CHAPTER 38

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THE SECRETIVE FIEND!

*:･ﾟ✧

"This feels familiar, doesn't it?"

Gaia leans forward, elbows propped up on her thighs while she observes Farren from her own position upon a non-significant crate, on the opposite side of the basement cell. The agent is sitting on the floor much like she did earlier, though unlike Gaia, she's not looking away in either grief or shame, but glaring straight ahead like a doll. A small smile is dancing on her face, and the only reason Gaia deems it slightly bearable is because she offered Mando that she would give it a try.

Farren was found awake not too long ago and after a while, Mando came back from the basement and vented to her how stubborn Farren was — how she refused to even talk.

Gaia knew Mando to be frustrated with the whole thing and had therefore confidently assured him that she possibly knew how to break the agent's facade down for certain.

And here she is.

"Farren, who exactly is it that you work for? What rank do you answer to?" Gaia entices, softly and calmly. The agent's mouth is sewn shut, and it has been so for the last half an hour. Although, what Mando didn't know was that these kinds of questions don't interest Farren the least bit. She's too proud for any of that. "You know," Gaia resumes, leaning back on the crate with an overdone breath and commencing her new approach, "the thing you did with my partner's ship, managing to get inside without a code. . .that was impressive." A spark of regard is ignited within Farren's eyes, and Gaia is aware that it means something to her. "How'd you do it?"

Farren writhes a bit, crossing her legs while she blinks. "Experience," she reveals vaguely.

Gaia urges her along with a nod, bluntly inquiring, "You grew up with tools in your hands and oil stains on your cheeks, right?"

"If that's what we're calling a ship mechanic now, then sure~" Farren shrugs, most likely not caring what it is that she's giving away.

"Your parents must be proud of you. Not many people know how to disable a ship manually," Gaia says in a spur of earnesty. She may be doing this to get information, yet she cannot lie that she's not just a bit curious as to how Farren came to be in the Galactic Empire's service and all with her consent.

"They're not," Farren dismisses, waving a hand. "They've been dead for years now so I doubt they'd have any opinions about it. . ."

Did you kill them? The question burns instinctively within Gaia, although it's really not her business to ask nor would it have Farren continue to talk with her. "Did the Empire kill them?" she redirects instead.

And certainly not to her surprise, Farren shakes her head at the question. "Disease got to them before I could," she smirks, presumably not joking in the slightest while she tilts her head to the side. "When the Empire bought me and I left the orphanage, people stopped to remind me that I had a family once, which I liked. So, you see, I don't care all that much about them, Blue. Ouch~"

Gaia averts her eyes briefly, gulping. "And you've been in the Empire's service since?"

"Pretty much~" Farren estimates in a casual tone, as if they're merely speaking about the weather or whatever. "It taught me things."

Gaia flinches, the subject getting darker and deeper the more they talk. Not only is it because it reminds Gaia of her days with the Empire, but also because it's gradually hitting her just how different her and Farren truly are at each their own core. Perhaps she had hoped to find solace in the Kessurian because of their shared identities, hoped for some kindred spirit to level with her regarding their unfortunate lives and that Farren wasn't completely cruel or lacking empathy. After all, saving a soul is fairly easier than killing it.

"Things. . .like what?" Gaia presses on, encouraging herself to take a deep breath.

". . .Defense, tips and tricks. . .about gaining control over your own life and taking whatever it is that your heart desires." That same grin she started off with has yet to fade from Farren's lips, and it only intensifies at specific times. It expands, becoming wider and greater. It unnerves Gaia, and she has no clue whether or not Farren does it to scare her off or simply because she's being genuine. "We're getting stronger day by day, Blue. You can feel it in your bones, can't you?" Farren is watching Gaia with her every movement, droning, "I would love to invite you with us, but. . . I don't think I like you anymore. . ."

"That's fine with me," Gaia mutters to herself. A twisted child, she concludes, that's what Farren essentially is by the end of the day.

"Farren, I have to ask you. . ." Gaia is reluctant and timid to voice her thoughts, afraid of the answer. "Are you not the least bit fearful of what the Empire could do to you?"

Farren purses her lips, almost as if she's thinking it through. She needs no time to think about anything, though. Her gaze never leaves Gaia who remains slightly hopeful despite everything, and there's an empty world within her eyes — one as cold as ice.

"No."

"Gaia."

The blue alien nearly jumps at the sound of Mando's voice. She turns around and sure enough, there he is, patiently waiting for her to join him at the door. "Yes? What is it?. . ."

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Gaia is simply stumped. The holographic transmission of Greef Karga dissolves aboard the Razor Crest before her very eyes, and so does the echo of his fated proposal. "Of course he's alive," she drawls with a sigh. "He's a tough son of a bitch, I'll give him that." She shakes her head in disbelief, trudging to the doorway of the cockpit while mumbling under her breath. "Unbelievable."

