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[selenium-drive]

Stay Gold Chapter 9: Sacrifice

TW: Death, depictions of violence

Words: 12.4k

Series rating: Explicit

The remaining twenty minute long walk to the town under the rule of the Empire was filled with uneasy silence due to the nervousness the group felt about their spur of the moment plan, and the rising anxiety Aurelia felt the longer she was held "prisoner". Though they hated to admit it, Mando and Cara knew the visible discomfort she expressed made for a very convincing display of Mando himself and Aurelia as captured enemies. True unease was difficult to fake.

They approached the gates of the city where two Stormtroopers, one of which was lounging about on his speeder bike, guarded the entrance. "I have gifts for the boss," Karga motioned to both captive hunters. Aurelia did her best to stifle her nerves and keep her head down, remembering that she was indeed on a mission of great import. She doubted anyone from the Empire would know exactly who she was based on first glance; she herself had not interfered with Imperial affairs in the past, but her striking eyes had the potential be a dead giveaway as to what her bloodline was. She couldn't remember if Nevarro was one of the many planets her father had visited and included in his stories of victories against the Empire. If any of these Troopers stationed in this town had ever gone up against him, surely they wouldn't of even been kept alive to tell the tale. Still, word travels fast, especially when it comes to a problem that has to be dealt with. Her father and his crew had many, many enemies. It wouldn't surprise her if the warlord client once heard of a rebel Kage that used to meddle in their work. If that were the case, perhaps he would be able to recognize his daughter. After all, how many Kage lived outside the caves of Quarzite? Not many.

The Trooper posted at the gate scanned Karga's chain code and walked with them down the dusty streets crawling with even more Imperial soldiers. Both Cara and Aurelia couldn't help the burning hatred for such pests. It took all the self-discipline they had not to start picking off the mindless troops right then and there.

"You said four," Cara whispered harshly, her eyes darting from helmet to helmet of each enemy soldiers that passed by. "There are more than four Troopers."

"Four guarding the client," Karga fired back. "There are many more here in town. Things got really heated once Mando crashed the safe house."

"You did what?" Aurelia elbowed the Mandalorian walking alongside her.

"I told you before," he whispered, stooping down more to her level, "I wasn't proud that I took a job from an Imp. That, and they wanted to hurt the kid."

They turned into an alleyway, the sudden change from the wider, open street to a more private, closed off space making Aurelia more anxious than before. She wouldn't put it past the Stormtrooper guiding them to turn around and execute them here on the spot. They kept walking, however, until they reached a large wooden doorway near the end of the alley.

"Here we are," Karga said, beckoning them to follow him inside. The Trooper that led them to the meeting room joined up with three others who stood guarding an elegantly dressed elderly man. The Guild leader subtly nodded towards the rest of the soldiers in the room. "You see? Four."

Karga falsified the best smile he could. "Look what I brought you, as promised," he said triumphantly to the warlord, gesturing towards the Mandalorian and company.

The client approached Mando, extending his arm out to brush the back of his hand against the cool, polished steel chest plate and helmet. "What exquisite craftsmanship. It is amazing how beautiful beskar can be when forged by its ancestral artisans." He turned his attention back to Karga. "Can I offer you a libation to celebrate the closing of our shared narrative?" Mando stood still; from an outsider's perspective, he would've appeared uncaring or laid back. Aurelia knew him better than that. She knew how dangerous Mando could be when he was deceptively calm. He hated the audacity of this man for thinking he could lay a putrid hand on his armor, even if he was the one who supplied the Mandalorian with the steel to craft it.

"Please sit," the client directed after eliciting a nod from Karga. "It is a shame that your people suffered so," the Imp continued, taking a seat at a nearby round table. "Just as in this situation, it was all avoidable. Why did Mandalore resist our expansion? The Empire improves every system it touches. Judge by any metric. Safety. Prosperity. Trade. Opportunity. Peace..."

His rambling stopped when his eyes traced over the group seated across from him. He locked onto Aurelia, taking notice of her bright golden stare burning with anger. "Do you not agree with me, child?" He reached over Mando and Karga to brush the side of her face gingerly with his hand. Mando felt his body go rigid. If he weren't in such a vulnerable situation, he would've snapped the man's fingers in half one at a time.

Alongside him, Aurelia began to panic. Dank farrik, she knew she should've kept her eyes down. Her heart beat faster, praying to any gods out there that she wouldn't be recognized in any way. Her stubbornness and submissiveness battled with each other; she hated this man already and didn't want to back down and appear weak, but the knew the longer she looked into his own eyes, the higher the chance someone might know who she was.

"Such an odd thing, you are," he said curiously. "Yet, the hatred I feel you sending my way is the same as any other human or sentient species I've come into contact with before. You are all so blind as to what good the Empire can offer to you. Compare Imperial rule to what is happening now. Look outside, child. Is the world more peaceful since the revolution? I see nothing but death and chaos. The hardened stares from all of you only confirms to me that this is all you've seen, all you know as well. It's such a pity, is it not? The Empire wishes to change all of that, and now we have what we need to do it." He released his soft hold on her, Aurelia letting out a deep breath she didn't even know she was holding in once he stepped back towards The Child's bassinet. "I would like to see the baby."

"Uh...it is asleep," Karga stammered a little unconvincingly. Thankfully, the client still somehow believed him.

"We all will be quiet, just open the pram."

Cara tensed up, desperately fighting the urge to draw her blaster and kill the Imp before it was too late and their cover was blown. She looked to Karga for some kind of clue as to what the next move would be, but his wide eyed stare of his own uncertainty did nothing to provide her any consolation. As ironic as it was, a Stormtrooper happened to become their knight in shining armor. He stepped besides the client and whispered a few incomprehensible words into his ear.

"Don't think me to be rude," the elderly Imperial man apologized, "I must take this call."

He turned his back to the high-strung group still seated at at table. One of the Troopers placed a portable hologram communication pad on the bar's countertop, a bright blue glow emitting from in front of the warlord while he spoke to another unknown figure of authority.

Aurelia suppressed a flinch and almost slammed the tops of her knees into the underside of the table when she felt the outside of her knee inadvertently brushed by the back of Mando's hand when he maneuvered himself free of the confines of the bracers. She tried to suppress the blush forming on her cheeks when he slid the cuffs up onto her lap, the cool metal dragging slowly across the fabric of her pants. He reached across her lap and quickly undid her own restraints, setting both pairs of cuffs on her thighs.

"Hold these," he whispered, completely oblivious to fact of her sudden bashfulness due to his unexpected motions. "Give me the blaster," he motioned to Karga underneath the table.

"You've got one shot," he warned the bounty hunter.

Cara's short fuze was fizzling out. "This is bad. You said four."

Karga shot her a glare over his shoulder. "Well, there are more. What can I tell you?"

"Cara, my blaster," Aurelia whispered, her eyes scouring the room for any Stormtrooper who might be watching.

"Here. I'll give you everything else later," the dropper said hurriedly, slipping the small gun into Karga's hands. It traveled down the row from the Guild leader to the Mandalorian; the second it passed from Mando's leather gloves to Aurelia's fingerless gauntlets, the sound of shattering glass and rapid blaster fire erupted all throughout the common house. Mando kicked the table they were seated around over in an attempt to provide some sort of cover while they dove to the ground, crawling alongside the broken bits of glass, building wreckage, and Imperial bodies. They sought protection hugged tightly against the wall next to an elongated window where the countless shots were being fired though.

"Four Stormtroopers?" Cara shouted, knocking Karga roughly on the shoulder.

"Obviously there's more than kriffing four!" Aurelia swore angrily over the barrage of gunfire. The sudden onslaught took care of the issue of the client and the Troopers guarding him, but now there was a whole other, much worse, predicament at hand. When the dust had settled and the firing had stopped, the corned group snuck a peak out of the obliterated window behind the bar. An Imperial firing squad was the reason behind the attack, and transport vehicles full of more Troopers were joining their ranks. A few foot soldiers came flooding in from the streets, lining up with the rest and taking aim on the building Mando and the others took refuge in.

"This is bad." Cara grimaced. "Mando, we need to get out of here, now! If we get caught by them, then..." she shuddered at the thought.

He kept quiet but Aurelia could tell by the way his fingers clenched under his leather gloves that he was trying hard to map put their next move. He let out a huff and grabbed his commlink.

"Kuiil, are you back to the ship yet? Are you there? Do you copy?"

"Yes!" A strained voice came through, barely audible over the loud galloping of his blurrg.

"Are you back to the ship yet?"

"Not yet!"

"Get back to the ship and bail!" Mando exclaimed, hitting his fist up against the wall in pent up adrenaline. "Get the kid out of here. We're pinned down!"

"You have something I want," a male's voice rang out from the crowd of Stormtroopers.

