Ok, so I found a greeting in Mando'a. It's 'Su cuy'gar', which translates to 'you're still alive'. I like that a lot for some reason, and there's a shortened version of that greeting that's equivalent to 'hey', which is 'Su'cuy'. I'll look up more Mando'a and try to incorporate it from now on cus I like Mando'a a lot!

I also discovered that Mandalorians who break their creed are labelled dar'Manda, which is basically an outsider. Not necessarily an outcast, but pretty dang close, and I can imagine the Children of the Watch treat dar'Manda as disowned, maybe even going as far as stripping them of their armor, but idk. That's just my headcanon that I'm using in my story.

Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter! Sorry it took a while!

God Bless and Good Day!

~The Lupine Sojourner

Finally, we could go back home.

Sure, the Razor Crest was fine for when we left to get bounties, but the covert?

It's home. Or, more accurately, the home we found after ours was destroyed.

By scum like that client.

Dank farrik! We should never have taken the chit.

But it's too late now and we got a Beskar ingot out of it, with the promise of a lot more if we succeed in bringing them their precious target.

We walk toward the Armorer's forge, and I feel the tension ease a bit at the sound of Foundlings running and giggling.

"Su'cuy!" A few of them call.

I chuckle and return a Foundling's hug on my leg. "Su'cuy, little one." I reply. "We've got to go see the Armorer, ok? Run along with your friends."

The Foundling runs off. I always made it a point to mingle with the Foundlings whenever we were with the Tribe. They were the future and I wanted to know how the future was shaping up.

No one else greets us as we walk back to the forge room. Sure enough, the Armorer is there. It's always a treat to watch her work, hammering with precision and skill on whatever piece she was working on.

No one knows her name, but she was essentially the leader of the Tribe. She was the one who taught us the Creed and oversaw us swearing it. She was something like an aunt after the loss of our parents.

Soon, she puts the piece aside and walks over.

There was a table between us for the purposes of this very interaction; presentation of our rewards and receiving of new armor, if we earn any.

Din places the Calamari Flan on the table as well as the down payment of the ingot.

The Armorer slowly picks up the ingot, examining it. "This was gathered in the Great Purge." She notes. That much was obvious, but I refuse to disrespect her by voicing that. "It is good it is back with the Tribe."

"Yes." Din replies. Thankfully, the Armorer can piece together where we got it, but doesn't seem angry or upset about it. I wonder where she thinks we got it from.

Hopefully, she won't find out we took a job from Imperials. I decide against telling her we could get two cantomos for completing the job. That would raise questions Din and I don't want to answer.

"A pauldron would be in order. Unfortunately, there is only enough for one if I am to reserve excess for the Foundlings."

"Din can have the pauldron, as he usually runs point on our missions." I probably didn't need to speak up, but I wanted to be a part of this conversation.

"So be it." The Armorer stands and opens the cabinet with her tools inside. "Has your signet been revealed?"

Din and I had not been through a trial worthy of a signet yet, unfortunately. Though we were essentially our own clan once we came of age, we had not officially become a clan, and that wouldn't change until we got our signet.

"Not yet." Din replies.

"Soon." The Armorer melts the ingot and begins preparation to make the pauldron for Din.

"Are you sure you want me to have the pauldron?" Din asks.

"I'm sure." I murmur back. "Besides, once we complete our...job, we'll have plenty of Beskar to make armor with."

Din nods as we resume watching the Armorer at work.

Once the molten Beskar was poured out, the Armorer addresses us again. "This is extremely generous. The excess will sponsor many Foundlings."

"That's good." Din replies politely. "We were once Foundlings."

I smile. Yes, and we've managed to become the best bounty hunters in the galaxy together, using the training the Tribe gave us. We're lucky they took us in.

"I know." She replies. I almost snicker. The way she said it was kinda funny. I guess we do bring it up every so often…or rather, Din does.

She beats at the metal with a hammer and sends sparks flying. It's amazing to watch her work. Especially when you know she's creating something unique for you. It may be a pauldron for Din, but still.

Soon, she holds up the completed, cooled pauldron and approaches Din, who reaches up and takes off the Durasteel pauldron on his shoulder. Then, the Armorer attaches the new pauldron and man does it look good !

