𝖁𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎 !
XIV. RESCUE 

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UNDER THE RISING SUN, the cool freshness of morning wavered against the gleam of the deep sliver of the towering reprogrammed imperial security droid who searched for Kera Verr effortlessly with a whir of his gears and circuits across the docks of Trask.

        It was a simple task for K-3SO to follow through his programming to calculate the probability analysis algorithms. Through the shared comms with Kera and the eventual factor that she hadn't replied on the comms unit or resurfaced. It meant to things: one, Kera had managed to break the comms unit somehow or two, something had happened to her.

        Due to the unlikelihood hood reason of number one, K-3SO had scarcely had to use his skills to calculate the probability that something bad had happened to his Kera.

        "Hey!" A modulated voice called not more than five or so feet from behind. K-3SO's sensory receptors recognised and matched the modulated voice, letting the droid come to a standstill. K-3SO turned to face the familiar shiny tin can Mandalorian.

   There was a desperation in the Mandalorian's tone which K-3SO duly noted. Judging from K-3SO's diagnostics, the Mandalorian's behaviour was almost unexpected ── strange.

   The gleam of the Beskar shone in the hints of morning sunlight, the child nestled in a brown fabric shoulder bag, strewn over the Mandalorian's shoulder cooed delightfully. A notable replacement for the child's hovering pram. Resting his gloved hands on his hips, the Mandalorian looked up to the towering droid, "K-3SO where is Kera?"

   "I could ask you the same question tin can, where is my Kera?" K-3SO snapped.

   "I haven't seen Kera in hours," The Mandalorian began unwaveringly. "I thought the two of you have left for Takodana and had abandoned the deal."

   "No," K-3SO drawled sorrowfully. "I haven't seen Kera since she had told me specifically to watch over the Razor Crest. I had but it was boring and I went to look for her."

  "When exactly did Kera leave?" The Mandalorian inquired with a tilt of a helmet.

        The droid looks directly to the Mandalorian's visor, "When you went to find the other tin cans. Duh. Sometimes I wonder how you cease to function, Mandalorian."

       The Mandalorian mumbles the words under his breath, narrowing down possibilities, "Dank farrik! You've got to be kidding me. . ."

   "I do not believe I was kidding. . . ?" The droid answered.

   The Mandalorian turned on his heel, his cape fluttering to the side due to the jet pack mounted on his armoured back as he began to walk with the gangly droid. "Does Kera have a bounty on her head? Anyone who would try to capture her for a reward?"

  "Of course she does!" The droid bellowed without hesitation. "We've been running from Imps and the Coruscant Guild for years!"

   It was only a second for the droid to recognise the information he'd revealed. "Goodness me. I shouldn't have revealed that to you. I am now 'dead metal' as Kera would say."

   The Mandalorian sighed deeply, letting the guilt finally rake through him. If he hadn't abandoned her ── Kera would have been protected and more importantly safe. That bone-white branded symbol at the nape of her neck. . . and the pink long healed scars. She'd for one single second had ever deserved that, to feel any sort of pain whether it be physically or mentally. And if he had anyway put her in some sort of similar position of being captive all over again. . . He'd rescue her. He owed her that much. Whether the deal was apart of it or not.

      "If you agree to assist in the search, my diagnostics calculate a higher probability of rescuing Kera," K-3SO confirmed.

       The sharp instinctive nod from the Mandalorian was the only answer. Now he'd just have to ask the Frog Lady to mind the kid again.

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AT FIRST, THERE WAS nothing but shock, almost if there had been no blaster fire that had collided with her thigh, no sounds of blaster fire echoing across the empty warehouse. It was only when Kera tried to move, to push forwards that agony seers through her thigh, burning the flesh with an aggravated gushing crimson.

         Kera had been careless. Predicable. And now she'd had to pay the price of it.

         There was no way she could be able to defend herself now. It wavered through her mind that maybe this was it. Maybe this was finally her end. Kera stifled a cry. She could feel an indescribable fear chew at her insides. She didn't want to die ── not like this at least but if this was it ── Kera longed to look death in the eye, die on her feet with integrity and acceptance of her fate. There wouldn't be fear there would only be peace.

        Kera would feel her eyes swell with tears, blurring her vision. The silhouette of Tia danced across her hazy vision, stalking forwards towards her. Kera tried to crawl, tried to move but alas the sharp pain had grown to be too much and she finally allowed her body to slump face forwards onto the rough damp surface.

        Tia dropped to a crouch before Kera, a wicked grin carved at her lips as she lurched forwards yanking Kera's face upwards by a fistful of her elbow-length inky tresses. Kera whimpered her elbows beneath her shifting against the surface to ease somewhat of the pain that was etching its way across her scalp.