"Who is this guy?" Cara motioned to an unseen figure outside the window. Mando paid her no attention. He tried speaking through the commlink once more.

"Kuiil, are you back to the ship yet? They're on to us. Kuiil, come in!" The growing sense of urgency in his voice made Aurelia start to panic. She tried to control her thoughts from assuming the absolute worse.

"Kuiil, do you copy?! Kuiil!"

Cara picked up on her growing level of anxiety. "He's fine," Cara attempted to reassure her. "He's probably boarding the ship right now. Just give him another minute and you'll see."

"Kuiil... Are you there?!"

"Yes, yes give him...give him a minute," Aurelia repeated uneasily.

"Come in, Kuiil! Kuiil, come in!" Mando glanced knowingly at her. He didn't have to say what either of them were thinking. Surprisingly, the non-existent expression that was still somehow evident through his helmet gave her the answer she didn't want to hear most of all.

"No, no give him a second! He just needs a second. He's fine! He's okay! They're okay!" Aurelia cried out. Her hands began to tremble and her eyes watered the more she felt the Mandalorian look on her with pity. Finally, he dropped his hand that was holding the commlink.

"No no no no! DON'T. DON'T!" Aurelia scrambled away from the bounty hunter when he slowly bent down and reached one hand out to hold her in place. "DON'T. TOUCH ME. NO! YOU CALL HIM AGAIN."

"Stop it! Dank farrik, pull it together!" Mando shot his hands forward and gripped both of her wrists tightly. He snatched her up, bringing her face closer to his helmet and shook her firmly. "We don't know what happened, but you have to focus on what's happening right here, right now."

The look of both terror and utter devastation broke the Mandalorian's spirit. He frowned heavily, hoping he didn't further upset her any. The only thing he could think of to do at that moment was place his hand gently on the top of her head. "Breathe, ad'ika. Just...breathe."

A small tear managed to escape from out over her lash line. It trailed down what small portion of skin she had exposed beneath her eyes, then absorbed into the cotton threads of her scarf. "He's dead, Mando."

"We don't know that for certain," he told her, his voice trying to sound soothing despite the blaring uncertainty seeping through. "We have to get out of here, then we'll find them. But first, I need you to focus."

"Is there another way out?" Cara asked.

Karga shook his head. "No, that's it."

"What about the sewers?" Mando asked, hoisting Aurelia up to her feet. Karga shrugged and looked at him unknowingly, leaving Mando to further elaborate. "The Mandalorians have a covert down in the sewers. If we can get down there, they can help us escape. Is there an entrance to them in here somewhere?"

"Guys, something's happening outside," Aurelia said shakily.

Cara peaked her head around the side of the window, her breathing intensifying and her mouth hanging wide open when she saw a team of Troopers assembling a massive firearm. It was something she recognized from her days of military service, and she knew it didn't mean good news for herself or her comrades.

"They're setting up an E-Web."

Karga backed against the wall I'm disbelief at the fate that was about to befall those in the common house. His legs threatened to give out from the sudden wave of grief that washed over him. "It's over," he whispered in defeat.

"Not yet," Mando pointed towards a bench situated up against a nearby wall. "I found the sewer vent."

"Then let's get the hell outta here," Cara ordered.

Everyone grabbed the corners of the bench, pushing and pulling it back to reveal a heavy, iron vent securely fastened in place. In a profound sense of urgency and desperate for a means of an escape, Cara fired her blaster in an attempt to weaken the bolted on metal bearings securing the grate to the wall. The thick metal remained securely in place, seemingly untouched.

"It's not working! We need something else!" She cried out in frustration.

"Hang on, move out of the way." Aurelia pushed past her and fired both of her grappling hooks in-between the cracks of the vent. The hooks opened up, securing themselves in place on the other side of the grate. "I'll pull, you fire. Maybe we can loosen it."

Cara shook her head in protest. "Those aren't going to be sturdy enough. They're just going to snap!"

"No, they won't," Mando spoke up. "It's beskar. It can take it."

He crept up behind Aurelia, admiring the polished silver cables and hooks coming out from her gauntlets. "You still never told me where you got those from," Mando said from over her shoulder. "Beskar steel belongs to the Mandalorians."

She chuckled darkly and widened her stance, preparing to put all of her strength into pulling back against the bolted in screws that separated the crew from freedom. "That's another story for another day, if we survive this one, that is."

Cara shot her blaster along the edges of the vent, hoping that in all the barrage of rounds she was firing off, maybe at least a few would weaken the integrity of the solid metal that prevented their escape. "It's not...working!" She shouted over the repetitive blasts.

Aurelia pulled back harder, cursing her lack of strength. Her wrists felt like they were going to snap and her forearms heavily ached from the cables pulling against her skin and muscles.

Mando stepped directly behind her and proceeded to wrap the beskar infused wiring around his own arm braces. The sudden, unexpected body contact caused Aurelia to lurch forward slightly, stopping her efforts of pulling against the grate.

"Keep going, ad'ika," Mando grunted, yanking back hard on the grappling hook's wires back in additional support. The sturdy cables and hooks withheld under the strength of their combined effort to pry the grate from the wall; the vent creaked and groaned under pressure but still held tight in place.

Cara set down her firearm in defeat after a few more passing moments of no success. "That's it," she said breathlessly. "It's over."

"Your astute panic suggests that you understand your situation," a male voice smugly spoke up from outside in the plaza. Aurelia detached herself hooks from the grate, her exhausted arms loosely hanging at her side. She turned her attention to the stranger addressing them, noticing a menacing looking military official standing in front of the rows of Imperial soldiers. "I would prefer to avoid any further violence, and encourage a moment of consideration," he continued. "Members of my escort have completed assembly of an E-Web heavy repeating blaster. If you are unfamiliar with this weapon, I am sure that Republican Shock Trooper Carasynthia Dune of Alderaan will advise you that she has witnessed many of her ranks vaporize mid-descent facing the predecessor of this particular model."

Cara stumbled back, clearly shaken by the knowledge the man standing on the other side of wall possessed. "H-how does he know-"

"Or perhaps the decommissioned Mandalorian hunter, Din Djarin, has heard the songs of the Siege of Mandalore, when gunships outfitted with similar ordinance laid waste to fields of Mandalorian recruits in The Night of a Thousand Tears."

"Don't think I overlooked you, Aurelia Vandorack," Moff Gideon continued proudly. She shot a worried expression towards Mando, panic beginning to set once she heard her full name. "I know of the crimes that your father, Kodo Vandorack, and his pathetic cluster of rebellious abominations, committed against the Empire in its glory days. You might think that the many years of servitude you've experienced at the hands of Tattooine bandit, Darro Obrik, was enough torment, but wait until you see what I have in store for you. You'll wish you were on Quarzite, being slowly crushed in weight of its uninhabitable atmosphere, regretting the day you sided with these people."

"Don't listen to him," Mando warned her. "He's trying to get in your head. He plays mind games, Aurelia. Don't let him win."

"I advise disgraced Magistrate Greef Karga to search the wisdom of his years and urge you to lay down your arms and come outside. The structure you are trapped in will be razed in short order and your storied lives will come to an unceremonious end."

"What do you propose?" Karga sputtered to the man seemingly in charge.

"Reasonable negotiation."

"What assurance do you offer?"

"If you're asking if you can trust me...you cannot," Moff Gideon said flatly. "Just as you betrayed our business arrangement, I would gladly break any promise and watch you die at my hand. The assurance I give is this: I will act in my own self-interest, which at this time involves your cooperation and benefit. I will give you until nightfall, and then I will have the E-Web cannon open fire."

"I don't trust him," Aurelia told the others. "He'll fire on us whenever he choses. I don't believe this man to be generous enough to give us more than a few hours and risk us coming up with a decision or plan an escape."

"This isn't just anyone. I know who he is," Mando spoke up. "It's Moff Gideon."

"No. Moff Gideon was executed for war crimes," Karga disagreed.

Mando shook his head. "It's him. He knew my name."

"So? What does that prove?"

"I haven't heard that name spoken since I was a child."

"On Mandalore?" Karga questioned further.

"I was not born on Mandalore."

"But you're a Mandalorian."

"Mandalorian isn't a race," Cara interjected.

"It's a Creed," Mando explained. "I was a foundling. They raised me in the Fighting Corps. I was treated as one of their own. When I came of age, I was sworn to the Creed. The only record of my family name was in the registers of Mandalore. Moff Gideon was an ISB Officer during the purge. That's how I know it's him. He says he needs us, which means The Child got away safely. I was worried when the Ugnaught didn't respond, but if they'd captured the kid, we'd already be dead."

"Maybe Kuill's fine after all," Cara tried to tell Aurelia comfortingly. "Mando, hail them again."

