This didn't turn out the way I wanted, but it's here! More to come, I promise :)

GENERAL TIMELINE LOCATION: A few months after 'Safety Protocols'

BUSINESS OR PLEASURE

"Can I get you anything, ma'am?"

Zakia looked up from under her sunglasses, taking in the green-skinned waitress in front of her.

"Oh, no I'm all set. Thank you though."

The woman nodded and stepped back, leaving Zakia alone in the glaring sun. It had been eight months since her miscarriage, and the first time she had taken time to enjoy herself. Self-care had been hard to rationalize, but when a bounty came up on a planet used mostly for vacations, it was hard to deny the resort with rooms available. The owner wanted the bounty off-world as soon as possible, and gave the pair of hunters a great deal on a six-day stay.

Din had insisted upon her relaxation, promising the sniper that it was going to be an easy job. Zakia was hesitant to let him go alone, but eventually swallowed the growing codependency in order to relax by a pool with pink water. The Neimoidians which managed the maintenance had gabbed about the refreshing qualities of the water, insisting she take a dive.

Zakia chewed on the idea for a few minutes, ruminating on the thought of removing the sheer cover-up on top of her swimsuit to jump in. It would reveal the ugly scars from surgery on her abdomen, but there was no one around to see besides the occasional maintenance person. One final look around assured her, and she stood from the pool chair. Sunshine from the planet's remarkably large sun warmed her back, and she reveled in the feel as opposed to the cold light of space travel. She wore a black high-waisted bottom with silver accents piecing it together and a top that mirrored it with strappy buckles in the back. With the cover-up removed, Zakia pulled her hair down and let the curls bounce down her back.

"Here goes nothing."

The water was cool against her warm skin, and Zakia blinked open to a pink field of view. The tiled walls sent sunlight spiraling across the pool in various directions. She took a moment to appreciate it before a storm of tiny bubbles interrupted her peace.

Zakia shot to the surface, coughing in surprise.

"Sorry miss! We didn't see you there."

A child's voice turned her head to the left, and she observed two small, yellow-skinned children of a race unfamiliar to her. They were human-looking, but small antennae protruded from their foreheads. One was a male and the other a female, and she deduced them rather quickly to be brother and sister.

"It-it's alright." She observed them paddling about, and couldn't help the smile that lifted her cheeks. "Are your parents around?"

"They are getting adult drinks. We're twins but our brother is older- he'll be here in a second." The boy answered. "Are your parents here?"

"Afraid not." Zakia chuckled, "We're here for work."

"Really? What kind of work?"

Zakia indulged the twins with over-exaggerated tales of adventure and mystery, purposefully leaving out any mention of bounty hunting for their younger selves. They floated on their tubes, enraptured for the few minutes she talked. It soothed some of the lingering emotions that burned hot in her belly, those that had been amiss since her child was taken away.

"You really fought one of the Gungans? Aren't they nice?" The boy, who had explained his name to be Kove, asked.

From her new perch on the edge of the pool, Zakia smiled at the curiosity before opening her mouth to answer

"Only sometimes. But I don't see how someone could be mean to this lovely lady."

Zakia's eyebrows drew together, and her eyes darted to the opposite end of the pool. A young man of the same race as the twins stood shirtless, bulging muscles on full display. He held two drinks, both with stirrers sticking out the top. She smirked at his confidence, though kept her arms crossed over her stomach to obscure the scars.

"That's a kind thing to say- uh, I didn't catch your name?"

"Sovun." He rounded the pool, holding out the drink to Zakia. "Hope you like it."

"You didn't poison it or anything crazy, right?" She countered, swirling a finger in the drink. Zakia had her nails paint the previous day, and the teal color contrasted against the orange of the drink. "I might have to hurt you back if you did."

"Lucky for you, I'm a gentleman." Sovun took a seat about a foot from her, one leg dangling into the pink pool while he propped an elbow on the other.

"I can appreciate having a lucky day every now and then." Zakia tipped the drink back, letting sweet fruit essence and tangy juice flow over her tongue. The sharp bite of alcohol was only an afterthought, and she enjoyed the smooth drink. "Good choice."

"So- business or pleasure?" Sovun asked. He ran a hand through his brown hair, avoiding the antennae on his forehead. A pair of dark glasses concealed his eyes, but Zakia was certain he was still handsome without them.

She still preferred her faceless Mandalorian, but window-shopping had never hurt someone before. Plus, she loved a good game of hard-to-get before letting them know she wasn't available.

"Business, actually." Zakia tapped her chin. "Though my partner is doing most of the work, so it's a pleasure for me."

Sovun grinned. "A pleasure for me as well."

