A male Human named Nikk Zavod operated as a bounty hunter. Zavod asserted that he possessed knowledge of Chewbacca's whereabouts, with the aim of claiming the associated bounty. In search of a ship, he charmed Mala Mala, persuading her to position herself within the exhaust stream of her own vessel while he occupied the pilot's seat, and then initiated the engines, taking off.
The resulting blast severely burned her, and she was left for dead by her associates; however, she lived because of Chewbacca's actions, who transported her to the medical facilities aboard a starship. The ordeal left her with both physical and psychological trauma, leading her to swear off trusting any organic being other than Chewbacca.