        A blaster was pressed against her forehead. Kera could feel the cool metal seeping it's away against her flaming skin. It felt like she was on fire. It felt as if she was burning alive.

       "Don't," Kera whispered ever so softly, her eyes searching upwards to meet Tia's gaze.

       Tia snorted but nevertheless, she seemed humoured by Kera. "You think I'm going to do it, don't you? That I'll kill you?"

        Kera didn't answer. She couldn't. The words were too much to pass through her lips. There was too much pain that had resurfaced and it wasn't just from the blaster wound against her right thigh. There was a feeling of betrayal again. A loss of trust from the one person Kera thought she could have trusted more than anyone else in the whole entire galaxy.

       "Why are you hurting me like this? What did I do to you? Please tell me, Tia," Kera ever so softly whispered, a pain notable through both her voice and the expression painted across her features. It was those words that Tia was forced to silence and for a mere second, she thought that there was a softness, a gentleness she had once seen in Tia's eyes but it vanished to a hardness, a coldness.

       "You were always wrong about me. Always," Tia confessed unwaveringly, tinted emotion flowing from her lovely lips like charred ash. "I thought eventually that you'd pick up on it but you're still so soft, oblivious. Don't you see Keirah? I'm here to take you to your father──"

        Kera's charcoal brows knitted together, surprised to hear that a man she had never known was mentioned, "My father is dead."

        Tia laughed tilting her head to the side as if it was the most hilarious thing she'd ever heard. "No, my flower. Your father isn't dead. Your father is very much alive."

      "You lie," Kera sneered. "My father died when I was a baby due to the consequences of a diplomatic mission for Naboo. My father was a Politician who believed in the future of Galaxy. He believed in peace."

         Tia sighed, her expression somehow riddled with pity, "Oh flower, your father believes in nothing but power." 

          "No," Kera roared in defiance. "You have no right to disrespect my family or my father's good name."

        Tia laughed again. "You know so little. . . You were so protected by your mother and even that Jedi you used to yap about. . . and if I must make it clear my flower ── you were lied to."

        "No. You're wrong about everything. I-I know my mother. She'd never lie to me about my father!"

        This time Tia sighed, unfrazzled by Kera's unyielding stubbornness, "Are you so sure?"

        "Yes. Of course, I am," Kera smiled ever so softly, ever so sure in her beliefs. "You shouldn't use my weaknesses against me. That's just sloppy, Tia. You should know better."

      "Humor me Keirah. Tell me why does Moff Gideon know that you're more than just a regular force-sensitive? How does he kriffing know you're a descent of the ancient Corvax line without conversion with your mother? It's funny because even I didn't know that."

   Tia had no way of knowing that she was decent of the Corvax line, there were somethings at that time when they'd been together that she'd never had the strength to inform Tia of. Kera knew what this meant, she was able to feel in throughout her bones but she was in denial and she'd, of course, found other reasons of how Moff Gideon had known such information.

   "No," Kera whispered. This time it was softer, an exhale of air expelled from her lungs. How could everything she'd ever known, everything she was be a lie? What sort of cruelty was this?

   Moff Gideon wasn't her father. He'd never been. And he never will be. Kera knew that. No matter her mother's concealment of her linage. Maybe this was what Tia had envisioned all along. This could all be some sort of hoax. Some sort of lie. A trick up Tia's sleeve to rattle her and imbalance her ── and there was no denying that it had worked.

   "I think it's time for you to go back to your cell, my flower. Wouldn't you agree?" Tia murmurs, removing the pointed blaster from Kera's forehead and to the holster on her hip before motioning to her little errand helpers to take Kera away.

        It's so much harder for Kera to fight and thrash about with her wounded leg when she was clasped from behind, hoist her upwards, fingers curving under her arms, dragging her back.

       Keirah. An all too familiar voice commanded in an urgent whisper. You must fight.

        Kera blinked twice. Was this happening again as it had on Maldo Kreis? Why was she hearing his voice? Why now?

        "Obi-Wan," Kera breathed when she was thrown onto the floor of the cell and the empty stilling sounds of the door bolting a close. Long ago Kera had discarded her abilities in the force, carving it from her very soul even if it had damaged a part of her. But there were times when she had never been able to run from it.

         His voice was just as she'd remembered when she was a little girl. It was smooth like honey, framed in shimmering gold. And so comforting. So much more than she'd ever been able to remember or possibly comprehend.

        Fight, Keirah. The whisper of golden memories urged again. You must. Always.

        There were so many words that ached to dance across her tongue. So many questions. So many sentences. Far too much for a mere whisper.

