we were infinite - the mandalorian

n i n e t e e n

"Stop it." She said, feeling the heavy weight of his gaze on her.

"What?"

"You don't think I can pull this off." She grunted.

"You can barely walk." He noted.

She scoffed, "And yet, I know for a fact I could take down a couple of Imps in my sleep."

Mando carefully stepped around an abandoned speeder as they continued to walk through the rubble filled landscape.

"Then let's make this interesting." He said.

She raised a brow, glancing over at her metallic companion.

"First one to take down their opponents and get to the meeting point owes the other a foot rub when this is all over." He said.

Mia's eyes widened in his direction. "I want a foot rub."

She liked to think that she had some profound effect over him these past weeks. In the beginning he was barely able to say two words to her, and now he was willing add fun to their dire situation. She was proud.

"But wait," said Mia, "You've got four guys to take out, I only have two."

He held out his right hand, "Four Imps." Then his left hand, "Two Imps and a broken rib. I think the odds are pretty fair."

Mia dipped her head into a nod. "You're on Bucket-head."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Upon reaching the concealed Imperial base, the Mandalorian wrapped his fingers around the neck of his blaster, Mia furnishing both her hands with daggers.

She silently stepped to the rear entrance as Mando stood at the side waiting to approach the front.

They could make out two Imps already stationed at the entrance, just like they had anticipated. So far, their planning had been correct.

They shared a brief glance from the opposing sides where they stood. Mia held up her leg, wriggling her foot in his direction with a cheeky smile.

He shook his head disapprovingly.

He found it amusing that she thought she'd win the bet, but was also glad that he'd managed to bring out such a goofy side of her in such a moment.

After a brief pause, Mia watched as the Imperial guards faced away from her view. Signalling a nod to the Mandalorian, they both split to their mark points.

Before registering his arrival, Mando had swiped the legs of one of the guards, blasting his shoulder to which he fell to the floor. His fist collided with the helmeted head of the second guard, knocking out both entrance guards within seconds.

Using one of their key cards, he'd gained access the interior of the base within seconds.

Mia on the other hand hated the fact that she was moving slower than usual. Kidding a dagger into the neck of one Storm Trooper, she hissed at the pain that struck through her.

Immediately striking her leg in a backward kick, she hit the remaining Trooper before lodging a stab to his thigh and upper arm. Mia stood over the two fallen bodies, unconscious or not they were down for now and that's all they needed.

Biting her lip so hard, she could have sworn she'd tasted her own blood. The pain was incredible yet bearable. The thought of a successful mission seemed to overpower the pain of her broken bones.

Hair hanging loose around her face as she caught her breath, Mia was done. So the last thing she had expected was to see Shock Trooper aiming a large blaster in her direction.

Not taking a single moment to hesitate, she raced towards the figure, kicking the pistol from his grasp before striking her knuckles into the side of his exposed neck. Her sharp knuckle brace wrapped around her fist caused the Troopers' neck to flood a stream a blood before he collapsed into it.

With one final glance around for any more unexpected opponents, Mia allowed herself to breath again, but held her dagger up sharply to the rear door which slid open.

She dropped her weapon at the sight of the Mandalorian on the other side.

"Can you believe these things open every door in the facility?" He held up the key card in his hand, "How stupid is that?"

"I was seconds away," Mia said between gasps as she clutched her abdomen, dagger still in hand. "from sticking this through your neck."

His gaze shifted to the two discarded bodies on the ground, no, three. No wonder she looked exhausted. He'd miscalculated and it could have cost her life.

"Yeah," she scoffed as she followed his gaze, "You forgot about this one." She motioned to the knocked out Shock Trooper.

He was impressed. Very impressed. She never ceased to amaze him with her abilities.

"Will you forgive me if I say that the queen is just behind this door?" He said, his motionless glance bouncing off hers.

This caught her attention. "No," she walked toward the door in which he motioned, "But a foot-rub will."

They stepped into the back entrance of the facility, a locked door to their right.

Sharing one brief glance of anticipation and excitement, the Mandalorian moved to unlock the door.

With a smooth swoosh, their eyes settled on a seated figure in the small room as the door opened.

"Holy shit." Mia breathed.

Her eyes met those of Queen Satine Soruna. Her skin was tight on her cheeks, eyes were dark - she'd certainly been suffering.

"Queen Soruna?" Said Mando, tentatively stepping forward as she flinched back slightly.

"Who's asking?" She looked weak, though her voice still radiated with the confidence of a monarch.

"We were hired by your husband," Mia reasoned, "We're here to take you home."

A deep sigh of happiness and dumbfounded relief escaped the queens' lips.

"Thank us later," Mando grunted as the queen rose to her feet. "We need to move before the others catch on."

Mia couldn't make out the queen's expression, it was as if she was feeling everything at once but words could not escape to describe them.

Weapons raised and eyes alrert, Mando and Mia led the queen to their ship. No one uttered a word. Perhaps the bounty pair were too afraid to celebrate knowing that absolutely everything could still go wrong. Itwas an odd feeling of sickening joy.

That moment of realisation had finally hit. As the two watched the planet become a distant star upon their ascent, the queen aboard and not a person harmed. Neither said a word nor displayed a smile, but Mia and Mando let the sense of pride and thankfulness fill them from the inside.

They did it.