Things had had changed since Tatooine.
It's subtle, but the difference is there. Before, Jana didn't think twice when the Mandalorian would instruct her to stay in the cockpit so he could eat, or do whatever it is he does when he takes off his helmet. Now, Jana can't stop thinking about what he looks like under the beskar.
Jana has a feeling he's human, like her. There are a million possibilities that flutter into her mind's eye as she's unavailable to stop her curious mind from wandering. Her favourite to picture, however, is a man with dark eyes and a strong jaw.
He's never gone for long. After minutes he comes back to the cockpit, or calls for Jana from the hull, ensuring she eats as well. They spend their time sparring, cleaning and caring for weaponry, and being in company. Most of the time, they're in silence other than the Child's babbling.
Jana doesn't mind the quiet, she had spent so long occupying empty space with explanations of assignments, or her handler telling her she's a disgrace.
The quiet is a nice change.
He's gentle with her. The tone of his voice is never too demanding or harsh, and Jana often feels like his soft words wrap around her like a set of arms after a long day. On both sides there's a kindness, and understanding that comes with the softest lingering touches on the shoulder, or the hand that seem to make Jana's heart pick up slightly in the weeks following their departure from the desert planet.
He's more touchy, too. Nothing demanding or harsh, just soft squeezes of the hand, or touches of her back. Jana suspects that he feels guilty for what happened when he left her alone with Toro, a mistake that belonged purely to Jana, and the small embraces are his form of making up for it. Jana, who hadn't experienced much softness in her life, feels warm whenever she feels his hands, so she had obviously started reciprocating the actions.
They had grown to know each other in a way Jana hadn't experienced before.
So much had shifted, but so much stays the same.
"Stay close to me," The Mandalorian says as he steers the Razor Crest into the landing bay of the outpost they had been approaching. He had reached out to an old contact about a job, one with a huge paycheck that would support the bounty hunter, the assassin, and their little green Child for a little while.
From her seat, Jana smirks playfully, "You worry too much."
She chuckles when the Mandalorian looks over his other shoulder, to where the Child sits, "This is a bad idea."
When he deploys the landing gears, the brunette woman can hear a sigh come from the Mandalorian's modulator, his breath crackling slightly as he lands the ship, "Come with me."
So, Jana does, picking up the Child once the Razor Crest had been landed. The Mandalorian leads his partner down to the lower level of the ship, stopping once he reaches his armoury. Jana sets the Child in the cot-compartment, closing the hatch with the press of a button before joining her partner. Wordlessly, Jana watches as the Mandalorian opens the swinging doors he had been waiting by, revealing a plethora of various blasters, projectiles, and explosives. So many that Jana can't find the words to say as she steps closer to look at the weaponry.
"Take one," The Mandalorian instructs, his voice firm and commanding.
Jana's brows raise as she looks to the blasters, "What?"
"Take a blaster," And when Jana continues to look at him blankly, the Mandalorian adjusts his stance under her stare, "Please," Jana takes a second to look at the selection, her brown eyes scanning over the shelves carefully before she picks one up from the bottom.
Feeling the weight of it in her palm, she holds it up, seeing how it feels. The hilt is slightly too big for her hand, but it's lighter than her blaster. There's a small scope on the top of it, and magnets to keep the entire weapon balanced along its sides.
"These people we're working with," Mando starts after a second, his voice winding around Jana in a way she had become accustomed to in their time together. Comforting, strong, "If they find out who you are, they won't hesitate to do something. It's best that they don't find out."
Jana looks up at her partner, holding the sleek grey blaster in her palm between them as she processes his words, "Lots of people want to kill me," Jana deadpans, "That's no reason to hide."
"Today it is," Mando utters out. His hands find Jana's shoulders, and she knows he's acting out of care and protectiveness than anything else, "Please, trust me on this."
Looking into his t-visor, Jana allows herself to picture a set of dark eyes looking down at her, and she sighs, "Okay."
"I just," The Mandalorian seems to hesitate, his grip on his partner's shoulders growing lighter as he lingers there, "I won't let anything happen to you, alright? I need you to be safe."
So, Jana turns from him, taking her blaster out of her holster and setting it onto the shelf of Mando's collection, filling her empty holster with the gun she had just taken, satisfying her partner. She also takes off her cloak, hanging it from a hook before she takes her hair out of the low bun she had secured it in, letting her long brown hair fall down her back, her implant now hidden.
Satisfied, the Mandalorian turns to the door's control panel, about to hit the button to lower the ramp when Jana quietly says, "I need to keep you safe, too," His helmet tilts down to her as she appears by his side, her usual playful smirk gracing her lips yet again, "I'm with you, Tin can."
She can hear the faintest of chuckles come from the helmet, "Stay close," He states, deploying the ramp.
When they enter the hangar, Jana doesn't like the looks they draw. All sense of security that she just had, her cloak, the option to extend her implant, and her blaster; gone. She sticks by the Mandalorian's side, hoping he can't feel her immediate change in demeanor as she keeps her eyes focused straight ahead, trying ignore the stares of people as they pass. The brush of Mando's arm against hers is enough to calm Jana's nerves enough that her breaths remain even.
"Mando!" A voice calls out, drawing their attention. Jana's gaze turns to a heavy-set man with a big beard who approaches them, "Is that you under that bucket?"
"Ran," Mando greets, extending his hand and shaking the man's hand. When he releases his grip, the Mandalorian motions to his partner, "This is my crewmate."
Ran extends a hand to the brunette, and she gingerly takes it, giving the stranger a polite smile, "Jana," She nods.
"Good to meet you," Ran says before turning his attention back to the Mandalorian, "I didn't really know if I'd ever see you around these parts again. It's good to see you," Ran puts and arm around Mando, guiding him in the direction he had come from, Jana remaining close to his other side, as requested, "I was a little surprised when you reached out to me. You know cause I... I hear things," Ran pauses, stepping away from Mando slightly, "Like maybe things between you and the Guild aren't working out."
The mention of the association makes Jana tense up immediately as Mando easily responds, "I'll be fine."
"Okay," Ran nods, "Well, you know the policy, no questions," Ran puts a hand on the Mandalorian's shoulder, "And you, you're welcome back here anytime."
Jana stays silent, Ran's words doing little to calm her nerves. No questions. That means it's unlikely that whoever she's about to meet will be asking about Nevarro.
Ran leads Jana and the Mandalorian across a catwalk that looks down on the facility, full of welders and mechanics fixing ships. When Jana looks closer, she sees massive amounts of weaponry, letting her know what kind of establishment this truly is.
