After two days of speeding through sand, we'd be back at Mos Eisley in a few hours. Dad and I neared the edge of a canyon and suddenly a rope came up at the last second, sending our bikes crashing.

Both of us activated our jetpacks and landed on our feet, as the rest of our belongings scatter over the sand.

Bandits started firing at us, and Dad and I took several blasts to the chest and shoulders. A large bandit with a mace swung at Dad, making him duck and punch him in the face twice.

I see a bandit the size of a Jawa go for the Child and I shoot him in the shoulder. I would've shot him in the head if a bandit having wearing a rusty helmet hadn't grabbed me in a headlock with his spear.

Suddenly Koran (I named my Massiff) jumped off a rock and tackled the bandit off me, ripping his throat out.

Dad easily finished taking care of the Nikto and large bandit, shooting them both after he'd smashed them against the rock.

We turned and saw the small bandit holding the Child at knife-point.

Y/n: Wait! Don't hurt the child.

Dad: If you lay one mark on him, there's no place you'll be able to hide from us. We can strike a bargain. There's a lot of value in this wreckage.

Y/n: Choose whatever you want. But leave the baby.

The small bandit looks around and then points at Dad's jetpack, instructing him to put it on the ground.

Dad: Okay. Here. (puts the jetpack in front of him) It's yours. Take it.

Dad backs away from his jetpack and the bandit puts the Child down. He takes it and runs off as the Child waddles to me.

Y/n: (hushed) It's okay, it's okay.

Dad taps his gauntlet and the jetpack flies up, with the bandit holding on. He then crashes into the dirt, groaning. Koran growls and I just smirk.

Y/n: Koran...

Koran looks at up at me.

Y/n: Sic 'em.

The massiff howls and runs after the small bandit, jumping on his back and tearing him up. I cover the Child's eyes away from the gore.

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After gathering all our supplies and gear, it had taken at least a day to walk back to the spaceport.

We eventually walk into Mos Eisley and head to the cantina, seeing Peli playing cards with an Insectoid.

Peli: I don't know. Looks like someone's goin' home empty-handed.

Peli notices us and sees the green armor hanging off Dad's pack.

Peli: You finally found a Mandalorian and ya killed him?

Dad: He wasn't Mandalorian. We bought this armor off him, though.

Peli: And what'd that set ya back?

Y/n: Killed a krayt dragon for him.

Peli: Oh. Is that all?

Dad: He was our last lead on finding other Mandalorians.

Suddenly the Insectoid chitters something, making Peli wave her hand at him.

Peli: Okay. Well, you boys might be in luck. Dr. Mandible here says he can connect you with someone who can help you, if you cover his call this round. It's what he said.

I look at Dad as he stares at Peli.

Dad: What's the bet?

Peli: Five-hundred.

Y/n: I think I see now why you can't get good help.

Peli: Hey! He's on a hot-streak.

Dad sighs and throws a bag of credits on the table.

Peli: (smacks her cards down) Ha! Idiot's array! Pay up, thorax!

Y/n: I thought you said he was on a hot-streak?

Peli: Oh, stop you're crying. You'll rust. (listens to the Insectoid) All right. He says the contact will rendezvous at the hangar. They'll tell you where to find some Mandalorians. That's what you wanted, right?

Dad: Yes.

Peli: All right, well, stop your mopin'. More importantly, did you bring back any of that dragon meat? Better not have maggots on it. I don't like maggots.

Y/n: (quietly) Neither do I.

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After we head to the hangar to wait for the contact, two of Peli's droids were cooking the dragon meat with a turbine. Peli then walks out.

Peli: Hey, don't overcook it, Treadwell. I like it medium rare! I'm not some Rodian, for crying out loud.

Peli stops in front of us and rests her hands on her tool-belt.

Peli: All right, here's the deal. A Mandalorian covert is close. It's in this sector, one system trailing.

Dad: Are they the ones that left Nevarro?

Peli: Don't know. All I know is the contact will lead you to them.

Y/n: How much is it gonna cost?

