CHAPTER XVIII: IMPROBABLE
They departed from Nevarro as soon as possible. Kuiil had pursuaded Din to allow IG-11 and the Bluurg aboard, both which surprised Zakia to no end. She was endlessly amused by the Mandalorian's body language as Kuiil brought his own crew aboard.
Zakia was in charge of the controls for the first part of their journey, and she lifted them off of Arvala-7 and into hyperspace with ease. She climbed from the pilot's chair and clambered below deck, kicking off her boots as she neared the cargo hold. The Child cooed at her appearance, but was more focused on the sight across from him.
Mando and Cara were seated across from each other, a crate in between them as a makeshift table. Their palms were facing each other's, and Cara counted down from five before they clasped hands. Zakia laughed at them, placing herself behind Mando as the arm wrestling competition got underway. Both parties grunted with the effort, but Zakia could see Mando's arm wavering.
"I've got you, Mando." Cara managed, hair falling over her face.
The Mandalorian was right behind her teasing. "Care to double the bet?"
Zakia cocked a brow. "I don't know if that's a smart idea, honey."
"The peanut gallery needs to hush." Mando snapped playfully.
Zakia huffed a laugh, watching both sides struggle to victory. As Cara pushed the Mandalorian's arm further down, her arm twitched and she hesitated. Zakia was focused on tha table, and wasn't paying attention when she spoke up.
"What's with the reluctance, Ca- Cara? Cara?"
The shock-trooper suddenly jerked away from their match, both hands coming to grip at her throat. She choked, unable to get any words out. Zakia gripped Din's shoulder.
"What is-"
"No! No, no, no!" Din scrambled out of his seat, darting over to the bassinet.
Zakia watched in horror as the Child sat with one hand outstretched, fingers balled into a tiny fist. It was obviously the source of Cara's peril.
"Stop! We're friends, we're friends!" Din shook the Child once, and Cara sucked in a breath. Zakia rushed to the Child, catching Kuiil's eye as she did so.
"Cara is my friend!" Din was still yelling towards the Child when Zakia approached.
"That is not okay!" Cara yelled when she got her breath back.
Zakia stared wide-eyed at Mando. "He froze me the other day. You think his power is growing?"
Mando shook his head, shoulders heaving. "I don't know."
"Hm. Very curious." Kuiil interjected, coming to stand next to Zakia.
"Curious? It almost killed me!" Cara exclaimed, weakly lunging out of her seat.
"The story you told me of the mudhorn now makes more sense." Kuiil ignored Cara's hostility,
"What is it?" Zakia asked, searching the Ugnaught's face for answers. "He did this to me yesterday. Not choking, but he used this power."
"What it is, I don't know. But what it does, this... this I've heard rumors of." Kuiil tapped the Child's head carefully. Zakia took him from Din, though didn't coddle him as usual.
"What? When you worked for the Empire?" Cara spat, still clutching at her neck. Zakia whirled on her at the comment.
"We are currently running from the Empire!" The blonde said.
Kuiil held up a hand. "When I was sold to the Empire, in indentured servitude."
Cara managed to stand. "Yet somehow, you walk free."
Din tugged Zakia back towards him, and the Child squeaked. It could obviously sense the growing tension in the ship. "Stay out of it."
Zakia set her jaw and nodded, but didn't argue. It was no use making enemies with their allies.
"I bought my freedom through the skill of my hands. And the labor of three of your human lifetimes." IG-11 stepped into the room then, causing all of the occupants, sans Kuiil, to turn. "Do not cast doubt upon that of what I am nor whom I shall serve."
Cara didn't respond to him, eyes fixed on IG-11's still form. The cylindrical head spun once, but made no other move. Din managed to break the tension, stepping forward and nudging Zakia with him.
"Tell you what. I could really use your craftwork right now. Can you pad this container so the Child can sleep better?" The Mandalorian tenderly lifted the Child from Zakia's arms and placed it in the bassinet.
Kuiil gave the container a quick once-over. "I shall fabricate a better one. Then perhaps this Dropper can see how one can win their freedom with the skill of one's hands."
Din nodded, and reached for his partner. "Excuse us for just a moment."
"I'll be up top." Cara told them.
Zakia nodded before following Din to their small quarters. "What's wrong?"
Din waited until the door slid shut. "Have you seen him do it before?"
"The Child? Not until he stopped me yesterday." Zakia replied, leaning against the edge of their bed. "Why?"
"Just wanted to be sure. If something happens on Nevarro, I don't want him trying to attack." Din rubbed at the back of his neck.
"You're tired." Zakia observed, taking a few steps to close the gap between them. "Have you not slept since our nap before Sorgan?"