"So, what's the job?" Mando asks after a while.
"Yeah," Ran starts, "One of our associates ran afoul of some competitors and got himself caught. So, I'm putting together a crew to spring him. It's a five person job, I've got four," Ran tilts his head back to look at Jana, "Six, now. All I need is the ride, and you brought it."
Jana turns, her eyes landing on the Razor Crest, the ship she had been able to call a home for the past few months, "The ship wasn't part of the deal," The Mandalorian grumbles out, voicing Jana's own thoughts.
"Well, the Crest is the only reason I let you back in here," Ran states, and Jana watches as Mando tilts his helmet at the man, tension filling the air, "What's the look?" Ran asks, getting closer to the bounty hunter, "Is that gratitude?" Ran's laugh makes Jana feel even more unsteady, "Uh-huh," He nods, "I think it is."
When Ran walks away, Jana stays by the Mandalorian, who leans on the catwalk's railing, "I don't like this," She whispers after a moment.
"Neither do I," The Mandalorian mumbles back before nodding in the direction Ran had went, signalling for them to go after him.
When they catch up to Ran, he's back on the gound floor, "Hey Mayfield!" He calls out, making a man turn around. Jana looks him up and down, he's a bald man dressed all in black, a backpack secured tightly to him.
"Yeah?" Mayfield responds as he turns around, his eyes landing on Jana and her partner. Immediately, Jana focuses in on the many holsters strapped to the man, the sight of them almost making her snicker. It's a little overkill.
"This is Mando, the guy I was tellin' you about. We used to do jobs way back when," Ran introduces, "And his crewmate, Jana."
"This is the guy?" Mayfield asks as he approaches, his brows furrowed.
"Yeah, we were all young, trying to make a name for ourselves," Ran explains before chuckling, "Yeah, but running with a Mandalorian, that was..." Ran trails off, "That brought us some reputation."
"Oh yeah?" Mayfield remarks, "What did he get out of it?"
"I asked him one time," Ran says before turning his gaze to the Mandalorian, "You remember what you said, Mando?" When her partner doesn't respond, Ran simply states, "Target practice."
Jana raises a brow, suddenly aware of how little she knows about her partner as Ran laughs, repeating the two words, "Target practice," Before turning to look fondly upon the bounty hunter, "We did some crazy stuff, didn't we?"
"That was a long time ago," The Mandalorian states, voice even and unwavering, making Ran's laughter fade.
"Well," Ran sighs, "Well, I don't go out anymore, you understand? So, uh, Mayfield, he's gonna run point on this job," Looking over at the man as he's mentioned, Mayfield waves sarcastically towards Jana, who keeps her expression neutral, "If he says it, it's like it's coming from me. You and your crewmate good with that?"
The Mandalorian looks to Jana for a moment before he lifts his helmet, stare on Mayfield, "You tell me."
The words make Ran let out another belly laugh, "You haven't changed one bit."
"Yeah, well, things have changed around here," Mayfield sneers before turning away.
Ran leans toward Mando and Jana, "Yeah, well, Mayfield, he's... He's one of the best triggermen I've ever seen," Jana's attention peaks at this, biting back her smirk at the next words, "Former imperial sharpshooter."
Jana can't help herself, "That's not saying much," She states. He had worked with a few who claimed to be sharpshooters in the past, and if they were imperial, they usually weren't much, especially compared to Killshot herself.
Hearing her words, Mayfield whips around, "I wasn't a stormtrooper, sweetheart!"
Smirking to herself, "Sweetheart," Jana lowly repeats.
Ran looks to Jana, a smile growing on his face, "Oh, I like her, Mando," Ran says, and Jana's small smirk grows slightly, "She'll fit right in."
Jana and Mando make their way closer to the ship, following Mayfield as he looks up to the vessel, "Razor Crest," Mayfield tries out loud, "I can't believe that thing can fly. Looks like a Canto Bight slot machine," Then, Mayfield gestures to a creature carrying a bunch of boxes, his skin is red and angry, horns extending from his forehead, "That good lookin' fellow there with the horns, that's Burg," At his name, Brug drops the crates, stomping over to them, "This may surprise you, but he's our muscle."
Burg steps right up to Mando, and Jana's heart beats a bit harder in her chest as they size each other up, "So this is a Mandalorian," He says after a moment, "I thought they'd be bigger," Then, Burg turns to Jana, who is even smaller than Mando, only coming up to his shoulder pauldron, "Who's this?"
Jana's skin crawls, and instinctively, she pulls out the blaster from he holster, holding it under Burg's chin, "Back up," She growls out, making Burg let out a menacing chuckle.
"She is..." Mayfield trails off, "Quick on the draw," There's another brief moment of pure tension, neither Jana or Burg backing down, before Mayfield speaks again, "Get away from the pretty girl, Burg," When he does, Jana feels Mando's hand ghost over the small of her back as she holsters the weapon. Looking up to him, she lets out a breath, giving him a reassuring nod before Mayfield continues, and his touch drops.
"The droid's name is Zero," Mayfield introduces, gesturing to a bug-looking droid.
Jana looks up at her partner immediately, seeing him zoned in on the robot as it approaches, "I thought you said you had four."
"He does," A new, feminine voice adds. Jana whips around, her eyes landing on a blue Twi'lek woman stalking towards them, flipping a small dagger in her fingers, "You're the one who brought a little friend," The comment makes Jana narrow her eyes at the stranger, "Hello, Mando."
"Xi'an," Mando breathes out, making Jana look at him questioningly.
"Tell me why I shouldn't cut you down where you stand," The Twi'lek threatens, and when she lunges at the bounty hunter, her knife raised a few inches below his cape-covered throat.
He doesn't flinch, "It's nice to see you, too."
Xi'an lets out a manic laugh, a grin spread over her face, "I missed you," Uncomfortably, Jana shifts as Xi'an taps her dagger on the Mandalorian's chest plate, "This is shiny. You wear it well."
Resisting the urge to shoot the Twi'lek, Jana resorts to staring holes through her as she stays close to the Mandalorian. Biting down on the inside of her cheek, Jana's hand moves to the blaster, deciding that if the woman doesn't back off in the next few seconds, she'll prove Mayfield isn't the best shot in the hangar.
"Do we need to leave the room or something?" Mayfield sarcastically asks.
"Well, Xi'an's been a little heartbroken since Mando left our group," Ran explains.
Jana huffs, drawing the Twi'lek's gaze as she quirks a brow, "How tragic," Xi'an tilts her head at Jana, running her eyes over her, "You gonna be able to manage?"
