AFTER ALMOST A MILES WALK THROUGH rough plains, the duo finally entered one of the bustling cities of Bespin. It was more difficult than they had anticipated.

Everybody seemed so...normal. Going about their day, attending events. There was barely any way to differentiate those who might be Imperial followers. They didn't necessarily walk around in Storm Trooper suits anymore.

They stooped by a fountain in the centre of the city square, eyes sifting through the masses of people around them. Mia was starting to think she'd made a mistake by leading them here.

The Mandalorian stood by her side, leaning against the fountain base, head rotating slowly around the perimeter. It was moments like these when she envied his mask. If only she could conceal the look of growing concern on her features.

"They seem fishy to you?" His said finally, looking in the direction of a cream pillared building.

Three men stood, fashioned in black outfits and sporting a unique symbol on their right shoulders. They were discussing something when two of them disappeared into the building behind, the other separating into the traffic of people.

Mia kicked her leaning form off the fountain, "Let's find out."

She quickly moved through the crowds, light as a feather on her toes before halting in front of the man.

"Hey," she said.

She mentally facepalmed. Perhaps she should have planned this before approach.

Confusion spread across his harsh face. He didn't look like he got greetings from strangers very often. He looked like the kind of guy you'd walk in the opposite direction to.

Quickly composing herself, and not knowing where the Mandalorian was, she did the best with her horrible situation.

"Long live the empire." Mia said quietly enough for the man to hear.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as he repeated the same words, "Long live the empire." with an ugly smirk.

A part of her wanted to burst out into laughter; it actually worked.

'Now what?' she thought. Scanning the city square, Mia thought that her next move should be somewhere a little more private, less public eyes.

"Follow me," she commanded, and convincingly at that because when she turned he was following her.

She led them around the back of what looked to be some sort of furnace hut. Here, the bustle of the city numbed to almost silence.

"Where are you taking m—"

His voice cut off as the Mandalorian's heavy fist slammed into his face with such force that he hit the wall behind him and slid to the ground in an unconscious form.

"Quick," He threw the unconscious man over his shoulder, "In here."

They opened the hut door, entering what seemed to be a small dome for weapon-wielding. The morning sun-rays peeked through, creating a sanctuary sort of setting.

Mando set him down on the floor in a slumped position. He sturdily tied his hands and feet together with some spare rope found on the side.

"Are you sure you didn't kill him?" Mia looked down at the man with folded arms.

"He'll be awake," the Mandalorian leaned against the wall, "Give him a few minutes."

Mia took the opportunity to sit on the dusty floor, spreading her legs out before her.

A few minutes had passed and her short-lived attention span had come to an end. Irritably, she noticed that the bounty hunter had not moved a muscle. Mia, on the other hand, liked to keep busy.

She found a few metal pellets on the ground, droplets left behind from wielding. One by one, she picked them up and threw them towards a metal cylinder on the ground, creating a clinking sound each time. Pick up, toss, clink. Pick up, toss, clink.

There was always time for target practice. She managed this a few times before his cold voice interrupted.

"Stop it." He said.

She continued, throwing them with slightly more force this time. The clinks growing louder.

"Hey," He snapped, "Cut it out."

"Oh, I'm sorry I can't just stand there like some lifeless droid." She said sourly.

"Any droid would have blown out their own circuit system by now."

Mia lunged a pellet at his head, another loud clink radiating off his helmet this time.

"Just as I thought," she said, "Sounds hollow."

A smirk twitched at the corner of her mouth as he stepped towards her threateningly. Oh she did enjoy getting under his skin.

But before another fight could break out between the pair, their heads turned to the source of a loud groan.

"What is this? Where am I?" The man frantically tried to release his bonds.

"You're gonna tell us what we want to know." said the bounty hunter.

Mia stood up, squaring her shoulders in the hopes of looking equally as threatening.

"What do you know of Satine Soruna?" asked Mia.

"Who?"

Mia and Mando exchanged a quick glance. Perhaps the queens kidnapping hadn't yet become big news, making their job a thousand times for difficult.

"Any idea where your other empire-loving buddies are camping out?" The Mandalorian watched the man's eyes grow nervous, he knew something.

"There's a few of us, here on Bespin."

"Where's your base?" said Mia, "You've got to have some meeting point in the outer rim."

The man hesitated, he was holding back as he cast timid looks to the pair.

The Mandalorian placed a hand over his blaster, "Answer the question."

"I don't know where it is," His voice quivered at the sight of the blaster. "I swear!"

Mia crouched before the man, carefully pulling out a star thrower with one pointed edge painted yellow.

"See this edge?" She held up the star inched from his face. "It's laced with poison, one slash on your hand and your entire arm falls off by morning.

"I really don't know anything!" A bead of sweat trailed down the side of his face.

"Of course, you won't survive into the morning." She eyed the star with mesmerisation. "One drop in your bloodstream calls for a painful death. Could take minutes, maybe even hours for it to end at the last beat of your pathetic heart."

Fear dawned on his features as he squeezed his eyes shut, as if fighting his own inner demons.

She grew tired, and lodged a simple throwing star into his shoulder. He let out a sharp cry as she fumbled to get her next one out.

"This one's one of my personal favourites," she twirled the small blue star between her fingers, "Are you sure there's nothing you would like to disclose?"

"Please..." He said, breathing now becoming heavy.

She shook her head, "Not the answer I was looking for."

The man flinched as she approached him, but didn't have time to react as she stabbed the blue star into his neck.

Suddenly, his face grew purple, veins poking out from the surface as he held his breath for air.

"The slightest electromagnetic shock is running through your neck," she inched her face close to his pained one, "In a couple of minutes your head should explode."

Mando watched how Mia's whole demeanour changed. She was suddenly ruthless, not a flinch in her words as she watched the dying man.

He was about to step in, stop the pain by putting a blaster shot through the man's skull, but luckily it didn't come to that.

Finally, he spoke. "C-Canto Bight... on Cantonica. It's where our leaders spend most of their time." He said with a tightly strained voice.

"Go on." Mia prodded.

"That's it, that's all I know I swear!" Pain painted across his features.

Mia stood, turning to Mando for a look of approval. He curtly nodded.

She removed the star in his neck, leaving the other in the shoulder. He immediately fell forward, gasping for breath.

It took everything in her power to not blast the man's head off. The empire had destroyed many lives including hers. She wanted to put an end to it, send out a signal that darkness would never rule these galaxies.

But even she knew that killing one man would do nothing. She was better than that.

She made her way out of the hut, feeling the presence of the Mandalorian behind her.

"Wait!" The man's voice faded as they exited the hut, "Don't just leave me here!"

Carefully placing the stars back into her small pouch, Mia led them back in the direction of the Razor Crest.

"That was the star I picked up this morning, the one laced in poison?" He warily looked at the small weapon she tucked into her satchel.

"Good thing you were wearing gloves." she teased.

The Mandalorian fell into step behind the small woman. He would certainly think again before referring to her weaponry as 'cute'.

She was certainly full of dark surprises, and he wasn't afraid to admit that she sparked a hint of fear within him - it was thrilling.