"Soon you shall have one too, child." She says, looking at me.

"Hopefully." I reply, bowing my head a bit in respect.

"...How did you come to possess that ingot?" She asks casually, but I know she expects the truth.

I feel myself tense up. How the hell was I supposed to tell her?!

"A client." Din interjects. "The ingot was a down payment."

"...Very well." There was no way she didn't figure out where we got it after Din mentioned more was on the way.

"Karga told us this job was to be kept discrete. We had no idea who the client was until we met with them." I explain, unsure what made me do it, a cold sweat starting to break out at the thought of how the Armorer might react.

We have to work for our enemies and she seems- - "I accept your task for the simple reason you did not know our enemies sought to hire you." She adds and I feel my heart skip a beat.

So...we weren't about to become dar'Manda, disowned and stripped of our armor?

Oh thank the Maker! I may not fully agree with the Creed myself, but I know how much it means to Din and I can respect his dedication. Being disowned and becoming a dar'Manda would be his worst nightmare and I don't want to see that become reality.

"...Thank you." I murmur, swallowing the lump in my throat.

If I get half a chance, I'm gonna blow those Imps to Hell!

=#=#=#=#=

The flight to our destination was fairly short. Just enough time to eat and take a catnap.

"Sorry I just- -" I yawn when I wake up. "I couldn't stay awake." Normally, I kept him company on our flights.

"It's alright. We're here." I yawn again, looking at the readout of the planet we were approaching.

"Aravala-7?" I ask rhetorically. "Huh. Guess it's a good place, seeing as it's a nowhere, backwater planet."

"Get your helmet on. We're making our final approach." Din says.

I sigh and grab my helmet. "Alright alright." I grumble. Technically, we didn't have to put them on til we were leaving the Crest, but I didn't want to make him mad, so I slip it on.

We land in minutes and I grab my taserstaff, settling it on my shoulder.

"Ready?" Din asks.

"Mm-hmm." I reply. The ramp lowers and we walk out.

There's no settlements as far as the eye can see, but I suppose there could be hermits hiding here, as well as our quarry. After all, a 50 year old being would be clever enough to use the terrain to his advantage when hiding.

I look at the tracker as Din gets a feeling for the direction we need to go in.

It seems we're a ways off. The target is what looks to be a long walk away.

I hold in my grumbling and grab my binocs, scanning the area in the direction we needed to go, finding some strange creatures milling about on a flat plain not far away.

Huh...aren't these...bluggs or something? I don't remember their names, but- -

Din cries out in alarm and I hear a roar from, I'm assuming, one of the creatures. I look to see Din's arm in the thing's mouth, Din vainly trying to burn it with his flamethrower.

"No!" I bark, trying to knock the thing off-balance by throwing myself against its side. Before I know it, it's tail smacks me across the chest and I go flying back several feet, crunching hard into the muddy ground.

It takes me a minute to get up, but I manage. When I do, I find Din on the ground, the creature knocked out or dead with Din's arm still in its mouth.

"Did you- -" Before I can finish my question, another creature comes roaring up.

However, a dart suddenly sticks into its leg and it falls, electricity crackling around the dart.

I look up to see an Ugnaught on a third creature.

Din yanks his arm out with an effort, panting. "Thank you." He murmurs.

I nod in respect to the newcomer.

"You are bounty hunters." He says, not a question but a statement.

"Yes." Din confirms, still trying to catch his breath.

"I will help you." The Ugnaught decides. "I have spoken." Without waiting for us to reply, he dismounts the creature and puts a rope skillfully around the things' mouths so when they wake up he can lead them back to his home, or so I assume.

Soon, the creatures wake up and seem subdued from the shock.

Din and I exchange a look as I help him up, then we jog to catch up to him.

The Ugnaught merely remounts his creature, leading the other two creatures along behind him. He is fine with silence, and Din isn't eager to break it, but I have a lot of questions.

Who is this Ugnaught? Why was he helping us? Does he know what we're here for? If so, can he help us find it so we can retrieve it?