Silence, that's all there is. It permits Gaia to mend her thoughts together, take in the catastrophe that is their lives. She would wish that everything didn't have to be this complicated, although here they are, listening to a man rant about his sudden willingness to overthrow the Client and squads of Stormtroopers because his city was rendered useless under their rule. It sounds more like a trap if anything, especially with the part involving using The Child as bait and letting them leave with him if everything goes according to plan. If only Gaia had spent more time getting to know Greef, she may have known what's going through his head.

"This is our chance."

Gaia swivels around. She shoots Mando a pointed look in the process, his words clashing over her like thunder. ". . .What?"

"Our opening," Mando clarifies further, remaining adamant with his decision. "It's what we need in order to move forward."

Struggling to find the right words, Gaia stammers quite nervously as she places her hands on her hips. "You cannot be serious," she says under her breath before gesturing to her companion. "Djarin, I'm pretty sure we both saw the exact same thing that day: he meant to kill us and take the kid for himself."

"Because we broke the Code, Gaia. We disrespected the found rules of the Guild as well as bounty hunting. We betrayed them."

"We owe him nothing!" Gaia exclaims at last. "What we did was right, and who's to say the same thing won't happen twice? Can we really trust a man like Greef? No, not after we both saw how the Guild chased after us. I might even go so far as to say that he could've made a deal with the Empire behind our backs."

"Yet it's the same Guild who gave us credits and reputation," Mando retorts, more keen on defending the Guild than he initially thought he was. Yet his resolution on the matter still stands as strongly as it does the Guild leader's reliance. "I'm a man of honor, and so is Greef Karga. He's requesting help." Mando's words are evidently getting through to Gaia and she reposes herself, latently knowing that Mando and Greef were on friendlier terms than Greef and her ever were.

"Think of the kid," Mando starts more quietly, stepping closer to Gaia as he does so. "We cannot keep on running, Gaia, you know this. . . .Do you want them to take him away—"

"For the love of Stagia," Gaia blurts, rubbing her eyes as if to wipe her frustration away, "this is the Tatooine accident all over again! And we all know what happend back then."

"So, you don't want any of this to end?"

"Of course I do. I want it just as much as you, but I just can't allow it." Gaia's breaths fans the refined visor of Mando's helmet, a piece of armor crafted of duty and credence, and one she holds equally as much respect for as she does ire. Her hands are meekly shaking and she finally grabs his arms, holding them tightly. "Djarin. . .I. . .I can't lose you again."

Mando is taken aback by Gaia's honesty. It's a side of her he's not seen often, but one he's getting more and more familiar with. One he'd seen in a fervent moment of strength, earlier, when she had stormed forward and held him so tenderly. "You've never lost me, Gaia," he finds himself soothing toward her.

"I thought I lost you," she corrects thereafter, softly. She gulps, faintly sensing a lump in her throat and the tears gathering in her eyes although she tries to suppress them. "You and the kid, I don't think I've ever told you this but I regard you both as family of mine. That's how I feel. . .and I can't take losing more of my family. I've lost too much already and this—" she points towards the control board, "is just screaming murder. Do you understand?" Mando can only watch in silence as Gaia removes her touch and lowers her gaze. A tear may have fallen, because she wipes at her cheek while slowly moving for the ladder. "Thank you for sharing this with me, but I'm not going through with it. Sorry."

Mando's heart beats loudly in his chest, like a drum. The words in his throat won't go any further, although that's all he ever wants — to reach out and wholeheartedly stop her. And before he knows it, he's done exactly that.

"You mean more to me," he confesses, "than you know." Mando's fingers have coiled their way around Gaia's wrist and kindly held her back. He cannot stand seeing her turn away once more in sadness and solitude, not like she did back on Tatooine. He wanted to comfort her and agree with her and touch her in that second back then, and now he won't repeat that same mistake. "I care about you, Gaia, and that's the only reason why I have enough courage as I do to even consider Greef's suggestion." Gaia turns fully to Mando, following his delicate hold and permitting him to hold her hands in his. And much to her surprise, he's shaking just as much as she is. "I cannot hope to do this without you. I need you more than anything."

"It's just. . ." Gaia doesn't know what she's saying until the words are gone. "I'm so scared, Djarin. . . I might even be terrified."

"You won't be doing it alone. I'm here," Mando reassures, squeezing her hands.

. . .He's right. This isn't about fear or valor, it's about life and death. Gaia exhales deeply and leans toward Mando, her home. Her forehead greets the steel of his shoulder, a welcoming chill to dampen her worries and frenzied thoughts, their hands and hearts intertwined together. "You're the only one who's allowed to talk to me like that," she discloses after some time of silence, gazing lovingly up at him. "Were you aware of that?"

A heartfelt smile grazes Mando's entire expression, and he nods down at her. "Yes."

— Author's Note —

Gaia: pls tell me you're a little scared of the Empire so I can at least agree with you

Farren: no

Gaia:

Gaia: bruh