      "Don't leave me," Kera couldn't help but whisper as she'd remained sprawled across the flooring with wide-eyes. It was the last thing she'd ever said to him. To her father.

        A fading whisper riddled of bright constellations, two hearts aching with melancholy, both dancing and twirling with a forever starlit hiraeth of no return. I never left.

   The faint sounds of blaster fire encapsulates her hearing, shedding thoughts as she wills herself upright, fighting through the burning pain that ventures its way and snares into her thoughts.

      Kera automatically presses her hands to her thigh, her fingers smeared and coated with her own crimson blood. The sight of blood almost makes her dizzy, unsteady. She'd have to stop the bleeding. Kera pulled at the hem of her shirt with shaking fingers, tugging it off her frame and revealing the dark singlet underneath, still covering her slender frame. Kera wrapped her frayed shirt tightly around the wound, originally she hadn't imagined it to be a direct hit ── but it was uglier than she'd imagined with a mixture of crusted and new blood and dark angry pink tones of burnt flesh.

   Not like this, Kera promises herself as she finally readies herself for whatever is to come. You fight.

   The door swings open and Tia is there fuming with more anger than Kera had ever seen. Behind her, Kera sees that dead bodies pool the corridor, blaster wounds smeared at their chests. Kera is unable to help herself as she fights a grin.

   "Up!" Tia commands but Kera doesn't oblige, doesn't even move an inch. "Get up right now!"

   "Why do you assume I can do such a thing, my darling?" Kera says, motioning to her leg, trying to not portray in any circumstances that she is in any sort of pain. "Can you not see that you've rendered me useless?"

   Before Tia can utter a word, the comms unit at Tia's hip echos with a voice overlapping with static, "Rakoda ── we've spotted an Imperial security droid and a. . . Mandalorian over the security systems. We've lost control of the warehouse!"

   Kera can see how Tia's nostrils flare, how her palms curl into fists. She's really pissed off. But Kera feels the opposite, all she feels is an immense surprise. She'd never in all her life expected the Mandalorian to come for her too.

   "Huh," Kera mumbles. "Well, if you'd look at that. . . I'd never thought I'd see such a day. It's been nice catching up and I'd hate to spoil the party, but, my darling, it's only a matter of time before I'm gone for good."

   "What makes you think that you're even getting out of here?" Tia muses so unwaveringly, so assured that she wouldn't lose. It was only a matter of time.     

   Kera stifled a laugh, tilting her head to the side. "I'm not even sceptically optimistic for once. I'm just very overwhelmingly aware that positivity is an excellent outlook to have in life. . . Y'know, probably just in general."

   Something had shifted within Tia, her posture changing, growing rigid. It seemed that she had grown to understand that perhaps this wouldn't go her way. That she would undoubtedly be losing everything. There was a newfound the look in Tia's eyes. It was ravenous, bloodthirsty.

   "Don't," Kera protested when Tia etched closer, trying to shuffle backwards without the use of her bad, wounded leg. "Don't you dare touch me!"

   Tia drew the knife from her boot. The blade of the knife glimmered and shone under the lights. She stalked forwards, cornering Kera against the wall.

   "We're going to negotiate with those friends of yours, my flower. Seeing that they've taken down my compound ── and slaughtered my comrades."

   Kera with all her strength pulled herself onto the bench, finally feeling the metal of her lockpick tucked under her sleeve. Kera gritted her teeth, it would be almost impossible to walk with her wounded leg, it was still burning, she wouldn't be able to run even if she'd taken down Tia.

  "Tia, I cannot walk," Kera mumbled. "How are you supposed to negotiate?"

   "You'd walk for that droid of yours, wouldn't you? You'd do anything for that wasteless hunk of junk and useless parts. You'd walk if it ensured the droid's safety."

   Kera can feel her jaw tighten and she'd clung to any facade she could, drawing it over her features, slipping it over her body like smooth satin or silk, a second invisible skin. K-3SO was Tia's only bargaining chip. Kera knew that Tia knew about how much she loved her droid. That droid was her family ── a safety net from all her mistakes and sinister experiences. If K-3SO's safety was at risk, no matter how small, no matter the odds, Kera would walk, negotiate without hesitation.

   Tia's lips curved into a slight smile, "I knew it. Good girl."

   "I'm not a dog," Kera snapped, attempting to pull herself to her feet.

   Wicked laughter bubbled from Tia's lips, "Let's go then."

   With every step, Kera felt as if she was going to buckle to her knees, collapse. She has had her fair share with pain, agony, suffering. The burning pain in her thigh was torture.

