Notes: For this chapter, I didn't really like putting Fayra in a "Damsel in Distress" situation again. I feel like she's grown past that. But I didn't see any other way for Mando to begin trusting IG.
In the show I wish they added more story line and detail to some of the relationships developing. Especially between Mando and IG. I thought it had great potential.
Anyway, thanks for reading!
Chapter 44: IG-11
"Back! Back!" The man demanded. "I'll kill her!" He said, dressed in a red robe with gold embroidery. The man held Fayra's limp body against him, and had a blaster positioned at her temple. The patrons in the common house went scrambling.
"I don't have a clean shot." Cara whispered.
"Neither do I."
"Weapons down." He demanded. When the two didn't comply he pressed the blaster into her temple harder. "Now!" He screamed.
"Alright." Mando complied, lowering his blaster. "What do you want?"
"Weapons down! On the ground."
"Cara." Mando knelt to the ground laying his weapon down.
Cara followed suit. "Hope you got a plan."
Mando said nothing. The man began backing away. "You follow, she dies."
Mando watched as the man and Fayra disappeared through the trees.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" Cara asked, grabbing the blasters from the ground. She handed Mando's to him and began to run. Mando shot out his arm to stop her. She turned to him with a confused look.
"Not yet, he was serious about killing her. I saw it in his eyes. Take this." Mando handed Cara a com link. "This has a tracking signal, go to the ship, tell Kuiil what's happened, gather some weapons and come to my location."
"Who the hell is Kuiil?" Cara didn't have time to agree before Mando took off in the same direction as the man and his hostage.
Mando silently followed the heavy footprints through the woods.. He doubted he needed his visor to find Fayra. The birds were doing the job for him. They continued to follow Fayra even in an unconscious state. He had been walking a while, when the birds stopped and settled down on the limbs of trees about a quarter of a mile ahead. Finally, Mando thought.
The sun was setting, by the time he reached the location it was dark. He stopped when he saw lit torches lighting an area in the distance. He moved to the left where the ground was higher and crouched down to inspect the scene. The man was serious when he threatened Fayra's life, but he wanted her taken alive. Mando knew he wasn't going to kill her right away, but it would happen eventually.
Fayra's still unconscious body lay on a stone slab. Men dressed in the same red robes surrounded her. He counted, there were twenty of them. Then a man in a black robe emerged from a small stone building with vines growing up the sides and around the entrance, it was possible more men were inside. He approached Fayra with some kind of goblet in his hands.
With or without Cara Mando might have to act soon. He needed a plan. His anger grew as he watched the man in black position Fayra's arms to the side and push her legs together. Then he held the goblet up and poured the liquid from her neck to her navel, soaking her shirt. Fayra's delicate skin shivered. Another man in black emerged with a knife in hand. Mando aimed his blaster, ready to fire. But instead of raising the knife, he lowered it slowly, cutting Fayra's shirt down the middle. The first man poured another liquid down her body, this one black and thick. The men in red began to chant.
"Shit." Mando whispered, he knew what this was.
He heard a footstep behind him and whirled on the approaching figure. Cara threw her hands up. Kuiil stood behind her, and behind him was the IG unit. She handed him his rifle.
"Keep that thing back." Mando demanded of the IG unit.
"What's happening? You found her?" Cara asked, taking position next to him. Kuiil joined them on Mando's other side.
"What the -f-?" Cara exclaimed. "What are they doing?"
"It's a sacrificial ceremony." Kuiil said.
Mando nodded. He watched as Fayra's body began to emit a small glow.
"Why is she glowing?" Kuiil asked.
"Aw, Shit." Mando sighed. He looked closer. Fayra's breathing changed, her head tilted to the side. She was waking. "She does that when she's experiencing joy or happiness."
"Why the hell is she happy now?" Cara asked.
"She's not." Mando replied. "She's drugged."
"Hm, gotta get me some of that." Cara replied.
"What's the plan?" Kuiil asked.
"Take the rifle. On my signal take out the one in black on the left. I'll go for the other one holding the knife and take out as many others as you can. Cara - "
"What about the IG unit?" Kuiil interrupted.
"It can go back to the ship." Mando replied.
"It can be useful." Kuiil interjected.
"I don't have time to argue now. Cara, circle around and take out as many as you can. As far as I can tell none of them have weapons. It's possible more are inside."
