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Chapter 15

~X~

"Sorry, we couldn't hear you over the sound of how awesome we are."

~All Mandalorians~

The trip to Navarro took longer than Ravana had thought it would, that or she was just too anxious to get there and find a way to clear her name. She really hoped this Greef Karga would be as helpful as Mando claimed he would.

The planet they landed on didn't look very appealing, with spots of barren, scorched ground and rivers of lava here and there. Still, the city itself appeared populated, and who was she to turn her nose up at any place these days…being quite homeless herself.

When the Razor Crest touched down, the kid waddled towards the hatch, apparently making it known that he wished to go too.

"Is it safe for him?" Ravana questioned.

"Safe enough," Mando answered, picking his green charge up and handing him over to Ravana. "Besides, I'm sure Greef and Cara will want to see him."

"All right, but Zax is staying here," she said firmly, turning to look at the zaktan and giving the command. "Stay, boy. I don't want you getting lost in town, you're not used to crowds."

Zax seemed just fine with this, letting out a big yawn as he scampered up onto the kid's bed and curled up, happy for some alone time while they were gone.

So, with the kid tucked safely in her arms, and Mando at her side, the two headed down the ramp as soon as it was fully opened. Yet, when she saw a small group of armed enforcers waiting for them at the bottom, Ravana halted in her tracks. Mando, however continued without pause, apparently unconcerned.

"Mando!" the woman standing at the head of the group called, sounding rather pleased to see him.

"What's with the armed reception?" the Mandalorian questioned, gesturing to the men and aliens beside her. "I thought we left on good terms."

"Oh, you did," the dark-haired woman smiled, lowering her weapon and waving for the others to do so as well. "But Karga doesn't pay me to let just anyone touch down without knowing their intentions. And for all I knew, someone could have killed you and stolen your ship. Glad to see that's not the case." She then turned and dismissed the others, leaving only her.

"You underestimate me if you think I'd be so easily subdued and my ship stolen," Mando huffed, sounding a bit offended by her suggestion.

"This is a dangerous galaxy, Mando," she shrugged. "What can I say?"

"You can say that Greef is still in charge of the Guild in this sector," he began, turning as he gestured for Ravana to join them. "I have need of his services."

"Oh? You looking to put a bounty on someone, are you?" the woman asked, looking rather amused by the idea.

"No, I'm looking to have a bounty removed," he explained, turning and indicating his companion. "Cara…this is Ravana Searan. Ravana, this is Cara Dune. And I think you remember the kid."

"How can I forget this little guy?" Cara said with a wide smile, taking a few steps closer. She held her hand out to meet the little green one that was eagerly reaching for hers. "Have you been taking good care of bucket-head here? You haven't tried to choke anyone with your mind lately, have you?"

Ravana was a bit shocked by her nickname for Mando. Were they that good of friends that they could bandy insults without offending each other?

"And Ravana, is it?" Cara continued turning her attention next to her. "I can't wait to hear your story, and how you ended up with these two."

"It…it's a rather convoluted tale," she agreed. "But it's very nice to meet you," Ravana greeted the woman, having heard her name mentioned so often that it was good to finally put a face to it. Still, did that face have to be so lovely? Yes, Cara looked as if she could break Ravana in half with only her pinky finger, but still, the beauty was there and suddenly she began to wonder if she and Mando might have something of a past together. "Mando's spoken of you often…both you and your boss."

"Has he now?" Cara questioned, raising one eyebrow skeptically. "I'd be curious to know what he had to say."

"Maybe we can save all of this for a later time?" Mando broke in, either irritated by all this chit-chat, or just impatient to get down to business. Something Ravana couldn't disagree with. "Can you take us to Karga?"

"Sure, right this way," Cara chuckled, turning and leading them towards the heart of the dusty looking town.

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Din couldn't help glancing from Ravana to Cara, and then back again. They both appeared friendly enough towards each other, but for some reason he could feel a bit of tension as well. Was this the way strong women behaved when meeting each other, as if sizing one another up or something? Din found it odd…but also intriguing.

Once they arrived at what appeared to be a cantina, Cara led them inside. There were a number of patrons, all congregating at a long bar where a droid was serving drinks, with others milling around or utilizing small tables. When they saw him enter, many of their heads turned to stare at him, with quite a few eyeing Ravana and the kid as well. Apparently, she sensed it as well, causing his companion to move a little closer to him, averting her gaze in hopes of going unnoticed.

