#Fence Panels Hull

[alternativetoplywood]

Finding the Perfect Substitute for Plywood: A Comprehensive Guide

Plywood has been a common building or remodeling material for a long time. It is the best option for furniture and construction projects due to its versatility, strength, and ease of use. However, many people are looking for viable alternatives to conventional plywood as environmental concerns rise and the demand for environmentally friendly building materials rises. The various eco-friendly alternatives to plywood that not only meet but frequently exceed its performance are the focus of this article.

Recognizing the Need for Alternatives Despite its widespread use, substitute for plywood lacks features that make it appealing to today's environmentally conscious society. It is frequently produced using hardwood trees, adding to deforestation and territory obliteration. In addition, the adhesives that are used to make plywood may contain formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be harmful to one's health both during the manufacturing process and after it has been installed.

Plywood's Sustainable Alternatives Plywood Can Be Replaced With Engineered Wood Products Popular alternatives to plywood include oriented strand board (OSB), medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and particle board. Heat and pressure are used to bond wood fibers, chips, or strands with resin to create these materials. They can be used for flooring, roofing, and wall sheathing, and they have the same amount of strength and stability as plywood.

Bamboo Plywood As an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plywood, bamboo plywood has gained popularity. Bamboo is a quickly developing grass that can be reaped in just three to five years, making it profoundly sustainable. Bamboo plywood is good for furniture, cabinets, and decorative paneling because it is light, strong, and long-lasting.

Recycled Plastic Lumber is an excellent alternative to plywood for applications in the outdoors or in moist environments. This material, which is made from recycled plastic from milk jugs and other containers, is long-lasting, resistant to rot and insects, and requires little upkeep. It is ideal for outdoor furniture, fencing, and decking.

Natural Fiber Composites Wheatboard and sunflower hull board are two examples of natural fiber composites that are emerging as viable alternatives to plywood. Non-toxic binders are used to join agricultural waste fibers together to create these materials. They offer great strength and are biodegradable, settling on them harmless to the ecosystem decisions for cabinetry, furniture, and inside framing.

Another environmentally friendly alternative to plywood is strawboard, which is made by compressing straw fibers under high pressure. It is suitable for a variety of furniture and construction projects due to its light weight, strength, and resistance to moisture. The thermal and acoustic insulation properties of strawboard make it a particularly popular choice.

Choosing the Right Substitute

There are a few things to think about when choosing a substitute for plywood:

Durability and sturdiness: Guarantee the material meets the underlying prerequisites of your undertaking.

Effect on the Environment: Choose materials that are produced and sourced sustainably.

Cost and Possibilities: Determine whether the substitute material is cost-effective and readily available in your area. Appropriateness for the Job: Take into account the project's specific needs and intended use.

Conclusion As worldwide attention to ecological issues develops, so does the interest for feasible structure materials. Substitutes for compressed wood offer similar execution as well as add to decreasing deforestation and limiting natural effect. Whether you pick designed wood items, bamboo pressed wood, reused plastic timber, regular fiber composites, or strawboard, every elective offers own exceptional advantages would be useful.

In conclusion, the search for a material that can replace plywood is not just about finding one that is as versatile and strong as plywood, but also about making a conscious decision about being environmentally responsible and sustainable. We can create spaces that are both beautiful and functional in the future by investigating and implementing these alternatives.

Keep in mind that "substitute for plywood" is not just a phrase; rather, it is a path to innovation and sustainability in design and construction. For a better tomorrow, embrace the possibilities, investigate new materials, and construct responsibly.

[ananka-fasteners]

Ananka

Q1) What are the common applications of hex bolts?

Ans) Hex bolts are versatile fasteners with a hexagonal head and a threaded shaft, designed to be used with nuts for securing objects together. They find extensive use in various applications across industries due to their reliability, strength, and ease of use. Here are some common applications of hex bolts:

1. Construction and Building: Hex bolts are widely used in construction projects for joining structural elements such as beams, columns, and trusses. They provide strong connections in buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure.

2. Automotive Industry: Hex bolts are used in vehicle assembly and repair, securing components such as engine parts, chassis components, and suspension systems.

3. Machinery and Equipment: Hex bolts are essential for assembling machinery and equipment in industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and mining. They secure components, frames, and casings.

4. Furniture Assembly: Hex bolts are commonly used in assembling furniture, both for residential and commercial purposes. They secure parts of tables, chairs, cabinets, and more.

5. Electronics and Appliances: Hex bolts are used in assembling appliances, electronics, and machinery parts that require secure connections, such as in washing machines, refrigerators, and industrial equipment.

6. Railroads: Hex bolts are used in the railroad industry for assembling tracks, ties, and other components of rail systems.

7. Aerospace and Aviation: In aerospace applications, hex bolts are used to assemble aircraft structures, engines, and components, where high-strength connections are critical.

8. Marine Industry: Hex bolts are used in shipbuilding to secure various parts of ships, including hull structures and equipment installations.

9. Oil and Gas: Hex bolts are used in the construction and maintenance of pipelines, oil rigs, and other oil and gas facilities.

10. Renewable Energy: In the installation of solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy systems, hex bolts are used to secure supporting structures.

11. Outdoor Structures: Hex bolts are used in outdoor structures like fences, gates, and playground equipment to ensure stability and safety.

12. DIY Projects: Hex bolts are commonly used in various do-it-yourself projects, from home repairs to woodworking projects.

13. Heavy Equipment: Hex bolts are used in assembling heavy machinery and equipment, including engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems.

14. HVAC Systems: Hex bolts are used in the installation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

15. Telecommunications: Hex bolts are used in securing infrastructure components such as cell towers and equipment cabinets.

These are just a few examples of the many applications of hex bolts. Their adaptability, strength, and reliability make them indispensable in a wide range of industries and scenarios where secure and durable fastening is required.

Phosphor Bronze Bolts

Q2) What are the common applications of hex nuts?

Ans) Hex nuts are essential fasteners that complement hex bolts and threaded rods. They have a hexagonal shape and are used in various applications to secure objects together, particularly when used in combination with bolts, screws, or threaded rods. Here are some common applications of hex nuts:

1. Construction and Building: Hex nuts are widely used in the construction industry to secure structural elements, fasten beams, columns, and trusses, and assemble various building components.

2. Automotive and Transportation: In the automotive sector, hex nuts are employed to secure various parts, such as engine components, chassis elements, and suspension systems.

3. Machinery and Manufacturing: Hex nuts are used in the assembly of machinery and manufacturing equipment, securing parts, frames, and casings.

4. Furniture Manufacturing: Hex nuts are essential for assembling furniture, including tables, chairs, cabinets, and other household or commercial items.

5. Electronics and Appliances: Hex nuts are used in the assembly of electronics, appliances, and machinery parts that require secure and durable connections.

6. DIY Projects: For various DIY projects, hex nuts are used to fasten components together, whether for home repairs, woodworking, or crafting.

7. Plumbing and Pipe Fittings: Hex nuts are used to secure pipe fittings, faucets, valves, and other plumbing components.

8. Railroads: Hex nuts are used in railroad applications to fasten tracks, ties, and other components of rail systems.

9. Aerospace and Aviation: In aerospace applications, hex nuts are crucial for assembling aircraft structures, engines, and components.

10. Marine Industry: In shipbuilding and marine applications, hex nuts secure various parts of vessels, including hull structures and equipment installations.

11. Renewable Energy: Hex nuts are used in the installation of solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy systems.

12. Telecommunications: Hex nuts are used to secure infrastructure components such as cell towers, antennas, and equipment cabinets.

13. HVAC Systems: In heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, hex nuts are used to fasten components and ensure system integrity.

14. Heavy Equipment: Hex nuts are used in assembling heavy machinery, engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems.

15. Automated and Manufacturing Systems: Hex nuts are used in automated systems and production lines to secure components and ensure smooth operation.

16. Outdoor Structures: Hex nuts are used in outdoor structures like fences, gates, playground equipment, and outdoor furniture.

These applications highlight the versatility of hex nuts in various industries and settings. They play a crucial role in ensuring the stability, durability, and functionality of numerous structures and systems.

CS fasteners

Q3) What are the common applications of plain washers?

Ans) Plain washers, also known as flat washers, serve a fundamental role in various applications by providing a smooth surface and distributing loads. Their simple design makes them versatile and essential for preventing damage, reducing friction, and ensuring proper fastener function. Here are some common applications of plain washers:

1. Construction and Building: Plain washers are used in construction to evenly distribute loads and prevent surface damage when fastening structural elements, beams, and columns.

2. Automotive and Machinery: In the automotive industry, plain washers are employed to prevent bolt heads or nuts from digging into surfaces and causing damage. They are also used in machinery assembly to create even load distribution and reduce friction.

3. Furniture Manufacturing: Plain washers are used in assembling furniture to prevent the fasteners from damaging wood or other materials and to ensure a secure and stable connection.

4. Electrical and Electronics: Plain washers are used in electrical panels and electronic equipment to create a stable surface for mounting components, reducing the risk of vibration-induced damage.

5. Plumbing: In plumbing applications, plain washers are used with nuts and bolts to create secure connections and prevent leaks in pipe fittings.

6. DIY and Home Repairs: Plain washers are commonly used in DIY projects and home repairs to prevent damage when fastening objects together.

7. Woodworking: In woodworking projects, plain washers are used to protect wood surfaces and ensure proper clamping when attaching hardware.

8. Fastener Distribution: Plain washers are often used in conjunction with other types of washers (like lock washers) to create specific fastener configurations that provide both load distribution and anti-loosening properties.

9. Automated Systems: In manufacturing and automated systems, plain washers are used to provide stability when attaching components in assembly lines.

10. Sheet Metal Applications: Plain washers are used in sheet metal applications to prevent deformation or damage to thin materials.

11. HVAC Systems: In heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, plain washers are used to create secure connections between components.

12. Agricultural Equipment: Plain washers find applications in securing components on agricultural machinery and equipment.

13. Telecommunications: In telecommunications infrastructure, plain washers are used to distribute loads when securing antennas and equipment.

14. Railroads: Plain washers are used in railway applications to create secure connections between tracks and other components.

15. Outdoor Structures: In outdoor structures like fences, gates, and playground equipment, plain washers help distribute loads and prevent damage.

Plain washers play an essential role in maintaining the integrity of fastened joints, protecting surfaces, and ensuring the longevity of various structures and systems across different industries.

SS Fasteners Suppliers

Q4) What are the common applications of stud bolts?

Ans) Stud bolts are threaded rods with threads on both ends and are used in a variety of applications where a secure and reliable fastening method is required. Their unique design allows for nuts to be fastened on both ends, making them versatile for various industries. Here are some common applications of stud bolts:

1. Construction and Building: Stud bolts are used in construction for joining structural components like steel beams, columns, and trusses. They provide a reliable connection that can withstand the loads and forces present in buildings and other structures.