Xi'an moves away from the Mandalorian, taking an opportunity to inspect Jana closely. Jana's grip on the blaster tightens as she feels Xi'an run her blade over the brunette's shoulder, "I'm all business now. Learned from the best," Xi'an quietly says, "Who might you be?"
There's nothing Jana wants more than to extend her scope and make the Twi'lek back up in fear, but Jana just clenches her jaw, not answering the question,"Move."
"Oh, somebody's brave," Xi'an tuts, bringing her knife up to the base of Jana's throat, "A little jealous, maybe?"
"Move."
"Or what?"
Jana doesn't back down, her finger sliding onto the trigger of the blaster in her holster, "Or I'll make you."
"As entertaining as that would be," Ran interrupts as Jana and Xi'an continue to size each other up, "Let's save it for after the job. We don't have much time."
Before she steps away, Xi'an slyly mutters, "No promises."
Jana lets out the breath she had been holding when the Twi'lek turns away, throwing a wink over her shoulder. Keeping her position, Jana clutches tight to the blaster as Burg steps up to Mando again, grunting in his face before letting out a low grumble Jana can barely label as a laugh, "Tiny."
When he stalks away, Jana finally releases the blaster, clenching and unclenching her fists. She hasn't felt this uneasy since the last time she returned to the Handler.
"So," Jana breathes out after a moment, "You and the Twi'lek?"
"It was a long time ago."
Jana nods, "Right," She swallows the bitter feeling she can't explain, "Let's just get this done."
---
Minutes later, the entire crew reconvenes around a table other than the droid, who sits in the cockpit of the Razor Crest.
"So," Mayfield begins, "The package is being moved on a fortified transport ship," The supposed sharpshooter hits a button, displaying a hologram of the ship they'd be boarding, "Now, we've got a limited window to board, find our friend, and get him out of there before they make their jump."
Jana's heart leaps to her throat, "That's a New Republic prison ship," The brunette snaps, bringing the whole crew's eyes to her, "Your friend didn't run out of luck with competition. He was arrested."
Mayfield leans on the console, "So what, sweetheart?" Then, he looks to the Mandalorian, "This is some crewmate you found."
"A job is a job," Ran states.
But of course, Jana's partner has her back, "That's a max security transport and we're not looking for that kind of heat."
Mando is right. Jana knows one thing when it comes to the New Republic; she's wanted for generations of assassinations, murders, genocides, and war crimes. If she's found out as Killshot, she'd be arrested in a second for her crimes, as well as the crimes of the Killshots before her.
"Well, neither are we," Ran says, "So just don't mess up."
Xi'an approaches, "The good news for you is the ship is manned by droids. You still hate the machines, Mando?"
When the Twi'lek gets close again, Jana clenches her jaw, taking a sidestep closer to her partner, their arms touching and bringing the Mandalorian's attention back to her.
"Despite recent modifications, the ship is still quite a mess," Zero announces as he come out of the ship, approaching the group, "The power lines are leaking, the navigation is intermittent, and the hyperdrive is only operating at sixty seven point three percent efficiency. We have much better ships, why are we using this one?"
"'Cause the Razor Crest is off the old Imperial and New Republic grid," Ran explains, "It's a ghost."
"Yeah," Mayfield agrees, "And we need a ship that can get close enough to jam New Republic code. So," Mayfield directs attention back to the hologram, "When we dropout of hyperspace here, we immediately bank into this kind of attitude we should be right in their blind spot, which will give us just enough time for your ship to scramble our signal."
The Mandalorian looks over the map for a second, "It's not possible," He says, "Even for the Crest."
"That's why he's flying," Ran states, nodding to Zero. Jana can feel Mando tense beside her as Mayfield laughs at him. Once again, Jana finds herself clenching her jaw in annoyance, "Mando, I know you're a pretty good pilot but we need you on the trigger. Not the wheel. Your crewmate, too."
"I'm not much of a sharpshooter," Jana mutters cooly, looking up to Mayfield for her own amusement. The ex-imperial smirks at her, and Jana can't wait to outshoot him when the time comes.
Zero pipes up next, "Don't worry Mandalorian. My response time is quicker than organics. And, I'm smarter too."
When Zero heads back to the ship, Jana raises a brow when Ran pats him on the shoulder joint before leaning close to Mando, "Forgive the programming. He's a little rough around the edges. But, he's the best."
The Mandalorian points to where the droid had walked off to, "How do you know you can trust it?"
Jana can't help herself as she looks up and sees Xi'an staring at her beside Mando, flipping her knife in her hands, before mumbling, "I was just thinking the same thing about the Twi'lek," Under her breath.
"You know me, Mando," Ran says, putting a hand around the Mandalorian's shoulders, not hearing the brunette woman's comment, "I don't trust anybody."
Jana heads up into the ship, Mando following close behind as Ran yells something up at him that Jana doesn't catch before the Mandalorian closes the door.
---
It only takes a matter of seconds for Xi'an to mention her relationship with the Mandalorian again as they enter space. Meaning its a matter of moments before Jana is climbing up to the cockpit to avoid hearing about it.
She's angrily mumbling to herself when she reaches her partner, who is watching the droid in the pilot's chair with an aura of distrust.
Her words are quiet, yet rushed, drawing the Mandalorian's gaze, "You're upset."
"You're observant," Jana responds, leaning on the doorway, "I don't trust her."
"Xi'an?"
"Who else?" The Mandalorian sighs, seeing the woman's frustration as she continues, "I can't believe you and her were-" Jana struggles to find a word.
The Mandalorian doesn't give her the chance, looking to Zero before lowly muttering, "It was never like that."
"Never like what?"
"What you're thinking it was."
The affirmation makes Jana's anger lessen, and she nods, "Sorry, I just-" She pauses, thinking over her words, "I don't like that she knows you more than I do."
The hushed words linger in the air, and Jana thinks she sounds childish. In her time with the Mandalorian he had come to know her better than anyone. She can't help but think of their evenings on Sorgan, and the many heartfelt conversations they shared. The Mandalorian had shared with her how he was a foundling, and the covert took him in as their own after he lost his parents. A story that had made her tear up at the time. He had shared so much, but at the same time he left out an entire chapter of his life. The same one they're about to relive. Now, in the cockpit with a crew about to infiltrate a prison ship to break out a convicted criminal, Jana feels like her partner is far away, even though he stands by her side.
She can hear him take a breath, his gaze shifting over to Zero again briefly before returning to Jana. Then, she watches as he raises his hands, one of them peeling the leather glove off of the other.
