6. sealed fates!
CHAPTER 6
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SEALED FATES!
*:・゚✧
"Were you aware that he could do that?"
"He?" Mando questions, offering Gaia a hand. She immediately takes it and extracts herself from the muddy ground. Both of them, from top to bottom, are drenched in the mixture.
Gaia motions to the shaded pod. "I reckon it's a 'he', but I'm definitely not fact checking."
Mando can feel laughter of a relieved nature bubble up in his throat, getting slightly flustered soon after when Gaia tips forward and rests her forehead on his armored shoulder. Silence ensues for a while as the duo catches their breath. It's eventually broken by Gaia who raises her head, musing, "A little green creature who can levitate Mudhorns — no wonder the Empire wants their hands on him. . . Why did he save us?"
"I don't know," Mando tells her in earnest.
"Good thing I'm saving him."
"What?"
"From the Empire," Gaia clarifies while she breaks away from the Mandalorian. She wanders over to The Child's sheltered pod, mentally noting him to be unscathed and safe. "It doesn't matter what purpose they want him to serve, I'm not letting them touch a single hair on his head. My job is not only to destroy, but save, and I'm saving this one."
Mando cannot say he would disagree with her intentions, because he doesn't want to. He feels no need to. If he were to be entirely honest, he would agree. After witnessing The Child waddle around and observe him act as he has until now, it's clear just how neutral he is: he's no murderer, no criminal on the run from the Guild; he's a child — a literal kid who has done no harm. However, explicitly saying so, would be the end for him as a bounty hunter. The Child is a vital part of an ongoing commission and if he were to regard it as otherwise, he would be breaking the Guild Code and be on the receiving end of expulsion. It would endanger many, if that.
Those types of rational thoughts are racing through his head, although he's still hesitant with handing The Child over to the Empire.
"Interfering with the Guild," Mando starts bluntly, "might mean the end of your career."
". . .I know." She glimpses Mando with determination and defiance in her eyes, stating lastly, "but it would be worth it."
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Gaia and Mando have been gone for a few hours now, on a quest for the egg of a Mudhorn which the Jawas kept aggravatingly chorusing. It's the stipulation for their bargain as well as Gaia's ticket in regaining Dawnbringer. Kuiil stayed behind with the small scavengers and their Sandcrawler, while the Mandalorian, the Crenata, and The Child went to fulfill the negotiation. They have sadly not returned as of yet, and the Jawas are losing their patience. The matter has been dragged on for too long in their opinion, suspecting the trio to have failed.
They begin to leave.
Kuiil ineffectively applies for them to remain longer, but they won't hear a single thing of it.
The Jawas are kept behind at length, eyes straying to a pair of silhouettes skimming the horizon like ghosts wandering the night. Kuiil has caught sight of it, too. Gaia and Mando draw closer to them with dragged steps — his armor and her torn outfit muddied and severely mangled as if a Bantha had just sat on them. Gaia's knife is gone as well as her coat jacket, although she managed to salvage her sniper rifle. The pod carrying The Child hover beside them. She sneaks a quick glimpse of it as Mando and Kuiil are thrown into a conversation regarding their troubles.
Mando approaches the Jawas, afterward. In his grip is a hairy egg to which neither of them have ever seen before. They have decided to not question it, and the Jawas accept it after he's successfully transferred the item to them, shuddering when they pry it open and then proceed to eat the yolk inside.
"Here you are." Kuiil has made his way over to Gaia, presenting her with a frayed sheath.
Dawnbringer.
Gaia's apparent face of exhaustion has gradually softened. A thrum of relief engulfs her entirely, the steel of silver grinning back at her once she frees it from the scabbard, although with a bit of difficulty by her diminishing strength. She inspects the sword and runs a few mesmerised fingertips against the blade's flat side, basking in the chill latching on to her fingers. Not a dent is to be seen — as wonderful as the last time she saw it: the Jawas did not ruin it, thankfully. . .
Gaia faces Kuiil in gratitude. "Thank you."
"I did nothing," he proclaims gently to her, gesturing to her companion who is now right beside them. "The credit goes to Mando."
Gaia is dumbfounded although she faces him fully after a moment or two, providing him with a sincere smile. "Thank you, Mando."
"Don't mention it," he recognizes in a soft voice, his heart swelling with appreciation.
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The Mandalorian's parts for his starship was returned in full and stacked onto the cart. The four of them had then set out, once again journeying throughout the remainder of the day and most of the night while Mando spun an unlikely story to Kuiil; in which The Child broke off a Mudhorn's charge, making it levitate above ground, somehow. The ugnaught had a difficult time understanding it, even Mando and Gaia themselves to its full extent yet they were still a bit concerned for The Child's wellbeing which had taken a serious hit after the doubtful, bizarre events.
The journey across Arvala-7's dreadful terrain was surely not the hard part to come, though.
When they arrived at Mando's starship, the Razor Crest, the tenacious work ahead of them had only just begun. Unfortunately, Gaia was somewhat useless in the following tasks seeing as she was the one who had the least experience being a ship mechanic. Yes, she did own a ship of her own, but she also never really repaired it — a docking bay attendant typically handled that for her. So while being to no avail, Gaia had simply observed them, and occasionally been eating her lunch. She would at times assist with the smaller things but never more than that. She was assigned to babysitting The Child more often than not throughout the span of the week. He never woke once during that whole time, which made Gaia a little worried although, technically, The Child was not her bounty and therefore not her responsibility.