Soon enough, we reach a quaint little home with a range for more of those creatures, with a corral I assume is meant for exercising the cratures or teaching someone how to ride them.

All in all, this Ugnaught seems to live a homey life here.

We walk with him, after he puts the creatures in a corral, to his house, sitting when he directed us to small stools.

It was a tad uncomfortable, but I don't mind.

"Many have passed through." The Ugnaught muses. "They seek the same one as you two."

"Did you help them?" Din asks.

"Yes." The alien is pouring drinks, I realize. Does he know we don't take off our helmets? "They died."

"Well then, I don't know if we want your help." Din replies, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Let's hear him out at least." I murmur. No sense in pissing off our host.

"You do want my help." The Ugnaught continues as though I hadn't spoken. "I can lead you and your companion to the encampment." Our host finally walks over with the drinks. I don't really have the heart to tell him we can't drink it in front of him.

"What's your cut?" Din asks.

"All." The Ugnaught replies.

I nearly jump out of my seat! Is he crazy?! Half the bounty, just to guide us to the encampment?!

No way!

"The entire bounty, just to guide?" Din asks cooly, and I make myself settle down a bit. "Seems steep." That's an understatement. I grumble inwardly.

"No. The Blurgg you helped capture." So. Blurgg is the name of that creature...interesting.

"The Blurgg? You can keep them both." Din replies, sounding almost disgusted.

"No. You both will need one. To ride." The Ugnaught replies. "I will ride one of my foals and keep yours when you are through with them. The way is impossible to pass without a Blurgg mount."

"We don't know how to ride Blurgg." Din points out.

"I have spoken." Our host snaps back.

=#=#=#=#=

Soon, Din and I are settled in a tiny side room.

"This is turning out to be very interesting." I muse, smirking.

"The sooner we reach the encampment, the sooner we can leave." Din grumbles.

"I know. For now, I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." I reply, yawning and removing my boots, weapons, and armor.

I wanted a good night's sleep.

"What if the Ugnaught comes in?" Din asks sharply. He was always more paranoid than I was about our helmets.

"It's dark enough he won't see your faces if he does come in here for whatever reason, but if you're that concerned, lock the door." I reply, laying down and closing my eyes.

I hear Din lock the door as I shift a little and let my breathing slow down.

The following morning, the Ugnaught made no mention of us locking the door to our room, serving us some odd-looking soup-like stuff for breakfast.

"I'm sorry to say we can't eat with you. Our Creed mandates no one see our faces. We'll be back soon." I explain as Din and I head into our room again.

"Very well. I heard rumors Mandalorians have such strict codes and creeds. When you are finished with your meal, I will teach you to ride Blurgg. I have spoken."

I nod. "Look forward to it." I reply. When we reach our room, Din locks the door once more. "I hate doing that." I grumble, shoving a spoonful of the stuff into my mouth hungrily. "I always feel so rude."

"Better to be considered rude than break the Creed." Din replies, eating his bowl of food.

"I know, I know." Doesn't mean I have to like it. I complain inwardly. Din hated it when I grumble about the Creed so I mostly just internalize it.

I was coming to terms with it and keeping myself strict about it so I wouldn't be separated from Din by becoming a dar'Manda, but, again, I don't have to like it.

I finish my bowl quickly and so does Din.

We leave our weapons where they are. No need to bring them out to learn how to ride Blurgg.

We meet the Ugnaught outside near the corral and there's a Blurgg inside waiting for us.

"Which of you will be first?"

Din steps forward before I can, and I let him go, wanting to see how this plays out.

The Ugnaught doesn't say a word, probably wanting to get a feel for how Din would attempt to handle it on his own before he offers any advice.

Din simply walks up to the Blurgg and attempts to mount it. Predictably, the Blurgg throws him off before Din can get fully on its back.

I chuckle. Living underground meant the Tribe couldn't train in riding animals, so Din and I were at a loss here. Doesn't mean it isn't funny to watch though.

Din tries again, this time going slower so the Blurgg has time to get used to his presence before he jumps on its back.

He manages to hold on to the bridle for a minute or two, but the Blurgg bucks and wriggles in protest and Din is eventually thrown off.

