-The Upstander-
(Could only find the version of this Gif with Clint in it as well!)
Mando was just putting the new supplies in the storage container when a loud gasp came from the cockpit. He rushed up the ladder, wondering if it was the child.
But Aula Taine stood there, holding the baby in her arms, beaming at him, the child beaming back. "Oh! Aren't you just the cutest little thing! He's like a wrinkly little green bean!" The child gurgled happily and waved his arms around. "Aw I love you already!" She gave him a squeeze. The droid was zooming around her feet, beeping happily.
Mando sighed. What had he gotten himself into this time? Well, at least the kid seemed happy.
She set the baby back in his round pram. "Your son is adorable."
"He's not my son."
"Oh - I wasn't sure. But I guess I don't know what you look like under that helmet."
"Not like that." He nodded to the kid.
"Cutie pie!" She tickled the baby under the chin, making him gurgle with laughter.
"We need to stop for fuel. I would have back there, but it seemed best to get away as quickly as possible."
"Makes sense."
"So we'll stop on the way to Takodana."
"Sounds good."
He plugged in their course onto the control board.
"So, what's your name?" Silence. "Want me to try and guess it?"
"You can call me 'Mando'. Everyone does."
"'Mando.' Okay. Mando... Mando... And what about you, you little cutie?" she cooed to the baby. "What's your name you handsome little guy?" She looked up at Mando. "What's his name?"
"I don't know."
"Aw, that's too bad. We'd better find out. And what about your ship? Does it have a name? I hear people sometimes name their ships."
He bit back a sigh. "The Razor Crest."
"Razor Crest. Cool, I like that!"
"Buckle up," Mando ordered, nodding to the co-pilots seat. "We'll be jumping into Hyperspace."
She sat down in the seat and strapped in. "Ready little guy? Hang on! Hold on, CC!"
Mando pressed the lever and the ship shot off.
"Whoa - that was so fun!" she cried.
"You've never flown in Hyperspace before?"
"Only a couple of times - still gets me every time! I don't think I'll ever get used to a thrill like that!"
She was so high energy - it was exhausting. It was going to be very draining trying to keep up with her.
It wasn't long before they touched down on another planet.
"Do you have a blaster?" he asked her.
"No - I've got this bow and arrows, this fighting staff, and these cool zappy wrist guards, all of which I picked up along the way."
He didn't seem to care about her story.
"These were the types of weapons our captors used against us, zapping us to keep us in line, or just for fun whenever they felt like it."
Her openness surprised him. "Well I would advise you to carry a blaster with you."
"Okay, where do I get one?"
"Here." He led her down to the lower level of the ship and opened a compartment in the wall which was filled with weapons of all kinds.
"Whoa," she breathed. "You're really prepared for anything, aren't you."
"Take your pick - choose wisely."
"Cool, thanks-" She stuck her head further into the cabinet and poured over the assortment of weapons. "I don't even know how most of these work!" she chuckled. She withdrew a few different blasters, testing the weight and hold of them, before finally settling on one. "Thank you."
"Good, now let's go. Out of the way you piece of scrap metal," Mando told the little droid, who beeped in fear and scooted behind Aula's legs to hide.
"Keep close, don't wander," Mando ordered as they exited the ship. "That goes for you especially, Kid." The kid in question just looked up at him with those big, dark, expressive eyes of his.
While he went to the village mechanic to discuss refueling the Crest, he found the rest of the group had fallen behind, Aula leaning down so she could hold the child's hand as they walked, with the droid zooming around them.
"Hey, Mando!" Some villagers hooted and hollered as they passed by. Aula was expecting some retort from the man in question, but he just passed right by, ignoring their mocking laughter and taunts, which is definitely not what she would have done were she in his situation.
Not long after that, she heard some commotion, and saw three thugs attacking a young man in the entranceway to an alley.
"Hey, that's mine - I earned that! I need it for my family - OOF!" The thugs responded by kicking him in the gut and cackling with evil laughter as they snatched the man's credits from him.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" she called, approaching them. They stopped briefly.
"Stay out of it, little girl," snapped one of the thugs.
"Yeah, mind your own business," said another. They went back to beating and tormenting the man, stopping a few moments later when they realized she was still standing there.
"Hey, keep walking little lady. This doesn't concern you."
"It does now." She fired a shocker from her wrist guard, which struck one of the thugs in the neck and zapped him, making him crumble to his knees and then the ground, trying and failing to pull the stinger from his neck.
"Ooo, yeah, those really sting! Trust me, I've had my share of zaps from those, and they hurt like hell!"
The other two lunged at her. All delivered a few kicks and punches. She managed to knock one over the head with her staff, and bash the other over the head with her new blaster.
Three bodies fell to the ground heavily. The child laughed and clapped at the sight from where he, the droid, and Mando stood watching.
She beamed at the rifle in her hand. "Hey, this did come in handy! Thanks!" Despite not actually firing it.
Other villagers had gathered around to witness the scene. They were now applauding too. She waved to them before reaching out and offering the young man a hand and pulling him up to his feet. "Hi, I'm Aula."
"Gram Tyson. Thank you, thank you," the young man said repeatedly, gripping her hand tightly. "I can't thank you enough."
"My pleasure."
"Those guys have been terrorizing us for a while, so thank you for getting rid of them."
"Just doing what had to be done. You try and stay out of trouble, yeah?"
"I will, oh I will. Thank you again, so much!"
"What happened to sticking close by?" Mando said when she rejoined their little group.
"Hey, he was getting beaten up for no reason. I wasn't about to stand for that. I spent the last several years being pushed around and mocked and belittled. If I can help people get out of something similar, then I will."
Again, her openness with her story shocked him to the core. How could she just speak so openly about her tortured past with him, a total stranger? The concept was wildly foreign to him.
"Got the fuel?"
"Yes. Now let's go. We should be able to reach Takodana by nightfall."
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"Wow, this place is so beautiful!" Aula exclaimed when they arrived on Takodana, just before nightfall as had been predicted. The baby gurgled. "You think so too, little guy?" The child cooed, wearing the biggest smile. "Aw, you're just a little bundle of joy, aren't you? Yes you are, yes you are!"
Mando landed the Crest out in a thinning in the trees, a little ways from the main castle building.
"There's the castle - Mentor mentioned that. Sounds like Maz Katana runs things from there. She's a pirate queen - how cool is that?! Maybe that's what I'll be one day - Aula Taine, Pirate Queen. What do you think, Kiddo?" The kid cooed as though in agreement, or at least that's what she took it as.
The castle was surrounded by lush green forest and lakes - this would definitely be a great place to settle down.
"Got your package?" Mando asked as they disembarked.
"Always."
Upon entering the castle they found themselves in a large cantina. It was filled with people and creatures of all kinds. Music was being played by a band in the far corner of the room, and a delicious aroma of food and drinks wafted towards them.
Aula chuckled. "I love this place already."
Before they could ask anyone where they could find Maz Katana, a voice shouted across the cantina, silencing everyone and everything else.
"AULA TAINE!"
(This was so much fun to write! :) Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :))