CHAPTER II: SPOKEN

The bazaar only grew busier as the day drew on, and Zakia had to weave in between people to make her way across town. She was searching for their usual ration supplier, though the amount of people in her way only served to slow her progress. Jawas ran beneath everyone's feet, offering blaster parts and various objects that could only be described as junk. The little scavengers poked and prodded at Zakia's blasters every chance they got, some admiring and some pointing and waving, attempting to bargain.

"No trades!" She told a particularly persistent one, bending down to its level. It motioned to her face and then acted as if it was wrapping itself in an embrace. She took it as a compliment, or, as close as they could get, and laughed. "I can't help you, man."

At her shrug, the Jawa sighed pitifully and wandered away. She chuckled at his retreat, standing to survey the area. Mando and her had separated close to a half hour ago, and she had yet to get any rations.

"Damn. Focus, nerf-herder." She muttered to herself.

It took another ten minutes, but their normal food supplier welcomed her with open arms. "What can I do for my favorite couple?" The old Ishi Tib paused, pointing her wrinkled hand at Zakia. "You're still together, yes? I don't see your Mandalorian today."

"We still travel together, yes." Zakia examined some bright-colored fruits on the table, collecting the credits Mando had deposited in her pocket. "Mando's working."

"Good. Men need to work. What can I get for you?"

Zakia got their usual supplies, accepting the cloth bag the Ishi Tib packaged it in. She sorted the appropriate amount of credits and paid the woman before turning in the direction of the ship. Din had mentioned her getting a new coat but the bag of rations was large and Zakia had no desire to lug it about the market. It was enough heaving to get the bag back onto the Razor Crest.

The ship seemed much more open with the bounties gone, and Zakia stretched her arms as she hauled the bag aboard. She made her way to the small galley, packing the rations into their proper places and reorganizing items that her companion generally failed to. She stuck her mouth under the faucet, skipping the cup to get a drink of water.

"Classy."

Zakia jumped, successfully colliding her head with the low cabinet above the sink. She cursed aloud, rubbing at her damaged skull and whirling to face Din. He stood in the doorway, one shoulder leaned against the wall. But his posture didn't stick out out to her. It was his pauldron.

A brand new, Beskar-forged pauldron.

"Is that..?" Zakia trailed off, nearing Mando and reaching towards his shoulder.

"Yes."

The metal was still warmed from the forge, and it tingled beneath her fingertips.

"You went to the covert." Zakia turned to his face then, analyzing his helmet. "And they just… gave you a new pauldron?"

She knew of the Mandalorian covert on Nevarro. Din had never told her a location, but she knew it was there. The same policy as high-profile bounty issuers- the fewer who knew, the better.

"No. That was courtesy of our employer." Din told her. "Apparently, he has a camtono of Beskar waiting for me when we apprehend the target."

"A camtono?" Zakia felt a shiver run down her spine. Something wasn't right about that. Din had told her stories of the Beskar being taken during the Great Purge. About the Empire taking it. "Din, does that mean they're-"

"Yes."

Zakia's blood ran cold. While she had stayed relatively clear of the war in the bounty business, she had made acquaintances on the opposing side of the Empire. She had heard the stories and knew the legends, but having a first-hand experience was not something Zakia was particularly keen on.

"Who's the target?" She pressed.

A shrug. "No chain code. No puck. They're fifty years old. Last known position was on Arvala-7."

"Fifty? That's a little older than the normal perps." Zakia commented, momentarily forgetting who was offering the bounty. "What do the Imps want with it?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Din departed from the galley, Zakia following into the cockpit. "The Beskar will sponsor many Foundlings."

Zakia knew Din's view on Foundlings- he was one himself at a time. While they had told each other stories of their history, specifics of Mandalorian culture were lost on her. She knew the basics, of course. No living thing was to see a Mandalorian without their helmet, or they would be bound by tradition to remove it permanently. As many years as she had traveled with Din, she'd never seen his face. Felt it, even kissed it in the dark, sure. Never had she seen him. They were loopholes in the culture which Zakia had been hesitant to be a part of, but nothing came of it. There was no world-ending explosion when the helmet came off in the pitch-black of their shared quarters late at night. There was no surprise attack, just an unbearable need to feel one another.