He nodded and brought the commlink to his helmet. "Come in, Kuii." They waited on edge for several seconds but got nothing back but the crackling sound of static.

"They might have jammed the link," Cara noted at the lack of response.

"Kuiil has been terminated," IG's robotic voice broke through the other side of the commlink.

"What did you do?" Mando growled. His eyes shifted under the cover of his visor to scope out Aurelia's reaction. Her stare remained fixed on the rocky debris beneath their feet, completely numb at the news. She had known all along. Even if she tried to convince herself otherwise, she wouldn't of believed anything different.

"I am fulfilling my base function," IG spoke up once more in reply to the Mandalorian.

"Which is?"

"To nurse and protect."

The distant shouts and gunfire of Stormtroopers in combat caused everyone within the vicinity to turn their attention towards the winding street leading to the plaza where the Troopers were stationed.

"Look!" Cara pointed. The intense stillness outside of the common house quickly erupted into a scene of all out war. A speeder bike launched itself into a crowd of several Troopers, smashing them against the walls of surrounding buildings and streets of Nevarro. The IG unit Kuill had reconstructed emerged from besides the wreckage, The Child strapped securely on its back, giggling maniacally and completely unaware of the magnitude of danger it was in.

It took everything Mando had not to run outside and grab The Child from out of harms way. He knew doing such a thing would be a suicide mission. There was no other choice but to fight at this point.

"I need you, Aurelia, a'dika," Mando pleaded quietly but firmly. He tore his gaze from the IG unit currently taking on the vast sea of Troopers to stare at the woman next to him. "I can't do this without you."

"I know," Aurelia smiled sadly. "I let Kuiil down and I'm not letting you or the kid down either." She quickly took her daggers and rifle from Cara who had been holding onto them since they first arrived into town.

Mando darted out from the safety of the building and began taking on the countless number of enemy soldiers gathered in the plaza. Karga and Aurelia followed him closely with their blasters drawn, taking aim on whoever they could. A handful of Stormtroopers rushed the entrance of the building all but Cara had emerged from. One set off a grenade, blasting the door down and creating a gaping hole in the exterior for more Imperial soldiers to rush through.

"Cara!" Aurelia called out after the debris had settled.

"I'm okay!" The dropper coughed violently from inside the building. The sound of continuous blaster fire and the screams of fallen enemy Troopers put Aurelia more at ease knowing the female veteran inside was fully capable of taking care of herself.

"There's too many!" She shouted, throwing one of her daggers into the chest plate of an advancing Stormtrooper. When she heard the fast approaching footsteps of another trying to strike her from behind, she combined the ends of her daggers and twisted, causing the other to jut out and pierce the chest of other soldier trying to sneak up on her.

"Take them out from above! I have an idea!" Mando called out to her, after taking a split second to admire her Stormtrooper shish kebab.

"Cover me!" Aurelia separated the blades and slid them back alongside her waist, then fired her grappling hook into the edge of the stone rooftop belonging to the common room they sought shelter in. She grappled upwards, both Mando and Karga taking out those who tried to shoot her down in the process. When she made it to the top and took cover behind some of the stone on the rooftop, she pulled her rifle from behind her back. From her peripheral vision, she saw Mando make a break for the E-Web cannon stationed untouched in the center of all the chaos. It was then she understood what he wanted her to do. She took out the nearby Troopers who swarmed around the cannon and stood in Mando's way. He dodged their shots in an attempt to stop him from using their detrimental weapon to his own advantage, thanking the stars his armor was able to safely deflect what rounds he couldn't avoid. Karga and Aurelia provided enough support for him to reach the massive heavy repeating blaster. Her feeling of victory watching the Mandalorian rain down on the Stormtroopers was short lived when two blaster rifle rounds grazed the side of her arms, causing her to fall back and yelp in pain at the sharp burning sensation that stretched along her marred skin. Mando shifted his focus to the Stormtrooper that took aim on his pilot, not paying attention to Moff Gideon who crept up from behind and fired a shot directly into his helmet. Aurelia scrambled to her crouched position, trying to avoid the situation from getting any worse. A few more Troopers blasted the corner of the roof she was taking cover behind, ceasing her aid towards her comrades down below. She tilted her head around the corner to watch helplessly as Mando stabilized himself enough to put Gideon in his line of fire next. The Imp prepared to take aim at the bounty hunter but his eyes shifted last minute to a large metallic box a foot away from where the Mandalorian stood.

"Mando! No!" Aurelia shouted from the rooftop above. Moff Gideon fired a single shot into the E-Web power unit, setting off a massive fireball explosion directly in front of the hunter. The force from the blast was enough to knock the sturdy Mandalorian clean off his feet and fling the cannon out of his hands. Both weapon and wielder landed on the ground with a loud, sickening clang. Karga dragged himself up the wall he had been thrust face first into from the resonating force of the explosion. He turned and fired at the incoming wave of Troopers who managed to survive Mando's onslaught, providing cover for Cara when she emerged from inside the common house to drag Mando's limp body inside. Aurelia dropped down beside them and used her grappling hooks to wrap around Mando's arms to help pull him to safety faster. She detached herself from him when they were inside behind the cover of the bar, Cara busy triaging the downed bounty hunter while Karga and Aurelia continued to take down what Troopers they could from the view of the window. IG had taken it upon itself to laser around the edges of the sewer grate, giving the group one last chance at escaping.

"Mando, I need to take this off," Cara pleaded. She reached up to rest her hands on both sides of his helmet, pausing and letting out a sharp gasp when her fingers met the slickness of his blood that had begun to slowly drip from out underneath his armor. She opened her mouth to speak but struggled to get anything to come out. She cleared her throat and tried to hide the way her voice was on the verge of breaking. "A-Aurelia!"

Aurelia's shattered heart further crumbled at the unmistakable sense of helplessness in Cara's tone. No, absolutely not. She wasn't going through this again. She hung her rifle back on the strap crossing over her chest and ran to wounded the Mandalorian, paying no attention to the rubble and broken bits of glass embedding themselves in her knees when she slid across the floor to his side. Mando gingerly placed his hands over hers, stopping her in her tracks when she placed her palms on the sides of his helmet.

"You have to make sure The Child is safe." He said weakly.

"Mando, no," she began to beg. "We're not going to leave you here. Please, please don't do this to me. Don't make me go through this twice in one day. We have to take this off, right Cara? Then we can help you."

"Please," he pleaded softly. "Just...just listen to me for once. You of all people should kn-know the importance of hiding yourself-"

Aurelia angrily yanked her hands free out from under his. She grabbed the black fabric twirled around her face and neck, ripping it off and throwing it across his chest.

"I hate it when you throw that shit in my face," she said venomously.

The beaten down Mandalorian couldn't come up with a well thought out response. He was too busy scanning over every inch of her face, his heart heavy that she revealed herself for him out of a defiant act of desperation. Maker, she was about to hate him forever.

Mando pulled off his necklace and placed it into the hand of the beautifully flawed woman crouched over him. "When you get to the Mandalorian covert, you show them that." She started to protest but he cut her off completely. "You tell them it's from Din...Djarin. You tell them the foundling was in my protection, and they'll help you."

He closed his eyes tight, praying desperately hard to the Maker and all the stars in the galaxy that he could somehow drown out her screams. "I'm not gonna make it, mesh'la, " he whispered, "and you know it."

Another fiery explosion blasted through the window. He kept talking over all the noise, raising his voice as much as his body would allow. "You protect The Child. I can hold them back long enough for you to escape. Let me have a warrior's death."

"MANDO!"

He paused for a minute, trying to push away the heaviness that weighed his weakened body down. The IG unit kicked in the vent grate just as a cluster of Stormtroopers rushed in. The Child crept forth, holding off the burning flames erupting from an enemy flame thrower. The foundling pushed the Troopers back through the doorway, giving everyone just enough time to flee. The droid scooped up the now exhausted child, shoving him into Aurelia's hands to distract her from the Mandalorian she was leaving behind. She was silent, tearfully looking over at the broken bounty hunter as she clutched his son tight.

"This is the Way," Mando reassured her.

"Come on! It's open, let's go!" Karga motioned for Cara and the others to follow him into the sewers. "We have to move. Now!"

"Go," Mando gasped one last time.

"Escape and protect this child," IG commanded to Aurelia. "I will stay with the Mandalorian."

"Promise me you'll bring him," Cara muttered just so the droid would hear.

"You have my word."

She stared hard at the droid and took off, wrapping an arm around Aurelia to get the stunned Kage woman to advance into the tunnels. "He's going to be fine," Cara tried to convince both herself and the pilot.

