Solivagant-The Mandalorian

42

" ruled and ruling " 

Din helps Lana into the transport. She stands behind the two as Mayfeld gets the cruiser ready to move. Lana can't see anything out of her helmet, she absolutely hated the armor, as she could tell Din did too.

The engine begins whirling in front of them, "There we go, there we go. And we are off." Mayfeld exclaims. Din sits straight up with his head faced forward. Lana sits on the ground behind the two with her legs crossed out in front of her.

"Hey, how's it feel." Mayfeld turns to Din. "Huh?"

"I mean, c'mon you still get to wear a helmet, right?" Mayfeld tries to speak to Din again. "Lana how you feel?"

"Great." She breathes out.

"Well at least she talks." Mayfeld chuckles. Din turns his head sharply toward him.

"You know I'm talking this thing off. Can't see a thing." Mayfeld removes his helmet and sets it on the ground beside Lana. "I don't know how you people wear those things. And by people, I mean Mandalorians."

The pit was silent for a while, it seemed as if Mayfeld had realized Din was focused on one thing and one thing only, but Lana was wrong.

Lana stood from her spot on the ground, stretching her legs, she took her spot beside Din, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Feels better when its off." Mayfeld gestures to his helmet. Lana and Din turn to give him a look. Mayfeld gives them a small smile before turning his eyes back on the road.

They begin pulling up to a small village on the side of the transport track. There were people walking along the road, Mayfeld blares the horn. "Yeah because they couldn't see us coming." Lana says.

Lana looks through the glass panes at the people watching the transport drive through. The village reminded her a lot of hers. But here, the people didn't look the same. They didn't have the bright feeling atmosphere as her home. Their faces were painted with despair.

"Yeah. Empire, New Republic. It's all the same to these people. Invaders on their land is all we are." Mayfeld says as the exit the village.

"I'm just sayin', somewhere someone in this galaxy is ruling and others are being ruled. I mean look at your race." Mayfeld catches Din and Lana's attention. "Do you think all those people that died in wars fought by Mandalorians actually had a choice? So how are they any different than the Empire?"

Lana dips her head. Mayfeld scoffs, "Look if you were born on Mandalore, you believe one thing, if you're born on Alderaan you believe somethin' else. But guess what," Mayfeld taps Din's arm, "Neither one of em' exist anymore."

Lana finally speaks up, "Mayfeld."

"Hey, I'm just a realist. I'm a survivor, just like you two."

"Let's get one thing straight. We're nothing alike."

"I don't know. Seems to me like your rules start to change when you get desperate. I mean look at ya. You said you couldn't take your helmet off, now you got a stormtrooper one on, so what's the rule?"

Din begins rubbing his hands on his thighs, Lana could tell he was getting overwhelmed. Lana tightens her grip on his shoulder. "Is it that you can't take your helmet off or you can't show your face? 'Cause there is a difference."

"Mayfeld." Lana growls. Din looks up to her, he shakes his head, she stands down letting out a deep breath.

"Look I'm just sayin', we're all the same. Everybody's got their lines they don't cross until things get messy. As far as I'm concerned, if you can make it through your day and still sleep at night, you're doin' better than most."

Before Mayfeld can continue, one of the pilot's comms in. "Control, this is Juggernaut three. We might be comin' up on some route interference. Control, Control! We a need a new..." The pilot's words are cut off with a scream. "What was that?" Lana asks.

In the distant an explosion goes off in front of them. "Juggernaut four has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Mayfeld exclaims.

"The rhydonium is still stable." Din looks to the screen.

"Juggernaut five, maintain speed and course. Procced with caution."

"Proceed with caution? Is she serious?" Mayfeld exclaims.

"Juggernaut three, requesting-" Another pilot is cut off by yet another explosion, this time even closer and shaking the transport. As they try to maintain the course, they feel something hit the side of the transport. "What the hell was that?"

Din looks to the security screens. "Pirates. Keep driving. I'll take care of it." Din lifts the hatch to the transport. He begins blasting toward the pirates trying to jump onto the transport.

"Are you seriously shooting a blaster near rhydonium!" Mayfeld shouts. Din shoots back into the pit. "They have thermal detonators. Just keep it steady." He begins to scale the ladder. "Lana stay here."

"What do you-" Din turns to her sharply. She sighs giving him a slight nod.

She takes her spot in Din's chair, they feel a blast behind them waving the cruiser around. The alarms blare as the rhydonium becomes less stable. "Keep it steady Mayfeld." Lana exclaims.

"They're trying to blow the rhydonium."

"You think? You should've left me in prison!"

Just as Din is about to wander back into the pit, two more groups of pirates comes up on them. The jump toward Din, spears ready for attack. He begins shoot his blaster but runs out of ammo. On instinct he throws the blaster toward one of them. "Lana get up here." He shouts.

"Knew it." She sighs putting on the trooper helmet and begins walking up the ladder. She sees Din down on the ground holding his arm, before the pirate can strike him again, she jumps forward, grabbing the spear, and giving him a swift punch and kicking him off the transport. Din picks up a spear on the ground and throws it toward the one trying to pry open the transport doors to access the rhydonium.

Just as they've finished the one group of pirates, another emerges. Din turns quickly to the hatch, "Mayfeld! Pick it up. Drive faster!" As Mayfeld increases power, the alarms blare again, he presses the break, the inertia pushing Din and Lana almost over. "What are you doing?" Lana yells.

Another group of pirate hops onto the transport. Din takes his swing at the first two, Lana jumps around the group to grab the next three. One hits her with the end of their spear in her side. She yelps, grabbing the spear and breaking it over her knee, driving it into the one in front of her, then taking the sharp end and turning to the one behind her.

The third one grabs her behind the neck, kicking her knees out behind her. The grip on her neck tightens, as she watches another pirate begin prying open the access point. He pulls out a thermal detonator from his shirt, engaging it and dropping into the rhydonium. Din watches as Lana struggles to get out of the pirate's grip, he hears here huffs of breath through the helmet.

One of the pirate's gestures to the others to leave, the one holding Lana swings her off the transport, but she desperately holds onto the side. Din throws the pirate on top of him off, he runs to the detonator and throws it toward the pirates. He jumps down to pull Lana up, pulling her into his lap, he throws off her helmet. "Lana? Lana?" He yells as she is taking deep breaths trying to regain normal breathing.

"I'm, fine." She says between breaths. Lana sits up panting as more oncoming pirates arrive. "C'mon." Din says helping her up. Din stands with his fists ready, Lana still breathing heavy shakily raises hers. But before the pirates are able to board, Tie fighters fly above their heads. Explosions ring out in front of them as the pirates are blown away. Lana smiles, resting her head on Din's shoulder. They hear Mayfeld yell with enthusiasm.