THIRD PERSON POV
Reina leaned back into the pilot's chair in the cockpit where Mando typically sat to fly the Crest, her arms folded across her chest and her dark brown eyes closed. She breathed deeply through her nose and out of her mouth as the quiet air around her calmed her nerves. She had requested Mando and the others to leave her be.
She could still hear them below on the landing deck, since her ears had enhanced their abiltiy in the last several hours due to her depleting vision. Sounded like Mando's and Cara's arm wrestling challenge was intensifying. Reina wished she could join the fun while it lasts. Soon enough, they would all be on their toes at every second while they were on Nevarro. But since she could only make out colorfully blended blobs and smudged figures, Reina didn't have the cheer...
She knew where this situation was heading... Mando was going to drop her from the job. To 'protect' her, of course. And also, that she served no purpose if she couldn't see. Most likely, she would be left on the ship to monitor it.
That's strange...Reina thought as Mando and Cara's challenge suddenly grew quiet. Abruptly, Reina felt a twinge of energy inside her, informing her to get down to the deck now. She obeyed the energy and flew down the ladder to hear Cara's gasping, and when Reina knelt down next to her, she was clutching her throat. The energy moved Reina's head to a tiny green blob.
"Mando!" Reina pointed at the child, at which Mando reacted by grabbing the baby.
"No! No, no, no!" Mando distracted it and Cara was able to breathe. "She's a friend. Cara is our friend."
"That is NOT okay!" Cara thrust her finger at the child.
"Curious..." Kuiil muttered, walking over to the baby's side.
"Curious?" Cara asked, dumbfounded. "It almost killed me!"
"Cara, are you alright?" Reina gripped her forearm, at which Cara nodded reluctantly.
"The story you told me of the mudhorn now makes more sense." Kuiil looked up at Mando.
"What is it?" Mando asked.
"What it is, I don't know. What it does, this, I've heard rumors of."
"What rumors?" Reina questioned, hoping to find out more, especially since she could feel the energy the baby was using to choke Cara. Her sixth sense was returning...
"Rumors he must've heard when he worked for the Empire." Cara accused Kuiil of being an ally to the dead tyrannical government. Kuiil defended himself, and Mando ended with requesting the Ugnaught for his craftsmanship to make the capsule bulletproof, so that the baby would be safe. Kuiil obliged, and Reina didn't get her answer.
While Kuiil worked on the pod, Mando, Cara, and Reina gathered in the cockpit to talk about the plan once they get to Nevarro. After discussing the whereabouts of how the Imperials ended up on Nevarro, Reina chimed in with, "Tell Karga I was killed." She jumped straight to the point, not wasting any digression. "He'll believe you. I'll stay with the ship and keep an eye on the IG unit for you, Mando."
Mando nor Cara said a word for a long moment, the ex-shock trooper eyeing the Mandalorian on what his response would be. He didn't have a chance when 'Speak of the Devil' entered, informing the three humans that a meal has been prepared. Mando denied the offer firmly, and IG-11 exited just as quickly as he arrived.
"You got a real thing for droids, don't you?" Cara scoffed with a smirk.
"I got a real thing for that droid." Mando emphasized. "It tried to kill the little one."
"The Ugnaught said he rewired it."
"That droid was designed to kill things. I don't care how much 'rewiring' it has. It goes against its nature." Mando explained forcefully as he swung around in his seat to face the front of the ship, and Reina couldn't help but sigh. Mando had never informed her what had happened when he retrieved the child from the compound on Arvala-7 on their first job since she was confined to the cliff-face, but she had learned over the months that Mando loathed droids for personal reasons. She'd wanted to ask why, but figured he'd never spill.
"Well, this job shouldn't take too long anyway." Cara sighed, rising from her seat. "Take out the Imp, and the rest will run like rats. I'm heading down for some food. Care to join me, Reina?"
"I'm coming." Reina nodded. "I'll meet you down there." Cara nodded back and left the two alone in the cockpit, where silence became a friendly face.
"I'm sorry." Mando was the first to speak.
"Mando," Reina sighed, leaning forward and resting her forearms on her thighs with her hands clasped together. "There's no need to apologize. This is for the better. This way, you won't be distracted with trying to protect me. I'm okay. I promise."
Mando turned around in his seat to give her his full attention. "You are a terrible liar."
Reina couldn't help but smirk at the irony. "We know each so well...and yet, not enough...Don't you think so, Partner?" She rose to her feet, only for Mando to jump, too, and grab her wrist.
"I truly am sorry." Mando breathed softly, causing Reina to bite down on her bottom lip. Then, she smiled, faced the Mandalorian, and placed her hands on each side of his helmet. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes."
Reina closed her eyes and lifted the helmet just enough where Mando's mouth was visible, and slowly planted her lips on his, just like when they had left Tatooine. This time, she may have felt Mando kiss back. A moment later, she released and gently lowered the helmet in its rightful place. Nothing was said, but Reina nodded and whispered, "I know," before she exited the cockpit to join Cara for food.
Mando was taken back. That was the second time he had allowed her to lift his helmet, even if it wasn't completely taken off...With her eyes closed though, she doesn't see him...
So it was fair...
This time was different than the first. The first kiss was only a tease in Mando's mind because Reina had commented on how a great kisser Toro Calican was, and only kissed him so his 'jealousy' would reside...But this time, there was no joke behind the kiss. No motive. It was as if she kissed him to...just kiss him...
That woman...is something special.
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REINA'S POV
As I ate slowly alongside Cara, my whole body felt tingling inside, as if some new energy had entered my system. I did my best to ignore it, but the ex-shock trooper was very observant.
"Hey," She nudged my arm gently. "I'm sorry about your sight. I wish you were coming along with us."
"Yeah, so do I." I sighed, then shrugged. "It was a miracle in the first place; I can't ask for another one."
After awhile, Razor Crest jerked around as it descended onto Nevarro, and Cara shouldered her rifle as she stood up, holding out her hand to her friend. I accepted her help and the two briefly embraced just as the Crest touched down on solid ground. Mando came down from the cockpit, and helped Kuiil saddle the blurrgs. Cara and Kuiil mounted their respective blurrgs, but before Mando did he walked over to me, but I stopped him from saying anything.
"Just go." I held my hand out between us. "Be safe. Come back quickly." I could outline his figure with my blurred vision since we only stood a foot apart from each other.
Mando grasped onto my hand, squeezed it gently, then nodded. Lastly, he handed me a comm in case he needed to get in touch with me, which I gratefully accepted. Just before he turned to follow Cara and Kuiil, Mando performed one last feat by brushing the outside of his gloved fingers down my cheek. His touch lingered minutes after he and the others had left the ship and I heard the booming greeting of Greef Karga.
After that, the giant ramp closed, and I was left alone with IG-11.
YOU ARE READING
See Me, See You: A Mandalorian Story
FanfictionReina Beckett is blind, but that doesn't necessarily means she can't see what or who is around her. She is a bounty hunter who agrees to take on a job with the notorious, but mysterious Mandalorian. Their motives and morals intertwine and Reina lear...