Both curiosity and shock flood through Jana at the sight. He's revealed his skin to her, and Jana's hunch that he's a human is confirmed as he takes her hand, making her breath hitch in her throat from the contact. Suddenly, her heart is beating a mile a minute as she looks down at their hands, skin to skin. His flesh is slightly calloused, a bit rough against Jana's palm, and it's somehow all that she ever expected. It's something so small, but it means too much. Jana marvels at the view as Mando's hand, a few shades more bronzed than her own fair skin, gives her hand a firm squeeze.
"Nobody knows me like you do," The Mandalorian whispers, and any doubts she had just been feeling are wiped from the slate.
With the risk of one of the things he trusts the least, a droid, in the room, the Mandalorian reveals a new part of himself to Jana, one that takes her breath away.
When he gives her hand one last squeeze before putting his glove back on. The warmth of his touch fades all too quickly, leaving Jana's entire being feeling cold. Then, he reaches into his belt, taking out a comm link and handing it to her, "Take this, just in case." Jana pockets the device, not asking questions.
Breaking her out of her trance is Zero behind the controls. Jana had almost forgotten the droid was there, "Calculations complete. Jumping to hyperspace now," Sure enough, beyond the glass windows of the Razor Crest the stars seem to stretch for a moment before the ship is thrush forward at lightspeed. Zero's head angles itself to Jana and the Mandalorian, "Feel free to join the others. I will handle it from here."
Frowning, Jana follows the Mandalorian down the ladder to the hull just as Burg lets out a deep, guttural laugh that makes uneasy goosebumps appear on the brunette's skin. He's in the armory, looking around at the various weapons.
Wordlessly, as soon as he's off of the ladder, the Mandalorian hits a button on his gauntlet, closing the armory's doors. Confused, Burg lets out a grunt before slamming on the compartment once. When he turns to face Mando, he reaches for something else as Jana finds a seat. The Mandalorian grabs the creature's wrist, and suddenly they're face to face, once again sizing each other up.
"Hey, hey, hey," Mayfield pipes up, directing his words at the Mandalorian,"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm a little particular about my personal space too. So, let's just do this job. We get in, we get out, and you don't have to see our faces anymore."
"Someone tell me why we even need a Mandalorian," Burg growls out, glaring down at the armoured bounty hunter.
Mayfield leans back where he's sitting, "Well, apparently they're the greatest warriors in the galaxy, so they say."
"Then why are they all dead?" Burg asks, both he and Mayfield laughing.
Jana feels her anger spike again, and she scoffs, "You wanna go toe to toe with him, Mayfield?"
The man looks to her as his laugher fades and an ever present smirk reappears on his lips, "I'm just saying, that's what I've heard," Jana rolls her eyes and Mayfield leans forward to get a better look at the woman across from him, "What about you, sweetheart? Why do we need you here?"
Jana smirks right back at him, "You said it yourself, I'm quick on the draw."
"How'd you end up with him?" Mayfield asks, gesturing to the Mandalorian.
"Got bored on Tatooine," Jana smoothly lies, arching her brow slightly, "Mando gave me a ticket out of the dune sea and I took it."
"Hm," Mayfield hums, "I don't buy it. Doesn't sound like the Mando I've heard about," When Jana doesn't say anything, not wanting to add fuel to any sort of flame, Mayfield looks to the Twi'lek, who is balancing a tagger on the tip of her finger, "Well, you've flown with him, Xi'an, is he as good at they say?"
"Ask him about the Job on Azloc Three," Xi'an automatically says, not taking her eyes off of the dagger.
Jana doesn't expect the Mandalorian so speak next, "I did what I had to."
A simple sentence that holds so much weight. One that Jana had spoken to many times herself.
The Twi'lek takes her dagger into her other hand as she points to Mando, "Oh, but you liked it," She replies slyly, "See, I know who you really are."
If it hadn't been for Mando's skin on hers just a few moments ago, this would have bugged Jana to know end. Subtly, she takes a deep breath to calm herself. Nobody knows me like you do.
"He never takes off the helmet?" Mayfield asks.
Xi'an lets out a chuckle before putting on a mockingly deep voice, "This is the way."
Mayfield hums before looking to the Mandalorian, Jana's irritation building by the second, "I wonder what you look like under there. Maybe he's a Gungan. Is that why yousa don't wanna show your face?"
Burg lets out a loud laugh, and it takes everything in Jana not to pull out the blaster. Or better yet, to go to the armoury and take out her own weapon, letting the crew know who she really is and who's really in charge.
"You ever seen his face?" Mayfield asks, nodding towards Jana. The brunette doesn't respond, she just stands and walks over to her partner, feeling the need to be close to him as she leans on the wall beside him, "Xi'an?"
The Twi'lek lets out a soft gasp, running a hand over her lekku, "A lady never tells."
Jana clenches her jaw, forcing herself not to believe the blue woman. She had been assured that it wasn't true before this whole interaction started.
"Awe come on, Mando," Mayfield continues, his smirk starting to bother Jana, "We all gotta trust each other here. You gotta show us something. Come on, just lift the helmet up." Then, quieter, as Burg stands up Mayfield utters, "Let us see your eyes."
"I'll do it," Burg growls out, but when he reaches for the Mandalorian, Jana steps in front of him, grabbing the beast's wrist and pulling out the blaster from her holster. When Burg swings his other hand, Jana easily uses his momentum to redirect her bigger opponent, kicking his back as he overswings. As he falls, Jana raises the blaster in perfect aim on him, ready to shoot if he tries anything else. Trying to get his bearings, Burg grabs onto the wall, when he does, he hits a button.
The button that opens the compartment they had hid the Child in. Jana lowers her blaster, her eyes wide as she looks to the kid, who lets out a happy coo.
"Whoa!" Mayfield exclaims at the sight, standing up and walking over, "What is that?! You get lonely up here, buddy? Huh?" Jana clutches the blaster in her hand tighter, not liking how close Mayfield is getting. The supposed sharpshooter looks between Mando and Xi'an, "Wait a minute, did you two make that? Huh? What is it like a pet or something?"
"Yeah," The Mandalorian flatly says, appearing by Jana's side, "Something like that."
"Didn't take you for the type," Xi'an smirks, dagger still in hand as she gets close, "Maybe that code of yours has made you soft," Jana sidesteps in front of the Mandalorian, unable to help her actions as she stares down the Twi'lek, who's smirk turns into a manic smile, "Oh, you've got a protective one here, Mando. I don't think she likes me."
The Mandalorian's response is dry, but it makes Xi'an take a step back, "No, she doesn't."