Peli: Well, that's the great news. It's free. Aside from a finder's fee, of course.

Dad: What's the not-great news?

Peli: Nothing. It's all great.

Dad: Okay.

Y/n: (raises hand) Hold it, Dad. Nothing is ever free without catches to it. Now, what is it?

Peli: Well, the contact wants passage to the system.

Dad: Do you vouch for them?

Peli: On my life.

Dad: Fine.

Peli: And... no hyperdrive.

Y/n: What?!

Dad: You want us to travel sublight? Deal's off.

Peli: It's one sector over.

Dad: Moving fast is the only thing keeping us safe.

Peli: These are mitigating circumstances.

Y/n: Then please do elaborate you definition of "mitigating".

We then hear footsteps and see a female, frog-woman walk in carrying a container on her back.

Y/n: Peli, do we look like a taxi service to you?

Peli: I know, I know. I hear you. But I can vouch for her.

The woman walks over and looks at us.

Dad: (sighs) What's the cargo?

Peli converses with the woman for a few seconds and turns to us.

Peli: It's her spawn. She needs her eggs fertilized by the equinox or her line will end. If you jump into hyperspace, they'll die. She said her husband has settled off the estuary moon of Trask in the system of the gas giant Kol Iben.

Y/n: She said all that?

Peli: I paraphrase.

Dad: Is she sure there are Mandalorians there?

Peli converses with the woman again.

Peli: She said her husband has seen them.

I sigh, shaking my head.

Y/n: Zero!

Zero pokes his head out of the Crest.

Zero: Yes, Master Y/n?

Y/n: Help this woman with her container and make sure she gets settled on the Crest.

Zero: Understood.

Zero gestures the woman inside and helps her in. Dad turns back to Peli.

Dad: Have you met the husband?

Peli: No. I only met her ten minutes ago.

Dad: I thought you said you vouched for her on your life.

Peli: What can I say? I'm an excellent judge of character.

Dad and I stare at Peli, as she eats a slab of dragon meat. Dad and I start walking up the ramp, into the Crest.

Y/n: The next time we come back, we're landing in a different hangar.

Dad: Remind me not to forget.

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As leave orbit, Dad begins instructing the woman about what to do on the Crest.

Dad: Now, I'm gonna ask that you stay strapped in whenever you're seated. Traveling sublight is a bit dicey these days. Whether it's pirates or warlords, someone ends up with a nice chunk of change or your ship.

The woman then responds to us, neither me or Dad understanding.

Y/n: Um, my father and I don't speak amphibian. Do you know Huttese? (speaks in Huttese)

The woman just looks at me.

Y/n: I'm gonna say that's a "no". Let me see if Zero understands her language. Be right back.

I step out of my seat and down into the cargo bay, seeing Koran asleep in my bed as Zero was powered down by our bedroom. I also notice the Child isn't in the sack we made for him as a bed.

I turn and see him with the woman's container of eggs open and about to eat one.

Y/n: No, no, no! 

The Child slurps it down and goes to reach for another one, but I shut the container and pick him up.

Y/n: Geez, you're smaller than a Jawa and yet your stomach is like an incinerator.

I put him in the sack above my bed and lightly tap his forehead. I then turn Zero on.

Zero: Master Y/n, is something the matter?

Y/n: No, Zero, nothing's wrong. I wanted to ask, how many languages can you understand and/or speak?

Zero: I am fluent in over six-thousand forms of communication. And can interpret twice as many linguistics as well.

Y/n: Good. Do you understand the language of the woman we're transporting?

Zero: Yes, Master Y/n.

Y/n: Good. Head up to the cockpit and translate for her, in case my Dad's asks questions about our destination.

Zero: Understood.

As Zero starts climbing the ladder, I decide to get some rest and gently slide Koran aside, laying down on the bed.

It wasn't even two hours and I started hearing the communications alert going off.

Dad: (over speaker) Y/n! Get up here!

Y/n: I'm coming, I'm coming!

I hustle out of bed and rush up the ladder, gesturing Zero to head back down to the cargo bay.

Y/n: What's going on?

