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NATALIA WAS sick of walking. She'd been doing it non stop for a day and a half and the little water she received wasn't helping with the matter. Her feet ached with every step and each breath she drew in burned her lungs from the hot air surrounding her.
When the three began walking up a hill something distant caught Natalia's ears. It sounded like shouts. Whatever it was the Mandalorian must have heard it too because as they neared the top of the hill his steps started to slow.
Something shiny below them caught Natalia's eyes. She squinted to see it she could get a better look when she made out what she believed to be a wing. If Natalia had to guess she'd say it was a ship, no doubt the Mandalorians. The ship was rather large but next to the Sandcrawler it looked no larger than a pebble.
A small smile formed on Natalia's face as she watched the small cloaked figures of the Jawas walking in, out, and around the ship. The predicament was rather amusing to her but clearly not to the Mandalorian. The Mandalorian yanked on Natalia's arm to pull her behind him as she bit back a laugh.
"Is that yours?" Natalia didn't even need to ask the question, she knew the answer. "It is." Natalia laughed.
"Shut up and get down." The Mandalorian ordered as he pulled out his rifle and dropped to a kneel.
Natalia made no move to get down and she sure as hell wasn't going to. He couldn't order her around like some slave. But the Mandalorian seemed to be in no mood to argue with Natalia because he ignored her stillness and fired shots at the Jawas below. The child leaned forward in it's pod with a smile growing on it's face as it watched the violence below. Shot after shot the Mandalorian blew Jawas to oblivion until the ones lucky enough to survive were sealed inside the Sandcrawler.
The Mandalorian quickly jumped up as the Sandcrawler began to move. Natalia barely had time to react when he grabbed her arm and taking off in a sprint. She almost fell from the sudden change of speed but managed to stay on her feet. Natalia struggled to keep up with the Mandalorian's speed as they ran down the hill. She was still in shock they were actually doing this. What does he think he's gonna do anyway? Jump on it?
"I didn't take you for the stupid type!" Natalia yelled over the creaking of the Sandcrawler's rusted wheels.
"Don't run away." The Mandalorian ordered before letting his tight grip on her arm subside and took off sprinting towards the Sandcrawler.
"You're an idiot!" Natalia yelled.
This was her chance to escape, the peace in the storm she'd been waiting for and she sure as hell wasn't going to wait another minute to take it. Her ship couldn't be far from here and with the Mandalorian occupied she should have enough time to get a lead. She'd just had to pray the Jawas didn't get to her ship. But she was no monster. She would not leave the child to rot in the hands of the Empire.
So the instant the Mandalorian jumped onto the Sandcrawler Natalia grabbed the child out of the pod before it could begin it's race towards him and took off running in the opposite direction. A small laugh filled Natalia's ears and she looked down to see the child looking up to her with a huge smile on it's face. A small smile began to form on Natalia's face as she stared at the child. It sure was cute.
As Natalia ran past the Mandalorian's ship she saw the damage done to it. Most of the outer metal was stripped and sparks dripped from the fallen cords and wires. It basically looked naked.
"He's never getting off this place." Natalia mumbled to herself.
But her words would eventually come back to bite her in the ass because three minutes later her daring escape was put to an end. Somehow the Mandalorian had managed to catch up with her and tackle her to the ground.
The Mandalorian had stayed on top of Natalia even when they had hit the ground. It was over all uncomfortable for Natalia. She was being pushed down by the Mandalorian's weight and jabbed by his armor but at the same time she had to keep most of her body up to keep the unharmed child unharmed.
"Where do you think you're going?" The Mandalorian questioned.
"I thought you were busy climbing a Sandcrawler?" Natalia questioned as the Mandalorian finally got off her. "Don't tell me you fell off." The Mandalorian remained silent causing Natalia to look up to him with wide eyes. "You fell off, didn't you?"
"I asked you a question." The Mandalorian stated as he ripped the child from Natalia's arms.
"As did I." Natalia argued as the Mandalorian placed the child in the pod.
"I'm the one who decides whether you live or die. Remember that." The Mandalorian spat as he harshly pulled Natalia up from the ground by her arm.
