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WHEN NATALIA had woken up she found herself sitting in a ship. An oxygen mask as strapped over her mouth and nose and a bandage was wrapped tightly around her chest. The mud on her clothing had since dried and Natalia was she she could simply brush some of it off. The child sat in it's pod on the chair beside her and in front of her she could see out the shine of the Mandalorian's helmet. She put the pieces together quickly and figured the Mandalorian had fixed up his ship and based on the stillness of the ship they had landed on another planet.
"Where are we?" Natalia demanded, breaking the silence of the ship.
The Mandalorian ignored her question and flipped a few switches before rising from his chair. Natalia shot him a look, a way of silently demanding an answer. But once more he ignored her and removed the mask from her face, setting it aside.
"You don't have to do this." Natalia said the realization finally clicked in her mind. They were here. "No reward could be worth helping the Empire."
"If I don't do it, someone else will." The Mandalorian finally spoke as he pulled Natalia up from the chair by her arm. A groan fell past her lips as the sudden movement and her hands instantly went over her ribs. "If someone's going to get this reward, I intend for it to be me."
"If all you do is fight for your own greed, then your life is worth nothing." Natalia spat as she glared up at the Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian stared down at her for a moment. A moment which gave Natalia way to much hope. Hope that was quick to crumble the instant he pushed her forwards to walk out of the ship. The entire walk to the building was silent. Not one of them spoke a word, not even the child who was looking around at the village surrounding them.
Every step Natalia took send pain rippling through her body but she suppressed the groans of pain and the urge to wince. If there was anything her mother had taught her it was not to show your enemy your pain or fear. It only makes them stronger.
A pounding on the door snapped Natalia from her thoughts and she realized the Mandalorian's grip on her arm disappeared and he was now standing before a white door. Natalia felt her hear sink in her chest as she watched the door in front of her open.
Three storm troopers emerged from the building, completely ignoring the Mandalorian and instantly grabbing onto the bounties. Two troopers grabbed either of Natalia's arms and one grabbed the pod the child as in. Natalia looked to the Mandalorian with pleading eyes as the troopers roughly dragged her inside.
"Move it." The trooper on her right ordered, yanking her forward.
Natalia's foot roughly hit the ground as an attempt to stop herself from falling forward. She found herself stumbling, trying her best to not fall and thankfully she hadn't. "Easy with her." The Mandalorian warned but as if to prove a point the troopers yanked her along again.
"You take it easy." The trooper shot as they reached another door.
Natalia didn't even want to see what was awaiting for her on the other end of the door but it was inevitable. The Mandalorian was not going to back out now and she had no chance of escape without a weapon.
When the door finally opened Natalia was met with an older man sitting down at a table in fancy clothing and another man, this one younger, wearing a doctors uniform. A look of confusion formed over her face as she stared at the men before her. She had never even seen these people before. She didn't know what she really expected but she guessed they'd be at least high enough in the ranks where Natalia would know their faces.
A beeping sound filled the air as the man got up from his seat. Natalia looked to the blinking device in his hand and quickly realized it was a tracking fob. A grim smile formed over the man's face as he approached the child and Natalia.
"Yes." His smile only grew as he held the fob out to them, causing the beeping to become more rapid. A look of disgust formed over her face as she stared at the man before her. "Yes, yes, yes."
The man in the doctors uniform walked over to Natalia and the child, holding something out to them. A red light emitted from the device and shun down on the child. The child let out a whimper and rage began to build up in Natalia.
"Leave it alone!" She yelled, her glared deepening as she stared at the doctor.
"Quiet." The storm trooper demanded, jabbing her in the ribs. Natalia quickly bit on her lip to hold back a cry, only allowing a small groan to escape.
"Very healthy." The doctor said smiling down at the child.
"Your precious Empire is no more and will never be again." Natalia spat as she glared at the doctor and man in fancy clothing who were now moving over to her. "You've lost and it's time to wake up and face reality. You're done destroying lives." The red light from the device of the doctor shun down on Natalia's face as it had the child. But she paid no mind to it, her eyes glaring down on the men before her.
"The Empire was powerful and strong!" The man argued as he glared at Natalia. "And we will rise once more and reign powerful than before."
"Your vision deceive you." Natalia spoke as the red light disappeared from her face. "Do not trust it."
"Two broken ribs, but other than that she is in perfect health." The doctor informed, putting his scanner away.
"Your reputation was not unwarranted." The man in fancier clothes spoke as he looked to the Mandalorian.
"How many tracking fobs did you give out?" The Mandalorian asked.
"These assets are of extreme importance to me. I had to ensure their delivery." The man replied as he walked over to his table. "But to the winner go the spoils." The man said pulling out a giant lock box filled to the top with beskar. The Mandalorian walked past Natalia and over to the credits.
She felt the hands tighten their grip on her arms as the stormtrooper dragging the child's pod began to follow the doctor who was walking to a back room. Natalia turned to look at the Mandalorian as the troopers began to drag her along with them. His helmet looked up from the beskar and over to Natalia as if he could sense she was looking at him.
"It is not to late." Natalia spoke what she believed to be her last words to the Mandalorian before being dragged around to corner to her next impending doom.
