Hello everyone, and welcome back to the rollercoaster that is my life as an author!
This is NOT a sequel to Judgement Call (hopefully we'll get there when season 2 is out). This is a collection of backstory pieces/one-shots about Zakia and Mando's life before the Child. It was highly requested during my initial run-through with Judgement Call, so here I am! Lockdown has me bored out of my mind, and I'm trying to find a healthy outlet for it.
If you guys have requests/ anything you'd like to see from our favorite space couple let me know and I'll try to get to it! Ideas are greatly appreciated.
Thank you all for being back, and I hope you enjoy :)

THE INCIDENT: PART I

The beeping of her fob grew more rapid with every step.

Zakia crept around the mouth of the cave before her, using one hand to steady the rifle slung over her shoulder. She wasn't concerned about a violent bounty- he was listed as a spoiled brat who went for a joyride in a new model starcruiser- but she tried not to cut corners. Cote Blanz was the name of her bounty, and he seemed to be searching for shelter in the subterranean network beneath the planet's surface. Frankly, Blanz was lucky his joyride had crashed onto this planet. It was quite lush with berries and fruit on the temperate surface, only marred by the gaping holes that led below. A few villages were scattered about, but it was far from a bustling port.

"Glad I'm not afraid of the dark." Zakia muttered to herself. She pulled a light from her small pack, cracking it in the center and watching the green glow emerge to creep along the cavern walls.

She was about four meters from the entrance when the sound of another engine overhead and continued by, prompting the bounty hunter to pause. She ducked to see back out, smirking at the pre-Empire ship circling for a suitable landing spot.

"Too late, Mando."

While the mysterious Mandalorian bounty hunter was a good partner on occasion, Zakia still enjoyed her solo hunts. It was nearing eight cycles since she had worked with him, and hadn't been expecting his assistance with this particular bounty. However, Zakia had been late on delivering this particular asset, and wouldn't be surprised if the Guild agent she'd taken it from would issue another.

The blonde continued her trek into the underground and her steps slowed as the fob began to blink faster. The air was cold and damp; Zakia cringed each time her boots squelched on the rocky floor. She was coming up on a circular opening in the dark path, and tucked the glow stick into the rear waistband of her pants to avoid detection. With her light extinguished, Zakia took care to quiet her steps and press on with her back against the wall.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Zakia's eyes rolled back in her head as the inside of the next cavern became clear. Unlike the narrow and dimly lit paths she had transversed to find him, the adjacent area was circular and open. Pale light shone through the entryway, provided by a surprising amount of glowing insects trapped in jars placed strategically about the room.

However, the ridiculous amount of interior design didn't phase her. Kriff, if she was hiding in a subterranean cave network, Zakia would probably find ways to decorate as well. But what really bothered her was located on the bed. Nestled against the farthest wall from her- thank the Maker- was a mess of blankets, strewn about on the floor. Two figures were in the midst of something Zakia could go years without seeing, and she sighed. One was obviously a Twi'lek- the salmon colored skin and unfortunately bobbing lekku gave that away. It was safe to assume that Cote Blantz was the other.

"This couldn't get any more weird." Zakia pulled up the scarf that always hung around her neck and tied it around the entirety of her head- concealing her hair and face from sight. The only thing visible was her nose and a pair of glacial orbs.

She pulled one of the blasters from her hip and made sure it was primed before calmly strolling into the room. Neither party participating in coitus noticed her approach. Zakia raised a single brow before lazily lifting an arm and firing a single bolt into the cave's ceiling.

"Kriff! What the hell?"

The bodies immediately separated, and Zakia pointed her blaster straight at the man. There was another small blaster beside the bed that he was already eyeing, though she hoped he wasn't dumb enough to reach for it. The Twi'lek was cowering, clutching at a blanket to hide her body while Blantz scrambled to pull up his underwear from their place around his ankles.

"Who the hell are you?" He demanded.

Zakia's eyes flickered to the other woman once again, and she tipped her blaster to the side quickly. "You can go. Sorry to interrupt."

A flurry of nods later, the Twi'lek had pulled on a short but covering dress and took off towards the door. Zakia kept her blaster trained on Blantz the entire time, tapping her toes against the ground. Once they were alone, Zakia did a lazy circle around the blankets and stooped to collect the discarded blaster.