"No business there, am I right?" She asked, kicking her feet about in the pool. The twins still splashed about, currently in a competition to see who could get from one end to the other the fastest.

"Correct. And I haven't got your name yet?"

There was a rustling of fabric behind them, and then a gruff: "Zakia."

The blonde's eyes went wide, and she bit her lip. Sovun was obviously confused, but whirled around at the sound of another man. Zakia only observed his face, watching his eyes widen when he found himself sizing up a over-six-foot, armor-plated and armed to the teeth Mandalorian.

"What..?" Was all Sovun managed.

Inner Rim residents were always at a loss for words at the sight of a Mandalorian.

"You asked her name." Mando deadpanned. "It's Zakia."

Sovun looked at her as if confirming, and she nodded. "Ding ding, we have a winner."

Her new 'friend' looked back and forth between them, and the twins were huddled on the other side of the pool. Zakia imagined they were the slightest bit intimidated by the stony warrior hovering over their brother.

"Are you ready to go?" Mando asked, electing to ignore Sovun's presence all together.

"You're done already?" Zakia stood, rotating completely. Sovun followed slowly, still confused as to the dynamics of the situation.

"I told you it wouldn't take long." Mando reached a hand out, leather biting into her hip as he placed his hand there.

Zakia went freely into his side despite the strangeness of public affection where Mando wass concerned. Sovun suddenly had a look of recognition, and took a couple steps back.

"Really nice talking to you, Zakia." He said, waving awkwardly as he went to talk to his siblings.

"You too, Sovun." She replied, just to bother Mando further.

The overprotective nature of him combined with the emotion from their combined loss had caused him to be a tad more domineering when it came to outsiders, but Zakia didn't mind. She thought the alpha-male act was attractive, and couldn't help but rub his arm between plates as the three yellow-skinned creatures bustled away from the pool.

"Friends of yours?" Din asked when they were out of earshot.

Zakia chuckled, wrapping an arm around his waist and squeezing. The cool metal of his cuirass was a relief in the hot sun. "Just some nice people I met. You didn't have to scare them away."

Din started leading her to the port where ships were docked, and a belt running across the resort to keep people moving as fast as possible sped up the process. It reminded Zakia of various spaceports she'd visited for tourist purposes.

The Razor Crest came into view as they got closer , and Din looked at her carefully. "It's my job to scare people away. Besides-"

The Mandalorian snatched her wrist when she went to manually open the Crest's man door. He instead nudged her into a concealed area between hull and wing.

"-I know you like to tease people sometimes."

The words were low, slipping out under the brim of Mando's helmet with little modulation. His hands slipped down her sides, and Zakia raised hers to cup the sides of his helmet

"I really enjoy teasing you." She murmured, tugging down his cowl and pressing open-mouthed kisses to his neck.

The Mandalorian pinned her to the cold metal of the ship, causing Zakia to arch up against him in an attempt to escape the cold.

"Don't I know it."

Zakia's laugh was music to his ears, and he continued to wander his hands about her body. Her deft fingers wound themselves into his belt, pushing back.

"As much as I appreciate the tough-guy act, I know you're not taking that bucket off out here." She whispered low enough he could hear, and the words sent a thrill down Din's spine.

"And what exactly do you think I'm planning that the helmet needs to come off?"

Zakia raised her gaze to where she imagined his eyes to be, raking her hands down his chest and pressing up against his groin in the meantime.

"I thought you wanted to strip me down and spank me, but I do have other things to get done." She murmured with a weak attempt to break out of his grasp.

Mando's hands latched on her waist, and she almost felt the air around them heat up. "I think that's even better than what I had planned."

A flush of arousal swept over her body. Zakia's hands tightened on the Mandalorians arms, and her pupils dilated despite the daytime light. "My ideas usually are better than yours."

"If you don't drop the attitude I might have to gag you before I spank you." Din ground out, turning to hustle them both into the ship.

"Not if I bind your hands first." Zakia snarked.

Mando's hands snatched her wrists from behind, and the leather was soon replaced by cold steel.

"Good luck with that." With his words, the ship was plunged into darkness.

Zakia stood motionless despite the heat pulsing in her abdomen, listening to the sound of fabric shifting. She smiled at the pneumatic hiss of his helmet seal.

"Where are you?" Zakia was well aware he was playing games with her, and she enjoyed it immensely.

"Right here."

Zakia was snatched from behind and nudged to the wall, where Din's hands wandered her swimsuit-clad body. Her bound hands brushed his arousal, and Zakia pressed her hips into him.

"What are you doing, patting me down?"

Lips finally made their appearance on her neck, moving up and down at an excruciatingly slow pace. Din's teeth sunk into her shoulder, and she gasped.

"This is much better than a pat down."