He shook his head. "No time."
"You can't govern your life on time, Din. You know this." Zakia tried her best to be reassuring, but the coming events hung over their heads like an anvil ready to fall.
"I can't let anything happen to you." Din looked up, "to the Child."
Zakia smiled, pressing into his chest. She wrapped a single arm around his torso, fingers knotting together in his cloak. Din's arms fell to wrap around her shoulders, and he tipped his helmet to rest in her hair. Zakia reached behind him to swat the lightswitch, and darkness enveloped them. Even with her eyes open as wide as they would go, there were no shapes or colors visible.
Din had beaten her to the punch for her next actions; Zakia heard the pneumatic hiss of his helmet's release before she could lift her hands. He leaned to the side to set it on their bed, and returned to her arms shortly thereafter. She closed her eyes when his nose nuzzled into her hair, moving gently down until he rested in the crook of her shoulder. Zakia brought a hand up to rake through his hair, dropping a kiss where she could reach.
"We should go above deck." He muttered into her shirt.
"I'm sure Cara won't mind if you take a minute to recover." Zakia stroked the hair at his nape, smiling when she felt his lips against her neck. She leaned back, and sighed when his lips found hers.
"I love you." He said, nipping her bottom lip gently.
Zakia smiled against his mouth. "I know. I love you too."
After a lengthy conversation with Din about the Empire remnants on Nevarro, Cara had descended into the cargo hold to prep for their landing. Zakia was sitting cross- legged in the co-pilot's seat, and stood when they broke into Nevarro's atmosphere. Din imagined there was little left except the nub of her fingernails, as she had been gnawing on them since they left their quarters.
Din couldn't fight the fact that his anxiety was high when it came to this mission. If Karga was lying- which was likely- there were a lot of Guild members who would be happy to pull the trigger on him or Zakia. He was grateful when she rested her hand on his chair, waiting patiently for the ship to land.
"You ready?" He asked, standing from his seat once the landing gear was stable.
"Yeah. Are you?"
The Mandalorian stood to his full height, dwarfing his partner. "As I'll ever be."
They descended below deck, where Cara and Kuiil had already mounted their Bluurg. Standing at the ready near the ramp, Din pressed the release and helped Zakia onto theirs. Shaking off the week's events, he hauled a leg over the animal and pulled himself up. The Child was in its new bassinet, which was rather reminiscent of the original one they found him in.
Nevarro was exactly as Din remembered, with rocky ground and a generally desolate atmosphere. They were in the middle of the flats, with the small bazaar far away in the distance. Zakia had a hand resting on his hip, hidden beneath his cloak. The new rifle he had purchased during their time in Mos Eisley was strapped over her shoulder, as well as her dual blasters and a spare on her ankle. Zakia was armed to the teeth, and it sent a wave of reassurance through Mando as they faced their old colleague.
"Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando. But things have gotten complicated since you were last here." Greef Karga was flanked by three hunters, all of which Din was unfamiliar with. Nonetheless, they didn't exactly exude amicability. "It appears that introductions are in order."
None of them replied. They stood as one silent front, and the intimidation factor seemed to be working as Karga continued.
"It seems we've both provided a security detail." Greef sighed, and finally lifted his hand to point at Cara. "I recommend the shock-trooper guards the ship. These lava fields are lousy with Jawas."
Zakia's fingers squeezed through his clothes. "She comes with us." Din asserted.
"But the town is now run by ex-Empire. If a Rebel Dropper is with us, they'll all get their hackles up."
"She's coming." Zakia reiterated Mando's words, glaring around his body at Greef.
"Fine. Fine. At least cover your tattoo. No need to flaunt it." Karga opened his arms and made a hard left in conversation topics. "Now, where is the little one?"
Their alliance all traded looks before Mando deemed it their best move. He lifted his vambrace and punched in the bassinet's access code. The domed object hovered to Karga, and the lid separated to reveal the baby. Zakia's hand left his hip to rest over her blaster, and Mando maintained his position to conceal her.
"So this little bogwing is what all the fuss was about." Karga reached into the cradle, gingerly examining their charge. "What a precious little creature. I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on its wrinkled little head."
The Child was lowered back into the bassinet, and Zakia's fingers slunk away from the blaster to return to Mando's hip.
"Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all." Their former boss set his hands on his hips as the cradle hissed and closed. Din turned the tether back on, and the pram floated back to their side. "The sun drops fast on Nevarro. We can walk for a spell, camp out at the riverbank, then make our way into town at first light."
After it was agreed upon, Karga and his men led the trio of Bluurg and their riders across the lava flats. It was much easier traversing the terrain on the animal's backs, and Din was thankful for Kuiil's insistence on bringing them. The atmosphere surrounding the group was tense, made even more so by the conspicuous glances Karga's lackies sent in Din's direction.
