Chapter 27 - The Doubt

A small moan sounded from her lips. He froze and for a moment he thought he imagined it.

"Mmm… Man..ny." She moaned. Mando jumped to his feet, holstered his blaster. He grabbed his helmet and slipped it back on. He grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her.

"Fayra!" He called out. "Fayra!" He cupped her face in his hands. "Open your eyes!" Fayra moaned, her brows furrowed.

"Listen to me, open your eyes right now!" He demanded.

Her eyelids fluttered. She blinked and groaned. She tried to swallow. Mando grabbed the cup of water at her bedside and moved to sit next to her. He pulled her up in a sitting position and put the cup to her lips.

"Drink," he demanded. "Drink!"

Fayra struggled with him as she began trembling again, but Mando held her in place, forcing her to obey him. Weak and disoriented she gave in. She took a few sips then began gulping it down.

"Alright, alright… not too much." he pulled the cup from her and set it back down. "Lay back!"

She obeyed and he laid her back on her pillow. Quiet moans came and went throughout the rest of the night. Every couple hours Mando demanded she drink, she obeyed.

Fayra sucked in a deep breath as her eyes popped open. Mando sat in a chair at the foot of the cot. In a panic she jumped up, her legs were shaky and weak. She could barely lift her arms and her throat was soreS she tried to speak, but it too felt harsh. Tears began streaming down her cheeks when she recalled her last memories. Of Blue, the fact that she had broken his rules, Mando being so angry with her, shooting him, and he almost died. She started trembling when she began thinking what he would do to her for such a betrayal.

Mando stood, approaching her. Fayra's skin was more pale than when he first saw her. Her hair was wild and cascaded all around her. It partially covered her breasts. She was upset and fearful. Fayra looked down and saw she was naked before him. She winced from the pain as she crossed her arms in front of her covering as much skin as she could.

Her heart pounded as he came closer. She backed up until she hit the wall, she gasped at the sudden jolt. Tears began streaming down her face. He would kill her now, she thought. Hopefully he would make it quick and painless. Mando reached down and picked up the blanket. She figured it was for wrapping her body in once he was finished with her.

"Fayra" He said softly, now inches from her.

Her crying intensified at the sound of her name. "I'm sorry" she said, her voice cracked and hoarse. She shook her head, "I'm so sorry."

She flinched and recoiled as he reached around her wrapping her in the blanket. "I'm sorry." She repeated again and again, pleading with him.

"Fayra, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt you."

She closed her eyes, "I didn't mean for that to happen, I'm sorry." She sobbed. Mando wasn't sure of anything else to do. He pulled her into him. Fayra flinched again when she felt him place his hand on the small of her back. She was afraid.

His words sounded incredible. But anytime she disobeyed her other captors they punished her. Why was he different, he may even be more terrifying than any of them. So she didn't believe him, she couldn't. He was dying because of her, surely he wouldn't let that go without some kind of retaliation.

When he didn't let her go she couldn't stand it anymore and wrapped her arms around his waist and cried into his chest. They stood there for a long while. Mando took her by the shoulders when her cries finally quieted.

"Sit down," He instructed her. Fayra did as he asked and he led her to the edge of the cot. He backed away and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. Mando wasn't sure how to word things. "What you did… were you aware you could… heal?"

She didn't want to talk about it, her abilities were something she tried to keep secret. Never reveal them to anyone, her foster mother once said. How could she refuse him, there was no way. He knew, she just wondered what would be her fate. Would it be death or sold to the highest bidder. "I've never done it like that before, to a dying person."

"Where did you learn it, where did you learn of the other things you can do?"

She looked down in thought, then back at him. And hesitated.

"Fayra."

"I didn't really... learn it, it sort of just happened one day. I can hear them, for as long as I can remember. I… I hear them."

"Hear them?"

She nodded, "Yes, the stars. They sing. The wind pulls and howls for me. Fire is... it's… angry, like it's screaming. Nature they send buzzing vibrations through me. Water is different… I've never been able to wield it, it calls my name, but it doesn't respond to me."

"The healing?" Mando asked.

Fayra shut her eyes and looked away.

"Fayra?" Mando called after getting no response.

"No one's supposed to know about it. None of it" She confessed, tears stinging her eyes again. She swallowed hard.

"It's what he wants from you. Isn't it?"

She looked up at him, of course he'd figure that out, she should have expected it.

"He wanted you to show him something that night when he had you strapped to that table, torturing you. Your ability to control elements are fine, might come in handy here or there. But the real prize is your power to heal. That is why he paid so much for you."

Single tears fell down her cheeks. Prize? He viewed it as a prize. Mando now knew and witnessed what she fought so hard to keep hidden. And now she knew what his intentions would be. "The Niktos didn't raid my adoptive family's farm. They sold me. They were afraid of what I could do." Why she said that, she was unsure, was it a threat, a plea?

