CHAPTER 3

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(UN)FORTUNATE EVENTS!

*:･ﾟ✧

"Come down."

"No. I really don't want to."

"Gaia, I will leave without you. Look," Mando lifts the tracking fob up for her to see, the red dot in the middle of the device blinking in a slow rhythm for now, "this is the right place."

Gaia whines quietly to herself at the top of her starship, ramp lowered and prepared for her to exit as she gestures uselessly to the horizon and rocky terrain of Arvala-7, a desert planet. Thankfully it seems barren and abandoned so running into trouble is more unlikely. "Why does it always have to be sand? Just why?"

Mando expels an exaggerated sigh. Leaving Gaia to simply wait here and brave the wasteland by himself has crossed his mind several times, yet something tells him that having an extra pair of hands as backup is the wisest choice there is. Though, that still does not explain Gaia's dislike for deserts. The most conclusive answer to that would be her growing up on a planet that's the opposite of sunlight and dunes, instead flourishing with lakes, greater amounts of flora, and diversive weather patterns. There are many such reliable planets around the galaxy, although Arvala-7 is unfortunately not one of them.

That's why, upon seeing Gaia suddenly bolt down the ramp, Mando has barely any time to react when a blurrg — a hunch-backed reptilian beast with small arms and a huge maw — attacks him out of the blue, scooping and clenching its teeth around his right arm.

"Mando!" Gaia cries out, drawing her knife.

The blurrg swings Mando around as if he weighs nothing. The Mandalorian attempts to break free after the creature has pushed him harshly to the ground, the dual flamethrower in his vambrace has died down, and he has lost his rifle — causing him to slam his fist against the blurrg's temple three consecutive times. The creature wails in distress by the force and his arm is instantly released. Gaia has finally reached the ruckus by now, aiding Mando by shielding him and charging forward, striking the blurrg without hesitation. A diagonal gash is embedded onto its hard-skinned face, a roar colliding with their ears as the knife is settled in her hand.

"Are you okay?!" Gaia asks rather urgently, verbally referring to him cradling his arm.

"Ask me that later!"

Mando's voice reverberates as Gaia throws her knife to the ground in order to act mindfully. She crashes unceremoniously against the Mandalorian when the blurrg lunges for them both, abruptly tripping as a mysterious dart pierces its flesh and triggers a surge of visible electricity. Gaia's breath hitches in her throat, her eyes wide as she lands squarely on Mando's chest while the blurrg stumbles forward. They just barely avoid its bleeding forehead as the beast skids unpleasantly a long way across the slippery ground, immediately losing consciousness.

"Oh, fu—"

A second — pissed off — blurrg sprints into view, causing both hunters to freeze in place.

Yet, when an identical dart shoots through the air and has rendered the beast just as immobile, both Gaia and Mando free a withheld breath each. They're both staring at the blurrg that's an inch from them, its tongue lolling out of its mouth while it sleeps.

"Are you okay?" Gaia repeats, sincerely.

"What?"

"You said to ask you later," she points out, scanning Mando's visor. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. . ."

Mando is speechless by the caring tone of Gaia and her serious attitude. Never before has he been asked that question by another bounty hunter. In their world, the world of the Guild, it's every man for himself — as the phrase goes, which is why he was so unsure about teaming up with her in the first place.

Sensing a presence, the duo, remaining on the ground, glimpses an approaching blurrg although this one has been more or less tamed by the Ugnaught mounted on it. He's clad in muted brown colors, a goggle cap sitting on top of his head while he and his loyal creature march right up to them. Gaia and Mando are quiet. They're reluctant to say anything at all, not knowing exactly where it is that they stand with one of the few residents of Arvala-7. The Ugnaught seems far from hostile or aggressive though, prompting Mando to audibly regard him.

"Thank you."

The Ugnaught bobs his head in acceptance, observing Gaia and Mando as they remove themselves from the ground. Gaia sticks her hand out and flexes her fingers when he simply stares at her. "Come on, tough guy."

"You are bounty hunters," the Ugnaught states in a hoarse voice. He's watching the Mandalorian rely on Gaia's support as she heaves him off the ground, later adjusting the sniper rifle fastened across her tense back.