"Me," Mayfield suddenly announces, and Jana has to resist pulling the gun on him when continues eyeing the Child, "I was never really into pets. Yeah, I didn't have the temperament. Patience, you know? I mean I tried, but never worked out. But I'm thinking," Mayfield says, picking up the Child, "Maybe I'll try again with this little fella."
Jana feels her own anger bubbling, and when she glances over at the Mandalorian, she doesn't have to see his face to know he feels the same way. When Mayfield jolts a bit, pretending to drop the baby, Jana nearly loses her cool. Upon seeing that he's joking, Jana composes herself, holstering the blaster she had been clutching as Mayfield and Xi'an chuckle at the ever-protective Jana and Mando.
Then, Zero's monotone, robotic voice comes through the intercom, "Dropping out of hyperspace now."
The ship shakes, and Jana would have fallen to the floor if the Mandalorian hadn't secured his arm around the woman's waist, pulling her tightly against him and grabbing at a low hanging piece of netting to brace himself.
"Commencing final approach now," Zero announces, "Cloaking signal now."
The ship jolts harshly as the droid continues making announcement after announcement, "Engaging coupling now," Jana grunts as both she and Mando fall, her back making a harsh impact that knocks the wind out of her, the Mandalorian catching himself in time so he doesn't crush the smaller brunette. Due to the impact, the Child falls from Mayfields arms, whining loudly as he skids across the ground a few inches from Jana.
She's quick to grab the little creature, hugging him to her chest so he doesn't come to anymore harm, the Mandalorian hovering over them.
"Coupling confirmed, we are down," Zero proclaims. Wordlessly, The Mandalorian takes the Child from Jana before he helps her stand to her feet, "And relax. Commence extraction now."
Mando runs the Child back to its compartment, shutting the door as Jana tosses her hair over her shoulder, Xi'an growling out, "Useless droid didn't even give us a proper countdown."
Feeling eyes on her, she turns to see Mayfield staring at her intensely, "What?" She asks, brows furrowed.
"Nothing," Mayfield responds, his smirk gone as he pulls out a comm link, "You just look really familiar all of a sudden, s'all," Jana keeps from rolling her eyes, moving her hair back to where it was, "Z, you sure they can't see us?" Mayfield asks into his comm.
"You okay?" Mando quietly asks, and Jana nods her head, listening as Zero responds, "The Razor Crest is scrambling our signature, and I am inside the prison system. It's impressive that this gunship has survived the Empire without being impounded."
"Alright," Mayfield announces, "We've got a job to do, Mando, you're up. You too, sweetheart."
Jana follows the Mandalorian to the coupling hatch, kneeling down beside him as he hits a button on his gauntlet, opening it. From the corner of her eye, Jana can see Xi'an and Mayfield whispering to each other, and Jana doesn't trust them for a single second.
Jana moves to a nearby compartment, pulling out the coupling decoder and handing it to her partner, who plugs it in and lets it do its thing. The red light on it blinks for a moment that seems to stretch on forever before it glows green.
When the Mandalorian stands up, the hatch to the prison ship now open, everyone looks to Mayfield, "It's me?" He asks.
"Always you," Burg confirms.
With a blaster in hand, Mayfield pokes his head through the hole, scoping it out before bringing himself back in. Then, after a few seconds, he lowers himself into the New Repiblic ship.
Xi'an goes next, her entrance quick and fluid.
Then, Burg drops in, a loud thud booming through the hall as he enters.
Jana takes a deep breath before she crouches before the hatch, grabbing onto the metal bars and swinging down, getting out of the way so the Mandalorian can drop down right after her.
"Alright, we're on the clock," Mayfield announces, "The second we engage those droids they're gonna be all over us."
"I know the drill," The Mandalorian states.
Zero says something over Mayfield's comm that Jana doesn't catch before the supposed sharpshooter is leading the way, blaster raised. Jana pulls her gun from her holster, holding it out as she follows, the Mandalorian closely behind her.
They turn a few corners, jogging down the empty hallways lined with cells. The prisoners look between the bars, checking out the crew as they pass. Jana catches glimpses of various aliens, creatures, and humans, some of them in very distinct imperial uniforms that make Jana's uneasiness grow.
"I don't like this," The Mandalorian grumbles after a while.
Xi'an's smirk is sickening, "You always were paranoid."
"Is that true, Mando?" Mayfield teases, "Were you always paranoid?"
Then, a prisoner slams on the door to his cell, and Jana whips around, keeping the blaster in her hand raised as her heart settles. When Xi'an turns to snarl at the prisoner, Jana turns to Mando, giving him a look to portray her unease.
"Approaching control room," Zero says through Mayfield's comm, "Make a left at the next juncture."
The entire squad presses themselves against the wall, waiting for Mayfield's cue. When he waves them forward, the Mandalorian and Jana head out around the corner, the brunette behind the beskar-armoured Mandalorian as they tuck themselves behind a pillar on the wall.
Turning, Jana can't help but roll her eyes when she sees Xi'an and Burg walk out into the middle of the hall that leads to the control room, not a care for discretion between the two.
Huffing in her own frustration, Jana and the Mandalorian join them just as a small sweeper droid rounds the corner. Jana jumps to alert, not pulling the trigger.
Burg lets out a laugh at the rest of the team, who each have their weapons drawn, "What?" The alien chuckles out, "It's just a little mousey."
As Burg heads towards it, the droid skitters away, making Burg frown and draw his blaster, shooting the droid and making Jana yell out, "What are you doing?!"
"No, Burg! What are you doing?!" Mayfield yells at almost the same time, making the two sharpshooters look to each other.
Then, a set of security droids round the corner. Being the first to spot them, Jana opens fire, her blasts meeting the droids, "Intruder alert, open fire," The droids let out before the collapse, Jana's fire being too much before the Mandalorian is pulling her back behind the pillar.
"Less accurate," The Mandalorian quietly grumbles, firing as more droids round the corner.
Jana clenches her jaw, "Can't help it," She grits out, adrenaline starting to fuel her system. However, she listens, purposely aiming off target. There are four droids shooting towards them now, both Jana and Mayfield setting down the best fire they can with the little cover they have.
More than anything, Jana wants to take out the droids herself, but she listens to her partner, missing shots on purpose, keeping her at the same level as Mayfield.
"We're too exposed here!" Xi'an calls out.
"If they get a signal out, it's not gonna matter!" Mayfield yells back.
Jana looks to the Mandalorian, "Go," She whispers, and like a ghost, her partner wanders off, no one else on the crew seeing him as he disappears. Jana continues shooting, and from the corner of her eye the brunette sees a mechanical arm emerge from Mayfield's bag with a blaster on it, shooting at the droids as well.