This repeats itself a few more times, and each time I have to refrain from laughing at my brother.

"Perhaps if you removed your helmet." The Ugnaught calls.

"We can't do that." I reply. Doesn't he remember what I said earlier?

"Perhaps he remembers I tried to roast him earlier." Din growls, getting up from yet another throw.

"This is a female. The males are all eaten during mating." The Ugnaught explains.

I shudder. These Blurgg just get weirder and weirder.

Din tries simply mounting and trying to cling to the bridle again. Yet again, he is thrown off.

If Din weren't so frustrated, I'd have been laughing this entire time. I knew you shouldn't just expect the animal to be calm about you jumping on its back, but apparently Din didn't.

Speaking of my brother, he storms over to us.

"We don't have time for this!" He barks. "Do you have a landspeeder or speeder bike that I could hire?"

"He said the way is impossible without a Blurgg." I point out.

"You are Mandalorian!" The Ugnaught says, almost sounding incredulous, glancing between Din and I. "Your ancestors rode the great Mythosaur!"

"Well, they're not here now, so…" I quip under my breath.

"Surely, you and your companion can learn to ride these young foals." our host continues as if he didn't hear me.

"Hey. Try calming her down first. Let her sniff your hand and get used to your scent before you try to make her let you mount." I advise.

"That is good advice, Mandalorian." The Ugnaught praises.

Din lets out a sigh, but goes to try again, holding out his hand.

The Blurgg is still restless though, but Din remains where he is, his hand outstretched. "Easy. Easy...now all right, settle down." Finally, the Blurgg seems to start settling, Din inching nearer slowly. "That's good. That's good." Din continues softly. Once he got it into his head he couldn't just force his way to riding the Blurgg, he actually had a decent way of handling the animal.

Din slowly puts his hand on the Blurgg's forehead, stroking it gently. "Easy...ok. That's good." Finally, Din decides the Blurgg is settled enough for him to mount.

Turns out he was mostly right. After a brief period of protesting, the Blurgg let Din stay on her back.

Din gently kicks her leg and leads her around the corral a few times before he was satisfied the Blurgg would listen to him while going to the encampment.

"I will get the Blurggs we will ride." The Ugnaught says and walks to a different corral. I chuckle.

It's always funny to me when people try to assume how Din and I know each other. We never talk about it for obvious reasons, so everyone is left to make their own assumptions.

Some assume we're either married or in a romantic relationship of some sort, some assume we work together and that's the extent of our relationship, and some just don't care.

Din and I don't exactly correct the wrong guesses. After all, if there's a bit of mystery to us, people weren't as likely to cross us.

The Ugnaught's return brings me back to reality and I shake off my train of thought. "She seems a bit temperamental, but judging by your advice to your companion, you won't have an issue with her."

I nod and enter the corral. "Hey there, girl." I murmur, extending my hand to her slowly. "I won't hurt you, ok? Calm down...it's alright…" The Blurgg protests and growls, but I remain where I am, letting the Blurgg come to me and sniff my hand a bit. "See? I'm not so bad, am I?" This feels slightly embarrassing, but at the same time Din is my brother and the Ugnaught was impressed by my earlier advice to Din, so I guess I don't need to be too embarrassed about it.

Soon enough, the Blurgg seems settled enough that I can mount her. I hop on her back and though she wriggles and tries a buck or two, I manage to stay on her back. "Good girl!" I praise, leading her around the corral like Din did.

The Ugnaught nods to me as I dismount and he leads the Blurgg to a barn-like structure not far away. He then lead the two he had captured yesterday there, as well.

"We will leave as soon as you are prepared." The Ugnaught decides and goes into the barn, presumably to saddle the Blurgg.

"Doesn't waste time, does he?" I quip with a chuckle.

"Let's get our weapons." Din replies.

By the time we've retrieved our weapons and walk to the barn, the Ugnaught is nearly finished saddling the Blurgg.

Then we mount up and leave.

For the most part, we're riding in silence. Normally, I'd talk to our host while riding, but he doesn't seem to like idle chit-chat and we don't necessarily need to fill the silence so I don't say anything.