"I said, who-"

"I'm Zakia." She said shortly, spinning the blaster around her finger boredly. Blantz flinched at her movement. "I take it you're Cote Blantz?"

The man, now searching for a shirt, paused. "Who's asking?"

"Me, but I thought that was obvious." Zakia quipped, "I'm a Guild member. Your Daddy hired us to bring you home. Sounds like you're in trouble."

Blantz deflated at the words, and the tough-guy facade faded away. "Of course. I take it I can't buy you off?"

Zakia snorted. "What, the same way you did with the Twi? No, your Pops is paying good money to have you brought home. Best payday I've seen in awhile."

"I didn't pay her!" Blantz argued, though his voice jumped an octave. "It was consensual."

"Glad to hear it. I hope you used protection, too." Zakia lifted a hand to inspect her nails, keeping the other with the blaster trained on her target. "But I don't have a lot of time to chat. Let's go."

Zakia nodded at the doorway, motioning for him to walk in front. Now that he was clothed, Zakia took a good look to remember him. Shaggy golden hair and a square jaw, probably seven or eight inches taller than herself. He couldn't be a year over twenty-five, and his clothes showed he came from money.

"Nice shoes." She commented as he trudged by.

Blantz paused. "So this is it? No cuffs, no warning?"

Sauntering close to the bounty, Zakia concealed a chuckle beneath her headwrap. She leaned uncomfortably close, and was entertained by the nervous look creeping over his face.

"You like cuffs? Me too." Zakia hummed, winking an icy eye at the quarry.

"Not like that!" Blantz was blushing now, and Zakia rode the high of getting a rise out of him for a moment. "What if I wanna escape?"

She stepped back, resting hands on her hips. "Listen Cote, I'm the fun bounty hunter. I don't make you wear cuffs, I don't put you in carbonite. But lemme tell ya, if you don't like that, I saw a Mandalorian touching down after me. I'll tell you from personal experience that he would love to lock you in cuffs and stick you in a freezer like a Republic Day nuna. So I can call him, if you'd like. We go way back."

Cote was staring at her, open-mouthed. "A Mandalorian?"

"Yeah, he's a real sweetheart." Zakia drawled. "But seriously, don't try and run. I'm a pretty good shot- you'll have a bolt in your knee before you make it five meters."

Threat established, Cote exited the cave. Zakia trailed behind, making sure they stayed on track. She handed the glow stick from her earlier trek to Blantz and kept a hand on her blaster as they began to ascend towards the surface. He was being rather honest about the whole ordeal, and Zakia didn't find it prudent to be harsh so she allowed him freedom to lead. It wasn't until five or so minutes into the hike that a beeping emanated from her hip, and Zakia fished around in her comlinks to find the active one. There was a sloppy 'M' scrawled across it in basic, and Zakia positioned it on her ear as she smirked.

"If it isn't my favorite buckethead." Zakia greeted, "How's it goin', Mando?"

"You're just as funny as the last time I saw you." The Mandalorian's voice was gruff and modulated, per his usual.

"I try my best. Can tell you still haven't got that com upgrade in your helmet yet." Zakia teased gently, imagining him walking around with his vambrace near his helmet so the words would be audible.

"I saw your ship a few thousand meters into the brush. Is your target Blantz?" Mando sounded as if he was walking, though Zakia had no fear he would intrude upon her reward. They had a great deal of mutual respect for each other at this point in their lives.

"Yeah. I took a while to get here. Kind of figured that slimeball of a Guild agent would issue more fobs." Zakia slapped at Blantz's arm as he moved faster, and moved for her blaster to show him she was getting annoyed. The boy paled, and slowed his strides.

"He did. You're set then?"

"Yes sir. Hang out for a few and I'll swing by the Crest and say 'hi'."

Zakia was preoccupied by her conversation, and failed to notice the unfamiliar surroundings until the ground beneath their boots turned into a crumbly gravel as opposed to damp dirt. She grabbed Blantz by the arm and squeezed, forcing him to a halt in front of her.

"I don't know, time is limited."

The Mandalorian's words were meant to be playful, but the charm was lost on Zakia as she took in their surroundings.

"You son of a bitch." She accused Cote. "You lead me the wrong-"

An echoing roar cut over any words she could form, deafening as it bounced off the rocky walls. Zakia clamped her hands over her ears, and snatched the cuffs dangling from her belt as soon as it ended.

