The next morning, as Mando was off somewhere in the station getting more supplies, Kairi was in the Razor Crest keeping the child company, while also reading up on the history of the galaxy. She first learned of what the book called the clone war. One political group known as the Separatists believed the other, known as the Republic, to be corrupt, thus they broke off and soon a war began. It was then Kairi noticed Mando's history logs were incomplete, as there were holes throughout the stories going forward. One being, the logs never really specified how the war began, only that it started with the first battle of Geonosis where the Separatists used Battle droids as their main infantry troops while the Republic used Clone troopers.
It then goes on to state a few of the battles in said Clone war, especially one of the last battle known as the siege of Mandalore. 'Weird' Kairi thought. 'So, Mando's named after the planet? Or is it just a nickname or something like that?' Soon, she reads about how the Empire took over after that and it switched the Republics mission from keeping the peace to enforcing it, and the fact while doing this it enslaved whole species to work for them most notably the Wookies and Ugnaughts. Kairi found them hypocritical and once reading on what they did to enforce the peace, she then thought of them as near Xehanort levels of bad, possibly even worse. She then reads on of the rise of the rebellion and how they overthrew the Empire which now lead into present day.
Having a basic understanding of recent history and some alien species such as the previously mentioned Ugnaughts and Wookies. Kairi belived she was better prepared to be in this world... or universe, however it worked.
Just as she put the logs back in their place, Mando returns and heads straight to the cockpit without a word. The engines power up as Kairi takes the child and joins him in said cockpit.
"Whats the rush?" She asked him.
"We're on a guild facility. Sooner or later, someone will show up to take the child. Or, one of the droids will get the order that I'm wanted and send the IG units to do it." Mando explains as he pulls out of the hanger bay.
"So... where do we go to now?" Kairi asks.
"To Geonosis. You said we're looking for a desert wastland, thats the perfect place." Mando explains.
"Right. The first clone wars battle was there." Kairi remembers outloud.
"Two battles were fought there, but a lot of people forget the second." Mando says as he jumps to hyperspace.
Nervaro
Greef Carga sighed as he entered the building for what seemed like the hundredth time, under a storm trooper escort. Ever since The Mandalorian took the package, the Imperial in charge never seemed to leave him alone. Just what did he want with the damn thing anyway. Soon, he was seated with the old man and discussing progress on finding the child.
"I do have some new information." Greef tell the imp.
"Please. Do not withhold." The imp tells him.
"I have reports that The Mandalorian had stopped of at Polis Massa for repairs. Our droids did not have the order to act at the time so they believed he was still with the guild." He explains.
"And the child?"
"Though he did not come out of the ship, he was there." He confirms. "Also, a new guild member has been entered in the system from the same location. She was accompanying the Mandalorian."
"And who is this "new member?"" After the imp asks, Greef sets down a bounty puck and activates it.
"She's called Kairi. No last name was mentioned, but doing a background check... she doesn't exist." He answers.
"Does this... Kairi pose any threat? She does not look dangerous."
"That depends on how you look at it. Mando had come there to get a job and the girl tagged along. They were supposed to reclaim guild property from the Black Sun, they succeeded and prisoners where captured curtesy of this girl. Whats significant though is that the prisoners were almost over half the force that was sent there to guard it." Greef explains. "She doesn't seem to kill, but that doesn't mean she won't. And if she is in the mood, she could possibly put down a lot of my hunters with ease."
The imp is silent for a moment, thinking on what he has just been told. He eventually responds. "Whoever this Kairi is, i'm sure she can't be as dangerous as our runaway Mandalorian. I want more hunters, but not just that. I want better hunters." He demands. Greef inwardly sighs. The same damn order the last few times he was here.
"Well, your in luck." Greef tells him. "I've just got one of the best hunters in the galaxy contracted. He should be waiting outside now." With that, the imperial motions to one of the troopers to let the hunter in. He returns with a trandosian in a yellow flight suit carrying a rebly v10 rifle. "I would like to introduce you to Bossk. I believe he was once in the empires empoy."
"Indeed he was. Tell me bounty hunter, what assurance can you offer that you will complete the job." the imp asks.