Cara nodded and made her way down the hill and around. Mando circled up to the other side. Kuiil readied the rifle and took aim. The chanting grew louder. Mando raised his hand ready to give the signal, then the chanting stopped. He heard Fayra's weak voice call out for him. "I'm here." he whispered and lowered his hand and a moment later the shot rang out.
Mando lunged from the darkness, shooting toward the other man. Unfortunately, the blast collided with the knife, knocking it from his hand.
Mando blocked several hits and kicks from the men in red and took another shot. But a kick to his stomach caused him to miss again. Mando spun, kicked and punched his way toward Fayra. Mando looked for Cara. She was on the other side holding her own.
"Finish it!" A man's voice called out from under a hood.
Mando looked, another man grabbed the knife from the ground and made his way back toward Fayra. Mando twisted and kicked. Bones cracked and flesh burned as he made his way through them. Once he got to the stone slab, Fayra was gone.
The man's body lay broken and bloody. Mando raised his blaster to the shadows just beyond the line of trees. Cara stood next to him breathing hard. The IG unit's eyes glowed red and emerged from the darkness, holding Fayra's glowing in it's metal arms.
Mando kept his weapon raised. "Put her down." He demanded. The droid obeyed and laid Fayra on the ground. "Back."
As the droid walked away, Mando scanned Fayra. He holstered his blaster. Kneeling he took her head in his hands.
"Fayra."
Her eyes fluttered.
"Fayra. Open your eyes."
When her eyes opened and saw Mando over her her skin grew brighter. He took in her state. She was exposed and covered in the black liquid. As he heard Kuiil approaching, he removed his cloak.
"Cara."
She knelt beside him as Fayra's eye rolled back and closed. Cara noticed his heavy breath. "I got this." She said, taking the cloak from him. "I'll get this stuff off her."
Mando stood and turned, confronting Kuiil.
"I told you to send that thing back to the ship."
"I told you it is useful. And can help"
"I don't want it around her."
"It saved her life!"
"Mando." Cara called. "She's calling for you."
Mando turned, Fayra was wrapped in his cloak. He scooped her up.
"Let's get back to the ship." He announced.
Movement in the treeline caused the group to draw their weapons once more. Mando fell to one knee. Holding Fayra in one arm and his blaster in the other.
"Hello?" Stoke called out.
"Don't shoot!" Caben held his hands up. "It's just us."
The two men came into the light.
"Where the hell did you two come from?" Cara exclaimed. The group put away their weapons.
"Mando, we saw your ship landing. We left right away." Stoke explained.
"What happened here?" Caben asked.
"They took the girl, tried to sacrifice her." Kuiil explained.
"Hey, these guys are the same ones that hung around the village forever." Stoke observed.
"Yah, they kept asking questions about Fayra. We finally had to threaten them and they left."
"Wait a sec." Cara paused. "How'd you find us?"
"All we had to do was follow the birds." Caben added.
Cara turned to Mando. "That's how they knew she was here. Rumors of her have been circling the planet."
Mando sighed.
He pulled Fayra up to face him.
"Fayra, wake up."
She whimpered.
He gently shook her. "Fayra."
Her eyes fluttered, opening slightly.
"Fayra, you need to send the birds away."
She moaned and closed her eyes.
"No. Fayra, they're drawing attention." He shook her harder. "You need to send them away."
She opened her eyes again. She squirmed against his cloak, lifting her hand and placing it on the ground. She moaned and her eyes fluttered. Her back arched as roots grew up around her fingers. The birds grew louder. Fayra cried out. The birds spread their wings and took to the black sky. The roots sunk back into the ground as quickly as they appeared.
"I'm never gonna get used to that." Cara said breaking the silence among the group.
Mando scooped Fayra back into his arms and stood.
"What's the plan boss?" She turned to Mando.
He stayed silent a moment longer. "Kuiil, go with Caben and Stoke to the village. The two of you help him build a pen for the Blurrgs."
"Blurrgs?" Caben and Stoke questioned in unison. "What's a Blurrg?"
Ignoring their questions, Mando continued. "Take the IG unit with you for protection. Cara and I will bring the ship and meet you there."
"You plan to stay?" Cara questioned.
"For now." Mando replied.
With a nod, the groups went their separate ways. Mando and Cara mounted the Blurrgs Kuiil had left at the tree line. As they rode back to the ship Fayra clung to him. He was thankful she was somewhat conscious, it meant the drugs weren't too dangerous. She hummed a song he had heard her do a hundred times before. This time he could make out a few words, they sounded ancient. It was like a lost language. As he held her close she traced her fingers along his cuiress.