   From the other end of the warehouse, Kera instantaneously spots the gleam of Beskar. A glimmer of a smile carves at her lips. Kera forgets every thought she'd ever had, her name, the scorching burn in her thigh ── because it crashes on her like an avalanche, a never-ending landslide. The Mandalorian was here. He'd actually come for her. She'd thought it would have been impossible. It really was him.

       Obviously not because he's only a few feet away from her, gloved hand hovering above the blaster at his holster on his hip.

        Now Kera had to wait for the perfect moment, the perfect timing to act. Kera hardly feels the blaster Tia had pressed to the side of her head, all she sees is an inflamed sliver, glazed with morning light.

        "If you lay a single mark on Kera," He seethes, cold and hard as steel. "I'll kill you."

        Kera couldn't deny the shock that scorches through her veins and she can feel her eyes attach themselves to the visor of his helmet. She should be afraid. She could be scared of what could come ── death.

        She wasn't.

        "Is that your Mandalorian, Kera?" Tia muses. "The one you've been travelling with?"

      "I don't know, you tell me. Evidententally you seem very interested in stalking me you psychopathic bitch," Kera mumbles under her breath and somehow if it was possible the blaster seems to pressed even harder to her scalp.

      "I'll take that as a yes," Tia replies, amused but how snappy Kera had become. "Now for our negotiations──"

        Then there is no sound other than blaster fire. Kera had been expecting pain. But there was none other than the pain at her thigh. Kera hears a body slump to the ground and she turns. It was Tia. Her body is sprawled across the damp flooring of the warehouse. Blood pools at her chest, staining her shirt. Kera can feel herself helplessly crumple to her knees, reaching out fingers pressing against the wound. But there was nothing to be done because Tia Rakoda was dead.

        Tears stain her eyes as Kera looks to K-3SO. She'd known her droid had killed Tia. But she didn't know what to feel. Everything she'd ever known had been a lie. And so was Tia. It didn't matter even with thoughts that Tia wouldn't have hesitated to kill her. It hurt. She had loved Tia and she knew that perhaps a part of her heart ── no matter how small ── always would.

        A gloved hand pressed against her shoulder, a modulated voice gentler than she'd ever heard. "She would have killed you."

     "I don't want to believe that," Kera whispers, her blood-stained fingers closing Tia's eyes. "I knew her."

        The Mandalorian tilted his head to emphasise his confusion.

        "We were close," Kera admits snaring her gaze away from Tia's lifeless body to the Mandalorian's visor. "Before, I mean. Many cycles ago. Not now though." 

         "Why would she capture you?" The Mandalorian whispered through the modulator, it muffles his voice so much Kera hardly heard it.

         Kera stands, trying not to show how it hurt to move. "She was a spy, I think. For Imps and warlords. Her name was Tia Rakoda. For a time she worked for the Coruscant guild but that was probably a lie, a cover of sorts to get close to me."

         The Mandalorian nods, unsure of what to say which the reveal of all that information, "All right. Let's move."

          K-3SO had known the odds, all the numbers of his calculations that ensured his survival. Yet, it hadn't brought any satisfaction. Not without his Kera being safe.

          Red sparks of blaster fire echo across the warehouse only to collide with K-3SO metal shoulder plates and the droid falls to the damp flooring. A scream parts Kera's lips as the Mandalorian swiftly draws his blaster and returns fire with perfect precision, snagging Kera behind him to protect her from any sorts of fire.

         All three of Tia's associates drop dead. Kera tumbles to her knees before her droid.

        "No," Kera whispers, pulling her K-3SO onto her lap and his flaring white optics flicker. "It's okay. I can fix you."

        But no matter what, K-3SO knows that his time is up and permanent damage was done to his power circuit and there were no regrets no matter the calculations. K-3SO flicker once as the droid looks directly to the Mandalorian's visor, his clear robotic voice wavering, "Protect Keirah. No matter what."

       Kera knows those words, maybe she hadn't thought much of it now but she would hours, cycles later ── those words were what her uncle Morham had ensured K-3SO promised and now K-3SO was asking the Mandalorian to keep continue his promise.

     "I will," The Mandalorian assures, setting beside Kera on his knees.

        "Ker. . ." The droid manages to communicate as his voculator grows slowed and sluggish.

        "I'm here," Kera echoes, tears dripping down her cheeks like candle wax. "I'm not leaving you. I promise. . . No matter what."

        Those white optics flicker once more and as K-3SO's systems began to fail, in his final moments all he saw was Kera ── illuminated with promise of a future until it all went dark.

         And for Kera, all that was left was the everlasting sensation of burning flames flowering in her chest.

END OF ACT I.

A/N: kera seriously doesn't deserve everything she's been through, she literally lost so many people she loves and ──