The Mandalorian hadn't seen Maleena since she left the Cockpit a few hours ago. He hadn't bothered to go searching for her. He had spent his time piloting the ship carefully, ensuring that their landing on the planet would go smoothly. He took the ship out of lightspeed and felt the familiar shake as it returned to normal speed. He studied the ice blue planet infront of them as it grew in size with each passing second. The child clicked as Maleena stepped up into the cockpit joining them both. She ducked down to inspect the planet and once again lifted the Child up to sit on her lap as she sat down.
Entering the planets atmosphere rattled the metal ship, coming to an end as they landed on the icy surface. Maleena wasted no time in taking herself and the Child down from the cockpit and into the ship. She could hear footsteps following her but didn't turn, even as she sat the Child into his small makeshift room and stroked his head she could feel eye's watching her.
"Be safe little guy. Stay here OK?" Her voice questioned softly as the Child tilted his head up to Maleena. She took this as recognition, stepping back and pressing the buttons at the side of the door. Locking his room she saw the Mandalorian behind her as she turned, nodding her head. Just as she was about to reach out to their weapons cabinet he grabbed her hand, stopping her from touching the cabinet.
"You good?" His deep voice forced her to stop, silently observing his towering figure.
"Never better." Sarcasm laced Maleena's response as she shrugged his hand away, opening the cabinet and choosing a blaster and a set of vibroblades. The Mandalorian picks up his blaster and detonators before slinking towards the ladder and up into the cockpit. Positioning her blades into the different holsters she didn't have time to question why the Mandalorian had left, as he returned almost immediately with her dark thick robe wrapped around his arms.
She grabbed the coarse material. "Thanks." Adjusting it onto her body so it covered her face and clothes, paying close attention to where her weapons were. She joined the Mandalorian at the ramp, Stealing a final look back in the direction of where she knew the Child was she silently prayed he would stay there before turning and walking down the ramp onto the snow below them.
She was thankful of her thick robes providing shelter from the biting cold around her. Maleena often found her traditional robes clunky and too warm. But standing in the middle of a frozen wasteland she couldn't have been happier for them. They were given to her by her people as a way in which to disguise her identity. Typically male warriors of the Grenlaine tribe got them once they turn sixteen, but with her skill and ability her people had made the exception to her to allow her to train in the sacred arts once practiced by her ancestors.
She was supposed to wear the robes whenever she was around unfamiliar people, with only a select few knowing her true identity. It wasn't forbidden to go without, she was just then forbidden to fight unless she wore her robes. Her people liked to stay hidden, the shadows becoming as familiar to them as their own planet. It had only been fitting that she would become partners with the Mandalorian - the one person that she knew would understand her love hate relationship with her traditions. Din had been understanding, even going so far as to spend a great deal of time learning about her people and their history.
"My people wear these robes as a sign of unity. Of fearlessness." Her voice shook with pride as he watched from across her small bed, sitting on the edge as she ran her hands across the black robe lying on her bed.
She looked up at him, seeing his helmet fixated on her. "We can only reveal ourselves to those we trust. Otherwise to reveal ourselves we become powerless. We can only fight when covered."
His head slowly nodded. "Then let's not ever let you be in a fight without it."
And he had kept to his promise. He only ever let her go without them if she needed to blend in...
They hadn't needed to blend in today, the uninhabited planet not providing any challenges to them. The long distance between themselves and the Razor Crest had made the pair tired, but seeing the uncoordinated Gungan sliding across the ice in tune with the frantic beeping of the tracking device made the Mandalorian hold his fist up. Maleena stopped closely behind him, listening intently as his voice became quieter.
"You attack from behind. I'll distract him." His voice was urgent, leaving no room for hesitation as Maleena unsheathed her blades and began to crouch behind the snow covered rocks to the side. The Mandalorian waited until she was fully covered before stepping out into the open, his blaster aimed at the Gungan. When he was a few feet away the Mandalorian whistled, grabbing the Gungan's attention. The Gungan tried to run before the Mandalorian shot next to his feet.
"Next time I won't miss." The Mandalorian's promise has the Gungan standing perfectly still.
"Meesa not afraid of you." The Gungan's high pitched voice sent shivers down the Mandalorian's spine.
"You have something I want." The Mandalorian's voice oozed danger as he aimed his blaster upwards, towards the male Gungan's head.
"Meesa have nothing. Meesa just passing though."
The Mandalorian watched as Maleena emerged from behind the Gungan. Her knife was infront of her chest protectively as she crawled silently closer to the pair. "You have the guild files."
The Gungan laughs. "Meesa have no files."
The Mandalorian tilts his head. "You're choice."
Before the Gungan could even respond Maleena leapt up, using her body weight to push the Gungan down. Now lying with her body on top of the creature she placed her blade close to his neck, sneering down at the target. The Gungan tried to force her off, the grunt from Maleena urging the Mandalorian into action as he aimed his blaster directly at the Gungan's head.
"Where is it?" Maleena's voice seemed darker than before, her hooded face staring at the Gungan.
"Meesa don't know wha-" Maleena cut him off by shoving one of her vibroblades into his arm. The Gungan screamed.
"My bag! My bag!" Maleena instantly reached into the Gungan's small side bag and pulled out a large thin black device. She felt the weight in her palm for a few seconds before tossing it upwards, The Mandalorian caught it with ease. Pocketing the device he watched as Maleena forced her blade out of the creatures arm, a loud howl emitting from the Grungan. Maleena stood back up, looking at the Mandalorian's helmet as he indicated to the side silently informing her they were finished, and began walking away.
"Yousa will never be free, Maleena Blairenal." The chill that swept her body at the Gungan's forced cry had her frozen in place. The Mandalorian didn't seem to be as fazed however, as he instantly turned and grabbed the Gungan's shirt and aimed the blaster at his head.
"What did you just say?" The Mandalorian's robotic voice only adding to his aggression. The Gungan waved his arms around frantically as the Mandalorian tightened his grip.
"Meesa told other hunters, Empire wanted to know about yoosa. Bounty huge for her head." The Mandalorian lifted his blaster and shot the Gungan in the head, his movements stilling instantly. Tossing the body onto the floor the Mandalorian began to search the body, picking out a collection of bounty trackers hidden in his pocket. Tossing them onto the floor he stood on them, breaking them into tiny pieces.