"Yes, we are," she affirms, retrieving her knife and sheathing it while Mando initiates the same action with his Amban sniper rifle.

The Ugnaught has canted his head at them both. He peers at them, thoughtfully, for a moment until he suddenly reveals, "I will help you." Gaia's hands become idle when she processes the uttering, previously busy with smoothing her coat jacket down and thinking the Ugnaught to not care and leave. Her gaze follows his line of sight and it lands on Mando's damaged vambrace. Noticing her puzzled expression, the Ugnaught closes the conversation off by reciting, "I have spoken."

"Huh," Gaia breathes, facing Mando after a moment or two. "This should be interesting."

▲▽▲

The Ugnaught introduced himself as Kuiil.

After Gaia and Mando secured their starships and assisted with leading the wild blurrgs with them, he guided them all off into the desert, headed towards a place unknown to the duo. This was their first time setting foot on Arvala-7, but not Kuiil who evidently lived here, tending to his moisture farm. The place of property was circled with a bunch of evaporators, the white poles standing tall and proud like an army. Gaia never knew that one could thrive as well as Kuiil did on a barren planet such as Arvala-7, yet he proved her wrong when they arrived at his home — a station situated off on the side which were strewn with pieces and scraps of metal, indicating of the farmer's hobby for devices.

Now settled inside of Kuiil's house, the ceiling hanging low, Gaia and Mando have seated themselves by a small table. Kuiil had prepared them something to drink the moment they entered the establishment.

"Many have passed through," he informs them, tending to the stove and tempering the beverage. "They seek the same one as you."

Gaia is still in the process of cooling the hot liquid in her cup, blowing gently at the tepid steam. Mando leads the conversation from beside her, as a result. "Did you help them?"

"Yes." Kuiil pours the rest of the brewed tea into his cup with a steady hand. "They died."

"Tragic," Gaia comments, sipping her tea.

"Then I don't know if we want your help."

Mando is somewhat faltering, not knowing how to perceive Kuiil or what it is that he has to offer besides knowledge. Something lies behind the Ugnaught, both him and Gaia may sense it although what exactly it is none of them are entirely certain of. Each of them do know, however, that he's friendly, blunt, and wise when it comes to strangers. "You do," Kuiil assures brazenly as he joins them at the table. "I can show you to the encampment."

"What's your cut?"

"Half."

"Half the bounty to guide? Seems steep."

Gaia elbows Mando leniently in the side. "Be glad I didn't want in on the bounty, Hush."

"You wouldn't have received anything even if you asked me," he retorts frankly back at her.

"No," Kuiil interrupts, seated opposite from them, "half of the blurrg you helped capture."

"The blurrg? You can keep them both."

"No, you will need one; to ride," Kuiil explains firmly in return. "The way is impossible to pass without a blurrg mount."

"What about my acquaintance?" Mando gestures briefly to Gaia who is still drinking the supplied tea. "If you demand half then there's not enough for at least one of us. . ."

"That's why I'm not coming with you," she drops in a carefree tone, obviously having thought about the situation for herself. "I'm hanging back. That way, I won't interfere with your commission or the bounty itself, right?"

". . .Are you sure?"

"I've got it covered. Don't worry, I can handle myself and the same can surely be said for you." Gaia chuckles at that — Mando's concern for her as she smiles sweetly before turning to Kuiil. "You wouldn't mind if I layed low here for a little while, Kuiil, would you?"

"No," he approves of her, grasping his cup and getting ready to drink, "you may stay."

"I don't know how to ride blurrg," Mando confesses shortly after to the ugnaught.

Kuiil offers him a glance. "I have spoken," he recites, which brings Gaia to laugh quietly.

"I like this one," she mentions happily.

▲▽▲

Kuiil's home is the embodiment of cozy, furnished with knick-knacks and other small ornaments, although having to sleep on the floor is another matter entirely. Gaia barely slept through most of the night, laid beside her enigmatic companion with a stack of blankets as a makeshift pillow and even more draped over her as a sort of "duvet" that she had to wrestle with in order to get remotely comfortable. Regardless, the sky ultimately shifted from pale purple with undertones of pink and yellow to a leaping blue, allowing the trio outside and to the wide enclosure accommodating none other than the blurrgs.

