A one shot for the Bounty hunter storyline on Taris. Spoilers for Taris as well, so be warned if you avoid such things. I may write more one shots if I get inspiration.
Mako:
No one was expecting a sniper shot. A cheap trick, for a Mandalorian honor duel. But she should have seen it coming- it was a duel with a traitor, after all. She cursed herself for not seeing it coming. She heard the shot before she saw it coming. She'd been standing right next to him, but the sniper's aim was true. The only thing that saved his life is that he'd heard it too, and had moved just a fraction. The next thing she saw was him falling with a clatter of armor. They may be getting the big bounties now, but he always spent his credits helping her upgrade her armor before he got anything for himself. He was always surprising her with upgraded items... making sure it fit her, making sure it was the best.
Now, though... hearing the shot, seeing him fall with a clatter... she panicked and wished he thought of his own armor first.
"Are you alright!?" She didn't even think about the possibility of a second strike. She ran over to his side, begging in her mind for him to be alive. Obviously the sniper thought him dead, because no second shot came. She reached an arm out to touch his shoulder but was met with his hand. He groaned and pulled himself to a sitting position. Inside, she was singing, though she wasn't quite sure why.
"Yeah, I'm fine." His response was gruff, as usual. But she'd come to expect brevity from him. He immediately got up, and looked around. His communicator was beeping again. He shook it and activated it. While he cursed Jicoln Cadera to the tiny, flickering holo image of his son, she silently thanked any dieties that looked out for Mandalorians. She still wasn't quite sure why.
He was dark and brooding- a man of few words. But when he spoke to her, his voice was as gentle as she'd ever heard it. He never had anything but praise for her assistance and her abilities. He'd defended her. And without Braden, he might be considered her only family. At least, the only family that she knew and trusted. But on the other hand- he WAS dark. He was a mercenary after all, not the keeper of a flower shop. He had a streak for vengence- something that had benefitted her because he'd eagerly agreed to beat Tarro Blood in the Great Hunt. No one else, probably not even Braden, would have taken on such a dangerous task against an opponent who cheated. And no one else, except probably Braden, would have done so using only fair play on his own end. Braden would have made her stay on the ship for safety, but he saw her value on and off the battlefield, and let her follow him wherever she wanted to go.
So follow him she did. And follow him she will. Even into the places where that slimy Gault complained about and refused to go. She liked him. Probably more than was professional. Who else would look out for him? Certainly not Gault.
"Mako. We've got the next set of coordinates. Let's go." He was putting his communicator back into his pocket. He pointed north, toward the gap in the ruined wall they had gone through earlier.
"Alright boss, lead the way. I see the Cathar are going back to their posts, so be careful." She kept her eyes peeled this time, and her hands close to her blaster and her med scanner.