The trio continued through the vent until they reached what appeared to be the sewer system the Mandalorian was referring to. A few tunnels branched off from the starting point they had been led to, causing more of a headache rather than any relief that they might of finally been safe. They kept walking down the main walkway to see where it would take them rather than get themselves lost in any of the numerous corridors.

"Aurelia, isn't it?" Karga asked suddenly, eliciting a raised eyebrow in response from the younger woman. "That's your name?"

"Karga..." Cara warned in a low tone.

"What? We were never properly introduced."

"You decide to bring this up now?" The dropper snapped.

"Yes, it is," the raven haired woman answered before the bickering could continue. The hoarseness in her throat was still painstakingly evident from the tears she shed minutes ago.

"Well...I'm sorry for your losses today, Aurelia," he sympathized wholeheartedly.

"Karga!"

"What?!"

"Shhh! Do you hear that?" Aurelia silenced them. They listened closely, the sounds of approaching footsteps becoming more apparent.

The glow belonging to a bight head light bobbed down the sewer walkway several feet behind them. Looking past the white glow, they could make out the familiar looking beskar helmet the flashlight was fixed to. Aurelia's stomach flipped when she saw the weakened silhouette of Mando staggering towards them, barely being held up properly by IG's lanky robotic form. Both Karga and Cara let out heavy sighs of relief and rushed to Mando's side, happy that the droid managed to keep its promise.

"I got him, IG, thank you," Cara told the droid, taking on the weight of the Mandalorian.

"Of course. It is my duty to serve and protect. And Miss Aurelia, I believe this is yours." The IG unit turned to face her once its arms were free. It stiffly extended one claw outwards, releasing its grasp on the scarf she wore but left behind with then the dying bounty hunter. "Do with it as you wish. From my perspective, I do not believe you should be wearing it at all."

"Thank you," she told it somberly. Cara glanced nervously at Mando who was too focused on watching Aurelia secure the black cloth in its usual position. He had noticed that she said nothing to him since the droid brought him back to the others. Honestly, he wasn't sure what kind of reaction his reappearance would elicit from her. He was relieved to see everyone again, even Karga at this point. They still weren't out of danger yet and had to keep a level head in order to get to safety. Why then, was his heart heavier than the beskar he wore when his pilot completely ignored him?

"Do you know which way to go?" Karga asked, trying to redirect everyone's attention to the task at hand.

Mando tried to shake his head but the sudden wave of dizziness stopped him from doing so. "No. I don't know these tunnels. I've only entered from the bazaar. The Imps will catch us before we make it to the ship. We need to find the  Mandalorians so they can escort us to safety."

They wandered aimlessly around the various tunnels, their lack of progress of advancing forwards having themselves wondering if they were backtracking periodically and going in circles.

"This place is a maze," Cara groaned in frustration. She had seen the same rock multiple times now, she knew she had.

Mando rolled his shoulders and shifted his weight back and forth. He had several injuries he sustained from the explosion hadn't been tended to by the IG unit; he could feel patches of dried blood on various parts of his chest, arms, and legs sticking to the inside of flight suit. His head was ringing significantly less and his vertigo had subsided considerably, but no amount of bacta the droid had on him could make the dull, aching, throb that was still present, go away completely. He wouldn't be able to sit down and recover until after the mission was completed entirely, but he was getting fed up with having to be dragged along like a giant burden. "Stop," he told Cara, pulling some of his weight off her and to his own two feet. "I can stand. I have to do something. I'll...I'll try to find tracks that will lead us to the others."

He stumbled around for a minute trying to steady himself, his head tilted low towards the ground and scanning over his surroundings slowly under the tracking settings of his visor. A set of footsteps not belonging to anyone else in the group caught his attention. They ventured further down the tunnels and around one of the corners, possibly leading them to the rest of his covert. Mando motioned for his companions to follow him, his heart beating faster through his armor when the heat signatures became more prominent and fresh looking, signifying that they were closing in on whoever left them behind.

"We're close. Turn here."

The sight that befell the Mandalorian's eyes was enough to make his newly regained strength be sucked completely out from him.

"Oh no," Cara grimaced under her breath once the realization dawned on her as to what exactly they were seeing. In the middle of the walkway lay a pile of worn Mandalorian armor, mostly consisting of forsaken helmets that were apparently left behind by the others. A few busted up pauldrons, thigh coverings, and chest plates were scattered about the ground as well, but to remove one's helmet, according to the Mandalorian creed, meant there was no going back to one's old way. Deserting the armor that was held to such high regards by its wearer meant that Mando's covert had given up their entire way of life.

The lone Mandalorian dropped to his knees in anguish in front of the collection of beskar and metal. Even though almost every square inch of his body was covered, the obscene amount of pain, anger, and confusion he was feeling was still apparent to everyone.

"Mando?" Aurelia spoke up timidly. She still had her strong opinions about how she felt towards him when he had her ripped away from his side as he lay dying, but as hurt as she was, she still couldn't find it in herself to not console her partner.

She approached him slowly, noticing how tense his broad shoulders were, how low he hung his head, and how stiff all the muscles in his arms were. In the few months she had spent with the Mandalorian, she had to learn both his subtle and very obvious changes in his body language to understand what he was feeling at any given time. He was good at masking most emotions in his voice, especially thanks to the vocoder embedded in his helmet, although his occasional frustrated sighs and tones of annoyance still slipped past the beskar from time to time. When his stance was rigid and statuesque, she knew better than to push his buttons or come at him too quickly. The way he looked to her now, well, confronting him would be like poking an angry rancor with a stick. Still, she couldn't bring herself not to try.

"Mando?" Aurelia repeated once more, this time a bit more assertively. He paid her no mind, even when she stood directly over his huddled form. It was only when the tips of her slender fingers brushed against the cape secured around his neck, did he flinch sharply at her touch and stare up at her.

Since IG brought him back to the others, she hadn't once looked his way. He knew he had upset her and caused her emotional grief for practically nothing. She wouldn't outright admit it, but she was far from okay after the passing of Kuiil. The moisture farmer was like a second father figure to her. He was undoubtedly the most important person in her life. Mando wasn't sure how she felt about himself personally, but he safety assumed they had a good friendship developing. She was still timid at times, but they still trusted one another for the most part. Mando knew he crushed what relationship was developing between them the second he had Cara rip her away from his side. He obliterated their trust into millions of pieces of stardust. The pain he felt from seeing the abandoned armor of his people, only deepened when he looked up at Aurelia. He was grateful she had finally acknowledged him, but he felt so unworthy of the concern and honey glow of warmth she had in her deep golden eyes. The fact that she touched him sent his emotions into overdrive. He had no problem touching her when the moment called for it. He made physical contact with a lot of people, though a lot of it wasn't necessarily friendly. It was receiving, though, that he was far from used to. The first time she initiated true physical contact, was when she would clean his wounds. It was a little strange and unfamiliar at first but he didn't mind it. He deemed it viable and there was no meaning behind her touch. This most recent time, however, when he felt her fingertips leave nervous, feather light tracings across his scarred bronze skin, was something new to him. He wouldn't dare tell her that he could still feel her hands ghosting over his back for hours after he put his clothing back on. The gentle feeling of her hand she placed near the base of his neck just now, only reminded him of that surprisingly intimate moment they shared.

Cara cleared her throat to remind the others that despite the unfortunate circumstances at hand, time was of the essence. "We should go," she tried to persuade the rest of the group.

"You go," Mando said monotonously. "Take the ship. I can't leave it this way."

His attention suddenly honed in strictly on Karga. He shot up to his knees, Aurelia stumbling backwards from surprise at his sudden movement.

"Did you know about this?" Mando asked threateningly, swooping in on the Guild leader. "Is this the work of your bounty hunters?"

"What? No!" he cried out. His eyes frantically darted between Cara, Aurelia, and the IG unit watching helplessly on the sidelines. No way were they getting in the middle of the Mandalorian's meltdown. "When you left the system and took the prize, the fighting ended and the hunters just...melted away. You know how it is. They're mercenaries. They're not zealots."

His answer did nothing to settle Mando's dangerous outburst. Aurelia felt herself shrink to the side the more Mando's fury unleashed itself. Never had she seen the stone cold, stoic man show his emotions on his scale.

"Did you do this?" The bounty hunter roared. His deep baritone echoed off the sewer walls, not giving a damn if it brought the Stormtroopers their way. He butted chests with Karga in a primal display of aggression when the man gave him no answer. "Did you?!"

"No!" Karga all but begged for mercy.

"It was not his fault," an unfamiliar female voice rang out behind him. The sound immediately calmed the rabid Mandalorian, his anger doused by her assertive but velvety smooth tone. "We revealed ourselves. We knew what could happen if we left the covert."

She tossed a few of the forgotten pieces of armor onto a cart. Pushing the pile she had collected, she led the travelers towards a large circular room. In the center, appeared to be an old, outdated forge.