2. Flange Connections: In the oil and gas industry, stud bolts are commonly used to connect flanges in pipelines, pressure vessels, and other equipment. These connections require a high level of integrity to prevent leaks in critical applications.

3. Machinery Assembly: Stud bolts are used to fasten machinery components together, such as engines, gearboxes, and heavy equipment. Their threaded ends allow for easy assembly and disassembly.

4. Automotive Industry: Stud bolts are used in the automotive sector for engine assembly, wheel installation, and securing various components in vehicles.

5. Power Generation: Stud bolts are used in power plants for assembling turbines, generators, and other equipment where secure and durable connections are vital.

6. Marine Industry: In shipbuilding, stud bolts are used to fasten various components of vessels, including hull structures, engines, and equipment installations.

7. Aerospace and Aviation: Stud bolts are used in the aerospace industry for assembling aircraft structures, engines, and components that require precise and reliable connections.

8. Petrochemical Industry: Stud bolts are used in the construction of refineries, chemical plants, and petrochemical facilities for assembling equipment subjected to harsh and corrosive environments.

9. Renewable Energy: Stud bolts are used in wind turbine assembly and solar panel installations to secure structural components and ensure stability.

10. Railroad Industry: Stud bolts are employed in railway applications for joining tracks, connecting rail components, and securing various rail infrastructure elements.

11. Heavy Equipment Manufacturing: Stud bolts are used in the assembly of heavy machinery like bulldozers, cranes, and excavators.

12. Transmission Towers: In the telecommunications industry, stud bolts are used to secure antennas and equipment on transmission towers.

13. HVAC Systems: Stud bolts are used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for securing ductwork and components.

14. Mining Industry: Stud bolts are used in mining equipment and machinery assembly for durability in harsh environments.

15. Bridge Construction: Stud bolts are used in the assembly of bridges, connecting various structural components.

16. Food and Beverage Industry: In processing equipment, stud bolts are used to secure parts in the food and beverage manufacturing sector.

These applications highlight the importance of stud bolts in diverse industries where secure and reliable connections are essential for the proper functioning and safety of structures and equipment.

Stainless Steel Bolt and Nut Manufacturers in India

[jcmarchi]

Israeli Tanks Spotted with Cope Cages in the Gaza Strip - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/israeli-tanks-spotted-with-cope-cages-in-the-gaza-strip-technology-org/

Israeli Tanks Spotted with Cope Cages in the Gaza Strip - Technology Org

Israel’s Merkava tanks, currently operating in the Gaza Strip, have been spotted with added armour devices, nicknamed “cope cages”. Their effectiveness was causing doubts even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Now we have multiple videos of the Russian tanks getting blown up regardless of that tiny metal slat roof. So why do Israel Defense Forces cover their tanks with cope cages?

Israeli tank with a so-called “cope cage” in the Gaza Strip, 2023. Image credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Of course, cope cage is not a technical term. Basically, it is a top-mounted piece of slat armour. Slat armour has been used since the Cold War and is known to be effective at least to some degree.

Basically, correctly spaced slats break RPG rounds, preventing them from detonating or forcing them to explode further from the actual hull of the armoured vehicle. Slat armour panels are typically mounted on the sides of a vehicle. For example, IDF operates many armoured bulldozers and their cabs are protected with slat armour.

However, while side-mounted slat armour raises no eyebrows and does work against some RPG rounds, top-mounted grilles were met with a large dose of skepticism. What are they protecting from? These cope cages, as they are now colloquially known, add weight, block some exit hatches and make these armoured vehicles easier to spot and target.

Furthermore, after noticing that Russians are mounting these grilles on their tanks in 2021 the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted an experiment – they blew up a BTR fitted with a T-64-like turret and a cope cage, proving that these grilles do nothing.

Russian T-72B3 with a cope cage. This one was captured by the defenders of Ukraine. Image credit: mil.gov.ua via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)

Many Russian tanks during the ongoing invasion were destroyed regardless of this added protection and Russian crews themselves later said that many of them preferred to remove them. And yet, despite all of this, something like cope cages were later deployed by the defenders of Ukraine and even Merkava tanks of the IDF in the Gaza Strip now have similar devices.

The story of cope cages is actually quite tangled and messy. First of all, Russians used improvised grilles, sometimes literally made from old fences. They hoped to protect their tank turrets from top-attack anti-tank missiles, such as the FGM-148 Javelin. That doesn’t work.

Later on, multiple Ukrainian tanks, including a Challenger 2, debuted a different top protection – some sort of netting. Those were different devices, meant to shield tanks from the Russian kamikaze drones. Finally, Israeli Merkavas do have top-mounted slat armour panels, but they are meant to protect from RPG rounds.

The IDF armour in the Gaza Strip in 2023. In the background you can see a Merkava tank with a cope cage. Image credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Israeli cope cages are based on the same principle like other pieces of slat armour – they protect against RPG rounds. Because these tanks are operating in the Gaza Strip, the IDF took into consideration that urban warfare is likely to be a very important part of it – RPGs can attack from higher up. Furthermore, Hamas has shown footage of drones dropping RPG rounds.

Still, the effectiveness of cope cages raises a lot of doubts. There were videos of Hamas drones targeting Israeli tanks with air-dropped RPG rounds just besides the slat armour panel. It just seems that drones – both single use kamikaze ones and the small quadcopter bombers – are going to change the next generation of main battle tanks, because the existing protection is simply not enough anymore.

Written by Povilas M.

Source: Wikipedia

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[lapfencinghuluk]

Top-rated Summer Houses in Hull

Summer houses are a wonderful way of adding extra shelter to your garden, we provide you with the best Summer Houses designs at a reasonable price. For more information, you may visit our official website.

[drivewayscotswolds]

Finest Lap Fencing in Hull

If you are searching for the finest Lap Fencing in Hull? Then there are multiple lap fencing services businesses in Hull but our company delivers you with the best Lap Fencing service at the most acceptable price. For more details, you may visit our official website.

[samraxx]

When you are ever in need of a company that provides fencing and decking then Hull Sheds Fencing & Decking are there by your side. As a well known company, we happily offer various options to all of our customers.

[lapfencinghull]

4 Creative Uses For Your Garden Shed

Let us tell you something interesting – a typical garden sheds can serve several purposes. It can be used as a storage place for old furniture, unused kids’ car toys and bicycles, and many other things!

[scarlettfuller-blog]

With the onset of summer, there comes a growing need for a place where you can sit back and relax.  Summerhouses can truly be a value addition to your existing property or maybe in a new location where you would want to hangout. A small, cosy living space in the garden or a location of choice can truly be therapeutic.

[fencinginhull]

Located at Northern England at Hull city, Hull Sheds Fencing & Decking has been established for more than 25 years. Eliminating the conventional mechanism, adding modern technology and establishing all sorts of after work service.

[hullshedsfencinganddecking]

Check whether there are any edges or needles on furniture that can injure your kid. There are a host of professional service providers in Hull who offers quality playhouses and sheds that cater to your needs and requirements. You are suggested to take their advice.

[deiliamedlini]

Whumptober 2021- The Darkness I Know

Chapter 1

Note: So, I decided to do the same thing I did last year, which is to turn the whumptober prompts into one continuous fic! This first chapter heading info up here is a mess! I’ll fix the next post!  Also will be posted on Ao3 (the link will only be on the chapter index page so I don’t keep forgetting to do that). These chapters are typically on the shorter side just because I am writing a chapter daily and haven’t written ahead more than the first two chapters! 

Fic Summary: After the world as she knew it was destroyed by the corruption of Malice, Zelda allies herself with her saviors from captivity: a disgruntled former governor, an alert paramedic, a cocky pilot, an excessively overt optimist, and a blind strategist. While the corrupted, malice-filled Yiga Clan looks for revenge on them, Zelda has to learn how important it is to find family in others... and how much more dangerous the stakes become if she fails to protect them.

No. 1 - ALL TRUSSED UP AND STILL NOWHERE TO GO

“You have to let go” | barbed wire | bound

Chapter Index/ Next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you mean you don’t have a ruler?”

“I don’t need one.”

“What are you doing—… no!”

Never had there been a more malicious offence in Zelda’s eyes. Rulers were the key to life: they kept things straight, and they made things balanced. There was equality in every precise and calculated movement, and a delicate hand was required to hold the simple mechanism steady.

So, watching Dorian take the scissors and cut three strands of paper was like cutting straight through the muscle of Zelda’s heart.

“Why would you do that!” she screeched, more an accusation than a question. “Now they’re uneven, and they’re crooked! You’re insane!”

“It’s just a stencil, Zelda. If you want to cut the wood with a ruler, go ahead, but now we have an idea of how much we need.”

“We need to redo that. It’s not accurate.”

“I’ve been doing this since before you were born. It’s accurate enough. I can eyeball it. Do you want to fix the fence today, or no?”

Zelda grabbed their tools off the table and sulked behind Dorian as he left without waiting for her answer.

There were some battles Zelda knew she had to lose to win the war. This was one of them,

The fence was a priority to keep out anything that might have been affected with Malice from entering Mabe Village. There were so few survivors as it was.

Before the Malice had invaded Hyrule, Zelda had thought that her student loans were the biggest problem she’d have to tackle. She’d thought the money she’d spent on an apartment outside Castle Town was worth it, despite being far from her family back in Akkala. She thought there was a bright future waiting for her behind the years she’d spent in academia, trapped behind computers writing term papers and researching and experimenting and playing by others’ rules with the dream of one day making her own.

Then, the Malice spread: a thick purple substance that oozed from a seemingly endless source; a vile smell that reeked of rotting food in a broken refrigerator, and a gaseous haze that followed that made it near impossible to breathe. Worse, it corrupted any who came into direct physical contact with it for too long, and most of those affected were now dead for one reason or another.

She remembered when her car stopped working on the highway as the purple smoke filled the air on that first day four years ago. She’d stayed inside the metal hull, watching in awed horror as it engulfed her in an endless stream of fog. She ducked down below the steering wheel and listened to the crashes of other cars on the road that didn’t manage to slow down before their sight was stolen by it all. The constant ring of a jammed horn had her blocking her ears after too long.

Three days in the car, officially parched and hungry, no one had come for her. No phones worked; no drivers dared leave their vehicles. But it had become too much, and Zelda decided it was worth risking a venture outside, even amidst the lingering smoke. Her tongue was dried out and every breath of air came out in a wheezing hiss. But she’d done it.

The haze had been unpleasant and burned her eyes a fair bit, but when she stumbled into a water cooler that had fallen from a shattered car’s backseat and chugged every drink inside, she found other survivors along the side of the highway doing the same, and they all stayed together until they could reach safety.

Enter Mabe Village, four years later.

Zelda and her group had scavenged on the side of the road for almost a full year before they’d found the refuge. It was safe from the crazed bokoblins who once lived peacefully in their own territories. It had walls to prevent any of the fast-but-grounded lizalfos from scaling over. And each creature came at them with a vengeance, each fueled by contact with the Malice.