"Mando let's go!" Mayfield demands, "You're supposed to be something special!" But, when he turns to the Mandalorian, he sees that he had vanished. Mayfield's eyes widen, "I knew it! I knew it!"
Jana rolls her eyes at the man just as the Mandalorian rounds the corner behind the droids, "What did you know Mayfield?" Jana growls out, a smirk on her face as Mando draws his vicroblade.
Her smirk growing, Jana watches in wonder as the Mandalorian runs to the droids, sliding across the floor and taking one down with the blade. Rising, he kicks another one down and blasts another. When one of the standing droids shoots at him, the blast bouncing off of his beskar before he turns and shoots the robot that had fired. Another droid shoves the Mandalorian against one of the cells, his vicroblade already in its core. When it tries to punch him, Mando dodges it, plucking his blade from the droid and tossing it at another one, landing it in a central processor.
Jana starts to creep forward as Mando is knocked down, from his back, he fires his wire, wrapping it around a droid and yanking, making the robot clank into another.
Two more droids round the corner, and when they start firing blasts, Jana can't help it, her protectiveness taking over. She fires at the same time they do, her blasts meeting theirs in the air, cancelling them out completely. She knows she draws Mayfield's stare as she gives the Mandalorian time to get up, but Jana can't bring herself to care.
Getting onto his knees, Mando ignites his flamethrowers at the incoming droids, his other arm sending out his cable yet again, yanking and taking out one of the droids completely. He grabs a discarded blaster from the ground, turning and shooting the last of the droids through the processor, and letting it drop to the floor.
He tosses the blaster aside, panting, "You shouldn't have done that," He tells Jana quietly as she gets close.
As the team processes Mando's skills, Jana looks him through the t-visor, "Yeah, well, I won't let anything happen to you, either," She utters, referring to his words from when they were alone on the Razor Crest before this mission.
The crew finally steps forward, each of them eyeing the pair, "Make sure you clean up your mess," Mayfield slyly comments as he passes, his eyes moving to rake up and down Jana's figure, "Nice shooting, sweetheart."
Burg purposely hits Mando's shoulder as he passes, and Jana huffs, turning and following after the team, her partner by her side.
"It seems your presence has been detected," Zero's voice rings out from Mayfield's comm, "Redirecting security alert away from your position."
When they reach the door to the control room, Mayfield presses his comm link, "Z! Open the door!"
"But I'm detecting an organic signature."
"Yeah, okay, alright, just open the door!"
The droid obviously complies, because when the doors slide open, a new republic officer, large white helmet and all, springs up from his chair, blaster raised, "Stop!" He demands, "Just stop right there!" Even though the guard is clearly outnumbered and outgunned, he grits out, "You put your blasters down right now."
Jana follows the crew as they walk deeper into the room, blaster raised and the guard growing more nervous, "Nice shoes," Mayfield taunts, the man's white boots without a scuff.
"Put down your blasters," The scared man demands again as the crew starts to circle him.
"Matches his belt," Mayfield continues, a cocky grin on his face as he chuckles, both Xi'an and Burg finding it funny as well.
"There were only supposed to be droids on this ship," The Mandalorian says, bringing the Guard's aim to him.
"Hang on, hang on," Mayfield tuts, "Let's see here, uh..." He trails off, inspecting a manifest of cells and prisoners, "Cell two two one," Then he turns back around, "Alright, now, for our well-dressed friend."
Then, before anyone react, the guard pulls something out of his pocket, and Jana's heart drops.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," Mayfield reacts, holding out his hand, "Hey, hey. Easy. Easy, there egghead. Put that down. Put that down, come on."
"Easy," Mando lets out.
"Put it down, now!" Mayfield harshly demands, pulling out one of his blasters.
The guard had pulled out a distress beacon. Meaning he can bring the entire New Republic's artillery to them in the flick of a switch.
"Mayfield," Jana grits out, taking a small step forward. No matter what, she can't let the guard press the button, "Put it away."
"Nobody has to get hurt here," Mando adds, "Just calm down."
Burg, clueless about the situation asks, "What is that thing?"
"It's a tracking beacon," Jana responds, her voice even despite the panicked thudding of her heart, "He presses that thing and we're facing off against a New Republic attack team."
"Put it down!" Mayfield yells, urgently.
Xi'an, from her seat, tilts her head, "Are you serious?"
"Unfortunately," Jana quips back.
"You don't think we needed to know that tiny little detail?"
Jana's head whips to the Twi'lek, "You think I knew about it?!"
"Mayfield?"
The ex-imperial looks to Xi'an briefly, "I didn't think we'd get to this point!"
Xi'an's grin makes Jana's skin crawl, "Yet here we are."
"Are you questioning my managerial style, Xi'an!?"
Xi'an salutes with her dagger, "No, sir."
Jana's panic increases, and Mando addresses the guard carefully, "Hey, listen to me. Hey, hey, hey. Listen to me, okay?" The Mandalorian sets his blaster in his holster, raising his hands, "Look," Then, he turns to the crew, "Hey. Put it down." Jana doesn't argue; she trusts him. So, she sets the blaster in her holster as well, trying to ignore the clamminess of her hands.
"Are you crazy?" Mayfield asks.
Jana looks to him with sharp eyes, backing up her partner, "Put it away."
Mando holds out a hand to the scared guard, "What's your name?"
"It's Davan?"
"Davan," The Mandalorian addresses, "We're not here for you. We're here for a prisoner. If you let us do our job, you can walk away with your life."
Mayfield keeps his blaster raised, "No he won't."
Jana is seething as she redraws her blaster, pointing it at their leader and growling out, "Mayfield!" The ex-imp draws another weapon, aiming it at Jana as the Mandalorian brings out his weaponry as well, pointing it at Mayfield, "You don't know the hell you're gonna bring down on us."
"You think I care about that, sweetheart?"
"You can't kill him," Jana grits, "You understand me?"
Mayfield's gaze goes beyond Jana, "Get your crewmate's blaster out of my face, Mando."
"I can't do that," Mando states, and Jana calms slightly with the knowledge that he has her back.
The mechanical arm in Mayfield's bag aims its blaster at the partners as he yells, "Tell her to put it away, Mando!"
Burg raises his guns, and Mando turns his arm to him, threatening the use of his flamethrower, "Don't."
Then, a knife flies by Jana's shoulder, implanting itself in Davan. Flinching slightly, Jana turns, seeing Xi'an tutting with a smirk on her lips, "Would you all just shut up?"