Dad: X-Wings.

I look out the viewport and sure enough, two X-Wings were on our left and right.

X-Pilot: (over comm) Razor Crest, M-One-Eleven. Come in, Razor Crest. Do you copy?

Dad: This is Razor Crest. Is there a problem?

X-Pilot: (over comm) We noticed your transponder is not emitting.

Dad: Yes, I'm pre-Empire surplus. I'm not required to run a beacon.

X-Pilot: (over comm) That was before. This sector is under New Republic jurisdiction. All craft are required to run a beacon.

Dad: Thank you for letting me know. I'll get right on it.

X-Pilot: (over comm) Not a problem. Safe travels.

Dad: May the Force be with you.

X-Pilot: (over comm) And also with you. Just one more thing.

Dad: Yes?

X-Pilot: (over comm) I'm gonna need you to send us a ping. We're out here sweeping for Imperial holdouts.

Dad: I'll let you know if I see any.

X-Pilot: (over comm) I'm still gonna need you to send us that ping.

Dad looks back at me and I shrug, not knowing what excuse to come up with.

Dad: I'm afraid I don't have that hardware online.

X-Pilot: (over comm) We can wait.

Dad: Yeah. I... doesn't seem to be working.

X-Pilot: (over comm) That's too bad. If we can't confirm you're not Imperial, you're gonna have to follow us to the outpost at Adelphi. They'll run your tabs.

Dad then flips a switch.

Dad: Oh, wait. There it is. Transmitting now.

Suddenly the woman wakes up, and I shush her.

X-Pilot: (over comm) What was that?

Dad: Uh, nothing. The hypervac is drawing off the exhaust manifold.

The other X-Pilot comes over the comm.

X-Pilot #2: (over comm) Carson, can you switch over to channel two?

Carson: (over comm) Copy.

I look out and see both fighters open their wings to attack-mode.

Y/n: Dad...

Dad: I see 'em...

Carson: (over comm) Was your craft in the proximity of New Republic Correctional Transport, Bothan-Five?

Y/n: (quietly) Dad, what do we do?

Dad: Grab onto something.

Dad immediately swerves the Crest downward and I strap in as he takes down to a snow-covered planet.

Carson: (over comm) Razor Crest, stand down. I repeat, stand down, or we will fire.

Dad swerves the ship past several clouds and immediately cuts the engines, sending the Crest into free-fall. The woman screams in panic as I hold onto my seat for dear life.

Y/n: (quickly speaking) Dad, turn on the engines. Turn on the engines. TURN ON THE ENGINES!

Dad throws the switch and the Crest pulls back up, heading towards a canyon below.

Carson: (over comm) Come on, Razor Crest. Don't make us do it.

Dad: Hold on.

Dad steers the Crest through a cave and sends the Crest sliding across the ice and hiding under a huge overpass.

Carson: (over comm) I've lost visual. He's got to be around here somewhere. You head north. We'll cover more ground.

I lay back in my seat, exhaling in relief.

Y/n: Nice flying, Dad.

Suddenly, the ship shook and the ice beneath us gaveway and broke apart.

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I jolted awake, and see I'm still strapped to my seat. I unbuckle myself and see Dad unconscious on top of the controls. I get up and look to see the ship is trapped under a ton of snow.

Y/n: Oh, yeah. We're in trouble.

I then start to shake Dad.

Y/n: Dad? Dad, come on. Wake up. Dad!

Dad doesn't move and just remains motionless.

Y/n: Damn it.

I look down and see the frog woman laying on the ground, shaking and shivering from the cold.

Y/n: Hey, hey. Miss?

I help her up and sit her down. She begins gawking squeaking at me.

Y/n: I know, I know it's cold. I'll find your eggs. Watch my father. I'll get you some blankets too to keep you warm.

I slide down the ladder to the cargo bay and see a huge hole in the side with snow blowing in.

Y/n: Zero? Koran? Where are you guys?

I then hear the lady squeaking again.

Y/n: I'm looking for the eggs!

Zero: Master Y-Y/n?

I look over and see an arm stick up and spark.