For a while, Zelda was the only engineer who could fix the solar panel garden and keep the power running. She developed as many mechanical skills as she could, fixing tools and maintaining the plumbing. She even began to learn carpentry to keep the houses upright.

Then, Dorian came in: someone with far more experience than her to help lighten her load. She slept more with him around, and he was full of energy to work through the nights when Zelda couldn’t.

“Would your mom ever let you do this?” Dorian joked as they made it to the wall and set their tools down.

Zelda, now in her mid-twenties, hadn’t seen her mom in years, but she’d learned everything from her. She thought about the blonde woman with blue eyes who used to sneak Zelda dangerous tools when she was too young to comprehend the danger. The woman who had her daughter assist her with live wires because she needed a third hand. Zelda knew how to hold a soldering pen before holding a real one.

“No,” Zelda snorted, always careful about her mother’s carelessness. “She’d let me watch, but she’d definitely be too worried about my hands.”

“Always the hands,” Dorian repeated with a joking smile.

“Always the hands.”

The two set out to fix a gaping hole in their fence, and while Dorian took the outside, the barbed wire that was laid over the wood planks to discourage any creatures from ramming into it, Zelda took the wooden boards inside.

When they were all in place, Zelda examined some of the old wood, intrigued by a perfect set of bite marks.

“Dorian! Was this Ms. Maple’s dog who did all this damage?”

She turned it over in her hand and set it down with half a mind to stride right over to the only dog owner in Mabe Village, but when she heard silence from the other side of the fence, Zelda stopped herself.

“Dorian?” When it was still silent, Zelda turned and grabbed the closest tool she could reach: a screwdriver. She glanced down to see if there was anything better, but there was only her ruler, a hammer, nails, and a second flathead.

Looking behind her, she tucked the flathead into her belt and gripped the hammer as tightly as she could before heading around the gate to check on Dorian.

He wasn’t there.

There was barely a moment to think that something might have happened to him before she was face first in the grass with a heavy pressure holding her down.

Zelda tried to buck them off of her, but they were too heavy. There was a sound of metal scraping against something, and Zelda let out a muffled scream into the grass, still trying to free herself.

“No, wait! Wait!”

Zelda’s head whipped up and she saw a large group walking towards her, each dressed in red bodysuits with a strange mask concealing their faces. The voice though… the voice was…

“Dorian!” she screamed, trying to move again. “Get help!”

His face contorted, and he bent down in front of her, but his words were addressed to whoever was behind her. “She’s useful. She’s smart, handy, talented. We need her. And she’ll understand why we did this. She smart,” he said again, nodding to her.

The man behind her hesitated. “You’re sure?”

“Yes. Positive. I’ve seen her work. I know her.”

A chill shot down Zelda’s spine, and she felt herself tugged upwards until she was sitting on her knees, face-to-face with Dorian in his red suit and a white mask atop his grey hair.

“Fine. Bring her with us. Tie her up.”

“Don’t fight, Zelda. I promise, this is just a precaution.”

She couldn’t help her body from struggling a bit, and she watched Dorian slide his mask into place.

“What’s happening? What’s happening?” Her wrists were tugged hard behind her back, and the rope was frayed enough to cut into her skin a bit.  

Dorian held out his hand, and Zelda, now bound, was handed off. “You’re with the Yiga Clan now.”

And with that, every other member of the group drew out their weapons and headed into Mabe Village while Dorian held Zelda still through her sobs for all the friends she’d never see again.

[thebounty]

Incompatible (Mandalorian x Hunter!Jedi!F Reader)

Chapter Two: This isn’t too bad, right?

Word Count: 6.4k

Warnings: tension, angst, nightmares, violence, soft Mando for a bit, soft reader for a bit, grammar mistakes most likely. I think that’s it!

A/N: I hope you all enjoy chapter two! I’m still on the fence about if I like it or not, but that could just be me. Feedback is always welcomed! Enjoy :)

Hyperspace was something else. No matter how many times you’ve gazed upon the fast-moving stars, it never bored you. It was calming even though you were literally traveling past thousands of planets at once. You could get so lost in thought while watching them go by, it was a type of Zen you’ve never experienced anywhere else. Not even with your family.

Glancing down at the tracking pad on the counsel, you read that you still had at least seven hours until you reached Voss. You ran a hand over your face and rubbed your eyes. You were exhausted, but you did not want to fall asleep. Partly because you didn’t know if Mando was going to use the com to call you while you slept for something, or just to annoy you. The latter seemed more likely. However, the overall factor of not wanting to sleep with the nightmares that sure to come.

Great. Always something to worry about, huh?

Groaning you slumped even further into your chair with your legs sprawled out in front of you, your wool socks grazed the hard paneling of the floor sending goosebumps up your legs. With a few pops and cracks on your back, you knew your body needed some rest. Your eyelids surely felt like steel as they began to flutter closed. You couldn’t help yourself as you drifted off to sleep a few minutes later.

The Mandalorian was in a similar state as you. Not wanting to sleep for various reasons as well. He did not have nightmares to worry about, but he was always on high alert. Plus, hyperspace was a huge escape for him, to just be and think. He knew that Voss was still extremely far away, so he busied himself. Stepping out of the pilots chair he made is way down the short hallway to the ladder and descended down to the hull of the Razor Crest.

It was a relatively big space, holding everything he needed. Small sleeping quarters, a small fresher, some cargo boxes, an armory, and his carbonite chamber. There wasn’t anything down here he would call a kitchen per say, but he had a few travels sized machinery he used as a makeshift kitchen set, like a portable microwave and a small stove top…thing. He wasn’t particular when it came to a home-made meal or rations. He wasn’t a cook at all, so he normally opted for the rations.

He turned towards his armory and pressed a few buttons before it sprung open, revealing many guns, knives, and various other kinds of weaponry. He had to admit, it was quite extensive. The number of weapons he had would be scary to anyone who weren’t Mandalorian. He took out the most recent ones he used and sat down on the nearest cargo box and began cleaning the blasters and knives. Using a worn-out rag, he cleaned every surface he could find that was dull or needed a polish. It was, soothing for him, almost as soothing as hyperspace. Most of the time his thoughts were flooded with a specific bounty hunter, so he used cleaning as his escape when hyperspace got boring. Now, he didn’t know what to do, since he is being forced to work with her now. Cleaning his weapons now, he didn’t feel his thoughts retreating from you.

“Kriff.” Mando muttered under his breath, taking out some of his frustrations on a hard blemish upon his blaster.

He was still coming to terms with how he felt about the matter. There was an emotion he couldn’t quite place, and it bothered him. His chest tightened whenever he looked into your eyes, those fierce and determined eyes. He hasn’t seen you smile often, or laugh around him, considering he was a pain in the ass towards you. He didn’t know what else to be. Mando wasn’t the best at expressing his emotions, and whatever this emotion was exactly, it didn’t feel like the one to verbally show.

You are, entrancing to him. You are insanely skilled with a dagger, blaster, and fighting in general. Your style of fighting was interesting as well, you move so quick and sly, like a loth cat he supposed. Mando recalls a time when you two pared once, he lost of course, that’s why he’s only pared with you once before. However, he loved to watch you when you fought other people, he could never take his eyes off of you when you did. He was thankful in those situations for his helmet, blocking his gaze upon you at all times. He wondered if you ever thought what he looked like under the helmet.

Of course you don’t.

He shook his head out of his thoughts when his hands stopped momentarily after homing in on a low beeping noise coming from the cockpit, instantly he knew it was the com link.

You were calling him?

Instinctively, he shot up and climbed up the latter in only a few seconds. A few hours must have passed because his back ached once he stood up from his hunched position. The door of the cockpit flew open to reveal the sound of the com link beeping at a low tone very rapidly. This only happened when the line on the other end was picking up some distress signal, or any sound of distress.

He frowned and tilted his head, not understanding what sounds of distress it could be picking up since the both of you were in hyperspace. He sat down and twirled around in his chair, hesitating before clicking the button of the com link. His blood went cold hearing a scream on the other end, knowing for certain it was you. He didn’t understand where this sudden act of care came in, he could easily press a button on the com and ignore it. However, the seemingly dense Mandalorian always let his guard down around you, but because of that, he feared it.

Mando said your name quickly but there was no answer just a few labored breaths on your end, causing him to jump into fight or flight mode instantly, gripping the com in his hand.

“Hey, is everything okay? Are you alright? What’s going on?” Mando spoke rather urgently into the communication line, hoping that you could hear him too. Thankfully, there was an emergency button to turn off your mute to him since you did press it before takeoff. You were mumbling something, but it was hardly loud enough to be coherent. His heart was hammering in his chest, he didn’t understand what was going on with you. He feared something happened to your ship, he hoped that whatever it was he could help fix over the communicator.

“Please, d-don’t kill them…my moon.” You sobbed clutching onto your tunic in your sleep. Mando knew then that you were having a nightmare, maybe even a night terror. It seemed terrible regardless. The sounds of your screams were vibrating his helmet. He had no clue what to do, especially being so far away from you, quite literally.

“Hey, listen to me, I hope you can hear me. You have to wake up.” Mando spoke loudly into the com. In all honesty, he had no idea if this was going to work. This was all new territory for him. He has never had to think about someone else’s needs before his own, let alone try to get them to wake up from a nightmare through a kriffing com link.

“Can you hear me? You’re having a nightmare. You need to wake up!” Mando yelled into the com line, uttering your name a few times before he heard a large gasp and some labored breaths after. You woke up with a start, your chest feeling as though Jabba the Hutt himself was sitting on it and feeling the nail marks in the leather that wrapped around your seat at your fingertips. You scrambled to your feet, feeling more discomfort than the last few times you’ve experienced nightmares. They have always been the same, but this time there was a different voice present. Something familiar-

“Hey, can you hear me? Are you awake? Are you okay?” You heard it again, but this time you knew who it was based on the blinking red light of the com link. You groaned running a hand through your semi-damp hair, probably from sweating. Guilt and dread made their way through your chest. You thanked the maker that he couldn’t see your face, it was probably red and soaked with tears. Your hair was a mess also, which added to the mentally ill look.

Great, he heard you panic. That’s- that’s, annoying.

“Yes. I’m fine.” You hissed before shutting off the com link entirely. You sat back down in your chair, finally coming down from the adrenaline rush you had minutes before. You were so embarrassed. He had to wake you up because of a nightmare, you never felt so childish in your whole life. On the one hand, there was no way you were going to shake this ‘good deed’ off of him for the entire duration of this job you two were quested to do. The Mandalorian on the other hand was speechless. He clutched the com in his hand before tossing it across the cockpit with a large grunt. He was fuming. How could he let his guard down so quickly? He needed to wake up before he made a fool of himself.

“Dang farrick! You di’kutla (you idiot)! How heartless could she possibly be? I just woke her up from a nightmare!? How ungrateful-” He rambled while pacing the cockpit floor. With a shake of his head, he all but jumped down the ladder to the hull to continue what he was doing before he puts a blaster hole in the nearest wall.