"Ok. What's the travel time?" She asked, leaning against the back of Mando's pilot chair. He was tapping away at the Navicomputer.

"Eighteen hours, it looks like." He murmured, dropping his head back against the seat.

Zakia let her hands drop to his shoulders, gripping the pauldrons which rested there. The shiny Beskar was still warm, and she slipped her hands beneath the armor. Her fingers followed the path around his neck to unwind the complicated design of his cloak, and tugged the offending fabric away once it was free.

"Eighteen hours is enough for you to get some sleep. Go clean up and eat. I'll stay up here and get us on course." Zakia rubbed the skin of his neck, deft fingers massaging the knots out of his muscles.

"I'm not sure I want to go just yet." Din tugged Zakia around the chair and into his lap, all while piloting the ship out of Nevarro's atmosphere. He pulled her down sideways as they had on the speeder with their last bounty, but Zakia smirked. She swung one leg around until her knees were on either side of his waist. The Mandalorian used one hand to brace her lower back as the darkness of space pierced the cockpit, and Zakia smiled, leaning back to trail a hand down his chestplate.

"Zak…" Din started, using the nickname normally reserved for intimate moments.

"Din." The throaty tone drove him wild, and Din pushed his hips into hers. His hands gripped her hips, squeezing the flesh there and traveling up to cup her breasts.

Zakia sighed, dipping her head until her mouth found purchase on his neck. Din dropped his head back, allowing her better access. She was moving painfully slow, and he growled with impatience. One hand left her for the control panel, and he flipped the ship into autopilot before standing abruptly. The other hand was beneath Zakia's backside, keeping her flush against him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and she giggled when Din scrambled down the ladder while supporting both of them.

"Ready for bed yet?"

"You have no idea."

.

Deep space had eerie quiet about it that never failed to soothe Din. The hum of the Razor Crest's engines as they soared through space acted as background noise, lulling him into a sense of safety and comfort he rarely experienced otherwise. His bed was warm and soft, cushioning every sore muscle and joint he had.

Din lifted a hand in the darkness of their bunk, using his fingers to locate Zakia's face and brush across it gently. He smoothed down some of her wild curls, and the blonde continued to sleep peacefully on his chest. Her skin was smooth, complexion marred only by the puckered skin of her scar.

Mando was in a tense stand-off with the Wookiee bounty hunter.

The creature had a large Vibroknife in one hand, pointed in Mando's direction. The other hand was wrapped around Zakia's neck, using her as a partial human shield. Of course her head barely surpassed his waist but the threat was clear. The knife moved from Mando to her neck, and he watched her strain away

"Let the girl go." Mando bit out. The blaster in his hand had a

"What about me?" The bounty for which Mando, Zakia, and the Wookiee had all been searching broke into their 'negotiation'. He was a mess of a human, one wrist cuffed to the opposite ankle- a crystal clear sign of Zakia's twisted humor.

"Would you shut up? You're coming with me, you moron." Zakia snapped.

She was just as defiant as Mando remembered, despite the fact it had been over six cycles since they had spoke to one another. He was usually adverse to working in groups to retrieve bounties, but Zakia had grown to be the exception. They had worked together a handful of times, and travelled together for a few cycles. Though she tended towards dry sarcasm and had an outstanding attitude problem, this was by far the worst situation she'd talked herself into.

The Wookiee howled in its strange form of communication, shaking Zakia by the throat. She groped at the hand around her neck, though its strength far outmatched even her most desperate attempts. Mando tensed as she stared at him, blue eyes burning into his visor. She peered down at the blaster strapped to her thigh and back to Mando. A barely perceptible dip of her head spurred him into motion.