"The Imperials arrived shortly thereafter. This is what resulted," she gestured to the strewn out armor.

"Did any survive?" Mando asked hesitantly.

"I hope so. Some may have escaped off-world."

Mando's eyes scanned over the pile of armor knowing it was only him and the Armorer left in the covert. "Come with us."

"No," she rejected firmly. "I will not abandon this place until I have salvaged what remains."

The Armorer tossed a few more pauldrons into the furnace's blue flames. Aurelia watched how easily the seemingly indestructible beskar caved in itself from the burning hot touch of the flames. It bubbled and melted, pooling into the familiar shining silver she knew so well. It was funny how much the properties of the steel armor he wore resembled the Mandalorian himself. Beskar was valuable and very sought after by many. It never chipped, rusted, or blemished despite all who tried to harm it. It was flawless, shining bright and forever polished to perfection. Yet, with one touch of a simple flame, the one thing it was susceptible to, it was reduced to a puddle of gleaming metal. That's all it was after all: just steel.

"Show me the one whose safety deemed such destruction," the Armorer's voice commanded.

She walked up to Aurelia, eyeing her silently under the solid black glass visor of her golden Mandalorian helmet. "Is this the one? I sense much fight in her, but yet, much turmoil."

"This is the one," Mando gestured to the infant in her arms.

The Armorer averted her gaze down some, her helmet tilting in amusement at an infant being the sought after person of interest. "This is the one you hunted, then saved?"

"Yes. The one that saved me as well."

"From the mudhorn?"

"Yes."

She paused for a moment, eyes glancing over the worn out, unconscious child. "It looks helpless."

"It's injured, but it is not helpless. Its species can move objects with its mind."

"I know of such things. The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi that fought with such powers."

Mando felt uneasy, almost too afraid to ask her to elaborate. "It is an enemy?"

"No. Its kind were enemies, but this individual is not."

The sudden pit in his stomach disappeared. He kept his sigh of relief strictly to himself. "What is it?" Mando asked.

"It is a foundling. By Creed, it is in your care."

"You wish me to train this thing?"

The Armorer shook her head. She turned her attention back to the molten beskar she had melted down in the furnace. "It is too weak; it would die. You have no choice but to reunite it with its own kind."

"You expect me to search the galaxy for the home of this creature and deliver it to a race of enemy sorcerers?" Mando felt stupid for allowing such a sentence to pass his lips. It sounded absurd, all of it. A baby with magical powers who's species just so happens to be enemies with the Mandalorians? It was a crazy, cruel twist of fate. The whole galaxy seemed to be out to get him at this point.

"This is the Way," the Armorer said casually. Aurelia was beginning to hate that saying. It seemed like an overly formal way of saying, "fuck it, that's how things are, so deal with it". She respected it because it was important to Mando. Those simple words were the foundation for his whole lifestyle. He was obviously willing to die over it, and she felt guilty that every single part of her hated that he was okay with that. They hid themselves for different reasons, but when Kuiil told her that Mando out of everyone else in the entire galaxy, should know how important it was for her to reveal herself to him, he didn't even bat an eye. It made her feel so foolish for trusting in him, but it made her even angrier with herself for being so upset about it. She hid because she was ashamed, he hid because it was his way of life. How dare she get upset over that, right? She was nothing in comparison to the importance of his creed. After all, he was willing to leave The Child, his friends, and even her over it.

No.

No, she wasn't going to dwell on it. She needed to stop this. He hired her for a job, plain and simple. Mando was nothing to her, and she was nothing to him. It's what she told everyone else, and it's what she would keep reminding herself every second if she had to because this was her way. If he was so willing to sever ties with people he "cared" about, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of begging him to come back or feeling upset when he decided to leave.

Cara nudged her out of her runaway train of thought. "Aurelia, we need to go," she muttered to raven haired woman before turning to address the rest of the group. "These tunnels will be lousy with Imps in a matter of minutes. We should at least discuss an escape plan."

"If you follow the descending tunnel it will lead you to the underground river. It flows downstream toward the lava flats," the Armorer directed them.

Mando stayed put. "I'm staying. I need to help her, and I need to heal." There he was again, doing as he pleased. It was his job to come and go as he saw fit, not stay with someone for too long. Aurelia felt foolish for thinking she might of even been an exception.

"You must go," the Armorer commanded sternly. She turned her back towards the rest of the group and motioned for the Mandalorian to follow her to the edge of the furnace. "A foundling is in your care. By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father. This is the Way. You have earned your Signet."

The Armorer reached back towards the furnace to collect the newest work of craftsmanship she made using the beskar from the other Mandalorian armor. Sparks flew from Mando's pauldron as his signet was fastened to the steel. The Armorer stepped back to reveal her handiwork; the silhouette of a mudhorn.

"You are a clan of two," she nodded towards Mando and The Child.

"Thank you. I will wear this with honor."

A few loud explosions detonating nearby startled the group. The yells of Imperial soldiers could faintly be heard off in the distance, signaling that the tunnels were soon to be overrun with enemy forces.

"IG, please guard the outer hallway. A scouting party draws near," the Armorer requested. "I have one more gift for your journey. Have you trained in the Rising Phoenix?"

Mando looked at her with awe under his helmet. "When I was a boy, yes."

"Then this," she began, reaching behind her to grab a jetpack, "will make you complete."

Mando took the heavy device from her hands, a strong sense of pride stirring in his chest at the sight of being awarded with such an honor. "Thank you," he exhaled breathlessly.

The other Mandalorian eyed him carefully. "When you have healed, you will begin your drills. Until you know it, it will not listen to your commands.

"I understand."

A few grunts and the chaotic sounds of blasters firing out in the corridor followed. It was quiet for a moment, then IG rounded the corner stoically.

"You are protected," he told the others.

The Armorer nodded in response then turned to face Mando. "More will come. You must go."

"Come with us," he tried to bargain once more.

"My place is here," she answered undeterred by his persuasive efforts. "Restock your munitions. IG, carry this jetpack for Din Djarin until he is well enough to wear it. Now, go! Down to the river and across the plains. Be safe on your journey."

___________________________________________

They approached an underground lava river, the sweltering sulfuric air making it difficult to breathe in the enclosed tunnel. A few rodents that blended in with the charred rocky landscape scuttled past their feet in a hurry. Aurelia followed their movements, her eyes catching what appeared to be a ferry at the base of the ledge they were standing on. The poor droid that had been given the unfortunate task of operating the boat, didn't appear to be functional in the blistering environmental conditions. In fact, it appeared the ferry hadn't been operated for quite some time. Dried chunks of cooled magma stick to the edges of the boat, securing it to the wall it floated up against it. Mando tried unsuccessfully to pry the rocks loose with the droid's oar, his lack of success further adding to his growing frustration.

"You guys mind getting out of the way?" Cara pushed past him. She took aim at the edge of the boat, blasting away at the hardened rock. Everyone piled on the ferry in a hurry when it began to sway on the surface of the lava, finally freed from the ledge. The sudden movement of the boat making its way downstream brought the tall ferry guide droid to life. Still on edge, the group aimed their blasters defensively at the poor thing simply trying to do its job. It made a few beeps and whistles, translated by IG as it wanting to know where to take the travelers.

"Down river, to the lava flat," Karga instructed. The droid beeped in acknowledgement, humming a happy, high pitched tune to itself as it steered mindlessly through the scorching river. Had their lives not been at stake by the countless Troopers hunting them down, it would've almost almost a peaceful, and much needed, relaxing moment for everyone. Aurelia and Cara leaned back against the edge of the raft, happy to be able to rest for just a moment while they had time to. The orange glow radiating from the lava stream bounced off nearby rocks, creating a  mesmerizing sight during the slow trip down river. The warm blanket of heat lingering in the air along with the droid's singing made Aurelia's eyes heavier the longer they floated on. As if on que, Karga directed everyone's attention to the bright white glow at the end of the tunnel.

"That's it. We're free!"

Something didn't sit right with Mando; this was far too easy of an escape. He stared down the remainder of the tunnel through his life form scanner of his helmet, picking up on multiple heat signatures clustered around both sides of the exit.

"No, we're not," he warned. "Stormtroopers. They're flanking the mouth of the tunnel. It looks like an entire platoon. They must know we're coming."

"What do we do now?" Aurelia asked. "I mean, I could try to grapple past them, maybe get their attention-"

"Absolutely not." Mando growled.

"That's not really your call to make, is it?" She fired at the bounty hunter.

"It's suicide. I'm not letting you do something that stupid, especially after Kuiil gave me the task of looking out for you."

"Don't you dare bring him into this," she spat venomously, jamming a finger into his chest plate. "And I'm not another job for you to do, Mandalorian."