You didn’t need the force to tell you that the Mandalorian was fuming. You didn’t know what else to tell him.

“Oh yeah, thanks for invading my privacy of sleeping. Hey, yeah, let’s be friends now that you know nightmares haunt my dreams.”

You screamed of frustration before kicking your chair. Immediately regretting it when pain shot up your shin almost forcing you to sit back down again. To be completely honest, you didn’t know of any alternative scenario for the tin can after all, because you most likely would have done the same thing. However, you were in no hurry to apologize to him now after causing a scene.

These next few hours were going to be a pain.

  Coming up on Voss you were greeted with the familiar yellowish atmosphere as you approached. The sky wasn’t necessarily foggy, but it was dense, and the color didn’t add to the fact that it was hard to distinguish where there was a break in the forest to park not only your ship but Mando’s as well. You haven’t heard a peep form him since you cut him off on the com link earlier, but you didn’t mind. It allowed you enough time to figure out what you were going to even talk about when you landed, or what an initial game plan would be for you two.

After what felt like ages, you both landed in a decently open area. You scanned the area upon landing and after reading the map you were about a day walk to the city and maybe a few miles from The Nightmare Lands, so that was great.

Mando parked and shut down his ship before advancing into his cot to gather anything he needed from there. It wasn’t much since he didn’t change clothes often, especially in front of others, so he was glad that he was wearing a new pair of fresh clothes. Descending into the hull, he slung his rifle over his shoulders, holstered his blaster, and made sure his vibroblade was in his boot. After stuffing his relatively small pack with the fracking fob and some rations, he pressed the button to open the ramp of his ship.

A gust of wind made its way through the hull causing him to stumble back a few steps. After gaining his bearings, he made his way onto the planet floor. It was relatively warm, pretty foggy, and just dense. He’s seen worse for sure, however being here with another person, just made it a tad more unlikeable. He scanned the area with his helmet before taking a few steps and sitting on a nearby log. Signing as he slumped down, he grumbled under his breath.

“Enteyor iviin’yc dala. (be fast woman).”

He was definitely wrong.

You put your ship on ground defense mode first thing before climbing down to the small hull of your ship to gather anything you needed. Landing on the floor you grabbed your backpack before folding in some extra clothes and a few rations to last you at least three days. Hopefully, this didn’t take that long. You were…hopeful about this bounty. You’ve never taken down a gang before though, that’s why you were strictly remaining just that, hopeful.

You were dragging your ‘getting ready’ for as long as you could, just to tease the Mandalorian a bit, but also for the fact that you did not want to confront him about your nightmare just yet. You strapped your lightsaber to your back after taking it out of its hiding place, which was a small sliver of metal that wasn’t attached to the hull of your ship. You pulled your cloak over your shoulders and tied it in the front of your neck and slipped your black gloves on before bracing yourself as you pressed the button to lower the ramp with a loud screech. Once the ramp was fully on the ground, it revealed a remarkably interesting image. The Mandalorian perched on a log that was definitely too small for him. You chuckled lowly before making your way down the ramp.

Mando visibly sighed before putting his hands on his thighs to hoist himself up. You were dreading any form of interaction with him to be honest, and so was he. You both didn’t have a single clue as to where to start with each other, or what lines that were never to be crossed. The basics for sure.

Where did you grow up? How is your family? Do you have a family? What dark secret’s can you unfold?

Those were a no go, even though you were both curious to know.

“Took you long enough. I feel like I’ve been sitting out here for hours.” Mando huffed stretching his back rather exaggerated. You laughed.

“Key phrase, I feel like. You didn’t actually sit here for hours, if you did, I bet you would’ve left by now. Try saying what is true and not try to be smart with me.” You smirked seeing his visor tear through your eyes. He knew you were right; he would have totally left you by now if it was just one bounty not a kriffing mob. The dense air didn’t add to the already blooming argument. You shook your head and sighed, bracing yourself or what you were about to say, and about to do.

Let your guard down.

“Look, I’m going to cut right to it. I know we both don’t want to be here. However, I know that we are more than capable of getting this done as long as we work together. I know it might sound impossible, but we need to not be at each other’s throats. I’ll watch your back and you will watch mine. I have no doubt that we can both do that, but I would much rather not argue in between. Especially since they have the advantage of knowing this planet better than we both do.” You said as calmy as you possibly could, trying to speak your phrase into existence, and have hope to any maker out there, that the Mandalorian would comply.

On the contrary, Mando was fuming under his helmet as he stepped forward towards you, pointing an orange leathered finger at you.

“Weren’t you the one earlier that shut off your com after I helped you? How am I supposed to help you if you won’t let me?” He seethed, not wasting time to go against your wishes. You would have groaned out of annoyance but Mando was awfully close to you, almost too close. You felt like you couldn’t breathe. Instead, you decided to sigh and look down at his boots, biting the inside of your cheek to try and regain some composure, before looking up at his visor, not even a foot from your face. You wanted to argue, but if you went against your own suggestion, there was no way he would comply then.

“Look, I am sorry about earlier. Truly. No one has ever seen me like that, so I shut down. We need to trust each other if we are to get this done. That is all am saying, and I am ready to do that. Are you?” You questioned, speaking slowly and quietly. Mando was still close to you, he could see your chest rising and falling with your steady breathing. His now returned to normal.

Mando nodded slightly. If you weren’t this close to him, you for sure would have missed it.

“I- “Mando started but you quickly cut him off. Not wanting to drag this on further than needed.

“Can we please just get on with this?” You quickly said, shocking yourself when you didn’t argue further, or want to. You usually never gave into an argument that easily, but you just wanted to forget about your nightmares for now and think about the task at hand. Mando was surprised too, his helmet tilting slightly looking down at you.

“Ni ceta” (I’m sorry).

Your heartrate picked up after hearing his thoughts as clear as day through your head. You didn’t mean to read his mind.

How did you do that accidently?

You looked away suddenly, not being able to meet his dark gaze for another second. He felt your discomfort and took a step back clearing his throat. All he could fathom to do was nod his head again, clearing his thoughts as he reached into his pack for the fob.

“Well, we should start walking near the last known location, Voss-Ka. It’s a long walk. But no longer than a day I’m guessing.” Mando spoke slowly while looking at the fob then back up at you. You were leaning on one leg, arms crossed, and brows knitted together listening to him. You nodded and secured your bag on your back.

“Well, lets get started then. I have no clue how the cycles work on this planet, so lets make do with the light we have right now.” You offered while Mando nodded quickly, starting in the direction you two needed to go. Taking a deep breath, you fell into step with him quickly before descending into the dense forest in front of you.

The trees were mostly only two colors, red and a dull yellow. The planet floor was also yellow, blurring everything together and making you slightly dizzy as you walked. The crunch of the ground was also annoying, well you certainly could not farm on this dry planet that’s for sure. Large rocks were present as you walked through the forest, and huge tree stumps in peripheral view, it looked menacing. However, those things are easily avoidable, but the smell of this planet was not. An interesting combination of sulfur and campfire smoke danced around your nostrils making you want to wrap your cloak higher on your face. This was the safest option for you two though to not draw any unwanted attention on yourselves. Hopefully, the forest would not have any unexpected visitors.

Mando was not fond of having to walk through a forest to get to this city, he would have much rather parked right outside of the city walls, but you insisted on coming in quiet as to not draw attention on a planet that held rather gruesome citizens. He agreed because unlike him, you’ve been here before, so he took your word for it.

“You said you’ve been here before, right?” Mando spoke, breaking the silence you two were previously walking in. Stepping over a fallen tree you nodded.

“Yes. Only twice though, and they were both relatively short trips. The bounties I’ve collected here were easy to find. Almost too easy.” You chuckled thinking back on the memories. They were both stupid bounties, hiding out in the villages scattered throughout the planet. If they were smart, they would’ve hidden in the city. It was harder to find bounties in the city.

“Hmm. Guess they hid in the villages then?” Mando questioned, understanding what an easy bounty meant. You nodded.

“Yeah. Stupid halfwit.” You shook your head with a small smile as you recalled the look on your bounties faces. Mando was happy you two were getting along for once, even if it was only a few sentences, it was a start at least. But that did not change the way he thought of you.

Obviously. Mando cleared his throat.

“We should try to get more than halfway there and set up camp. So, then we will be able to get to the city in the morning and track their last whereabouts.” Mando spoke while increasing his speed slightly to stay a head of you in the woods, however it was difficult given the terrain.

“I don’t want to see what might be in these woods any longer than we have to, so that sounds like a plan.” You added, moving a branch away from your face before it smacked you. Mando only hummed in response as he leaped down from a rather large fallen tree. He turned and offered his hand to you to help you down. Mando knew this was out of his nature, but like you said earlier, try to be nice to each other. You scoffed and jumped down next to him obviously not wanting or needed his help as you carried on. Mando sighed.

That’s more normal at least.

A few hours of silence flew by and a dozen fallen trees later, you both stumbled upon what seemed to be ruins of some kind. It was the first sign of life you both came across so far so it was somewhat comforting for a minute, before you realized you might have found something else.

You remember reading about some ancient Jedi and Sith temples that were abandoned on this planet, the thought made your throat tighten. You were not in the mood for anything else about you to be revealed to the Mandalorian. He seemed rather curious as he scanned the ruins for any life forms. Like there was any, you said in your head as you looked around as well. The setting sun created a rather jarring image in front of you. The shadows that were casted worked very well with the many oranges, yellows, and reds that the land was now covered in from the sun’s rays. Large stones were around in a circle, then some smaller ones in a semi-circle in the middle surrounding a large stone. Some stones were broken in half, and others fallen over. But the structure was nonetheless breathtaking in this lighting.

“The scan doesn’t pick up any footprints, or signs of life here.”

“Well obviously, look at this place. It’s been deserted forever.”

“Hey, I was just taking precautions- “

“Well can’t you just accept the obvious- “

“No, you listen to me I- “

A rustle.

“Wait Mando- “

“Oh, now what!? Can’t you just listen to me for once- “

“Stop! Did you hear that?” You half whispered to Mando after hearing what sounded like heavy breathing, almost panting, like you would be after running. It wasn’t Mando’s breathing. You could recognize his modulated breathing anywhere and it was certainly not you.

You frowned, how come Mando didn’t pick up on the obvious breathing from his helmet? It was a life form, right? Why did his scan not pick up the life form, or forms? Unless they managed to sneak up on you or it out of reach from Mando’s scanner.

You looked around slowly, as did he. You both turned your backs, so they were almost touching each other so you are guarding the vulnerable side to each other, as if on instinct. You gripped your blaster the same time he gripped his. If anyone was watching you both, it was like you two were mirroring each other, exactly the same movements, and even the same breath. You tried to focus on any sound that you might be able to pick up with your ears as Mando listened through his now heightened helmet. You had an uneasy feeling about this. Whatever it was.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” You whispered to the Mandalorian, now gripping your blaster harder.