Y/n: ZERO!

I rush over and move several crates away and see Zero with his left optic cracked and his left arm missing.

Y/n: Aw, Zero, your arm!

I help the droid up to his feet and seat him down on one of the crates.

Y/n: What happened?

Zero: The crash tossed me across the bay and one of the crates smashed into my left arm, severing it.

Y/n: Well, don't worry. I'll fix you. Where's Koran and the baby?

I hear growling and see Koran shake a blanket off his head and yanks another one down, showing the Child eating the eggs again.

Y/n: NO!

I shut the lid of the container and yank it away from him.

Y/n: I told you, these aren't food!

I hear the lady squeaking again.

Y/n: Found 'em! (turn to the Child) How many of these did you eat?

The Child just burps and giggles.

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After I was able to wake Dad up, we all grouped together in the cargo bay. I was busy reattaching Zero's arm, as Dad was checking the lights and heaters.

Dad: (to the woman) If you hadn't guessed, we're in a tight spot. The main power is not responding, and the hull has lost it's integrity. I suspect the temperature will drop significantly when night falls.

Y/n: Hopefully, we'll have a better idea of what to do before that happens.

Suddenly the woman squeaks to us as Dad sits down and points to her eggs.

Dad: Y/n, is Zero awake?

Y/n: Hang on.

I flip on Zero's switch and his optics turn white.

Zero: May I be of assistance?

Y/n: Need you to translate what she's saying.

The woman squeaks and gawks to Zero as he translates.

Zero: These eggs are the last brood of my life cycle. My husband had risked his life to carve out an existence for us on the only planet that is hospitable to our species. We fought too hard and suffered too much to resign ourselves to the extinction of our family line. I must demand that you hold true to the deal that you and your son agreed to.

Dad: Look, lady the deal is off. We're lucky if we get off this frozen tomb with our lives.

The woman squeaks again to Zero.

Zero: I thought honoring one's word was a part of the Mandalorian code. I guess those are just stories for children.

Oh yeah. That'll motivate him.

Dad begrudgingly grabbed the tool kit and started to head outside.

Dad: This was not part of the deal.

As Dad went out, I continued to work on Zero's arm. Koran came up and rested at my feet, making me smile.

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Several hours had gone by and Dad, Zero, and I were fixing the outside of the ship.

I hear scuffling and see the Child come over and look at us.

Dad: How 'bout you come over here and give us a hand? Make yourself useful.

We then hear barking and see Koran skid across the snow barking at us.

Y/n: Having fun, Koran?

Zero: I believe he is trying to tell us something.

Koran grabbed the Child and ran behind the ship.

Y/n: Koran! Drop him!

I run around the ship and see Koran had set the Child down and was sniffing the snow at a trail of footprints.

Y/n: Dad. The woman left!

Dad trots over and sees the footprints.

Dad: Where did she go?

Y/n: No idea. Looks like that cave up that way.

I kneel down next to Koran and growl and huff like him, making him run and sniff the footprints.

Y/n: He's got her. Zero! Watch the ship!

Zero: Affirmative.

I grab the Child and Dad and I run off after Koran. Eventually he stops and walks into a large opening. We follow him and see the woman laying in a heated geyser pool.

Y/n: There she is.

Dad: You can't leave the ship. It's not safe out here.

We then see she also had her eggs in the pool with her.

Y/n: Let's get these in the container.

The woman moans in disappointment.

Dad: We know it's warm. But night's coming fast, and we can't protect you out here.

I then see the Child reaching for one and point my finger at him.

Y/n: No. No!

Dad and I continue to gather the eggs and put them in the container.

I then hear cracking and see the Child eating something else a few feet away.

Y/n: Ugh, come on!

I leave Dad to gather the rest of the eggs and pick the Child up.

Y/n: Stop eating everything.

I then see what he was eating out of and it looked like an actual hard-shell egg. I then heard crackling and saw all the eggs begin to shake.

Y/n: Dad.

Dad: Hang on, Y/n.

Y/n: Dad!

Dad turned and immediately stood at what I saw.