"Mando!" came the familiar call from Greef Karga, ending any chance they might have had of laying low. "What brings you back here so soon? I see you still have the little bogwing with you…and another friend as well."

Din watched as his old employer stood and took hold of Ravana's hand, kissing the back of it in a gesture of greeting. It seemed to have taken her off guard as well, a blush coming to her cheeks at his actions. And while Din knew it was meant to be harmless, it irked him nonetheless. Reaching out he removed Ravana's hand from Karga's and continued to hold it down at his side.

"Can we talk…in private," he asked, causing Greef to look at him questioningly.

"Sure, Mando," he agreed, gesturing towards a door at the end of the room. "Why don't we step into my office." At this he turned and led the way, followed by Ravana, still holding the kid but having released his hand, Din, and then Cara. Once they were all inside and chairs had been offered, Karga spoke again. "I do hope you and the kid aren't bringing a bunch of trouble down on our heads again, Mando. It took us quite a while to clean up from the last time."

"If you did your job, like you promised, then the only one chasing us is Moff Gideon. And as far as I know, he has no idea we're here," Din assured him.

"That's good. And for the record, I managed to recall every tracking fob I could that had been issued on either of you. Still, there's no way to account for all of them. So, you best keep looking over your shoulder for a bit longer." Karga explained, then he gave the kid a warm smile, unconsciously rubbing his right forearm. "I'm glad to see that you've managed to keep that amazing child safe."

"It hasn't been easy," Din revealed. "Between him getting into mischief, and Gideon still tracking us, life has been interesting."

"And it would appear you picked up another companion as well," Karga remarked. "Might I be introduced?"

"I'm Ravana," she spoke up, cutting him off before he could answer. "Ravana Searan. Mando was kind enough to let me join his crew for a bit, until I get some things figured out."

"Ravana Searan," Greef repeated in a thoughtful tone, as if trying to remember something. "Your name rings a bell…but I can't remember why."

"Could it have something to do with this?" here Din reached out and put the bounty puck on the desk between them, the hologram of Ravana springing to life. "I got this off a Trandoshan, right after he snatched her out of the middle of a bazaar and tried to leave the system to collect."

"Well, you can rest assured he didn't get it from me!" Karga said with a look of disgust. "I refuse to work with those flesh-eaters. He must have gotten it from someone else. Still, I was given a few pucks on her myself, and I've already assigned them out to other hunters." Here he turned to Ravana. "I'm sorry, Miss. But it is my job."

"She's innocent," Din spoke up, ready to defend Ravana's reputation. "Someone's framing her, and I think it might have something to do with Gideon. Can you check to see who placed the price on her head?"

"Sure thing, Mando," Greef nodded, punching a few buttons on the com-panel beside him, giving a hum of curiosity when the information came up. "Says a magistrate from the planet Pessue claims she murdered his brother and two others. He's the one who placed the bounty."

"Tannor's brother thinks I murdered him?" Ravana looked both shocked and enraged. "I didn't kill him! It was that Gideon fellow! How could I have done it when I was wounded and buried under the remainder of my house? Besides, it was them who brought him there in the first place! This is madness!"

"Again, I'm sorry, Miss," Karga told her. "It's not for me to decide if someone is innocent or not, I only assign the bounty hunters to go find the targets. You'll have to take this up with the law, either on Pessue or someplace civilized, like Coruscant, or one of the other New Republic core worlds. I can recall all the bounty pucks I issued, but who knows how many others have been sent out."

"So…I'm officially a fugitive," Ravana concluded, sitting back in her chair with a look of utter misery.

"Perhaps," Karga said sympathetically. "But at least you're in good company." Here he gestured to Din and the kid, attempting to make her feel better.

"Yeah, I've been running from the law for several years now myself," Cara spoke up. "And really, other than a few close calls, it doesn't take much time out of your day."

"I know you're all just trying to be nice," Ravana said, attempting to paste on a fake smile. "But…I think I need some fresh air and a moment to think." And handing the kid over to Din, she rose to her feet. She quickly headed for the door, stepping out before anyone could stop her.

"I better go with her," Din stated, also getting up from his seat, but Cara's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"No, you stay," she insisted. "I'll keep an eye on her."