“Oh- you should little girl. But it was quite entertaining to hear you two bicker.” Came a voice from the distance causing both you and Mando to point your blaster directly at them. It was a Devaronian man. He was tall, dressed in all black, with horns probably as big as your forearms. You knew they were strong creatures, but what is one of them against both of you?

“There are two of us and one of you, why should we be afraid?” Mando pipped in, as if he heard what you were just previously thinking, not faltering once with his blaster. Your chest tightened; he wasn’t the only one.

Kriff.

“Because he’s not the only one here, Mandalorian.” Chimed in another Devaronian from behind. You turned around while Mando still faced the first man, this next one had a few more friends. Well, at least five more friends.

Great, this was spectacular.

“You had to speak so soon?” You whispered over your shoulder, slightly seeing Mando tilt his visor towards you. The fob on his belt was not beeping, so this could not be the gang you were after. Your blaster was aimed high still as they surrounded you both. This was not good, not good at all. No matter how good of a fighter you and Mando were, there was no way you could escape as least three Devaronian men and four other humans. At least you guessed they were, it was hard to tell in this light.

“Ah, who is the pretty lady? This one wouldn’t happen to be yours now would it Mando? That would be a shame.” One of the men spoke. He was disgustingly pale, had long dark hair, and one tooth missing from the front as he grinned towards you. You could’ve vomited right at his feet.

“No. I am not his, and never will be. Now back up before I blast you in the chest.” You seethed, gripping your blaster even tighter. He only laughed as the other men moved closer into you both. A few more steps and they would have you pinned against Mando’s back, you could feel his cape on your ankles. You sensed that Mando was trying to think of a way out, as were you. But you could not think of a way out that did not require the use of the force. You were not doing that.

Mando was insanely tense. He didn’t like the way these men were starring at you like a piece of meat. No matter how many times you two would argue and get under each other’s skin, no one deserved that. With the thought his grip tightened even more, he knew if he didn’t have his gloves on his knuckles would be white.

“The little girl has a bark, but what about the bite? You both can’t take us.” Another man spat from behind you. Mando could see him, and he moved his blaster in their direction instead.

“Let us go, and you can all walk away with your lives. We are just passing through; we mean no harm.” Mando spoke, trying to reason with them. You knew it was a good attempt, but useless with these men. They looked to be smugglers, and they were not about to walk away empty handed. You were battling in your head. If you used the force to kill these men, then the only person you’d have to answer to was Mando, and maybe you could convince him to stay quiet about the matter.

The idea was starting to become more endearing as one of the men reached their arm towards you, cupping your face slowly. You didn’t dare move or even blast him as you lowered your arm, afraid of what his friends would do if you tried. Surly they would ambush you, and you weren’t about to let yourself and Mando die. Above all, they were not about to steal your lightsaber. Mando was all out of ideas, he was remarkably close to just surrendering and attacking when they least expected it. You felt it in his aroma. You knew you had to do something.

“I said, don’t touch me.” You muttered letting your voice quiver a bit, trying to sound as scared as you could to throw them off. You sensed Mando’s discomfort and- was that protectiveness you felt?

Nope. That couldn’t be true.

Your mind was made up. You knew what you needed to do. You reached out to Mando through the force, trying to get in his head for a moment. You felt the energy around you, having the advantage of being in an old Jedi temple, you felt strong. You heard his breath hitch slightly as you focused on what you were going to say. Mando suddenly felt as though someone was slightly squeezing his temples together, he dared not move, he didn’t understand what was going on. It felt…familiar a little bit. His blaster did not falter when the feeling of something tickling his brain increased, and then a voice.

Your voice.

“Blast the three in front of you when I say to.”

“Oh sweetheart, you can’t tell me what-” The man started but was hilariously cut off as you raised your blaster and shot him in the chest as fast as a millisecond. If someone blinked, they would have missed it.

“Now!” You shouted before you rolled on your back. Mando worked quickly shooting down the three men in front of him as you worked on the remaining men in front of you. Dagger in one hand and blaster in the other, you shot down one man and used your dagger to slice another’s leg. Mando reacted quickly and turned towards you, knowing you were outnumbered by yourself; he flung his arm out and shot his grappling line to the man you injured with your dagger. As it wrapped around him, he heard a scream from you. Turning momentarily, he saw that you were pinned to the ground by the large Devaronian. He had you in a choke hold, you gripped their arm as he slowly retracted his knife from your abdomen.

“You’ll die for killing my brothers.” He grinned at you wickedly.

Quickly, Mand retracted the line and brought out his blade and drove it into the man’s back he had trapped. Dropping the man hard on the ground, he aimed his blaster at the Devaronian on top of you before halting his movements at the scene before him. He was, floating- no levitating above you now, not moving. Not even a scream came from him.

Okay- what?

You moved your arms quickly and the man hit the tree with a loud crack! His back was definitely broken as he fell to the ground, dead. You were panting and felt a huge pain in your side. Placing your hand there, you brought it back only to find it dripping with crimson blood. You grimaced and groaned as you fell back against the ground. You felt someone above you, you hoped to the maker it wasn’t another attacker.

Mando was panting, still gripping his blaster. He was mostly confused but you felt his concern as well. You could sense easily that he had so many questions.

You don’t blame him.

“Ask me later, but please help me up.” You whispered reaching out the arm not currently clutching your side. Mando took it quickly and helped you to your feet and let his arm slide around your waist to help keep you up. If you weren’t in pain and not exhausted from using the force, you might have liked this.

No, you most certainly wouldn’t.

“Where were you hit?” Mando whispered as he walked you two away from the scene, he found a dense patch of trees, one large one was fallen over the top creating a small shelter.

Well, it checked off two boxes for you two at least. A place to help patch you up, and a place to stay for the night, that wasn’t out in the open.

He set you down gently, leaning against a tree. He kneeled in front of you, waiting for your response. Your breaths were staggered, but not shallow. That was a good sign at least, Mando thought as he checked you for any other signs of injury or discomfort. He mentally checked over himself, but he was not hit.

“His knife got me on the side. I don’t think its deep. But I could be wrong.” You stammered watching as Mando took off his pack to rummage through it, looking for a bacta patch for you, and maybe thread.

“I’ll have to look at it.” Mando said between looking through his bag and peering up at you once in a while. Your eyes felt heavier with every passing minute. He took his hand and secured it on your chin, forcing you to look at him. You stopped breathing for a second.

“Hey, I need you to stay awake, just as a patch this up. I need to lift this, is that okay?” He whispered as his fingers lingered below your long black shirt. Your cloak was already off next to you and definitely had some blood on it, leaving you feeling vulnerable. You nodded, knowing your voice would fail you if you tried to use it. Your breathing became ragged, but not because of the pain.

It- it was just the blood loss for sure.

Mando nodded quickly before taking his gloves off and lifted your shirt, setting it down on in the lower part of your chest. The cut was on the lower left side of your abdomen and traveled upwards in a slanted motion towards the center of your stomach. It was deeper than you both previously thought, causing him to sigh slightly. You for sure felt lightheaded as his fingers settled on the skin just below the cut. His skin was golden brown, and you knew it was somewhat of an honor to see a Mandalorians skin, they keep that hidden from people, it was a part of their religion. You tried not to think about it. Mando’s hands were oddly soft for how many callouses there were on them. You felt goosebumps erupt on your skin- no, stop.

It’s the blood loss, it’s the blood loss, it’s the blood loss, it’s the-

“I’ll need to stitch it. Then after I’ll secure it with a bacta patch.” He spoke lowly, glancing up at you with his visor. You were staring at your wound, saddened at the thought of a new scar. Your gaze shifted upwards to him again and nodded slowly, trying not to remember his hands on you.

“Do what you need to do.” You muttered gripping his forearm for reassurance before dropping it back to your side. You let your head hang back against the tree as you felt him get the needle and thread out of his pack.

“This might sting a little bit.” He assured as he assembled the needle and thread before getting to work. The first threading hurt the most, well, it was uncomfortable. You’ve done this countless times on yourself and for the first time ever, you were happy someone else was doing it for you.

It was relatively silent as he stitched you up, but you could feel his mind racing. Mando was confused to say the least, but he was more focused on the task at hand. He tied up the end of the thread before putting the bacta patch over it and lowered your shirt back over you.

“It should be fine, but you should change the patch in at least two days.” Mando informed you as he put everything away, slipping on his gloves again in the process. You nodded as you got comfortable against the tree behind you. Mando sat across from you.

“Thank you. I appreciate this.” You smiled softly as you brought your cloak over legs to keep yourself warm now that the sun was fully set over the terrain. The soft light of the moon reflected off of Mando’s helmet creating a wonderful glow. You had to admit, the beskar was beautiful, and if you truly didn’t despise the man in front of you; you might have enjoyed the sight.

However, you do this time. Considering he did just patch you up. He could’ve left you for dead, carried on with the bounty, and got the whole reward for himself.

Mando was silent as were you for a while, you felt his tension calm down from earlier as he sank against the tree across from you more. You could tell he was avoiding your gaze even under the dark visor. To be completely honest you couldn’t blame him. Working with someone he didn’t like and now finding out she had weird sorcerer powers? Yeah, he could not comprehend that. Mando always seemed to get into interesting situations. You didn’t even know where to start to try and answer any questions he had without giving away too much about yourself. On the contrary, you weren’t going to bring it up if he didn’t. Not until you two left this planet anyway, you could not have him spill this secret about you.

“It seems like we make a good team, huh?” You whispered, trying to lighten the mood and tread carefully.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Mando said bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest.

You heard his next statement before he could utter it.

“Tell me how you did that, that thing,”

A beat.

“Or I’ll kill you.”

Oh. Oh shit.

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[ananka-fasteners]

Ananka

Q1) What are the common applications of hex bolts?

Ans) Hex bolts exhibit versatility as fasteners, characterized by their hexagonal head and threaded shaft. They are purposefully designed to be paired with nuts to establish secure connections between objects. Their prevalence spans diverse industries due to their attributes of dependability, robustness, and user-friendliness. Presented below are prevalent applications of hex bolts:

1. Construction and Building: Hex bolts are a staple in construction initiatives, seamlessly uniting structural elements like beams, columns, and trusses. They underpin the integrity of constructions, encompassing buildings, bridges, and other forms of infrastructure.

2. Automotive Industry: The automotive realm relies on hex bolts for both assembly and repair purposes. These bolts play a pivotal role in securing critical components such as engine parts, chassis elements, and suspension systems.

3. Machinery and Equipment: Across industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and mining, hex bolts hold paramount significance in machinery assembly. They steadfastly anchor components, frames, and casings, guaranteeing operational coherence.

4. Furniture Assembly: Hex bolts seamlessly orchestrate the assembly of furniture, catering to residential and commercial needs alike. They firmly unite segments of tables, chairs, cabinets, and assorted fixtures.