The sound of a blaster going off turned their attention to a smoking, headless ferry droid. Cara holstered her weapon, the others looking at her in confusion. "He wouldn't stop the boat," she said her defense.

Karga threw up his hands in exasperation. "Well we're still moving!"

"There are too many to fight," Mando insisted, still not tearing his eyes away from his heated crew member.

The IG unit stepped forward. "They will not be satisfied with anything less than The Child. This is unacceptable. I will eliminate the enemy, and you will escape."

"You don't have that kind of firepower, pal," Mando countered looking the droid's way. "You wouldn't even get to daylight."

"That is not my objective. I still have the security protocols from my manufacturer. If my designs are compromised, I must self-destruct."

"What are you talking about?" Mando asked, even though from his first initial run in with the bounty droid, he knew exactly what protocol IG was referring to. It had threatened to use it on numerous occasions when it seemed as though both Mandalorian and droid were heavily outnumbered by enemies during the initial search and rescue mission for The Child.

"I'm not permitted to be captured. I must be destroyed," IG clarified. "I can no longer carry this for you," it said setting the jetpack down at its feet, "nor can I watch over The Child. Miss Aurelia, it is your responsibility to do so for the remainder of the mission."

"Wait. You can't self-destruct," Mando tried to reason. "Your base command is to watch The Child. That supersedes your manufacturer's protocol, right?"

IG paused thoughtfully for a moment. "This is correct."

"Good. Now grab a blaster and help us shoot our way out."

"Victory through combat is impossible. We will be captured. The Child will be lost. Sadly, there is no scenario where both The Child and Miss Aurelia remain safe, in which I survive. We both have fulfillments that we must see through. Just how you wanted to sacrifice yourself for the safety of your friends, I must do the same."

That hit Mando. Hard. He didn't want to die. This wasn't some kamikaze mission where he didn't care what happened to him. The IG unit had a choice in the matter and it needed to understand self-sacrifice wasn't the only way.

"Listen, you're not going anywhere," Mando pleaded, trying hard to hide the desperation in his voice. "We need you. Let's just come with a-"

"Please tell me the child will be safe in your care," IG interrupted. "If you do so, I can default to my secondary command."

"But you'll be destroyed," the Mandalorian's voice wavered.

"And you will live, and I will have served my purpose."

"No, we need you." Mando was thankful his helmet hid his pained expression beneath the layers of tinted glass and beskar.

"There is nothing to be sad about. I have never been alive," IG said indifferently.

"I'm not...sad."

"Yes you are. I'm a nurse droid. I've analyzed your voice."

The rest of the group watched in defeat as IG gently ran the back of its clawed hand over the top of The Child's head. The last bit of human-like affection it showed made it impossible for Aurelia to watch the droid step into flowing river of lava. The way the IG unit was more human than it would care to admit only further reminded her of the Mandalorian; she didn't think either one was fully okay with dying, even if they said otherwise.

The selfless droid marched onwards until it reached the mouth of the tunnel. A bit of movement could be seen around the edges around the rocks. They could see the fidgeting of shadows coming from the Stormtroopers that were gathered along the exit, watching carefully as to what the droid's next move would be. All was still for a moment before an explosion was set off at the exit, causing Aurelia to jump at the sudden violent detonation. There were no screams or cries of pain from the Troopers; just the eerie silence that was occasionally interrupted by the sound of tiny crackling flames and settling debris that remained in the wake of IG's blast.

The boat continued to drift towards through the large dust cloud, everyone raising their weapons in case any survivors had somehow made it out unscathed. There was no sign of life whatsoever at the end of the tunnel.

Their moment of victory and relief, however, was short lived. A TIE fighter swooped in from overhead, heading straight towards the boat. Cara immediately recognized it as the one that had been right outside the common house when the Troopers had ambushed them during their meeting with the client.

"It's Moff Gideon," she spat hatefully.

When the TIE fighter honed in on their position, they knew he was getting ready to strike. Immediately when they darted out of the small boat, Moff Gideon rained down a barrage of blaster cannon fire, sending spewing chunks of hot lava, rock, and wooden debris in every direction. Mando ushered the rest of the group behind a small gathering of rocks in a desperate attempt to take some kind of cover knowing they wouldn't be so lucky the during the next aerial strike.

"What are you doing?!" Cara exclaimed, turning Karga and Aurelia's attention from the incoming TIE fighter to the Mandalorian.

"I have an idea, just...stay here and take cover," he told her. Mando secured the jetpack that was bestowed upon him by the Armorer on his back. He grit his teeth under the new weight of heavy beskar that was added to his exhausted muscles. He only had one shot at this, and even he had to admit it wasn't his most well thought out plan. The safety of The Child was his top priority. That, and Aurelia's too. He glanced down at the smaller woman and noticed the hint of worry in her golden stare. Mando cupped the side of her face carefully, his heart faltering when he saw the way she fought with herself about whether or not to pull away from his touch. Pushing his own emotions to the back of his mind, he had to remind himself of the task at hand.

He didn't say anything else but instead fired up the Rising Phoenix. The sudden jolt upwards elicited a few painful grunts from the bounty hunter due to his head whipping around from the intense force of the jetpack. Mando struggled to maneuver himself properly but eventually managed to follow the path of the TIE fighter and give pursuit to an unsuspecting Moff Gideon. He shot himself forward a bit more and latched onto the top of the starfighter. From the ground, the others couldn't do anything but helplessly watch the tense scene of Mando being bucked around by Gideon. The TIE fighter weaved in and out of the thick covering of clouds, causing them to lose sight of the Mandalorian for a few passing moments. Karga nudged the two others when a bright, metallic shimmer caught his eye; Mando was falling back to the surface of Nevarro. A loud explosion permeated through the atmosphere, ripping their focus on the bounty hunter to the giant fireball that erupted above him. The TIE fighter disintegrated in a massive explosion, large portions of the ship splitting off and crashing hard into the landscape around them.

Mando recovered himself before he got too close to the ground, making a shaky landing next to the mouth of the tunnel they came out of.

Karga let out a boisterous laugh upon approaching the bounty hunter. "That was impressive, Mando," the Guild leader cheered. "Very impressive. It looks like your Guild rates have just gone up."

"Any more Stormtroopers?" Mando asked, completely unfazed by his one on one fight with a TIE fighter.

Cara shook her head. "I think we cleaned up the town. I'm thinking of staying around just to be sure."

"You're staying here?" He asked in slight disbelief.

"Well, why not?" Karga frowned. "Nevarro is a very fine planet. And now that the scum and villainy have been washed away, it's very respectable again.

Karga grinned and let out a soft chuckle. "Some of my favorite people are bounty hunters." He motioned to Cara. "Perhaps, this specimen of soldier might consider joining our ranks."

The dropper looked over the landscape thoughtfully. "Yeah, I've got some clerical concerns regarding my chain code."

"If you would agree to become my enforcer, clerical concerns would be the least of your worries. But you, my friend," Karga said sharing a finger at Mando, "you will be welcome back into the Guild with open arms. So, go off, enjoy yourself. And when you're ready to return, you will have the pick of all quarries."

The Mandalorian tilted his helmet towards the little foundling that clung tightly to his leg. He let out a sigh then reached down to scoop up the infant. "I'm afraid I have more pressing matters at hand."

Cara approached the father and son pair. She smiled down at the mischievous child, stroking one of it long ears in between her fingertips lovingly while it cooed. "Take care of this little one, and Aurelia too."

Karga placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder, his eyes looking into hers bidding her a silent goodbye. "Or maybe...they'll take care of you."

Mando passed The Child to Aurelia, a sigh of relief threatening to pass his lips when he saw the warmth return to her eyes at the sight of the infant so happy to see her. Such a feeling was short lived when Mando interrupted the sweet moment between the pair.

"Hold the kid tight," he instructed. He scooped her up, holding her tight against his chest and praying to the Maker that he would be able to control the Phoenix enough just to make it back to the ship in one piece.

The Child babbled excitedly, its mouth wide open and a few giggles escaping when they took off and flew high above the lava flats. Even Aurelia couldn't contain the corners of her smile that peeked out from underneath her scarf and the excitement that danced in her golden orbs.

___________________________________________

Mando felt her tense up in her arms when they descended upon the Razor Crest. She was happy to see the ship again, but what lay unmoving just a few feet from the entrance ramp made even Mando's heart drop.

He watched the way she tried to hide the way her legs wanted to buckle underneath her the closer she got to Kuiil's body laying at the base of the Crest. Her body finally gave out when she closed in on the last bit of space between her and the Ugnaught. The exposed fingertips of her gloved hands traced over the bottom of the scarf around her neck. She pulled it loose and down around her shoulders, the ends of the long fabric brushing up against the dry, cracked ground.