Jana clenches her jaw, lowing the blaster as soon as Mayfield does. He utters, "Crazy Twi. I had it under control."
Xi'an crouches by the body, pulling her dagger from it, "Yeah," She grins out, "Looked like it."
Then, Jana's ears perk at the sound of a dull, rapid beep. Her blood runs cold.
The tracking beacon had been set off.
"Was that thing blinking before?" Mayfield asks lowly, dread clearly creeping over him, "Was it?"
"Zero to Mayfield," Rings out from the comm, "Zero to Mayfield."
Jana, with fear in her eyes, grabs onto Man's arm tightly, "Mando, I-I can't-"
"I know. We'll be fine," He nods, knowing the danger they're in, "I'm with you."
"I've detected a New Republic distress signal homing in on your location," Zero informs, "You have approximately twenty minutes."
The words bring urgentness to Jana's mind, so when Xi'an shrugs, the brunette is severely bothered, "We only need five," The blue Twi'lek says.
Mayfield turns to Jana, "There's gonna be more droids crawling around this place," He says, words quick and frantic, "You go take care of them and meet us at the ship."
"No," Mando firmly interjects, "She stays with me."
"Yeah, well we have six people for a five person job!" Mayfield exclaims, "What I say goes, Mando!"
Just wanting the job to be done, Jana pats the pocket that holds her commlink, Mando looking down at it, understanding the message, "It's fine," She says before looking to Mayfield, "Ten minutes."
"Ten minutes, sweetheart."
So, with one last lingering glance at the Mandalorian, Jana turns and jogs out of the control room and down the hall, blaster drawn and nerves on high alert.
---
When the cell door open, The Mandalorian's eyes land on a blue Twi'lek man. The prisoner they're here to free holds a familiar face, to say the least, "Qin," Mando says as he rises.
"Funny," Qin growls out, "The man who left me behind is now my saviour. Mando."
Then, Burg hits Mando hard, sending the bounty hunter flying into the cell the Twi'lek had just come out of, the door closing and locking itself. Mando tries to shoot, but it hits the door, the laser bouncing around the small room before it hits his beskar.
"Brother!" Xi'an joyfully exclaims as Mando sits up, Qin returning the greeting, "Sister!"
"Burg," Mayfield says, "Go find the girl. She oughta be heading back to the ship soon and if she's who I think she is, we're in for a big payday," The Mandalorian's heart drops at the sharpshooter's words. He knows Jana is Killshot, "Make it quick, attack's on the way. Mando here is already dead meat. Let's go!"
Taking deep breaths, the Mandalorian is patient with his anger, as Qin lets out, "Come on, it's better this way!"
The last thing he hears is Xi'an call out, "You deserve this!" Before their footsteps fade away, Burg's loud, heavy steps heading the opposite direction.
The Mandalorian pulls out his commlink, "Jana, come in," He grits into the device, "Jana."
There's a long pause, and the Mandalorian is about to call for her again when the voice he had been waiting for comes through loud and clear, "Mando," Jana responds, "I'm here."
"Don't go to the ship," Mando growls out, "Mayfield knows who you are, Burg is trying to find you."
"Dank ferrik. Where are you?"
"In a cell."
"What?!"
"Don't ask," Then an idea comes to mind, "Can you get back to the control room?"
"I think so. What about you?"
"I'll meet you there."
"Copy that," Jana says, not asking questions. Mando smirks under his mask at the assassin's confidence in him, "Be careful."
"You too."
---
Jana had just finished shooting down two more security droids when the Mandalorian's voice comes through the commlink. About to head to the ship, Jana changes direction to the control room, straining her ears for Burg's loud steps as she runs, blaster raised.
When she reaches the control room, Jana is quick to pull her hair back into a low pony, not seeing the point in concealing her implant anymore. As soon as she's done, she hears footsteps in the hall. So, she taps her implant, extending her scope and raising the blaster only to see her partner approaching, his hands raised.
At the sight of the Mandalorian, Jana lets out a loud sigh, hitting the metal square behind her right ear to retract her scope yet again. The brunette rushes forward, wrapping her arms around the Mandalorian, he returns the sudden embrace, holding the woman tightly for a moment before releasing her, holding her at arm's length.
"Are you okay?" Jana asks.
Mando gives her a firm nod, "Are you?"
Jana takes a breath, "Yeah," She says, turning to the control panel, "But they won't be."
Understanding what she means, Mando hits a button on the panel, and they start forming their plan.
The crew had betrayed the wrong set of partners.
---
When she hears Burg's steps, Jana hits the button that closes the door at the end of the hallway before she turns around, hiding by the door. She clutches the blaster in her hand tightly as the horned creature comes into view, walking right past her and deeper into the room.
Then, he mutters out, "Where are you, little mouse?" As he turns, his eyes finally land on the woman he had been looking for, who wears a cocky smirk.
But, before he can move, or raise a blaster, a wire falls from the ceiling, wrapping around his throat. Burg growls, clutching the cable out of surprise and looking up, finding the Mandalorian through the ceiling grates. He yanks, sending Mando coming down to their level, hard.
Jana shoots at the Devaronian, but thanks to his species' skin being so thick, the blast doesn't affect him. Jana curses under her breath, wishing she had her actual blaster with her as Mando tries to fire too, Burg grabbing his wrist and wrenching it to the side. Next, Mando fires a fleury of whistling birds, the small missiles from his gauntlet. When they have no effect, Jana runs, jumping on Burg's back and grabbing onto his horns, throwing her weight backwards as hard as she can.
Burg drops the Mandalorian, taking a few steps back before crushing Jana against a wall, making her cry out and release him. When he steps away, Jana falls to the floor, pain flooding her entire body.
Turning his attention back to the Mandalorian, Burg throws the bounty hunter against a panel, and Jana tries to catch her breath as Mando tries to roast the giant with his flamethrower. It has no effect, though, because Burg, a Devaronian, is from a planet full of fire.
Jana stands as Mando continues getting thrown around, and she draws a few knives from the back pocket of her belt. Charging forward again, Jana drives one of the blades into Burg's shoulder blade, twisting the hilt before she ducks under his arm that swings after her, adrenaline flooding through her veins.
Then, Burg manages to grab Jana by the front of her robes, lifting her up high before slamming the small woman onto the floor.
Mando steps in again, and when Jana manages to peel herself off of the tile, Mando is using the weight of their opponent to flip them over, kicking Burg near the door. Jana grabs another knife, hurling it towards the door where it lands in a panel, sparks emitting and making it drop from above and onto Burg.
