THE INCIDENT: PART II

Zakia was sore.

That much was apparent as her consciousness began to return. Her whole body protested the cadence at which it was being moved, and she was dizzy despite having her eyes closed. Zakia managed to move her hands where they lay, and her fingers explored the surfaces around them. Soft fabric and cold metal met her searching extremities, and she was acutely aware of the shifting motion all around. Her brain was still reeling, and her eyes were too heavy to open. Everything was dark, and she could barely remember what she was doing before she'd blacked out.

"Let the girl go."

"Who are you?"

"He's a real sweetheart."

The impact of her body hitting the floor.

Zakia flinched at the last thought, and the movements beneath her slowed. A sound that resembled a voice tried to fight its way into her mind, but the reactivation of her senses brought about a significant wave of pain. Her ears rang as a burning sensation ripped across her face and the ache set into her spine and legs.

She whimpered, fingers digging into the nearest thing. The soft fabric. "Where…"

"...hear me? Zakia?"

Zakia's natural instinct was to furrow her brow, and she tried to blink but her right eye wouldn't cooperate. She squinted with the left, allowing it to adjust. A familiar helmet drifted into view, and it was suddenly apparent she was being carried.

"Mando?" She croaked, fisting what she now realized to be his cloak. Another round of pain shot through her, and Zakia squeezed her eyes shut. "...It hurts to move."

There was a short beat before his answer. "I know. Be still, I'm taking you to the Crest."

Zakia shivered, curling into as small of a ball as she could. The Mandalorian's arms tightened around her, and it just barely helped to soothe the words bouncing around her head. She was grateful for the break in between his chestplate and pauldron, as she nestled her head there to absorb his warmth. It was a strange feeling, as the air that washed over them as he walked was comfortable. Zakia knew that wasn't a good sign, but tried not to dwell on it.

Eventually the steps slowed, and Zakia heard a change in the sounds. The ground was metal, and his boots clanked against it. Zakia felt them move upwards, and she was finally brought to a halt when he lowered her down from his hold. Her cloudy brain protested, hands grasping at his cloak.

"No, you're warm…" She whined, tugging at the material. It brought back the pain, and she stopped with a full-body wince. "Please."

"I'll be back in just a minute." The Mandalorian's voice was modulated and straightforward, though Zakia was far too out of it to recognize the strain anyway.

She was left to weakly survey her surroundings. Zakia's left eyes was the only available, as the right was stuck shut and felt uncomfortably sticky. She tried to lift a hand to poke at it, but only managed to tug at the blanket beneath her. The interior of the Razor Crest was familiar, but the small quarters she was in were not.

"Woah…" Zakia groaned as the ship shook, and the sound of lift off sliced through her brain.

Footsteps echoed around, ultimately reuniting Zakia with her rescuer. The Mandalorian reappeared, and she blinked owlishly. He held a large medpack in one hand, and the other was gloveless at his side. He knelt down, pressing a hand into her shoulder.

"Zakia, do you know where you are?"

She nodded. "On your ship."

"Do you know why?" He pressed, popping the pack open and withdrawing a tube of bacta paste.

"I remember tying up the bounty. Or… cuffing him?" Zakia fought with her memory. "I don't remember. And then I talked to you."

The Mandalorian lifted one hand and began to place the bacta paste on her face. Zakia flinched at the contact, but relaxed as the cooling sensation spread through her. "You were attacked on your way out. A Wookiee."

A Wookiee would explain her current level of pain. "That makes sense. How bad?"

He paused in his movement, helmet tipping downwards. "What do you mean?"

Zakia sighed. She was in pain and more than likely concussed, but it was obvious something was wrong with her face and chest. It was the epicenter of her pain, and what Mando was tending to first.

"Me. How bad am I?"

Not one to beat around the bush, Mando set down the bacta paste. "I'm pretty sure you have a bad break in your leg. Broken ribs for sure, bad concussion. He got you with the knife on your face… I'm not sure how much bacta alone will do. It's deep."

Zakia stayed quiet for a moment, understanding it would require sutures or cautery. "Can I see?"

"Let me clean it up first."

She could live with that. "You said my leg?" Her voice was hoarse, but she pressed on. "I can't feel anything there."

"I gave you an injection of bacta in the field. It was all I had, and it needed it the most. It'll need to be casted though." The Mandalorian sounded softer than she had ever heard, which actually worried her more than it soothed her.

"You sound worried." Zakia managed, trying to keep her eyes closed and let the bacta work.

"Don't worry about me right now." Mando told her.

Zakia felt his hands move to her left leg, palpating at her knee and lower thigh. She winced as he hit a tender spot, and hoped for her own sake he had more bacta injections to go around. His hands wrapped around her leg, and jerked before she could protest.

A screech tore its way from her mouth, and Zakia's eyes shot open. The adrenaline fueled her to sit up, which only caused the sensations to get worse. Pain radiated from the leg Mando had set, and Zakia gave into the tears that had been trying to fall. Her whole body was throbbing, and her head spun at what seemed to be lightspeed Her hands groped at Mando's shoulders where he sat beside the bed, fingers locking around his pauldrons.

"M-Mando. P-please. No more."

Somewhere, she was ashamed of the fear she was showing. The fight-or-flight instinct was stripped away from the abuse her body had taken, and she was left only with raw fear to keep her alive. Zakia knew she was safe with the Mandalorian, but she wanted the pain to stop.

As a response to her grip, the Mandalorian squeezed her arms. "I'm sorry. It's worse when you know it's coming."

Zakia's tears mixed with blood before they dripped onto her lap. She was quivering- mostly in shock- and it only served to exacerbate her injuries further. The Mandalorian helped her to lay back down, and she winced with each turn. Her hand latched onto his before he could turn back to the med kit.

"Put me out. Please." Zakia murmured. "I don't wanna be awake for this."

The Mandalorian sighed, looking in the medkit. "I don't have that kind of-"

"I know you have gas to knock bounties out." Zakia argued. Her eyes found his visor. "Y-You know I'd never ask for this normally."

Wordlessly, he disappeared from the room. Zakia drug in shaky breaths, feeling the broken ribs creak with each unfortunate shift. Her leg was still throbbing, and she knew it would only get worse as Mando casted and plastered it. Let alone the sutures or cautery he'd have to implement on her face.

"Here." The Mandalorian extended a cloth to her, and Zakia swallowed heavily before taking it from him.

Mando kneeled back beside the bed, sifting through his kit. Zakia's fingers tapped against the beskar of his helmet, drawing his attention to her.

"Thank you." She uttered.

Zakia brought the cloth he'd retrieved to her face, pressing it over her nose and mouth. It was odd to implement such a technique on herself, but the fading away was a relief.

As a reply during her last few seconds of consciousness, Zakia could have sworn the Mandalorian leaned his helmet back into her touch.