Zakia reached for her blaster, drawing it sharply and twisting towards the beast holding her. It howled in contempt, jumping out of the bolt's path. Zakia dropped to the floor and rolled, while Mando fired a shot from his own blaster. His bolt managed to catch the Wookiee in the leg, but not before it snatched Zakia's ankle and dragged her back. It yowled in pain, and Din was painfully aware of Wookiee tendencies to pull individuals apart limb by limb. He was already crossing the twenty or so yards between them when Zakia called to him.

"Mando-" She grappled with her attacker, trying to get an angle to pull the trigger. "A little help?"

The blonde fired another shot, and the events surrounding it cast the appearance of an explosion. Zakia cried out at the same time as the Wookiee, and her body was sent tumbling across the ground into Mando's shins. Her head collided hard with the icy ground, and the Mandalorian paused to survey the enemy before tending to her. The hairy beast twitched a few times, but went blessedly still.

"Zakia?" Mando knelt, brushing curls away from her face. She laid on her side, seemingly unhurt aside from the head wound that caused her unconscious state. He used a single hand to roll her to her back. "...Stars."

Din would never forget that day. It was the day that kicked off their permanent partnership, though the romantic aspect failed to come into play for almost a year after. They were both cautious and good at their job. It seemed an optimal match, but having a constant partner proved difficult for both the first few cycles.

'Kar'taylir darasuum'.

It was the label the Armorer had given the bond Din felt with Zakia. The blonde had never been to the covert, but Din had explained his feelings to the Armorer when they were alone. Away from the scathing glares from Paz Vizla and the other heavy artillery Mandalorians.

"Hm… Din?"

Zakia stirred atop his chest, sliding down until her face was curled into his side.

"Here." He answered, rolling onto his side towards her. Zakia let out a sleepy huff at the intrusion of her space, but buried her face into his bare chest nonetheless. His sudden shift caused a rift in the blanket covering them, and a draft of cold air blew into the warm cocoon of fabric.

Zakia squealed, lifting her head and pressing a kiss into his chin before sitting up. "Well, I'm awake now."

"As am I."

Arvala-7 was nothing more than desolate.

The red desert sand was scorching if the strange mirage-like sensations in the windscreen told Zakia anything. The Razor Crest heated up almost immediately upon landing, and she opted for a short-sleeve tunic as opposed to her normal jacket. She still wore her normal black pants and boots, but added a headwrap to protect her scalp and face from the heat. Her eyes and nose were visible and some errant curls broke through the cover, but it was better than a sunburn. She coated the visible skin in salve before exiting the cockpit and checked both blasters were fully loaded. Din had stuffed an extra into her waistband, and a dagger in her boot just in case. She could tell he was apprehensive about this job, and Zakia didn't challenge him. The Mandalorian usually had a good sense of things, and doubting him had led to sticky situations for her numerous times.

Said hunter was already on the hard terrain of the desert hell when Zakia descended into the cargo hold. She deftly typed in the code for the hatch and strolled out, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of danger. Mando had his rifle propped in one hand against his hip, the other holding the tracking fob.

"How's it looking?" Zakia murmured as she stood beside him.

"Orange." He replied flatly.

She rolled her eyes, turning to walk the other side of the ship and check the far valley. They had landed on a rocky outcrop high above the rolling rocky hills, with an all-around view of the planet. The sound of Din powering up his rifle's sights met her ears as Zakia made her way around the landing gear, and she relaxed a bit. They were always on alert while completing a job, but it was clear the target has quite a bit of terrain to hide in.

"Ah! Zak-"

A yell from the direction Zakia came kicked her brain into attack mode, and she hustled back to Mando's position at the rear of the ship. His right arm was locked in the jaw of a strange creature she hadn't seen before. It was a bulky creature with short legs and sharp teeth, though it easily towered over both of them.