Neither she nor Mando said a word to each other while she carefully wrapped the moisture farmer up in the long strand of thick, black cloth. Mando pried his eyes from her and tried think of what he could could use to dig a small grave with and give him a proper burial.

Kuiil was the first person to show Aurelia kindness and expected nothing in return after so many years of being exposed to nothing but sadistic hatred and manipulation every single day. To die at the hands of the Empire was a cruel twist of faith that she would never be able to let herself live down. Kuill worked so hard for his freedom, in fact, he prided himself in it. His selflessness got him killed by the same people that tried to break his kind, generous spirit.

Mando laid Kuiil down gently in the bottom of the grave he had dug out near the Crest. Aurelia held tightly onto The Child who let out a few whimpers and sniffles. Though it might not of fully understood the magnitude of the situation of Kuiil's self-sacrifice, the little foundling could easily feel the sadness coming from both of his caretakers. Knowing they were hurting so made The Child feel similarly.

"Mahn valle ehin uhl Sahsahlah. Aanor il lofahchu ishiia zals. Doaba ol'val tru, min dul'skal," Aurelia spoke quietly over the Mandalorian tossing the rich volcanic dirt over her fallen friend.

Mando turned to look at her but before she allowed him any time to take in her appearance once more, she turned and headed up the ramp into the Razor Crest. He took the moment of solitude to pay his respects to Kuiil one last time, silently thanking him for his sacrifice and for putting the safety of The Child before himself.

His stomach twisted into knots when he climbed up the ladder and saw Aurelia sitting in the centermost chair starting straight ahead outside the cockpit, one of her spare long scarves tied extra securely around her neck and face.

"Where to?" Was all she said, not even bothering to turn and look back at the man staring her down.

"That was beautiful, what you said," Mando remarked in regards to her parting words to Kuiil. "I don't recognize the language, but it sounded beauti-"

"Old Corellian," Aurelia said bluntly. "It's not spoken anymore by much of anyone. My mother picked it up during her years meeting traders who passed through her cantina. She taught it to my father, and he and his soldiers used it during their missions for the sake of secrecy. Now tell me, Mando, where are we going?"

He was blindsided by the harshness of her answer. It took him a second to gather this thoughts and give her a proper plan. Truthfully, he hadn't even thought of what their next destination would be. Mando knew he wanted to take it easy for a few weeks at the very least. He needed to recuperate, as did Aurelia after the physical but more so emotional toll their visit to Nevarro had taken on her. Obviously, she wasn't in the same frame of mind she had been in since before today. She was cold, distant, and more closed off than ever before. Mando wasn't an idiot; he knew Kuill's death had a large role to play in her behavior. He couldn't be upset with her for that and he knew she needed time to grieve as did he, in his own way. He knew the straw that broke the dewback's back had to have been him almost dying on top of the loss of the Ugnaught. What he didn't understand though, was why she didn't even seem to care that he was fine after all.

"Dantooine," he spoke up when the name of the planet was the first to pop into his mind. "It's quiet. We'll lay low for a while and regroup there."

Aurelia locked herself in the refresher once the navigation had been set and she, much to her annoyance, manually determined the calculations for hyperspace. She was hoping the fact that the IG unit had ended up on the  Mandalorian's good side would provide any leverage she needed to convince him into getting an astromech droid in the distant future.

Stars, the future? She had never really thought about such a thing with Mando before. They kind of just...took one day at a time. How long was this going to go on for? They knew now there was some kind of "deadline" coming up as far as how long she would need to stick around. Now that they were actively trying to rehome the kid, well, there wouldn't be any use for her anymore once that was over. They could find these "Jedi" tomorrow, a week, or even a year from now. Absolutely nothing was certain about what was to come. Even then, how long would she be able to tolerate the complete state of emotional disarray she was in?

Aurelia turned on the water to as hot as it would allow. She let down her knotted, dirt and volcanic ash covered tresses and slowly removed each layer of clothing. She winced at how sore her fatigued muscles were from the battle on Nevarro. Her legs were tired from the constant walking and fleeing they did all day, and the burn marks from the Stormtrooper's blaster that grazed her were still raw and irritated.

A thick cloud of steam had begun to collect in the cramped washroom but she didn't mind. The overly hot shower was the only thing that felt good to her right now. She let the burning cascade of fiery water droplets wash away the dried blood and dirt off her skin. It didn't take long for her to clean herself, but she didn't want to venture out to the rest of the Crest quite yet. She was enjoying her moment of quiet, especially away from the Mandalorian. Unbeknownst to her, something caught his attention when he finished tucking The Child into the swing that hung above his cot. He felt wrong for doing so, but he brought his helmet to the refresher door when he heard Aurelia stirring inside. He wasn't expecting to hear her muffled sobs over the sound of the running shower.

Tags: @geannad

[kaiju-z]

Following the victory over The Traveling Gentlefolk and the celebration of the evening, the Cultbusters had come together to the home of one, Nelatha, where Amelia Zephyrine made her choice to remain in Crystalgate, having achieved personal goals that she had aspired to get done. After a seemingly unanamous acceptance of this decision, Luctan revealed to Nel and Malak his true appearance, after a long time of hiding.

With the intense fight, celebrations and revelations having come and gone, the party prepare for the next step of their journey and whatever life has in store for them onward in...

Seon Adventures Episode 29: STONKS AND SHARES!!!

It is the day after the tournament and each of the Cultbusters find themselves on a journey of preparations, conscious and subconscious of what’s to come.

First up, Mournimar Da’Vir~!

The Tiefling Ranger, accompanied by his trusty Dire Wolf, Morgan Da’Vir, headed off to a familiar face for a familiar ask. Specifically, the horned naturalist went to Delemmak and ordered himself a new armor and melee weapon, while Delemmak’s half-orc apprentice worked the forge, under the scruffy elven man’s instructions.

After some measuring and fitting, he was left with certain options. Mythril like chainmail in one category and a special studded leather armor with fuzed in metalic paddings. Mournimar would take the latter, for a combined 600gp, for base price of 400 and improvement price of 200 gp.

As for a weapon, the madlad, who once bought a nail bat from Delemmak wound up with the option of a magical blade. A rapier of sorts, with Elven writing on one side. Thanks to his knowledge of Elven, due to his herritage, he is able to discern the lyrics to “All Star” by Smashmouth.

Elven, turly a beautiful and magical language.

Following the purchase of this 250gp weapon, Mournimar would then find himself, alongside his animal companion, roaming the streets of Crystalgate and walking across the bridge, before taking note of something in the water.

A bottle of sorts. Curious, and much to the confusion and fatigue of an elderly woman that witnesses him do so, he jumps over the edge and lands in the shallow water, taking a closer look at what is revealed to be the bottle that was attached to Luck’s wings, which in turn were attached to that hellish contraption.

Still attached to said wings. Apparently this being where Kit’s disposal of the wings had led to.

Watching from dry land, after a “dramatic” fight with the straps of the contraption, Mournimar would see the wings drift away. 

(Coincidentally, did you know what Luck and the wings’ favorite style of swimming was? Butterfly B))

With this out of the way and opting not to share his findings with Luctan, Mournimar would carry on with the day, until reconvening back with the party in their new mannor.

Luctan’s day goes a biiiit differently, compared to the rest.

Following long pondering after the tournament and a near sleepless night, due to the situation he found himself in with TTG and Amelia’s sister, Sabrina, Luck had made a list of activities to keep his mind off of what was supposed to be a simple vengeance quest.

The streetdumb tiefling in disguise would begin by precuring supplies, tools, materials and work on building something he had never, until recently, thought he’d ever want to make: a shrine. 

Not for any god, but for a worshipper of a god. With hard work and determination, as well as a bit of an imagination, Luctan would construct a shrine to Keemis, for Malak.

He felt it the least he could do, given the work Malak had put up for them. And all their shenanigans until now.

From there he heads to Peppery Pete’s, buying the party a number of potions. Out of habit, he buys five. Each of the Greater Healing Variety. Beyond that, he would get something else, in a glass casing.

The Catharsis Poison. Worth 250gp, A deep red, runny potion. Tastes like bad wine. Upon drinking, the drinker will sweat profusely, followed by intense vomiting, crying, urination, and diarrhea for 3d6 minutes. If the drinker survives, they lose all emotional attachment for 2d4 days.

After much complimenting being thrown Pete’s way, by Luck, the red tiefling would ask his business partner about where he may perhaps percure a tattoo of the magical kind. Given directions, Luctan would find himself at the home/establishment of a tattooist Elf with a floofy beard.

A real pro of 300 years, Luck would essentially be in safe hands, as long as he was good with the gold and tite with the toughness.

For the next 6 hours Luck would have to bite into his black tanktop shirt and grit and, occasionally shed a few tears, as magical golden and purple ink was fused to his chest’s skin.