Dad grabbed the container as Koran backed away, whimpering. We then heard thumping and a low growling and saw a very BIG spider walk out. 

Dad: Go, go, go! Back to the ship!

We all started running as the spiders were on our tail.

Y/n: You know, (pants) I'm beginning to see why people hate things with multiple legs!

Dad threw several explosives around the cavern and made them explode, making the big spider crash and fall.

We see the ship come into view and see Zero continuing to work.

Y/n: ZERO! GET IN THE SHIP!

Zero looked like he was about to respond, but saw the spiders and ran inside.

Koran hopped inside as I sat the baby down and Dad handed the container to the woman.

Me and Dad shot at the spiders with our blasters until one of the fired webbing that stuck Dad's hand to the ship.

I continued to hold them off, firing my flamethrower and Dad yanks his arm out of the webbing and we rush inside.

Y/n: Zero! Seal yourself and Koran in the bedroom! We'll take cover in the cockpit!

Zero and Koran rush in the bedroom and seal the door shut as Dad and I climb the ladder to the cockpit.

Several spiders climbed in and started crawling around the Child, until the woman blasted them off him.

Dad and I fire our flamethrowers and blow the spiders away, sealing the door shut.

Dad: Strap yourselves in. This better work.

Dad starts throwing switches as I grab the Child and me and the woman sit in our seats.

Dad: I've got limited visibility. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Y/n: Hopefully not as bumpy as the last one...

As the ship began to rise, the big spider from before, lands on top of the hull and makes the ship crash back into the snow.

It stabs two of it's legs into the cockpit and looks down right at us.

It then started to tried and bite at the viewport, until it was shot in the face by blaster fire.

We then hear rapid blaster bolts and Dad and I make our way down and outside to see the two X-Wing pilots from before blasting all the spiders around our ship.

Once they'd stopped firing, they looked right at us.

Carson: We ran the tabs on the Razor Crest. You two have an arrest warrant for the abduction of prisoner X-Six-Nine-Eleven. However, onboard security records show that you apprehended three priority culprits from the Wanted Register. Security records also show that you put your own lives in harm's way to try to protect that of Lieutenant Davan from the New Republic Correctional Corps. Is this true?

Y/n: It is.

Dad: Are we under arrest?

Carson: Technically, you should be. But these are trying times.

Dad: What say we forego the bounties of these three criminals, you two help us fuse our hull so my son and I can get off this frozen rock?

Carson: What say you fix that transponder, and we don't vaporize that antique the next time we patrol the Rim?

The X-Wing pilots sit in their seats and take off out of the cave.

Y/n: I say, next time we just do what the law says and not get caught into another death-trap.

Dad and I head back inside and see the woman, the Child, Koran, and Zero all looking at us.

Dad: All right. We're gonna repair the cockpit enough for us to limp to Trask.

Y/n: The main hull's integrity is shot, so we're gonna have to cram in the cockpit. Zero, since you don't breathe, you'll be staying in the bedroom here in the cargo bay. Shut yourself down and don't turn back on till we make it to Trask.

Zero: Of course, Master Y/n.

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After a day of torching and fixing the cockpit and engines, we all get cozy in our seats. Koran sits beside my feet, as I hold the Child.

Dad then starts throwing the switches.

Dad: All right. Let's see if we can get this thing going once and for all.

Dad takes the ship, scraping against the walls and we eventually clear the atmosphere.

Dad: Y/n, wake me up if something shoots at us. Or that door gets sucked off it's rails.

Y/n: Really?

Dad: It's a joke. If that happened we'd all be dead. Sweet dreams.

Y/n: Yeah, yeah.

Dad crosses his arms and lays back as the woman leans agains the wall. Koran yawns and falls against my legs, as the Child gets cozy in my arms.

Y/n: The life of a Mandalorian never gets tiresome...

(AND THAT'S "THE PASSENGER" DONE! "THE HEIRESS" MAY GET POSTED TODAY OR TOMORROW, NO GUARANTEES! BUT BE ON THE LOOK OUT! TA!)