5. Electronics and Appliances: In the domain of appliances, electronics, and machinery, hex bolts manifest as indispensable connectors. They establish secure links for equipment like washing machines, refrigerators, and industrial machinery.

6. Railroads: Rail systems find completion through hex bolts, which diligently fasten tracks, ties, and other essential constituents of railway infrastructure.

7. Aerospace and Aviation: The aerospace sector entrusts hex bolts with aircraft assembly, extending to structural elements, engines, and intricate components that mandate robust interconnections.

8. Marine Industry: Shipbuilding thrives on hex bolts, which secure diverse parts of maritime vessels encompassing hull structures and equipment installations.

9. Oil and Gas: In the dynamic landscape of oil and gas, hex bolts actively contribute to pipeline construction, the upkeep of oil rigs, and the architecture of assorted facilities.

10. Renewable Energy: The renewable energy landscape, encompassing solar panels and wind turbines, benefits from hex bolts that anchor essential supporting structures.

11. Outdoor Structures: The stability and safety of outdoor constructs like fences, gates, and playground equipment are entrusted to hex bolts.

12. DIY Projects: Within the realm of do-it-yourself initiatives, hex bolts are often the linchpin for a plethora of projects ranging from household repairs to intricate woodworking endeavors.

13. Heavy Equipment: The assembly of heavy machinery reaps the rewards of hex bolts, which bolster the integrity of engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems.

14. HVAC Systems: Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems incorporate hex bolts to ensure the secure installation of components and system efficacy.

15. Telecommunications: Telecommunications infrastructure, typified by cell towers and equipment cabinets, benefits from hex bolts that underscore stability and reliability.

These instances provide a glimpse into the myriad applications of hex bolts. Their versatility, unwavering strength, and dependable nature render them indispensable across an expansive spectrum of industries and situations demanding steadfast and enduring fastening solutions.

ASME  Fastener Standards

Q2) What are the common applications of hex nuts?

Ans) Hex nuts are pivotal fasteners that complement the function of hex bolts and threaded rods. Displaying a distinctive hexagonal contour, they find application across a multitude of scenarios aimed at establishing secure connections between objects. Particularly in conjunction with bolts, screws, or threaded rods, hex nuts prove their worth. Below is an exploration of prevalent applications for hex nuts:

1. Construction and Building: Hex nuts are pivotal within the construction realm, serving as integral components for securing structural elements. They adeptly fasten beams, columns, and trusses, while also playing a vital role in assembling various building components.

2. Automotive and Transportation: Within the automotive sector, hex nuts emerge as indispensable elements for affixing a gamut of parts. They find their place in anchoring engine components, chassis elements, and suspension systems, ensuring vehicular reliability.

3. Machinery and Manufacturing: The assembly of machinery and manufacturing equipment thrives on hex nuts. They effectively secure diverse parts, encompassing frames, casings, and components critical to operational coherence.

4. Furniture Manufacturing: In the realm of furniture assembly, hex nuts stand as elemental contributors. They aid in assembling an array of furniture, including tables, chairs, cabinets, and fixtures spanning both residential and commercial spaces.

5. Electronics and Appliances: Electronics, appliances, and machinery assembly benefit from the steadfast contribution of hex nuts. They forge secure and enduring connections, crucial for the functionality of equipment like electronics, appliances, and machinery components.

6. DIY Projects: Encompassing the domain of DIY projects, hex nuts are employed to bring diverse components together. Whether engaged in home repairs, woodworking ventures, or creative crafts, hex nuts facilitate amalgamation.

7. Plumbing and Pipe Fittings: The plumbing landscape witnesses the utility of hex nuts in securing pipe fittings, valves, faucets, and related components, critical for leak-free connections.

8. Railroads: Rail systems owe their cohesion to hex nuts, responsible for securing tracks, ties, and ancillary constituents of railway infrastructure.

9. Aerospace and Aviation: In the aerospace sector, hex nuts emerge as indispensable components for aircraft assembly. They bolster aircraft structures, engines, and intricate elements necessitating secure linkages.

10. Marine Industry: The maritime arena banks on hex nuts for securing diverse components within vessels. These nuts play an integral role in stabilizing hull structures and installing equipment on ships.

11. Renewable Energy: The deployment of renewable energy solutions such as solar panels and wind turbines benefits from the secure anchoring provided by hex nuts for supporting structures.

12. Telecommunications: The telecommunications landscape relies on hex nuts for securing infrastructure elements like cell towers, antennas, and equipment cabinets.

13. HVAC Systems: Within heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, hex nuts ensure the firm fastening of components while upholding system integrity.

14. Heavy Equipment: The assembly of heavy machinery is fortified by hex nuts, which play an integral role in ensuring the stability of engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems.

15. Automated and Manufacturing Systems: Automated systems and production lines are characterized by the application of hex nuts to secure components, guaranteeing seamless operation.

16. Outdoor Structures: The sturdiness of outdoor constructs such as fences, gates, playground equipment, and outdoor furniture rests on the reliable connection offered by hex nuts.

These applications collectively underscore the adaptability of hex nuts within diverse industries and settings. With their propensity to enhance stability, durability, and functionality, hex nuts emerge as indispensable elements for myriad structures and systems.

European Fastener Standards

Q3) What are the common applications of plain washers?

Ans) Plain washers, also recognized as flat washers, execute a foundational function in a range of applications by conferring a sleek surface and distributing loads. Their unadorned configuration endows them with versatility and indispensability, as they shield against harm, mitigate friction, and corroborate the optimal performance of fasteners. Presented below are prevailing applications of plain washers:

1. Construction and Building: In construction ventures, plain washers orchestrate the even dispersal of loads, preempting surface impairment during the fastening of structural components, beams, and columns.

2. Automotive and Machinery: Within the automotive realm, the deployment of plain washers thwarts the potential of bolt heads or nuts digging into surfaces, consequently averting harm. Furthermore, they prove pivotal in machinery assembly by fostering uniform load distribution and diminishing friction.

3. Furniture Manufacturing: Furniture assembly hinges on plain washers to counteract the detriment inflicted by fasteners on wood or other materials. This mitigates harm while simultaneously establishing secure and stable connections.

4. Electrical and Electronics: Plain washers furnish stability in electrical panels and electronic equipment, effectuating a steadfast surface for mounting components. This precautionary measure curbs the risk of damage induced by vibrations.

5. Plumbing: Plumbing pursuits harness the potency of plain washers aligned with nuts and bolts to cultivate secure connections and thwart leaks in pipe fittings.

6. DIY and Home Repairs: In the realm of do-it-yourself endeavors and home rectifications, plain washers emerge as guardians against damage that might ensue during the fusion of objects.

7. Woodworking: Woodworking initiatives entail the enlistment of plain washers to preserve wood surfaces from harm and to underpin meticulous clamping when hardware is attached.

8. Fastener Distribution: The orchestration of fasteners often incorporates plain washers in concert with other washer variants (such as lock washers), fashioning tailored configurations that encapsulate both load dispersion and anti-loosening attributes.

9. Automated Systems: Automated systems and assembly lines within manufacturing reap the dividends of plain washers, ensuring stability during the attachment of components.

10. Sheet Metal Applications: Plain washers emerge as guardians in sheet metal applications, preempting deformations or destruction of delicate materials.

11. HVAC Systems: The realm of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems is fortified by plain washers, fostering secure links between components.

12. Agricultural Equipment: On the canvas of agricultural machinery and equipment, plain washers instate security through the fixation of components.

13. Telecommunications: Telecommunications infrastructure derives advantage from the load dissemination prowess of plain washers, employed while anchoring antennas and equipment.

14. Railroads: Rail systems intertwine tracks and other constituents through plain washers, cultivating steadfast connections that withstand dynamic forces.

15. Outdoor Structures: In outdoor constructs spanning fences, gates, and playground equipment, plain washers step in as sentinels, diffusing loads and countering damage.

In totality, the significance of plain washers transcends realms, nurturing the cohesion of fastened joints, protecting surfaces, and perpetuating the endurance of a multitude of structures and systems prevalent across an eclectic array of industries.

ISO Fasteners Standards

Q4) What are the common applications of stud bolts?

Ans) Stud bolts, characterized by threaded ends on both sides, emerge as threaded rods serving a pivotal role in multifarious applications necessitating a steadfast and dependable fastening solution. Their distinctive composition facilitates the affixing of nuts on either end, thereby rendering them versatile assets across a spectrum of industries. Below are instances illustrating the commonplace deployments of stud bolts:

1. Construction and Building: The construction domain leverages stud bolts to consolidate structural elements encompassing steel beams, columns, and trusses. This symbiosis results in a robust linkage capable of withstanding the forces and burdens intrinsic to edifices and allied structures.

2. Flange Connections: In the oil and gas sector, stud bolts orchestrate the union of flanges in pipelines, pressure vessels, and allied apparatuses. This amalgamation assumes paramount significance in averting leaks within applications of critical import.

3. Machinery Assembly: Machinery assembly benefits from stud bolts, entailing the secure linkage of machinery constituents. Be it engines, gearboxes, or heavy-duty equipment, their threaded termini expedite both assembly and disassembly procedures.

4. Automotive Industry: Within the automotive realm, stud bolts find their niche in engine assembly, wheel incorporation, and the consolidation of an assortment of vehicle components.

5. Power Generation: Power plants harness stud bolts for the assembly of turbines, generators, and ancillary machinery. The crux here resides in establishing connections that are steadfast and enduring, critical for the realm of power generation.

6. Marine Industry: Shipbuilding echoes with the utilization of stud bolts for affixing varied vessel components, encompassing hull structures, engines, and equipment installations.

7. Aerospace and Aviation: In the aerospace expanse, stud bolts manifest their significance by weaving together aircraft structures, engines, and components reliant on precision and infallible connections.

8. Petrochemical Industry: Refineries, chemical plants, and petrochemical facilities draw upon stud bolts for the assembly of equipment that grapples with corrosive and rigorous environments.

9. Renewable Energy: In the assembly of wind turbines and the installation of solar panels, stud bolts champion structural stability through secure linkages.

10. Railroad Industry: Rail systems witness the involvement of stud bolts in linking tracks, uniting rail components, and securing an assortment of rail infrastructure constituents.

11. Heavy Equipment Manufacturing: The assembly of weighty machinery—be it bulldozers, cranes, or excavators—banks on stud bolts to lay the foundation for functionality.

12. Transmission Towers: The telecommunications domain relies on stud bolts to anchor antennas and equipment to transmission towers.

13. HVAC Systems: Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems gain traction through stud bolts, which furnish steadfast security for ductwork and system components.

14. Mining Industry: Stud bolts reinforce mining equipment and machinery assembly, navigating the challenges posed by demanding and rigorous environments.

15. Bridge Construction: In the domain of bridge assembly, stud bolts enable the consolidation of diverse structural elements, cultivating a robust linkage.