Gaia watches in slight boredom as Mando is thrown off of the reptilian beast he's trying to mount once more, stretching her rigid back. He remains on the ground this time and sighs towards the creature refusing to abide to him.

"Perhaps if you removed your helmet!" Kuiil suggests from the other side of the fence.

"Perhaps he remembers I tried to roast him."

"This is a female," the ugnaught appraises. "The males are all eaten during mating."

Gaia leans against the fence. She evokes a sigh as well, having observed Mando and his failed attempts at taming this particular blurrg ever since the sun's first rays touched the pale horizon. "So, not like a pacuuner. . ."

"Pardon?"

Gaia is ripped out of her thoughts, her lips parting in realisation. "Oh," she laughs sheepishly. "I was just comparing blurrgs to pacuuners." Upon seeing Kuiil furrow his bushy eyebrows up at her, she elaborates, "Pacuuners are mammals native to my homeplanet. Or. . .were. I don't actually know if there's any left. My people used them as mounts, regardless. They're a close equivalent to what Humans have as 'foxes', except ours was more of a noble species with a bigger physique and a longer, slender tail. They were stunning. . .especially when they ran free. . ."

"A worthy friend," Kuiil comforts, reeling Gaia's focus warmly back to the present.

"Indeed." She supplements his comment with a small smile, or what she dearly hopes to be one. "Sorry for talking your ears off, Kuiil."

"You did no such thing," he reassures her, unexpectedly motioning towards Mando afterwards. He has hoisted himself up on the blurrg again, clinging to its back for dear life until it tosses him meekly off, mewling its discomfort at him. "Perhaps your knowledge may provide him the help he is in need of."

Gaia glimpses her companion for a short while, flashes of her mother teaching her about pacuuners resonating within the pits of her mind. Her heart aches, yet she's painfully resolute in her decision. "Well, it's about to."

"I don't have time for this!" Mando exclaims out of frustration as he strides briskly over to Kuiil and Gaia. "Do you have a Landspeeder or Speeder bike that I could hire?"

"You are Mandalorian!" Kuiil's firsthand encouragement strikes him brutally in the soul as it was meant to, and Gaia is taken aback by the passion in the ugnaught's voice. "Your ancestors rode the great Mythosaur! Surely you can ride this young foal."

"He's right," Gaia chimes softly to even the tension out, climbing past the fence and joining Mando. The blurrg is keeping its distance and leering bluntly at the Mandalorian in particular. "Acting all stubborn won't get you anywhere in this type of situation. Look at her." Gaia is gazing towards the beast, sensing her companion eyeing the blurrg, too. "She's defiant and lashing out because you tried to roast her. It wasn't your fault and you only tried to defend yourself, but it left a mark all the same. You need to respect her. Let her know that you're equals," Gaia enlightens, her words dulcet.

It dawned on Mando right then and there how fast his heart sped, how heavy it seemed and how difficult it weighed against his ribcage. Gaia's motivation and instructions are sincere as can be, inspiring as Kuiil, and as strong as the bond being slowly built between them. It's new, it's thrilling, even more so when it's coming from someplace needed; a place he wishes people around him were more prone to act on, like her and Kuiil.

"Fine," Mando discerns himself saying. He turns to the blurrg, breathing deeply in to calm his nerves and near it again. "Okay."

Gaia steps back. She crosses her arms over the expanse of her chest and keeps an eye on Mando, viewing him inching his way towards the blurrg. His posture is different this time, his back is a bit hunched and his hands are held up in front of him to signal that he's not a threat. The ambiance has changed for the better, a clement breeze sweeping over the land as he soothes the uncertainties of the creature. And as he does so, it eases, permitting him to stroke its forehead and heave himself up on its back, directing it around the enclosure with a sturdier hand.

All the while a smile of pride has overtaken Gaia — tenderness within her scarred eyes.

— Author's Note —

The ship is leaving the docks, everybody!