"Lay back down, and rest. Drink. I'll bring you some food." He turned and left.

Two days went by. Fayra mostly stayed in her room, sleeping, eating, drinking, and regaining some strength. When she could she stole a look at Mando. She was curious about him and how his body handled her powers. It wasn't a lie that she'd never done it on that scale. She never tried to heal a fatal wound before, it was usually a small animal of her adoptive family's cuts and bruises. She immediately decided she wouldn't do it again. It drained her to the point of almost killing her. She wasn't sure if she'd known that, she wouldn't have tried to heal Mando. She had just been so terrified at the thought of him dying.

She was also curious about Blue's fate. She was sure he'd killed him or sent him out the airlock. She hadn't seen Blue around, and there was no way she would ask Mando about him.

Most importantly she couldn't stop thinking about what he would do now that he knew about her healing power. He did promise that she didn't have to fear being traded from him. But when circumstances change all bets could be off. Now that she had time to think she was positive he wouldn't kill her, she was valuable. He'd either keep her for himself, force her to stay by his side and use her when needed or take the offer from the one who'd pay the most. In her world that's how it worked.

Another day passed, she finally felt well enough to venture out. She wandered into the galley, she wanted to make some of that tea Omera gave her. She was sure it would help her. She thought of her friends on Sorgan, she wished she could go back. She was sure she'd be happy there, farming. More importantly living a free life.

She blew some cool air across her tea cup and turned to sit down. Mando stood behind her. When she saw him she gasped and dropped the cup. He reached out, snatching it out of the air before it could turn and spill. He handed it back to her. She smiled weakly as a thank you.

"You know... it's crazy to think you wear all the steel armor and still sneak up on people." She tried to make easy conversation.

Mando handed the cup to her. "Follow me."

Apparently she failed. She set her tea cup down and obeyed.

He descended the ladder to the cargo bay. She looked down at the height of it and felt a bit dizzy. She didn't want to go down had a bad feeling, but she knew Mando would not accept no for an answer. She stepped down gripping the bar and began her descent. Half way down her dizziness intensified causing her to lose her grip. She slipped off, but before she hit the ground Mando caught her by the waist and set her back on her feet. Her head fell forward and hit his Beskar covered chest, which didn't help matters at all.

She groaned and placed a hand on her head.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I'm dizzy, the room… it's... spinning." She gasped for a breath.

He guided her to a seat, "take some deep breaths."

After a few minutes of breathing the dizziness subsided. She opened her eyes to see him kneeling before her.

"Good?" He asked.

She nodded.

"We have unfinished business to discuss." he stated flatly.

She swallowed hard. Her heart pounded. She nodded.

Mando stood and moved from her line of sight. She sucked in a sharp breath when she saw Blue encased in some kind of material, frozen. His small round head cocked at an odd angle. She stood, touching the material. He was like a statue.

"What is this?" She asked.

"It's frozen in carbonite." He answered.

"Is he dead?"

"No."

She turned, "you're gonna let him live." Fayra's face lit up with a small hope.

"No," Mando said quickly. "I didn't say that."

Fayra's face fell. She looked at her feet in disappointment.

"Then what? I get to watch. Is that why you brought me down here?" This was to be her punishment for betrayal, to watch what she tried to save die.

"No." he said flatly. "I brought you down here to explain."

She furrowed her brow at him.

"Droids killed my parents-"

Her expression fell.

"- They destroyed my village, took everything I knew…. I don't like them. And if it were possible I'd kill them all."

His explanation was short and to the point. "I'm sorry." She said softly. Then turned her gaze to Blue. More tears fell, this was a fight she couldn't win. Not in a million years. She nodded her defeat. The silence between them stretched as he watched her.

Mando sighed. "Alright." He said. "I won't kill it."

She lifted her eyes to his dark visor in shock. Was he serious, or was this a cruel joke, she asked herself.

"It's getting off at the next stop." He demanded quickly.

"You mean it?" She asked, jumping from her seat. "Really?"

"You think me a liar?"

She smiled, shaking her head then threw her hands around his waist, squeezing him into a hug.

He groaned.

"Thank you." She said releasing him, but another wave of dizziness overcame her and she stumbled back. Mando steadied her.

"Lay back down and rest."

She nodded.

As she left Mando eyed the droid, but his thoughts were focused elsewhere. He thought of the Client. His instincts told him the Client knew or at least suspected Fayra had certain abilities. He knew of and has witnessed men ripping apart planet after planet to gain such power. Fayra was an asset, one that couldn't be easily forgotten. The Client wouldn't give up without a fight. And that fight was coming.

Even he was beginning to doubt, when it was time if he'd be able to let her go, would he allow it?