Still, some good came from their patience.
The good being portrayed as the restoration of Mando's ship — their way off Arvala-7.
"I can't thank you enough," Mando discerns to Kuiil, standing at the bottom of the side ramp to the Razor Crest with Gaia. "Please allow me to give you a portion of the reward."
Kuiil shakes his head. "I cannot accept." He gestures to Mando, resolving, "You are my guest and I am therefore in your service."
"I could use a crew member of your ability," Mando confesses after a delayed pause, recommencing, "and I can pay handsomely."
Gaia can physically feel her heart sink. It's a bit of both: of having to say farewell to a friend, but also of the reality that Mando didn't pick her. Gaia may not have come off as the best person at first although she never meant any harm, and now with her having spent so long with Mando as they've helped each other out on occasions, they've come a long way together. It's evidently not the same for him though, or so she tells herself. A sad outcome, but one she appeases nonetheless.
"I am honored," Kuiil assures, "but I have worked a lifetime to be free of servitude."
"Then all I can offer is my thanks."
"And I offer mine." Kuiil dips his chin, indicating to the horizon. "Thank you for bringing peace to my valley. Both of you."
Gaia cannot suppress the shy smile plastered onto her lips as she addresses him in kind. "Thank you for your willingness in helping us," she acknowledges, sword strapped to her waist. "It was nice meeting you, Kuiil. Truly."
"And you, as well."
Gaia bows her head in farewell, faithfully reciting, "May Stagia protect and guide you."
Kuiil departs from the two bounty hunters. He returns to his tamed blurrg, climbing atop it and turning to Gaia and Mando one final time. "Good luck with the child! May it survive and bring you a handsome reward," he says prior to nodding. "I have spoken."
Gaia blinks, allowing her acute senses to bristle and perceive the sand shift around them, a gentle breeze caressing her skin when she hears a voice ask, "Are you coming?" She glances past her shoulder to meet with Mando's ebony-black visor. Knowing their partnership is coming to an end soon, she densely reminds herself to not smile sadly.
"Well, you did offer me a ride back."
As is mandatory with the stoic bounty hunter, he leaves her company all too quickly, concluding their small exchange and scaling the lowered ramp while elusively motioning for her to follow. Gaia rolls her eyes in exasperation, acting in accordance with his commands and tailing him into the starship; she even joins him in the nearly crammed section of the cockpit. The pod of The Child has claimed its place to the right so being left with only one choice, Gaia takes a seat on the opposite side. She unlatches Dawnbringer and her sniper rifle, placing them both down.
The Razor Crest has already taken flight in the meantime, carrying them off Arvala-7 and out of the planet's confining, hassling orbit.
Gaia heaves a sigh. There's a burning question that's been upon her mind lately.
"Is 'Mando' your real name?" she bluntly inquires, effectively shattering the silence.
". . .No. It's not."
"By the flat tone in your voice, I take it you won't tell me your real name anytime soon. Do you want me to call you something else?"
"Mando is fine," he reassures, looking ahead. "Nevarro is your next destination, correct?"
Gaia is taken slightly aback by his question, and she therefore hesitates. "Um. . .what?"
"Nevarro."
"Oh." Gaia's hands are folded in her lap, an abrupt silence intertwining itself with the sheepish undertone that's lying heavily between them. She hadn't expected such a straightforward declaration. "Yes. Nevarro. I have a bone to pick with some Imperials there, so that's where I'm headed. . . Right?"
"Right."
Gaia nods slowly in an endmost realisation. A sinking disappointment fills her suddenly, spreading and affecting every single vein in her body, every thought and reminder. Hearing Mando affirm and verbally agree with her situates an unexpected hollowness deep into the darkness of her soul. It's kept in a private place, dwelling almost shyly beneath the disconnected relationship that is her and the raw, emotional desire of wanting to establish a social bond with someone she may actually get along with for the first time in years. She finds herself on the brink of objection. She wants him to object, of all things, and as weirdly absurd as it sounds.
Truth be told, ever since the incident with the Galactic Empire, Gaia have had the liberty of trusting no one but her own person. She never acquired any strong allies or casual friends after the celebrated fall of the Empire — after she was granted her freedom back, not even as an organized bounty hunter such as herself. She remained solitary at all times despite longing and wishing for someone to be there for her, with her. So many years without comfort, she progressively forgot how nice it is to talk to someone and not be on terrible terms with them at the same time.
Like right now.
Mando may not have been all that easy-going, but he still wanted to help. He really proved himself when it came to her sword: he could have just as easily not said a thing and simply refused to include it with the parts for his ship, yet he didn't. He brought Dawnbringer home. And just now, he's even been so kind enough to drop her off on Nevarro as a last act and prime tribute to the somewhat steady ground that's now resting between them. He had so many opportunities — times in which he could've abandoned her, but he never did.
It doesn't really matter, however. Once they arrive on Nevarro, Mando will turn The Child in for the beskar and leave with his reward, and she will remain to carry out her mission.
Reluctantly, she straightens her back. "Gaia," she chimes strongly at last. Mando tears his gaze away from the control board in surprise, causing her to still for a moment while watching his perpetual visor and its reflective surface where a consistent yet blurry image of herself gapes back in return. "I never got to officially introduce myself, but my name is Gaia Ascena. Thank you for helping me out."
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