By the time it’s over, the butterfly-wing esque pattern is infused into his flesh, perfectly and with no diseases! OR sepsis! (DARN!)

Mark of the Elvenkind:

Size:

Medium

Location:

Any

Intricacy:

Average

Power:

Low

This mark imbues its wearer with the benefits of Fey Blood, granting them immunity to magical sleep and advantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Feeling safer from the magical mind control of others, Luctan would pay his tattooist and dress back up. After which he’d continue to the next part of his work:

INVESTMENTS!

Meeting with Delemmak and then Father Eldod, the Dragonborn, Luctan would invest high quantities of gold into each’s respective field. In one way to aid his favorite people in Crystalgate and in another way to make money in town, while the party was away on adventures.

The grattitude in each man was evident as in one case, Luck was helping his colleague and his daughter, Glashta, who’s mother works as an Accountant (Orccountant, if you will). While in the other he was aiding a kindly old Dragonborn, with whom he had made one of the deepest connections two people could make. Personal. Intimate: THE LOVE FOR ARCHITECTURE!!!

And as he’d leave his greatful, tearful friend, Luctan would again make the “Call me” sign with his thumb and pinky.

As day gave way to night, Luck pondered on possibly hiring a butler for the Party’s Mannor. But he wasn’t fully sure on how to handle such a task yet, given that any previous “help” he had working under him did not do so of their own volition...

So put that one in the “LATER” category, as Luck would bring himself, with a package under arm, to Nel and Amelia’s place.

After formalities are out of the way, Luctan presents the package, put together with wrapping paper and rope, purple clumps coming out from a few openings. Amelia would accept said parcel and in turn pass to the tiefling a gift she had been holding onto, herself, for the longest time.

Wrapped in paper, there would be flowers. They’d be dried up, but still put together Gladiolus (Gladioli?). Flowers, famous for often being given to gladiators (hence the name).

The gladiolus flowers symbolize honor and remembrance,as well among many a other qualities: Strength of character, faithfulness, sincerity and integrity, Infatuation and never giving up. A number of these qualities deemed fitting by the blue Genasi, for the red Tiefling.

In turn, from Luctan’s gift to her, Amelia would become the owner of a purple jacket. Identical to Luck’s jacket, from the early days of their adventures, with the notable put togetherness of the sleeves.

And an item, stuffed in the inner pocket of the jacket: Luck’s Blink Dagger. Still in mint condition, too.

The two talk then. And hug it out and then part ways, promissing to meet again, later on, whenever time allows them.

ALL WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, THOUGH!

Malak had come earlier to Nel and Amelia’s place, earliest of all.

Welcomed inside, Malak would make an offer of enchanting an item for Amelia, as a farewell present to her. After much searching, she would pick her seashell necklace out and give it for this enchantment.

Using diamond dust and the right incantation, as well as tracing his fingers over the necklace, the Death Cleric would spend a while, infusing a spell into the item. An hour after the casting, Malak would create a Necklace of Sending for Amelia. With a bonus password for personal usage only. Chosen by Amelia, the password is “Alexander”.

Thankful, she in turn would give him a fitting present. Her Keemis necklace, the one with the magical enchantment on it. With a bit of effort, she manages to place it over his head and onto his neck, asking only that he keeps the party safe. Determined to wait for their return.

Malak wishes the two of them a nice life together. A happy life together.

Amelia confides in him her worries. In 25 years of life, she’s never been so close to death and she nearly died twice with them. It’ll shake anyone and gives appreciation. She knew the time to leave was coming. And with the success at the tournament, it was the fitting moment to step back from the spotlight and reasess her life, now that she had Nel, Archie and Sabrina.

Malak takes this into account and Blesses Amelia, as the torch gets properly passed.

With this done, Malak preps himself and his know how to build himself a shrine to Keemis! Preferably in the garden! So he walks on back to the house. And following a note, he finds Luctan’s gift for him there, as it is.

(Much laugh is had ooc.)

The Cleric would approach and take position in front of the shrine, lighting up a pair of small flames atop the offering plates. One flame black. Another White.  Sick.

Speaking of spotlights and gifts! Belli Narah takes the stage and begins her busy day by Sending a message to Bardy Scott, asking him where he got that Thaumaturgy Stone from! "I bought it from Peppery Pete and you can too!” is the answer she gets in turn.

And to Peppery Pete’s she goes, buying herself a stone for 50gp. Which she narrows down the price of to 45gp, for advertisement purposses.

Words are said.

Jokes are made.

And the intricacies of adventuring life get debated between the two, before Belli parts ways for now and carries onto the Nature’s Bounty cafe.

Where she meets Guinnevere. A bald human woman, with a raven on her shoulder.  Why does she meet her? Because Belli demands to speak to the manager.

Why?

Because she wants to get a membership. Why? As a gift for Amelia, of course! Big money is paid as Belli goes all out for the Air Genasi Monk, Getting her a card with  50 visitations free of charge.

The chummy bard goes beyond the gifts, interestingly enough! For she also suggests the addition of a gift shop for customers and passer bys. So into it, she is, that she follows her rich kid instincts and makes...

Investments! She makes an investment in the establishment! STONKZ ARE BEING PUT IN!  100 gold is being placed in the investment... um... corner? Is that where you put investments?!

After gruelling and hilarious (ooc-ly) discussions on Familiar shapes, Belli heads off home, with the rest of the party, where they discuss in what order they are to do their work.

Luctan brings out the potions, handing a Greater Healing for each of the three and quickly realizing half-way into pulling out a forth that there are only 4 of them and thus, he had bought one in exess.

Putting it away, the quartet talk shop, with Luctan (with Mournimar’s aide) elaborating on their adventure in stopping their first cult. And the crystal ball involved. The visions there in and the specifity of Lake Stren in all this.

The four ultimately agree on an order of solving the cases:

Lake Stren > River’s Job Offer >  Lucius Bennett ‘s Offer.

Luck’s personal quest of regaining limbs was to be on wait for now..

As the group carry on conversations on what to do in the meanwhile, before making contact with the clients in the morning, Malak raises the subject of the shrine Luck had made for him in the garden. He would have much preferred to make it himself, as it was his deity and his worship...

But he is ultimately greatful to the tiefling for the work he put in. Luctan sharing that it felt the least he could do for Malak, after the priest’s kindness towards the party.

Then the idea gets brought up for a late night house warming party!

Belli takes to the task quickly and enthusiastically and makes calls to family and friends!

Confirmed guests from the Sending are Sabrina, Ficus, Kit, Pete and Samson. Bob Narah confirms that he’ll get the kids and enough alcohol for a cheeky 50.

All out of slots, the Bard goes old school and heads to the home of Nel and Amelia, becoming the last person of the party (currently) to visit the two that day. She makes with the knocking and is welcomed inside by a pajama’d up Nel, quite surprised with how everyone’s coming in order again and again.

Before the announcement of the party, she hands the fellow half-elf bard a knitted hat that she had made for her, which Nel accepts. With the excitement of that one relative that keeps getting socks for Christmas.

Being pointed to Amelia, Belli elaborates on the evening’s imprompty party (cut back to Luck as he uses some magic to light up candles and stuff with Purple Flames).

Weary of going out at this time, now that she was with Nel, Amelia asks for the level of the party, who else would be there and the like.

“Super casual.” is Belli’s answer as Nel, having heard the word “party”, immediatelly would switch outfits like in a cartoon, magically wearing an evening gown and ready!

“How’d you do that?!” Belli would ask, shocked at the sudden change.

“Showbusiness, Darling!” is Nel’s answer.  Nel is always ready.

Like Luctan and Malak before her, Belli too would then have a heart to heart conversation with Amelia, over the Air Genasi’s departure from the party. Truths are spoken. Amelia feeling herself an outsider in the group, with how the others had bonded. And felt herself unappreciated in the time, having closed herself off to some extent.

The alchohol during the time she traveled with the group was no incident. It was a coping mechanism.

With adventuring done, she had made the decision to cut down on the drinking.

Belli would, in turn,apologize for making Amelia feel unwanted and unapproached. She’d cry, genuine tears of remorse for not being there for her enough.

The two would hug it out then.

Mad respect.

(THERE ARE EMOTIONS! I AM SOBBING LIKE A FUCK AS THEY HUG!)

With Belli handing Amelia the card from Nature’s Bounty, Amelia would deliver a gift in turn to Belli. Flowers for the bard, as well. This time, specifically for Belli, Chrysanthemums.

Parting ways, until the party, Belli would visit one more person to offer them a spot on the guest list:  Doreen. The head of the orphanage. And after some successful chatting, Doreen would join in.

And the party would follow next...

Previous Episode / Next Episode

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