"I don't think…" was all the Mandalorian got out before Karga cut in.

"Let Cara handle this," he insisted. "It's best we let the females talk it out."

For his rather sexist words, Greef earned a slap to the back of his head from Cara, the woman rolling her eyes as she left the room.

Din was now torn. On one hand he knew that Ravana was hurting and he wasn't all together sure if Cara was the comforting kind. However, the last thing anyone would have accused him of being was compassionate. So maybe the former shock-trooper was the best one for the job. Besides, he did have a few more questions for Karga, and now seemed like the perfect time to ask. Thus, he stayed where he was, his gaze lingering a little longer than necessary on the door where the two women had exited.

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Ravana felt miserable, alone, and afraid – but since she had no idea how she'd gotten herself into this mess, how to get out of it equally alluded her. She'd managed to avoid the majority of the patrons at the bar by slipping out a door close to Greef Karga's office, breathing in the outside air as if it might be her last. It had begun to feel very stuffy in there, like the walls were closing in, or was it just her life falling apart? Either way, she had to get out, to clear her mind and try to formulate a plan for what she must do next.

However, everywhere she turned, she felt a million eyes on her, and while it was probably just her imagination, she wondered if this would now be her lot in life. To be watched, hunted, and seen as a fugitive. It was not something she cared for at all.

Finding an outside table at some kind of eatery, she sat down and signaled for them to bring her a drink. Ravana didn't much care what it was, she only wanted something strong to help her forget her troubles for a little bit.

"Mind if I join you?" came Cara's voice from behind, causing her to jump at the sound. "Easy now, it's just me."

"Ah, but next time it could be a bounty hunter…or worse," she sighed, gesturing for the other woman to take a seat at the table. "I'm just not prepared for this."

"Thankfully, you are not alone," Cara pointed out. "You have Mando, and the kid to help you out. Stick with them and they'll see you're protected."

"Oh, yes, that's exactly what Mando wants, to be saddled with a helpless woman in constant need of rescuing," she snorted. "I bet he's ruing the day our paths crossed."

"Don't attempt to guess what that man's thinking. Just when you belive you have him figured out, he turns around and surprises you," Cara told her, taking the two bottles of alcohol from the tray the server had brought over, handing him a few credits in payment. When Ravana moved to compensate her for the drink, she waved her off. "Keep it. My treat."

"Thank you," she nodded, taking the bottle and downing a large quantity before pulling it away. A sudden coughing fit quickly followed, letting Cara know that Ravana was not used to such strong stuff. "What in the world is this?" she gasped, attempting to stop her eyes from watering.

"Meiloorun Juice," the shock-trooper informed her, taking a small sip of her own. "Has quite the kick, doesn't it?"

"You can say that again," Ravana nodded, taking yet another drink but this time in moderation.

"So…you and Mando? How did that come about?" Cara restated, reminding the girl of her previous question.

"He landed on my planet, Pessue, not far from where I lived," Ravana began to explain. "He got in a fight with a wild danker, a beast native to my planet, and was wounded. I offered him and the kid lodging until he healed, and then they left. Only thing was, the little String-bean hid my pet zaktan on the ship, without Mando knowing about it."

This had Cara laughing, quite familiar with the kid's antics.

"Sounds like something he'd do," she nodded.

"Yet, by the time they turned around to bring him back, that Gideon fellow showed up. He'd been notified by that idiot Tannor that a Mandalorian had been spotted, and he came looking for him at my place." Here Ravana stopped talking, a chill going down her spine as she took another swig of her Meiloorun Juice.

"I take it he wasn't pleased to find Mando and the kid already gone," Cara deduced, knowing that the man in question was not the forgiving sort. "If only that TIE-fighter crash had killed him like we believed. Karga and I were very concerned for Mando when we learned he survived. So, what did that scum do?"

"He destroyed my home, and after I wouldn't tell him anything, his remaining troopers turned their blasters on me and left me for dead," Ravana revealed. "If Mando hadn't come back when he did, I would have died for sure. But he did return, and the kid healed me. I'm still at a loss as to how he did it, though. I've never heard of anything like it."

"Me neither," the dark-haired woman agreed. "But it was something to see, that's for sure. When he healed Karga…well, it left an impression."