Just when I was about to break the silence, regardless if anyone wanted it broken, we arrive at the encampment.

Or as close as we could get while remaining undetected. I see a small gathering of buildings in the distance that the Ugnaught motions to.

"That is where you'll find your quarry."

I nod. "Thank you for your help." I murmur genuinely. Din nods, too, then holds out a small credit pouch, presumably a cut of our funds.

The Ugnaught, surprisingly, didn't take it.

"Please. You deserve this." Din pleads, but the Ugnaught is firm.

"Since these ones arrived, this territory has been an endless stream of mercenaries seeking reward and bringing destruction." He explains.

"Then why did you guide us?" Din asks before I can.

"They do not belong here." Our guide replies. . ..I gotta learn this guy's name. "Those who live here come seeking peace. There will be no peace until they are gone."

"Then why do you help?" I ask, unable to help it.

"I have never met a Mandalorian, much less two at once. I've only read the stories. If they are true, you and your companion will make quick work of it."

I smirk. "We should be gone by sundown at the latest."

Our guide nods. "Then there will again be peace." He begins turning his Blurgg around. "I have spoken."

I like this guy. Wonder if Din will want to drop in after we complete our task to say a proper goodbye.

"I like him." I muse after our guide is out of earshot.

"Course you do. Stay focused." Din replies, but not in a mean way. Just in a 'let's get going' way.

"Yeah yeah." I pull out my binocs to get a closer look at the compound when all of a sudden, I see a bounty droid walking into the encampment, bold as brass.

"Bounty droid." Din grits out.

Ergh! If he gets to the bounty first, we'll lose the Beskar!

We can barely make out the droid spouting something about surrendering the asset. Typical.

I grit my teeth. "Dank ferrick!" I curse as the sounds of combat start. Seems the droid is doing decently well against the overwhelming odds at first, driving them to hide in the buildings, but the element of surprise Din and I had been counting on was lost.

"Droids." Din growls as he stands and I follow his lead.

The droid repeats its command for the beings in this camp to produce the asset as Din and I run down toward the encampment, arriving quickly.

Din, as always, was just ahead of me as we approach the droid.

As expected, it fired, catching Din's new pauldron and sending him into me, and we both end up on the ground, me winded from my brother's weight as he tries to get up.

As Din gets up he grabs the tracking fob, offering me a hand up with his free hand. "We're in the guild!" He barks, pissed beyond belief.

"You are a guild team?" The droid replies, sounding almost shocked. "I thought I was the only one on assignment."

I scoff. "That makes two of us." I grumble, dusting myself off and catching my breath. Din subtly guides me toward a pillar the two of us barely fit behind.

"So much for the element of surprise." Din growls sourly, and I knew he was glancing around in case anyone got the bright idea of trying to ambush us.

The droid turns to fully face us. "Sadly, I must ask for your fob." It reports, sounding anything but sad. "I have already issued the Writ of Seizure. The bounty is mine."

"Use your own fob! You have one, don't you?" I grumble, but the droid probably didn't hear me.

"And, unless I am mistaken, you are, as of yet, empty-handed." Din points out.

"This is true." The droid concedes.

"Glad we cleared that up." I grouch under my breath, scanning around for any potential enemies.

Din pauses to think for a moment. "I have a suggestion."

"Proceed."

"We split the reward." Din suggests and I turn to him.

"Are you crazy?! You're going to give this droid half our reward?!" I hiss.

"Trust me." Is all Din says back, and I suddenly know what his plan is; kill the droid once we get the bounty.

Even with three of us, this wouldn't be easy. There are a lot of thugs and mercenaries (or I assume they're mercenaries. I don't actually know) in this camp.

"This is acceptable." The droid confirms, and I sigh.

I don't like double-crossing people, even scummy droids like this one, but if we want those cantomos...we don't have much choice.

"Great." Din snaps sarcastically, "Now let's regroup, out of harm's way, and form a plan."

The droid takes a few steps closer to us. "I will, of course, receive the reputation merits associated with the mission."

"Like hell." I was already holding my blaster...but I'm not stupid enough to shoot the droid...yet.

We needed his help to kill all these thugs.

"Can we talk about this later?" Din growls, exasperated.