"... I've captured an elite division of rebel soldiers all by myself. A Mandalorian and a girl will be nothing compared to that." Bossk answers in his slithery voice. The imp smiles at this. He was well aware of the story, it was one of the empires greatest victories.
"I trust you will not disappoint." He says.
Coming out of hyperspace, Kairi could now see Geonosis. It was much like Jedda, except the planet looked more orange and there was a ring orbiting around it. The Razor Crest then begins its descent. Upon getting to the surface, it looked more of the same as Jedda, except more... orangy.
Rather than fly around looking for the keyblades, Mando lands the ship almost as soon as he can.
"Why are we stopping?" Kairi asks as he exits the cockpit. She follows him down unto the lower floor and out the ship.
"Theres something I gotta... see." Mando explains. He then hands Kairi a strange device. Upon closer inspection, Kairi determined they were an advanced version of binoculars. "Look for your gave-yard. Keep the kid out of trouble. I'll be back." And with that, he walks off towards one of the mountains of rock, only this one had a door in it. 'Must have been from the Separatists.' Kairi thought as she turns towards the child, staying close to her.
"Don't worry." She tells it. "I don't think we'll be out here for long." She then focuses on using the binoculars to find the keyblade grave-yard.
Stepping inside, Mando actives his flood lights to see the entrance to what used to be a droid factory. Moving in, he passes through another door to find the actual factory completely dormant. Around 30 years ago this factory would have been rich with activity making robots with no other purpose then to shoot and destroy. The section Mando was currently in was one that produced B1 battle droids, the most common on the front line of the clone wars. There were a few incomplete B1s still there, never to be activated.
Moving closer into the factory was another assembly line lined with incomplete droidekas. Going deeper, there was what used to be a meeting room for the Separatists. Beyond that was a few holding cells, completely empty. Then it was back to the droid production line, this time with B2 battle droids. They were better known as super battle droids. The same model was responsible for raiding Mandos village all those years ago. For decimating everything in their path without reason. For murdering his parents and almost killing him. Though it has been years, Mando never forgot and never let go of the anger towards them and any other droid.
He wanted to tear down the remaining B2s in tons of what would be painful ways if they were online. Shoot them, slice them, whatever. But whatever he did, it would only be a waste of time. It would be better to let these droids rust. Sensing there was nothing here, Mando turns to leave. Then the lights of the factory come on, though thankfully nothing comes online. As the lights flicker and struggle to remain lit, he wonders what could have triggered this. The facility couldn't have some kind of presence detector or the lights would have come on when he entered. Then, both exits to the portion of the B2 assembly line seal shut.
"Well... fuck." Mando sighs.
As Kairi looks around, getting the hang of using the binocs, as they are called, she is distracted by the child pulling on her leg.
"What is it?" Kairi asks, giving it her full attention. The child simply uses his tiny hands to point in a direction. Kairi then turns the binocs in that direction to spot a sandstorm coming their way. This could complicate things. "Come on. Lets go tell Mando." Kairi says as she puts the binocs on her belt, picks up the child, and runs into the door Mando entered. As she gets inside, the door closes on its own. She takes the child further into the factory to find an inactive assembly line filled with strange, tan coloured droids. 'Separatist droids.' Kairi guesses. 'They may have been coloured white years ago.' she also thinks as she imagines what they would have looked like all those years ago, unaware that besides the dust, that was it.
The doors then seal shut around her, leaving no way to get further into the factory of out of it.
"Hmm. The door must be malfunctioning." Kairi thinks aloud. She was no electrician so she had to find another way out besides wiring the door to work or something like that. Luckily for her, there was no rush. She closed the door to the Razor Crest before running off so it would be safe from the storm and if Mando was still inside, so should he. "Help me find a way out?" Kairi asks the child to which it nods and slowly walks off to look. Kairi found the scene adorable and couldn't help but smile as she watches him walk off. Kairi then turns to her own search for an escape when a thought crosses her mind.
She got why the lights were on, Mando probably turned them on when he entered but what about the doors? Unless Mando was watching her and closing and opening the doors at will, which she highly doubted, why would they do... just what they did. Sure it could be a simple malfunction, but both doors? Unlikely. As she searched Kairi kept the possibility in her mind that she wasn't alone in this factory.