Zakia saw the flamethrower shoot haphazardly from Mando's gauntlet, and she pulled a blaster and fired off a couple shots at the beasts. Din punched at its eye as she did so, and it was enough for the beast to release him momentarily. He stumbled back, but the creature recovered and charged again. It latched onto his opposite arm and ran, this time throwing Mando's heavy weight into Zakia.

She groaned at the hit, dropping to one knee. Mando's helmet made solid contact with her shoulder, and Zakia noticed a moment later that the Mandalorian laid at her feet. More strange, was the creature still holding his arm in its mouth as it laid still on the ground.

Barely giving her enough time to consider what had happened, another larger specimen came full-throttle in their direction, but fell just short of Mando's legs. Zakia blinked, wondering internally if she was seeing things. Maybe this planet had something in the atmosphere?

Her head snapped up as Din began hauling himself upright, both hunters coming face-to-face with another beast, but this one smaller. Not only smaller, but ridden- an Ugnaught was perched upon its back, holding a small blaster-type weapon and reins to control the animals. He studied the two intruders carefully, and Zakia imagined they both looked like frazzled idiots to him.

"Thank you." Din managed, giving the Ugnaught a grateful nod as he freed his hand.

Zakia stepped up, nudging one animal with her toe to ensure it wouldn't move. She took note of the large darts imbedded in their hide. The Ugnaught must have some experience with these creatures, then.

"You are bounty hunters." It wasn't a question, but Zakia nodded regardless.

"Yes." Din's answer was short, but it was obvious the Ugnaught was far from concerned. He studied the pair closely for a moment.

"I will help you."

Zakia raised a finger to speak, but the Ugnaught looked sharply in her direction.

"I have spoken."

He was already moving away, and the hunters took it as their cue to follow. Zakia shot a look at the porcine-man's back, looking to Din for confirmation. The Mandalorian seemed to share her hesitancy, but tipped his head in the Ugnaught's direction.

"He spoke." Din uttered just loud enough for her to hear, and Zakia snorted.

"So I heard."

The trek back to Ugnaught's land was fairly easy, and the setting sun provided a merciful break from the heat. Zakia's boots were coated in red dust, and her pants were spotted with sand from where she'd fallen. Mando was worse for wear, with a damaged vambrace and dirtied armor. In spite of their ragged appearance the man was more than welcoming. He ushered them into his small home, where one chair was open near a small table. Zakia motioned for Mando to sit, while she sat with legs crossed beneath her on the floor.

"Many have passed through." He spoke, looking up from the small workbench to observe the pair. "They seek the same one."

"You helped them too?" Zakia inquired, taking the opportunity to untie her headwrap.

"Yes." It became apparent that the Ugnaught was brewing some sort of tea at the bench as the smell enveloped them. "They died."

Din's boot covertly nudged Zakia's spine, and she caught his visor tilted towards her in her peripheral. "Then I don't know if we want your help."

If he was a rude person, Zakia would imagine the Ugnaught would snort at Mando's comment. "You do. I can show you to the encampment."

"What's your cut?" Din was straight to business after hearing those words.

"Half."

"Half of the payment?" Zakia's mouth was moving before her brain, but Mando seemed to agree with her sentiment.

"No. Half of the Blurrg you helped capture." The Ugnaught motioned towards the corral outside.

"The Blurrg?" Mando questioned. "You can keep them both."

Zakia shuddered at the thought of the hideous creatures. She had a pretty strong opinion on Wookiees after her injury, but just the Blurrg's appearance had them climbing her list of detested species.

"No. You two will share one. To ride. The way is impossible to pass without a Blurrg mount." Their host offered Zakia a cup of tea, and she accepted despite Mando's stare. Her throat was dry after their desert hike, and the small man seemed trustworthy enough that she trusted there was nothing despicable in it.

"Neither of us know how to ride Blurrg." Din told the Ugnaught.

Another "I have spoken" came from the being, and both hunters were silent.

TRANSLATIONS:

Kar'taylir darasuum - love