"They're going to try and kill us." Zakia's right hand was holding tightly onto Mando's cuirass, the other wrapping itself into his tunic. "Take the reward for themselves."
Din tipped his head to the side. "I know. They don't stand a chance."
The caravan continued on into in the night. True to Karga's word, they lost light fast. Zakia wished they would have made it closer to town, but supposed some distance between the Imperials and them wasn't a bad thing to have. Karga's help built a small fire, and one ventured off into the night only to return with a large slab of meat. Zakia wasn't keen on the unknown product, but sustenance was necessary for their trip.
Battle stories were not told around this campfire. Everyone sat silently, pretending to be relaxed. Each separate faction formed their own half-circle. Cara sat at the far end of theirs, then Kuii, the Child, Zakia, and Din. Karga formed the end of his group, though he sat a mere foot from the Mandalorian. Kuiil fed the Child, who squeaked happily upon each delivery. Zakia kept her eyes on the mangy-looking hunters across the fire, even when she lifted bites of meat to her mouth.
"Looks like the little bugger's a carnivore." Greef said, pointing a shaky finger at the Child. "Never seen anything like it. They were ready to pay a king's ransom for that thing. Must be for some kind of high-falutin' menagerie."
Zakia rolled her eyes, peering around Mando's body to look at their old boss. "You never did like silence, Karga."
Din remained focused on the fire, though Zakia knew his eyes were following every movement in the group. "Let's go over the plan again."
Karga sighed, and Zakia leaned back to prop herself onto her elbows.
"We both enter the common house. We show the client the bait. We join him at the table. And one of you kills him."
Zakia raised a brow, doing her best impression of a rabid lothcat while trying to gnaw on the tough meat they roasted. "And there's no reinforcements? Even if I'm stationed a couple hundred meters away, when he goes down..."
"They're all ex-Empire. As soon as they lose their paycheck, poof! They'll all scatter." Greef sounded unconcerned, but the Mandalorian was not convinced.
"What if they stick around?" Zakia asked, adjusting the rifle as it lay next to her.
"They won't"
"That's not good enough." Even modulated, his tone was clear.
"If- for argument's sake- a few of them don't realize that I'm their best path to alternative employment and they elect to react impulsively, then these three fine Guild hunters, along with that battle-hardened shock-trooper will cut down anyone who bucks. And I don't recall many getting past your partner in the past."
Finishing her piece of tough meat, Zakia reclined on the small bedroll until her back was lying in the dirt. She gazed up at the starless sky, watching as pale streaks of gray clouds passed over. Din continued to drill Karga on their plan. He assured the Mandalorian there would be no more than four guards - a fire team- with the Client.
Zakia blinked lazily, and tried to keep her body from trembling with anticipation. Her and Mando had yet to work out the precise details, but she was confident her partner would want her far away from the Imps. It would be easy to find a building with a clear shot into the Imperial hideout, but the hard part was remaining undetected. If Karga was right, the job would be simple. If he was wrong however, they were in for a long day.
Eyes searching for Din's familiar figure, Zakia tugged on his cloak so the others wouldn't notice. He shifted in a way that acknowledged her prod for attention.
"You okay?"
The helmet falling forward in the front was her only answer, and Zakia allowed her hand to remain on his cloak as she turned to the sky. The few clouds illuminated by Nevarro's dull moon were nothing more than wisps, so Zakia froze upon spotting an opaque shape move across her field of vision. She lifted her head sharply, trying to follow the shape. Blue eyes tracked across the darkness, and faintly picked up on another shape. This one was larger, and was flying from behind the other group towards the fire. Zakia thought it to be scavenger birds at first, but squinted when the shap seemed to pick up speed as it neared the group. Karga was about the reach the roasting hunk of meat when she called out.
"Greef, get down!" Zakia was just in time, as the beast swung down to steal the meat.
It was incredibly large, and the force of its pass knocked Greef from his feet. The Mandalorian ducked to the side, arm falling to the far side of Zakia's body. A screech prompted him to stay there, chestplate rhythmically ramming into Zakia's back until she elbowed him.
"We have to move, there's- more!" Zakia pushed against his cuirass, leaping to her feet as Cara began firing out shots from an automatic blaster. The Mandalorian and his partner wasted no time drawing their own weapons. Zakia slapped the button to close the Child's pram, allowing Mando and Kuiil to cover her as she turned her back.
It was far too dark to make sense of anything between the dust and darkness. The group's movements were lit only by the light of their fire and their blasters. Zakia had just got her bearings when Kuiil's shouts echoed across the flat plains.
