Chapter Text
If someone had told you two weeks ago that you’d be traveling the galaxy with a man who is not your fiance, essentially running away from your life, you would’ve called them crazy. Your world then was stable, unexciting, and predictable. You had a family surrounding you, a partner you loved, and even a nice place to live. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was home. It was everything you’d ever known. And then… Let’s go back and explain from the beginning.
Your fiance, Arlon, had always been restless. Always looking to the stars and plotting where he’d like to go if he was ever given a chance. Always dreaming about the glittering buildings on Coruscant or the forests of Endor, never planning for the life that you both actually lived. Which was fine, really. You had always been more pragmatic anyway and had no problem doing the planning for both of you. After a while, though, it was still too little for Arlon and he joined up with the Bounty Hunter’s Guild looking for excitement and adventure.
It was a good arrangement for a while; he got a chance to see a little more of the System and started bringing in money, all of which meant his restless soul found some solace. Solace enough, even, that he proposed after his first year as a Hunter and started actually helping you plan for the future.
Two months before the wedding, he took one last bounty before taking time off for you both. You had such plans… He was going to show you his favorite planets; take you to waterfalls and prairies, but he never came back.
You were sure he was still alive. You loved him, you’d know if his existence in the Galaxy was suddenly snuffed out. Heading to the cantina where Arlon got his bounties, you stepped into the dim interior and angled yourself toward his Guild contact, Tonis.
“I need to speak to you,” you said, foregoing a greeting.
“Look, I’m gonna stop you right there,” Tonis said, putting a hand up. “I don’t know where Arlon is. He took a bounty I had advised him against, but he was set on getting the credits it offered.”
You stared at him, waiting for more information.
“Unless you’re going after him yourself, which I’d also advise against, you’re just going to have to wait for him to come back. I’m sure he’s… Fine.”
“Tell me where he went,” you demand, eyes never leaving Tonis’s.
“I told you, I don’t think…”
“Tell me!” you yelled, slamming your hand on the table in front of him.
“Sheesh, calm down,” Tonis hissed through his teeth. “Fine, but if something happens to you, it isn’t mine or the Guild’s fault.”
“Fine,” you repeated before staring him down.
Tonis sighed before pulling a puck from his jacket. He showed you how to use it, and gave you coordinates to the last known location of the bounty. “Look, if what Arlon tells me about you is true, you’re going to need someone else with you. No offense, but you aren’t really the fighting type. These worlds will eat you alive.”
“I don’t know anyone I can take with me.”
“Luckily, I do. Consider it a wedding present,” Tonis said before pulling out another piece of paper. “Meet me here tomorrow morning. Go home, pack your things, and get ready for a long journey. You’ll meet your guide then.”
“Thank you, Tonis,” you nodded before turning and leaving.
After a restless night of packing and trying to sleep, you rose early and headed to the location where Tonis told you to meet him, a landing pad at the edge of town. You wanted to get this trip started and find Arlon as fast as you could.
Even with how early you arrived, the landing pad was already occupied. You heard Tonis before you saw him, arguing with a man covered head to foot in shining metal armor.
“You owe me, Mando,” Tonis was saying. You stopped just outside the door to the hanger and listened to him continue, “This girl’s fiance took a job in the Inner Rim. If you take her to him and help him get the bounty, I’ll pay you what the bounty is worth and we’ll be even.”
“I’m not a babysitter,” the armor-covered man, Mando, responded, his voice cold and modulated through the helmet.
“You aren’t babysitting, you’re helping the Guild finish a job,” Tonis countered.
A long silence stretched between the two men before Mando sighed, the sound of defeat obvious even from your hiding place. “Fine, but I want double the bounty.”
“Done, just take care of her and get him home safe. They work too hard to be separated like this.”
Mando didn’t respond before you heard heavy footsteps crunching along the ground away from you. You decided it was as good a time as any to show yourself and stepped into the hangar toward Tonis.
“Morning,” you said, coming to a stop and dropping your bag next to you. “I’m ready to get going.”
“Never one to mince words…” Tonis muttered, picking up your bag and walking toward the ship in front of you. It was decently sized, but the patchwork of metal along the outside gave you pause. You weren’t well versed in ships, but this one seemed… Old. Definitely well used. Beggars can’t be choosers… You thought to yourself as you followed Tonis up the ramp and into the ship.
The inside was dark, buttons of reds and blues set a glow to the walls. Crates and boxes were cluttered here and there along the floor. As you followed the walkway, your gaze lit upon a pair of boots. Lifting your eyes, you notice the leg guards, and then the belt of weapons and gadgets. Your eyes lingered on the orange-tipped gloves before continuing up the chest plate and freezing on the T-shaped visor in the center of the helmet.
“This is Mando,” Tonis said, oblivious to the fear taking root in your chest.
Without so much as a passing glance, Mando nodded at you before climbing the ladder to what you assumed was the cockpit. You turned to Tonis and asked, “Who is this guy?”
“He’s a Mandalorian,” Tonis shrugged, as if that explained everything.
“And what’s a Mandalorian?”
“They’re a race of warriors. Not many around anymore. I don’t even know his real name, everyone calls him Mando since he’s Mandalorian.”
“You don’t even know his name and you trust him to take me to Arlon?”
“He may be secretive, but he’s trustworthy.” Tonis put a hand on your shoulder before finishing, “He’ll help you and you’ll be back with plenty of time before the wedding.”
He turned around and began to leave before you managed to squeak, “Thank you.”
Tonis stopped and turned back to you with a smile. “We’re all rooting for you, you know. You and Arlon are loved by a lot of people in our town.” With a wink, he left.
A modulated voice called from the cockpit, “We’re taking off soon, might want to get up here and buckle in.”
You took a breath, steeling yourself for the journey ahead of you. You grabbed your bag and climbed the ladder to find a small room with three seats; one in front of a massive board of buttons and switches with the other two flanked behind the first. You took the seat to the right, putting your bag in the other seat and buckling in.
“So… Where are we going?”
“Jakku,” Mando replied.
“How far is that?”
“A ways.”
Silence settled over the cockpit as Mando flipped switches and the engines started up. After some beeps and rumbles, the ship began to rise. Flying up and out of the hangar, you watched as the landscape below got smaller and smaller. When you couldn’t see the walls of your city anymore, you turned your eyes upward and toward the growing stars.
I’m coming, Arlon, I promise.