"Anyway, since then, Mando's been letting me tag along with him, though just before that bounty hunter caught me, he was taking me back to Pessue." Here she stopped, her eyes closing in sadness. "However, that's out of the question now, isn't it? I'm wanted for murder on my home planet. A murder I did not commit."

"Don't let it eat at you," Cara encouraged. "I mean, I know it sucks, but with Mando helping you, things will find a way of working out in the end. You'll see."

"How about you?" Ravana asked. "How did you and Mando happen to meet?"

"Purely by chance," the former shock-trooper chuckled. "We both attempted to hide out on the same backwater planet, and literally ran into each other. We did a bit of work for some locals, helping them get rid of some rabble that was bothering them, and then we parted ways. Only when Karga offered Mando a chance to get the hunters off his back, he came looking for me to help make sure things went smoothly."

"And you just agreed? With nothing in it for you?" Ravana questioned.

"Well, it wasn't like I had a whole lot on my plate at the time, and whenever I can make trouble for the former Empire…well, I'm willing to do a little pro-bono work," Cara explained, taking another sip of her drink.

"Oh…I thought that maybe you did it for…" here she stopped, her cheeks turning a bit red at her mistake. "I mean…I assumed that you and Mando were…"

"An item?" this had Cara laughing heartily. "Now that would be a mistake waiting to happen for sure." When she noticed Ravana's look of shock she added. "Not that I don't admire the guy! Because I do, really. But he and I would never work romantically. We'd probably end up killing each other in the end…if it even lasted that long." She sat back and crossed her ankles, giving Ravana a pointed stare. "I don't need someone all hell bent on protecting me all the time, and that's exactly the kind that Mando is. He'd smother me far too much and I'd drive him crazy. Don't get me wrong, it would be amazing while it lasted, but like a couple of dwarf stars…we would burn out too fast."

"I see," Ravana replied, secretly pleased to hear that the lovely Cara Dune held no claim on the Mandalorian. However, this line of conversation was getting a bit uncomfortable, so she quickly changed the subject. "I just wish I could be of some real assistance to Mando in his mission to find the kid's family," Ravana stated. "If he can't, then he'll have to raise him all alone. And with his supposed extended lifespan, that's sure to cause problems in a few years, if you know what I mean."

"Yes, I do," she nodded. "And I think it's crossed Mando's mind a time or two as well. Of course I couldn't see his face, but when that lady Mandalorian told him he was to be as the kid's father until he found his real home…well, I'd bet money that Mando's jaw dropped down to his boots. But like I said, he's resourceful and maybe with you to help him, he can find where the kid belongs. Or…he could find out the little fellow is right where he should be, at least for now."

"I think Mando would miss him terribly if he had to give him up," Ravana agreed. "And I've become very attached to him as well."

"I have to admit that he's grown on me too," Cara smiled. "Even if he did almost kill me with his mind when he thought I was hurting Mando."

"He what?" the auburn-haired woman gasped.

"It was a mistake, and I've since forgiven him," she said, waving off Ravana's concern. "Just don't go challenging Mando to an arm-wrestling contest, if you know what's good for you."

"Duly noted," Ravana smiled.

"Now, finish your drink and let's head back," Cara suggested, downing the last of hers. "I've got some news for Mando about the kid, and it wouldn't hurt for you to hear about it as well."

"All right," she agreed, doing as she was told. "If I want to be of assistance, I best be filled in on all the details, right?"

And with that, they rose from their seats and headed back towards Greef Karga's office.

Well, it looks like Cara and Ravana are getting along all right. Now that Ravana knows that Cara is no threat, at least.

Mando can barely handle one woman, two would most likely drive him to the brink of insanity. ha ha.

Wonder what Din wants to ask Greef, and wonder what Cara has to tell Din about the kid?

Tune in Monday to find out.

Guest Reviews:

Guest: I'm glad that one of the little things that makes you happy is my story. Din will indeed be telling Ravana his true name...very soon...but not for the reasons you might expect. For now, however, she will have to be satisfied with using Mando. I think she can handle it. Thanks for the review!

Phantom Guest: I'm glad his attempts at comforting her went from painful and horrific to adorable and hilarious. He's improving! And every story needs that 'getting to know you' scene, right? As I said above...he will be revealing his name very soon. Wait for it... ha ha. Thanks so much!