The droid pauses for a second. "I require an answer if I am to proceed- -" Suddenly, blaster fire rings out, pinging against the droid's shoulder...or was it his side? "Oh no. Alert, alert, alert."

Din shoots the newcomer and the alien falls from the roof, lifeless. Unfortunately, the guy was just a decoy to stall us a precious few seconds to let everyone else out. They start firing and it's all Din and I can do to avoid being shot. We start returning fire, the droid kind of covering Din and I as we make our way across the area we were currently in, firing at the thugs we could see.

Once comes out of a door, smacking me backward a pace or two and immediately going after Din, who makes short work of him as I resume firing.

"Where are we even going? Which building is our target in?" I ask. If we knew that, we might be able to get into that building, where we'd stand a higher chance of holding the building long enough to get the target and figure out an exit strategy.

Once we're all three behind a cart, the droid and I firing at the thugs, Din pulls out his tracking fob.

"He's in there!" Din reports.

I nod. "Good."

"Affirmative." The droid adds.

Ugh! No matter how many of these guys we shoot, more just keep coming!

Dina nd I manage to get behind another pillar as the droid continues its reckless march in the open, this torso, arms, and head all spinning around at will to continue thinning the crowd.

But at this rate...I hate to say it, but we may have bitten off a bit more than we can chew.

"Up top!" Din calls, probably to me, but before I can aim my pistol up, the droid has already shot the thug in question.

The shooting stops for a moment and I see the chilling sight of all the thugs regrouping all around us.

Dank ferrick! Unless someone thinks of something, we're screwed!

"It appears we are trapped." The droid muses. "I will initiate self-destruct sequencing."

"What?!" I hiss. "Don't!"

"You're what?!" Din adds as the droid's chest opens and reveals a thermal detonator, which activates.

"Manufacturer's Protocol indicates I cannot be captured. I must self-destruct."

"Do not self destruct! You'll take me and my associate with you!" Din growls.

"And no one gets the reward!" I point out. Maybe pointing out the reward will prompt this thing to rethink the suicide strategy.

"Cover me!" Din suddenly cries, distracting the droid from the detonator as he sprints for the door. I start firing and doing my best to cover Din, and a second later, the droid does so, as well.

The droid and I do ok at holding the thugs back, but there's so many, a few bullets collide with the wall directly around Din, the droid, and I, but I keep firing. The more thugs I shoot, the less likely it is that I will die.

Suddenly, a stray shot hits the controls Din is in front of and he scrambles back against the nearest pillar.

"There's too many!" Din growls, head turning to search for a way out of this mess.

"We've been in scapes like this before." I point out, gritting my teeth as we briefly peek out to fire a few shots, managing to kill a few more thugs.

"They've got us pinned!"

"Thanks for the update!" I grumble, trying to see if I could shoot any of these guys without leaving cover.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like I could.

Then, the shooting thins out and I hear laughter. "That's never a good sign…" I sigh heavily as we take a second to collect ourselves.

"I will initiate self-destruct." The droid informs us.

"You are not killing me and my brother!" I growl back.

"Do not self-destruct!" Din adds, "We're shooting out way out!"

"Din, wait a seco- -Din!" I bark as Din recklessly breaks cover, only to see… "Dank ferrick…" I whimper.

They had a turret. A kriffing turret! We're meeting the Maker for sure!

"...Ok." Din manages to say through his shock as he backs up behind the pillar again. "New plan!" He all but squeaks.

"I will begin the self-destruct countdown." That damn droid says.

"No! Stop it!" Din replies, "Distract the turret, IG! She and I will handle the rest!"

"Acceptable." The droid replies.

"Just go!" I snap and nod at Din, taking a few deep breaths while the droid got itself shot a few times.

Then, when the turret was turned enough, I hooked the turret with my fibrocord launcher and gave it a hard tug as Din raced forward, shot the gunner, and took control of the turret, using it against the remaining thugs.

Once the dust settled, there were no living things other than us. And the droid, but it technically wasn't alive.

I holster my blaster, panting a little.

"Good idea, Mando." I praise.