16. Food and Beverage Industry: The processing equipment within the food and beverage sector features stud bolts as guardians, ensuring the secure fixture of parts.

This tableau accentuates the indispensable role played by stud bolts across an array of industries where the fidelity of connections carries implications for the flawless operation and security of structures and equipment.

Fasteners Manufacturers in India

[andrewphilip10-blog]

Fence Panels Cheap in Hull

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Resol’nare - Part Four

A/N: Making jokes in tense situations is my coping mechanism and it is also Navina’s. And neither of us are funny under pressure. We sure do try though. 

*this story will regularly be using words in Mando’a. for a good list of references click here.*

Summary: With Navina and Firo off to hit an abandoned Imperial base on Nevarro in hopes of scoring a hot new ride that won’t litter bolts all over the galaxy like the Flare will, and Mando responding to Cara’s holo about a beskar sighting, the stage is set for an introduction to remember... and hopefully not a bloody one. 

Warnings: talk of death, violence, weapons, language 

Word Count: 4.8k

Nevarro. 

“You sure about this, Nav?” Firo peered through a pair of binocs, turning a dial on the side to zoom in. He had them pointed at the fenced off facility that they had cased out shortly after landing on the volcanic planet. Abandoned by the Empire twice now, the base, carved into the side of a cliff out past the lava flats, had still not been addressed by the New Republic. Although it was clear from their cursory recon that the place had taken some recent damage, it appeared as though it still housed plenty of small ships and speeders. 

The plan had originally been to fly in on the Flare, Firo’s current ship, and set down on the landing pad. They’d discussed it first in the caves on Yavin, Firo sharing the location of the base and what limited information he had heard from a fellow smuggler over a game of Sabacc. Rumored to have no security detail, not even droids, they had figured that it would be an easy job. Load up the Flare and another small ship with a few speeders that they could sell on the black market, then split up, Firo in his ship and Navina in the one previously owned by the Empire. The goal was to be in and out and off of the planet so quickly that even if there were cameras or sensors on the base, they’d be long gone before anyone could turn up to stop them. And that had seemed completely feasible. Until now. 

Plans have never really been my thing anyway. “I’m sure.” Besides, this might actually work out to my benefit...

Pulling the lenses away from his eyes, he turned to face her. “Even though the Marshal is-” 

“Since when has a Marshal ever stopped us, Firo?” She shot him her cockiest smirk, casually crossing her ankles as she leaned her palm against the Flare’s hull. “Since when has-” Her friend gritted his teeth and tried to stop her, but it was too late. The panel she’d chosen to press her weight into gave under pressure, the metal creaking as it dented inwards sending Navina off balance. “Woah!” Firo sucked air through his teeth as he reached out to help her catch herself, but she brushed him off with a huff that he knew she had to work hard not to allow to turn into a laugh. “Alright, on an unrelated note, you need to have that looked at.” She pointed at the flimsy piece that upon closer inspection she realized had been poorly soldered on in an attempt to reinforce a previous repair. Shaking her head, she looked up at the ship and then back at Firo. “I can’t believe I got on this thing and flew here with you.” 

“Hey!” He tried to keep a straight face too, but a snicker threatened to turn into a full blown snort if he didn’t let it out. “Alright, yeah, she needs some work.” That’s the understatement of the century. “Still beats taking a commuter shuttle though, Harsa,” he teased, knowing that she had had to put up with a series of shuttle transfers to get to Yavin from Coruscant, and that it was her least favorite way to travel the galaxy. 

“Not if she falls apart the second you make the jump to hyperspace,” she teased back. He couldn’t come up with anything quickly enough, so she steered the conversation back to the task at hand. “But as I was saying, we’ve always been able to get around the Marshals we’ve come across. We’ll just have to... “ She shrugged. “Improvise.” With that, she turned and headed around the back of the ship to climb the ramp. Taking a large step up as the ramp no longer opened all the way, she sighed. This ship is a kriffing disaster. 

“Improvise?” Firo followed her around and hoisted himself up onto the ramp as she started rifling through her bag to gather what she would need. He crossed his arms and tilted his head, watching as she pulled two comm links from an inner compartment. 

Navina blew into one of them, then tapped the receiving end to make sure it was still in working order. “Yeah,” she said, tossing it to him with a grin. He snatched it out of the air and tucked it into the front pocket of his pants. “Improvise.” She checked the second comm link, giving it a shake for good measure before hiding it away under her shawl. 

Firo waited for her to look back up at him to respond. “We are pretty good at that.” 

“Good? Who’s better?” She asked with a wink, turning back to her bag to dig out her armor. “Remember that time on Onderon?” She pulled out a purple painted shoulder pauldron, untwisting the leather straps that were used to keep it in place. “When we-”  

“Nav?” He cut her off then, walking completely through the doorway to stand in front of her, and she knew instantly that he was concerned. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and set the second pauldron on top of the first one, the durasteel clinking softly. With a sigh, he went on, green-gold eyes narrowing briefly and his lips turning down into a slight frown. “I know there’s... something you’re not telling me.” 

She stiffened, a sudden wave of guilt making her wince. He’s right. There was a lot she hadn’t told him, and while she had reasoned that the less he knew about some of her plans the safer he’d be, she also knew better than to think that he wouldn’t be able to tell when she was being withholding. He knows me better than anyone, of course he knows that I’m… that something’s… “Firo, I-” 

“Look,” he placed a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her the rest of the way so that he could look straight at her as he spoke. “I didn’t want to say anything on Yavin, because I know that,” his forehead furrowed and he swallowed as he dropped his arm back to his side. “I know... what time of the year it is. I know that,” he shook his head and dropped his chin. “I know you were hoping that…dank farrik.” 

He knew that she was hoping that this would be the year that she would be reunited with her father and the little one. Navina’s mother was gone, that was a fact, but the rest of her family was a mystery. He knew that she only allowed herself those three days to hope that they were still alive, because the last time that they had seen each other they had agreed on a designated time each year that they would return to Yavin 4, the last place they had called home, if it were safe for them to do so. She and her mother had missed the first few years, the need to stay hidden keeping them from being able to make the trip. At that time her parents were still able to at least transmit the occasional holo, and while she wanted nothing more than to be able to see her father and the child that she affectionately called verd’ika, she understood, even then, that their hiding was necessary. This is the Way. She could remember thinking it even then, could hear her own small voice repeating the words back to her mother, the two of them tucking their hopes away for another year.

Twenty three years later, she was still packing and unpacking that hope, the thing riddled with creases and worn thin along the folds. She knew that the odds weren’t good that her family was still alive, or if they were, that they hadn’t been captured or separated. Regardless, every year she gave herself three days to air that hope, to go home and wait for them to join her there. But this year was no different from the last one. They’re- she squeezed her eyes shut against the word. No. She wouldn’t even think the word until she had confirmation. 

Ni partayli, gar darasuum. I remember you, so you are eternal. As the phrase played in her head, she reached under the cowl of her shawl for the pendant around her neck, squeezing it until she could feel the tusks digging into her palm and then running her finger around the rim of one carved eye, nail scratching against the hard, faceted stone that had been set inside. I remember. 

And she had been remembering so much lately, the flashes from the night they had fled Concordia coming much more clearly than ever before. It made no sense to her that she would suddenly be able to recall clips of dialogue or images of faces with increasing ease as more time passed, but for the last few months that had been the case. And then when Firo had found her father’s kal, it had been too simple to give in to the time-worn hope, too tempting to see it as a sign. But it had obviously been there the whole time, she told herself, despite the fact that it wasn’t obvious at all. 

She hadn’t told Firo about the increased power or frequency with which the amethyst tinted memories were coming to her, but that wasn’t all she was keeping from him, and it was the second omission that she truly felt guilty about. He was extremely gracious in granting her whatever level of secrecy or privacy she wanted or needed when it came to her family and the closure that she longed for there. While he knew she didn’t truly consider herself to be a Mandalorian as she’d never sworn the Creed or been fitted for her own armor, he understood that she still held fast to the traditions and beliefs that she was raised on; that her clan - her aliit, one of the few Mando’a words that Firo had picked up through the years, and one that Navina thought was appropriate for him, always looking at him as a brother of sorts - was bonded together indelibly, and that she’d never turn her back on that bond.  

The guilt she felt was in no way related to her family or Yavin or her memories. It was in regards to what she’d heard in the lower levels of Coruscant, the city under the city at the center of the galaxy. A rumor, but one she’d been chasing for a long time, had caught her attention, and she couldn’t let it go until she’d seen it through, and it was for that reason that she was insistent upon going through with their plan to hit the abandoned base. Yes, she needed a ship. Firo could do with a new one, too, honestly. But she also needed to know if what she’d heard was true- that the Darksaber had changed hands once more… but that it had once more eluded both of the women who sought it most fiercely, herself, so that she could destroy it, and Bo-Katan of House Kryze, the radical who at one point plotted to overthrow her own sister for the Mandalorian throne. And if it is true, if it’s no longer in Imperial hands… I need to know who has it now. 

While she didn’t know the exact location of it, Navina knew that there had been, until recently, a Mandalorian covert here on Nevarro. She had no idea how large their numbers were, only that there had been a very violent standoff with the Imperial remnant who’s base she and Firo were about to loot. But the most interesting part of the rumors that she had collected in her travels from the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim, was that the New Republic’s Marshal stationed there had been linked to a Mandalorian- to the Mandalorian that the Imps had been targeting. So when she saw the woman with the badge pinned to her belt and the heavy blaster rifle she carried with absolute confidence, it had the exact opposite effect that that sort of deterrent would have on anyone else. I need to know. She sighed, binging one hand up to her forehead and pushing it back over her scalp. She grabbed the base of her long, thick braid and followed it down to the end, pulling it as she looked back up at her friend. But he needs to know, too.  

“Firo, it’s…” 

“It’s about that damn saber, isn’t it?” He raised one eyebrow in a high arch, and her stunned silence paired with the stupefied expression she knew she was wearing answered for her. “Yeah,” he nodded. “I know. You get…” he squinted at her, “you act differently when you have a lead on something about your family or that kriffing sword.” 

“Firo,” she reached for his arms, her hands cuffing around his biceps to emphasize how important this was to her. “That kriffing sword is what-” 

Bending his elbows, he grabbed her hands and pulled them down, not angrily but forcefully, holding her wrists as he spoke. “I know. I know what you… how you feel about it and about what it stands for and… and the part it played in…” He clamped his eyes shut then, but before he did she noticed how prominent the golden flecks in them were. He’s nervous. Of the two of them, Firo was absolutely more likely to worry when it came to her safety. She flinched, knowing that she had given him plenty of reasons to throughout the span of their friendship. The scrapes that he typically got himself into were almost always easy enough to weasel him out of with a little careful negotiation or a generous bribe. The spots she found herself in however, usually resulted in drawn blasters and blades. He let out a breath and released his grip on her wrists. “Nav, I just need to know you’re not gonna get yourself killed.” 

