, digging into the ground to allow her to tug the trooper's body over her and onto his back in the dirt. Fueled on by her anger, she whips a gold Aurelian dagger from the holster on her thigh and drives it ruthlessly into the neck of the trooper.

This now leaves her in a predicament. Moff Gideon stands before her. Unarmed and unprotected. More vulnerable than she's sure he's ever been during his Imperial career. The door is wide open for her to have the revenge she desires on the man who has caused her such pain and suffering. However, Din has still not moved. He lies mere metres away from her, caught in the crossfire of a battle he never would've been in if it wasn't for her. He'd done so much for her. Sacrificed his reputation, his livelihood and even put his life on the line. All to protect her and the child. The choice became easy. She wanted to kill Gideon for the home he had robbed her of. But with Din she found the home she deserved. This time, she had the chance to save her home. Din is worth more than Moff Gideon will ever be.

She sprints away from the Imperial, feeling nothing but satisfied with her choice. IG-11, Cara and Greef cover her as she reaches Din's side. With the strength of a thousand Valkyries watching over her, she heaves his body up and hauls her Mandalorian into the temporary safety of the cantina. The doors shut behind them as they hide themselves away inside. Cara helps Shivani to drag Din's body further into the room.

"Stay with us, buddy. We're gonna get you out of here." Cara grunts as the two women lower him to the floor.

"This is our only path out. Can you clear it?" Greef asks the droid, who robotically marches over to the grate. Shivani cradles the back of Din's helmet as his head sways limply.

The child, who is nestled in a brown bag, is placed on the floor as IG-11 turns to Greef. "If you go near this child, I will have no choice but to kill you."