"Yes. Well done, the both of you." The droid adds, "I will disengage the self-destruct initiative." Next second, the detonator timer stops.

Din walks over and gives the droid a hand up. Which surprised me a little. "You know, you're not so bad...for a droid." He concedes.

"Agreed."

"That blaster hit looks nasty." I muse, looking the droid over. "You ok?"

"Running a quick diagnostic...It has missed my central wiring harness." The droid reports.

"Is that good?" Din asks.

"No. He'll power down soon." I tease, chuckling.

"She is incorrect. I still function." IG replies.

"You do realize I was being sarcastic, right?"

"..." The droid doesn't reply.

Din turns to the door our target was behind. "Well, now we just need to get the door open." He points out.

"I doubt the controls can be hacked after that blaster hit." I grumble, sighing.

Din and IG then look at the turret.

"Hell yeah!" I cheer, running over. "Dibs on blasting the door!" It was more fun than it should have been, cutting a hole in the door with a freaking turret!

All too soon, I stop and grin as I walk over. Din kicks the door down, resulting in a loud crash.

Then, one last thug comes out of hiding, hoping to catch us off-guard. Too bad for him, Din has an incredibly quick draw, shooting the guy before he could fire a shot.

"Anyone else?" Din snarks, walking further into the room as he holsters his pistol.

"The tracking fob is still active. My sensors indicate that there is a life form present." IG informs us.

"Come on out! Make it easy on yourself!" I call, hoping this target would get the hint we wouldn't stop til we found him.

Din moves toward a pile of junk in a corner, the fob's beeping growing louder and quicker….and there was still no sign of any life form.

Were they under the pile, hiding?

Then I notice a pram on top of the pile. As Din and I near it...the beeping indicates we've found our quarry.

What the hell is going on?!

"Is the target under the pile or in the pram?" I muse out loud, thoroughly confused. IG doesn't offer any help and Din just reaches to open the pram.

What's inside is startling. It's...it's a kid!

The fob never lies, and the chain code always gives an accurate age, but...but there's also no denying that this thing is a child, a baby , for Kriff's sake!

"Wait...They said 50 years old." Din points out.

"Yeah...but that thing is just a baby." My heart clenches painfully. He was all alone in this awful encampment...who knows how well these thugs treated him?

Poor thing...and we had to deliver him to Imps.

I hate this! How could this thing be older than us but still a baby?

"Species age differently." IG points out. "Perhaps it could live many centuries."

The creature takes notice that his pram was open, moving the blanket aside to look at us. It was so freaking cute! His eyes are large and beady, with large green ears,

What if we doom this creature to centuries of Imperial torture?!

Shit! There's no way we can turn it over! I- -I can't!

But...I know if we don't...we'll be killed by the Guild for breaking code. Maybe if we go directly to the Covert, they'd understand...they'd help us.

"Sadly...we'll never know."

I'm sorry...what!? IG raises his blaster.

"No!" Din and I snap at once, Din's hand stalling the blaster. "We'll bring it in alive." My hand strays toward my pistol handle. If that thing tries to kill that kid...I'll kill it.

"The commission was quite specific; the asset was to be terminated."

"Hold on...who hired you?" I ask, pistol inching out of my holster, but Din is quicker, firing a shot into IG's head, letting it fall to the ground. "We could have- -"

"It wasn't gonna talk." Din interjects, then walks closer to the pram as I move it off the junk pile.

"This thing is so small…" I whimper, letting my emotions out just a little not that we were alone. Din reaches a hand out to the little guy, who, surprisingly, reaches back, their hands almost connecting. "By the Maker…" I murmur softly, unwilling to break this spell.

Din rarely ever showed any attachment to anything, even me when out on missions (to protect me. If everyone knew we were siblings, they'd use either of us to get to the other. It was easier to avoid that mess by just not explaining how we knew each other).

So...why was he suddenly getting attached- -...this baby is all alone. I get it now.

This kid...is us. We were alone, too.

Maybe...maybe Din was realizing what I realized as soon as I saw this kid:

There's no way in hell we'd give this little baby to the Imperials!

But...how do we avoid getting killed either by Imperials or the Guild for our breach of code?

What do we do now?!