"Let's go." She snapped at Blantz, turning him around to go back the way they came.

"I didn't mean to, I swear!"

"Zakia? What's going on?" The Mandalorian's voice in her ear was suddenly concerned.

"I don't know. This asshole got me turned around when you called. I think there's a Wookiee in here." She rattled off, shuffling along as fast as she could. Her heart dropped when they emerged into another wide cavern, different than Blantz original hiding spot. Topping it all off, there was no exit except the way they'd come. "Kriff!"

"A Wookiee?"

"Yes."

"Zakia, there was a Wookiee with the Guild agent when I picked up the fob. Big and nasty. Get out of there."

His words only served to increase her already-mounting anxiety. "Thanks for the advice, Mando."

"I'm coming in after you. I have the quarry's fob, I can find you." The Mandalorian sounded to be running, and something in her chest was thankful for it.

She yanked the comlink from her ear and reattached it to her belt. Rounding on Cote, she grabbed him by the nearest wrist. "Now you get the cuffs, cause you had to go and be a dick."

Blantz tried to wrench away, but Zakia grabbed a blaster with her free hand and jammed it into his side. "Don't play games with me!"

"Alright, alright! I'm done." Blantz allowed her the clamp a cuff around her wrist, but stiffened when she moved around his front to clamp the other loop around his opposite ankle. "What the hell?"

"Try and run now." Zakia shoved him until he was back against the wall near the door.

"What are you doing? We have to get out of here!" Cote tried to move, but tumbled over himself onto the floor.

"There is a Wookiee hunted right behind us. He will get us if we try to run. I'm gonna kill him as soon as he comes in." Zakia primed both blasters, and stepped forward to flatten herself against the wall Blantz was leaning against. "And you're- ah!"

Zakia tried to leap away as a furry arm shot through the doorway and wrapped around her neck, but she was too slow. The Wookiee had been hiding just outside, and her brain momentarily commended him for being the quietest one she'd ever come across. Her hand immediately went for her blaster, but the beast tossed her across the room like a ragdoll. Zakia groaned at the impact, and scrambled to her knees as the Wookiee came charging at her again. She rolled to the side and withdrew the dagger from her boot, swiping at the beast's stomach where she could reach. He was at least twice her height and five times her weight, making the fight far from equal.

"Damn." Zakia huffed as she missed a good swipe in his direction.

The Wookiee's response was a short gurgle, and Zakia was once again dodging massive limbs as they swung her way. She managed to get a hand on a blaster, sharply drawing it from the holster and pointing towards the monster. He responded by grabbing her wrist as she attempted to shoot, eliciting a yelp from the petite hunter.

"Hey!"

Zakia's relief at the sound of the Mandalorian's modulated voice was short-lived. The Wookiee grabbed onto her waist, yanking her body back until she was directly in front of him. A large knife was procured from the belt it wore, and Zakia felt long fingers wrap around the column of her throat. Her captor stooped to hide more of himself behind her, and Zakia lifted her gaze to meet the Mandalorian's. His blaster was drawn, cloak hanging behind him. The helmet adorning his head looked dented and scratched, but he was still the same as almost a year prior.

But this time, he was in a stand-off with a smelly, aggressive Wookiee

The creature had his knife in one hand, pointed in Mando's direction. The other hand was wrapped around Zakia's neck, using her as a partial human shield. Her head barely surpassed his waist but the threat was crystal clear. The knife moved from Mando to her neck, and Zakia pressed away, eyes locked onto Mando's still form

"Let the girl go." He bit out.

"What about me?" Blantz cried from his corner. His blatant stupidity actually annoyed Zakia despite her current predicament.

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

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. Zakia could see Mando tense as she stared at him, attempting to burn holed into his visor. She peered down at the blaster strapped to her thigh and back to Mando. The beast had her restrained, but not well enough to prevent her from drawing. Zakia took a moment to make sure Mando had noticed her intention before nodding imperceptibly.

Zakia spurred into action as fast as she could. She 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 the blonde shook her leg in a failing attempt to free it. She kicked ferociously, trying to get a good shot on the beast.

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

The blonde fired another shot and a cascade of events seemed to follow, though she couldn't recall most of it. The Mandalorian was jogging towards her and her assailant when a sharp pain cut across her face, and she was tossed for the second time. Zakia's head spun, and she felt blood dripping into her eyes as the world darkened and disappeared.