She clicked her tongue, trying to lighten the mood. “Come on, Firo, I’m a hard woman to kill. I have the-” 

“The scars to prove it,” he finished the second part of her sentence in unison with her, rolling his eyes. “I know. I’m trying to be serious here, Harsa.” 

“I know.” She said it quietly, blinking up at him as his hard frown softened. “I’m sorry, Firo, I should have told you what I was…” she shook her head, the end of her braid bouncing behind her. “I should have told you that I knew about…” she groaned, leaning forward until her forehead met his chest. 

To her surprise she felt it rumble as he chuckled. Huh? He’s… laughing? She picked her head up, a confused look on her face. “Apologizing is really rough for you, isn’t it?” 

With that she let out a laugh of her own. “Only with you though, isn’t that strange?” She winked at him, swatting at his stomach. 

“Very strange indeed,” he agreed, intercepting her swat and pushing her hand away. “Alright. So we’re improvising. What have you got so far?” 

Her grin climbed her cheeks then, and she laid out her new plot. “Not going to get myself killed, Firo. Just captured.” 

Less than an hour later they were prepped and ready to put their backup plan into action. Navina removed her gray shawl,  strapping her purple chestplate and pauldrons to the black flak vest she wore over her short sleeved black top. Next she wrapped her wrists in padded black fabric and slid the vambraces over them. The left one was utterly useless in terms of weaponry; it appeared as though at one point it was equipped with whistling birds, but the mechanism had been damaged by the previous owner and now its only use was protection. But it’s beskar, so it’s worth wearing. The right one still had a functioning flamethrower, though it was low on fuel, and a grappling line, though it had snared the last time she tried to deploy it so she made a mental note not to count on it cooperating this time either. Holstering her blaster on her thigh, she took her father’s beskar kal from her bag, attaching the sheath she had made for it on the trip to Nevarro to her belt. The last piece of armor she donned was her mother’s helmet, the traditional “T” shaped visor smashed along the eyeline, but the modulator and audio features still in working order. 

“Well look at you, Nav, you look like a real live Mando if I ever saw one.” You haven’t, bantha brain. “I like the,” he grasped his right wrist with his left hand, a quizzical look coming over his face as he tried to search for the right word. “Those things.” 

Firo had armed himself as well, a pair of blasters on his hips, a small knife in his boot, and a handful of different blaster cartridges on his bandolier that he could switch out for different effects if necessary. Navina felt a knot twist in her stomach though as she remarked not for the first time that he wore no armor at all, nothing to protect him but his speed if triggers were pulled down there. We’ve got to change that if this is the type of thing we’re going to be doing.

“Alright,” she let out a breath and locked her eyes with his through her broken visor. “Last chance to back out. This is my thing, you don’t have to be involved if you-” 

“Would you knock it off already?” He tapped the side of her helmet softly, the action causing her to snort as she recalled the first time he’d bopped her on the head while she was wearing the beskar helmet, and how he had nearly broken his hand. “You ready?” She nodded. I am. “Okay. Let’s go get you captured I guess.” Grumbling under his breath about how he had a feeling that he was going to regret this, he walked down the ramp, hopping off the edge where it dangled a foot or two from the ground. She followed on his heels, smiling to herself. 

Since they were changing the plan, they were no longer flying the Flare down to the base’s landing pad, as only one of them- Firo-  would be flying out. Instead they left the dilapidated ship where it was and headed for the entrance furthest from where the Marshal and the man she had with her were stationed. Navina would hold them off, distracting them while Firo made his way up to the landing pad to make off with a ship, and then hopefully, after she found out what she needed to know and got herself out of whatever lockup situation the New Republic’s Marshals instituted on Nevarro, she’d rendezvous with him here where the Flare was waiting, and they would head for some place where they could lay low for a week or two. They had their comm links in case they needed to contact one another after they separated. But Navina had a good feeling about how this was going to go. She kept that to herself though, sure that Firo would have some snarky comment about how her good feelings were almost always bad portents.

As they neared the edge of the cliff face that had been providing them cover, Navina reached out and stopped Firo in his tracks. “Promise me you’ll bail if I tell you to.”

“Uh oh,” he joked. “You have a good feeling, don’t you?” 

“Firo,” she groaned. “I mean it. Promise me if I tell you to leave you will. I-” 

“I promise, Nav.” He acquiesced then, giving the tail of her braid a slight tug where it stuck out from the bottom of her helmet. “Now, let’s go.” 

She nodded, and with that, they split, both heading off in different directions- Firo towards the secondary entrance that they’d found on their initial recon mission a few days back, and Navina straight towards the waiting Marshal. She glanced back over her shoulder as she reached the last of the small boulders she was darting between for cover, and seeing Firo’s boots disappear through the door, she took a deep breath and ran. 

“What’s the town to do with the law this far out on the flats?” Navina projected her voice over the empty space as she rounded the corner, making for where she knew the two temporary sentinels were waiting. 

But the second she got close, a third figure stepped into view, one that halted her in her tracks. Dank. Farrik. She raised her hands, palms facing outwards, as the sharp end of a long beskad stopped just shy of her helmet. Holding it was the most imposing Mandalorian she had ever laid eyes on. The man wasn’t much taller than she was, but the stance he took, the way that he held his body and his weapon would have been enough for her to know that he was a formidable fighter. On top of that, he was covered head to toe in beskar armor more pure and pristine than she knew to exist. The sword in his gloved hand was just the first that she noticed of what she now realized were many weapons- a blaster, spear, and vibroblade all visible, plus whatever devices he had installed on his vambraces. And that’s just what I can see. A Mandalorian like this one was liable to have at least four more weapons concealed. A Mando like this is a weapon.  

The Marshal and the the older man that had been waiting with her- as bait, Navina realized too late- stepped up behind the Mandalorian, the woman speaking. “You got this from here, Mando? I’m gonna go check out what her friend is up to inside.” Navina scowled at the woman who gave her a condescending look before the man answered. 

“Sure. I can take care of her. Take Karga with you.” He hadn’t turned away from Navina, and he hadn’t lowered his weapon. His voice, though modulated through his helmet, sounded calm and even, and she knew that while it likely offered some of his prey a false sense of comfort, she knew better. The Marshal and the other man didn’t hesitate to do as he said, the woman telling him to call for her if she needed him. He won’t, Navina fumed at her retreating figure. 

Neither of them said anything until the other two were out of sight, and all Navina could do was hope that Firo was running through the base at top speed. He just needs to get off of the pad, get out of here and then he’s- 

“Are you a Mandalorian?” He asked the question as he slid the end of his blade up onto the curve of the armor on her left shoulder, the beskar sword scraping a long divot into the top layer of painted durasteel with a sharp shing. 

She let her eyes flick down to where the blade sat without moving her head, hands still in front of her. Stall. Give Firo more time to get out. The blade had only cut through the outer shell of her pauldron, but he had barely used any force at all and she knew she had to answer carefully because one wrong word or uncalculated move would cost her more than the time needed to repair her armor. He’ll chop my arm clean off with that thing. “That depends on who you ask,” she raised her eyes back up to where his would be if she could see them, noticing a sculpted signet in the shape of a mudhorn on his own shoulder piece. 

“I’m asking you,” he answered, tone shedding some of its evenness as with the quick turn of his wrist the blade slipped between her pauldron and flak vest, slicing it off in one fluid motion. “And I want an answer. Are you a Mandalorian? Did you swear the Creed?” 

Loud bangs coming from the landing pad above them told her that Firo was almost home free. Just a few more seconds. “I was never given the chance to. My clan was attacked when I was a child.” Honesty seemed the best course of action at this point. Though she was a skilled fighter, Navina knew when she was outmatched and outgunned. 

“Your armor,” he nodded his head in her direction then, the first move he’d made that hadn’t been to slice her pauldron to pieces. “How did you come by it if it wasn’t made for you?” 

“Took the pauldrons and chest piece from a trooper,” she stated, though she knew that was the least of his cares. “These?” she raised her wrists up higher, “these I stole from a back ally trader. You want ‘em? They’re yours.” He nodded again, and she mirrored the gesture, glancing up to the pad as the rumbling sound of thrusters preparing to take off told her that Firo was going to make it out safely. Good. That’s all that… all that matters. She slowly pulled the vambraces from her wrists, tossing them at the Mandalorian’s feet. “They’re busted and they don’t fit, so by all means.” 

“Your helmet.” He demanded. 

“Now that I will not be parting with,” she told him, trying to muster up all of the evenness that she could. 

“It looks like pure beskar.” It wasn’t a question. 

“It is. It’s the only piece of pure beskar I own, aside from,” she pointed to her belt with one hand, the other still suspended in the air between them. He nodded his approval for her to pull the kal from the sheath. “Aside from this.” Holding the dagger out for him to see, she brought it slowly up to his beskad and clanged them together, the sound ringing out and making it clear to both of them that both blades were entirely pure. “And I won’t be giving you either of them, Mando.” Sheathing her kal again, she brought that same hand up to her chest, digging under the flimsy armor and pulling out her mother’s mythosaur necklace. “They belonged to my parents, and if you want them you’re going to have to kill me.” 

At the sight of the pendant he lowered his weapon and cocked his head to the side. “The Mythosaur… but what is, why is there…” 

Navina looked down at the pendant in her hand then, the stone visible in its eyes seeming to glow a fierce shade of purple. She sucked in a breath as she brought her other hand up to cover it, thinking that it was just the harsh Nevarro sun that was causing it to shine more brightly than it ever had before. But when shaded by her other palm the purple light seemed only to shine brighter. “It’s never… it’s never done that before, never so…” 

Just then a comm link clicked in the Mandalorian’s pocket, and he pulled it out, pressing the button on the side. “Cara,” he spoke the woman’s name. 

“The other one got away with a ship and a few speeders. You good down there?” 

Navina felt a fleeting relief as she heard that Firo was off the base and that he’d even managed to make it profitable for himself. The Mandalorian stared at her for long seconds before answering, holding the communicator in his fist close to his helmet. “I’m taking this one back with me.” With that, he switched off the communicator and put it back in his pocket, unhooking a set of binders from his hip. “I can put these on you and you can follow me,” he offered, “Or,” he looked down at the blaster on his hip. “I can set that to stun and-” 

Navina shoved her wrists in his direction. “Clap ‘em on then,” she sighed and he did, securing them so smoothly she was sure he’d done it hundreds of times at least. “Where uh… where are we going?” 

Sheathing his sword on his belt, he looked straight at her and answered. “No questions.” He bent down and picked up the discarded vambraces, then started walking in the opposite direction. When she didn’t follow right away, he reached for his blaster. “I’m not sure when the last time I used the stun setting was,” he said, hand poised over his weapon. “Not sure if it still works.” Looking back over his shoulder at her, he finished the threat. “Don’t make me test it on you.” 

“This is the Way,” she responded reluctantly. 

With that he started walking again, Navina following closely behind in silence. 

Nope. Plans are not my thing.   

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