Still catching her breath, Jana stands to her feet, watching with wide eyes as Burg catches the door, holding it on his shoulders as he stands, an arrogant and terrifying smile across his lips. However, it doesn't last long because Mando hits a button on a panel, the second set of doors, the ones that clasp together in the center of the doorway, crush Burg.
With the fight over, Jana pants, picking up the set of blasters the massive alien had dropped, inspecting them closely.
They turn their attention to the cameras, scanning for Xi'an and Mayfield.
Once they find them, Jana's smirk is nearly evil, "I want Xi'an," Killshot breathes out, as she turns to the door and hits the button that opens them, "I'll meet you at the ship."
Before Mando can argue, Jana is already stepping over Burg and jogging down the hall, her annoyance with the Twi'lek turning itself into a fearsome determination.
---
When Xi'an rounds the corner, her run comes to an abrupt stop as she takes in the sight before her.
Jana stands in the red-lit hallway with her implant's scope extended, a blaster in each hand, and a devilish smirk on her lips. She looks murderous in nature, enough to strike fear in anyone.
Jana is no crewmate, she's Killshot. Just as Mayfield had suspected.
Drawing her daggers, Xi'an's unsettling grin doesn't change, "I hate it when Mayfield is right."
Killshot's dangerous smirk only grows, "You know who I am," She says, tightening her grip on Burg's blasters in her hands, "Then you know what comes next."
Xi'an is the first to strike, hurling a dagger at the assassin across the hall. It's useless however, because as soon as they're heading in Killshot's direction, her scope picks them up, and they're easily shot out of the air, and Killshot begins her advance.
With every dagger Xi'an hurls, grunting with each throw, Killshot shoots them down, taking easy steps towards the Twi'lek. As she gets closer and closer, knives clattering to the ground beneath them left and right, Xi'an takes steps back and Killshot knows exactly why;
The Twi'lek is terrified.
When Killshot reaches her, Xi'an holds a knife in each hand, swinging at the assasin, who drops one of the blasters to block the attack.
It looks easy, fluid, when she does it. Killshot uses Xi'an's momentum, making the Twi'lek turn completely before she puts a blast directly into her back.
Killshot raises the blaster to her face, blowing out the small flume of smoke appearing from the tip of it, feeling more satisfied than she has in a long time.
---
Jana finds the Mandalorian just as he takes out Mayfield. After briefly checking each other over for injuries, they head to the exact area they had come in just in time to see a blue Twi'lek man attempting to climb the latter back to the ship.
"Qin!" The Mandalorian calls, getting the alien's attention as they approach.
Qin, who was on a rung of the ladder, drops back down to the floor, looking at the pair over his shoulder, "You killed the others."
"They got what they deserved."
The Twi'lek snarls, and when he draws his blaster, his confidence immediately falters when he sees the pair had already drawn theirs. Jana tilts her head slightly, mockingly, "Too slow."
"You kill me, you don't get your money," Qin slowly says, his voice low and gravelly, a smirk coming to his face, "Whatever Ran promised, I'll make sure you two get it, and more," The Twi'lek takes a step closer, looking to the Mandalorian, "Come on, Mando. Be reasonable," He drops his blaster, "You were hired to do a job, right?" Then, the Twi'lek holds out his wrists in a sign of submission, like they're to be cuffed, "So do it. Isn't that your code? Aren't you a man of honor?"
The Mandalorian doesn't say anything, he just cuffs the Twi'lek before letting Jana head up the rungs of the ladder.
Once she enters the ship, Jana looks around, remembering the droid is still there and has to be dealt with. Immediately, her eyes zone in on Zero hitting a button, opening up the open compartment Mando had placed the Child in earlier. Jana is silent, pulling the blaster out of her holster and raising is slowly as she takes aim.
Then, Jana shoots the droid right though its processing unit, watching it fall in a mess of sparks. When Zero hits the ground, Jana sees the Child, looking both surprised and confused, but unharmed.
Jana approaches the little wide eyed creature as Mando boards with Qin. She smiles down at it, "What?" She asks, picking up the kid and listening to him coo happily as he looks up at her, his long ears perking at the brunette's words, "Did you think that was you?"
---
When they reach the outpost they had come from, Jana has her hair down yet again, wanting to hide her implant.
Qin leads the way down the ramp once they've landed, Jana and Mando side by side as they walk out behind him, watching as the Twi'lek runs forward, hugging Ran as soon as he sees him, both men chuckling loudly.
Once they separate, Ran looks between Mando and Jana, "Where are the others?"
"I thought your policy was, 'No questions asked,'" Jana says, quirking her brow slightly.
Ran nods, knowing the woman is right, "Yep," He says, "That is the policy."
"We did the job," Mando asserts, his hands resting on his hips.
"Yeah, you did," Ran nods, reaching into his jacket and tossing a pouch of credits to the Mandalorian.
Mando's voice is almost mocking with his next words, "Just like the good old days."
Again, Ran nods, "Yeah. Just like the good old days."
When the Mandalorian and Jana turn away, she feels his hand on the small of her back as they ascend back up the ramp, entering the ship and closing the door. Jana is quick to retrieve the Child from the compartment they had stashed him in yet again before heading up to the cockpit, placing the kid in his seat as Mando starts the take-off process.
As soon as they're back in space, Jana leans on her partner's chair, "Think they found the tracking beacon?" She asks, referring to the small device from the control room that Mando had planted on Qin.
Just then, three New Republic X-wings come out of hyperspace, passing the Razor Crest and heading towards the base they had just left, "They're about to," Mando quips.
When Mando sends them into hyperspace, Jana holds onto his chair to keep herself steady, the sudden jolt of it making her stumble slightly, but she recovers in an instant, finally feeling like she's able to take a breath.
She watches with curious eyes and Mando unscrews the metal ball from one of the panel's levers, turning to face the Child, "I told you this was a bad idea," He says, handing the kid is favourite toy.
Jana sighs, leaning down and wrapping her arms around the Mandalorian's neck, her hands linking and resting on his chest plate, "I'm just glad it's over."
Jana watches as he takes off one of his gloves again, the sight of it making her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
When his hand meets both of hers, his thumb slowly rubbing over her soft skin, Jana almost loses her breath, the intimacy of the action bringing a small smile to her face. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't have to.
Things had changed after Tatooine, and with the feeling of his skin on hers for the second time, Jana wouldn't look back for anything.
---
A/N:
Thank you for reading!!
I. Love. This. Chapter.
Please vote and comment, tell me what you thought of this one!
What do you think will happen in the last two chapters of this first section?
Thank you again:)