"No, let go of her! Drop her now!" They were shouts of anguish, and Zakia was horrified to see the beasts lifting one of their Bluurg off the ground.
The group's blasts began to focus in on the offending creature, but it was long gone before they had a chance. A brief bout of silence followed, and Zakia offhandedly glanced to ensure the Child was safe.
SCREECH.
Something heavy impacted Zakia's back with enough force to toss her to the ground. Her blaster tumbled from her hand, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around her exposed neck to protect it. More yelling and firing reached her ears, but she was glued to the rocky ground. Another body was tossed down next to her, and Zakia was battered with gusts of wind that whipped gravel into her face. Some part of her fuzzy brain recognized the clanking of Din's armor, and then the familiar feeling of his hand on her back. There was a blast of heat above her head, and Zakia tightened the arms protecting her neck.
"Zakia." The Mandalorian's voice was measured. Calm, but urgency pressed into his tone.
He had seen Zakia get knocked down. When one of Karga's hunters was swiped from safety, his legs took her feet from the ground as the beast flew away. Protecting herself was the best option at that point- these creatures were clearly smart.
"Is it over?" She still had her arms locked around her neck, and Din's helmet fell forward in relief.
"Yes. They're gone. You just got knocked down when one took off. You're fine." The Mandalorian wrapped his hands around her arms and hauled her up, allowing her a moment to get her feet back.
"Shit." She cursed, "I saw them coming, I just didn't know what they were." Her body moved almost thoughtlessly to the Child's cradle, where she pressed the lid release. Zakia's hands lifted the baby, holding him tightly to her chest. "It's alright, kiddo."
Mando took stock of the remaining group. Cara was lowering her blaster, and Kuiil looked rather distraught. But it was a groaning from his left that caught Din's attention. Karga was on the ground, clutching at his forearm. Zakia followed his gaze, tongue pressing against her teeth as they all approached.
Kuiil was the first one there, followed by Cara. Din and Zakia approached after, and the blonde shook her head as she looked into the corner of his visor. Greef's arm had four gashes in it, infection sizzling outwards like hot grease.
"Poison." Zakia set her jaw, kneeling beside Kuiil.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine." Karga protested their doting until Zakia pressed on a tender spot. "Ow!"
"Hold still." Cara ordered. "They got you good"
Zakia let Cara take over the care, unsure of how to proceed. She had bandaged Din up more times than she could count, but poison was something she had never experienced. The shock-trooper fumbled in her belt, withdrawing a small med pack with a long needle. She gave Karga the first infusion, eliciting a wheeze from the injured party.
"How bad?" The Mandalorian asked, leering over Cara's shoulder.
"Bad." Cara confirmed. "The poison is spreading fast."
Greef squeezed his eyes shut, breathing heavily in measured bouts to maintain his composure. "So… this is how it happens?"
Cara, ever the lifesaver in these situations, looked at the Guild agent. "Don't be so dramatic." She looked to the other hunters. "I need another medpac! Got any other medpacs?"
A chorus of shaking heads later, the air grew tense. Zakia shifted uncomfortably, hands pawing aimlessly at the Child's robes. Normally a stoic figure, she found herself perturbed at Karga's situation. As if sensing her discomfort, the baby in her arms shifted, wiggling wildly in an attempt to leave her arms.
"Hold on." Zakia leaned down to allow the Child to stand on the ground. Knowing he had a tendency to hover within reach of the Mandalorian, she let her eyes wander back to Cara.
"It's still spreading. This isn't working." Cara held the med scanner in one hand, and paused when the now-free Child approached her side. She turned to Kuiil. "Get this thing outta here."
The Child extended a hand then, catching the attention of everyone surrounding Greef's supine form. Kuiil urged them to leave him be, and everyone watched warily as the tiny green creature stretched towards Greef.
"He's trying to eat me." Karga whined. Zakia snorted, nudging Mando in a weak attempt at lightening the mood.
More than a few seconds passed before anything changed. The Child laid his hand on Greef's arm and closed his eyes. Zakia could see the concentration on his tiny face, and gripped the crook of Din's elbow when their ex-boss's skin began to knit itself back together. The poisoned flesh reverted back to smooth skin from its blistered state, and even Greef seemed surprised as his pain slipped away.
The baby shook with the effort, eventually falling backwards onto his bottom. Zakia hustled towards him automatically, sweeping his exhausted form from the dirt. No one spoke, only stared at the unmarred flesh of Karga's arm. The shock was clear, and the uncertainty surrounding the tiny quarry skyrocketed.
Zakia only focused her wide eyes on the baby in her arms, whispering a silent prayer for the hours to come.