A nude beach

Frank gathered the various photos and papers from the table and sealed them away inside his briefcase. All under the watchful gaze of the distrustful agent sitting across him. Once he was done, he left some credits on the table next to his glass and stood up. "Shall we?"

"You still haven't told me where we are going." said Shannon, as she stood up to follow her new 'partner'.

Frank, though had been sitting across her for the last couple of minutes, had to maintain eye-contact while his hide was on the line and only now had the time to scan the young agent from head to toe. Being born on Urma 7, the outfit was not new to him, but seeing offworlders wearing it was always something he found amusing. "Now that the business arrangements have been dealt with, may I say how lovely you look in that outfit, Agent Callaghan?" he asked with a snide grin.

"No! You may not!" burst out Shannon. In the heat of the action and their recent... deal, she had managed to completely forget what she was wearing and how little it actually covered. She cursed the stupid planetary standards of Urma 7. "Eyes ahead and lead the way!"

"Don't be so embarrassed." he said while he started walking next to Shannon, his eyes kept firmly ahead. "I have seen many an offworlder on this planet. And believe me, no woman should ever feel ashamed of her body."

Body? So he did check me out... "I... I'm not ashamed..."

"That's the right attitude. I know many a woman who would kill for those flat tummies of yours, Agent Callaghan."

Shannon was proud of her tummy. She worked damn hard to manitain it. It would have been a nice way to stroke her ego, had he not been ussing that mocking tone of his while speaking her name. She had nearly blasted him a number of times before, but now she had finally had enough. "Shannon! Call me Shannon, damn it!" she snapped at him.

"It would be my pleasure, Shannon." he glanced at her with a smirk.

Wasn't any better, she thought. "I mean... Don't get any funny ideas. I just don't want others hearing I'm an agent." she tried to salvage her outburst.

"But of course. I would never dream of taking advantage of our little business arrangement," he looked her in the eye, "Shannon."

"Enough talking! Lead the way!"

Frank did so, without a word, like an obedient little puppy. Shannon felt he had been sufficiently intimidated and was now firmly under her control. He would do his best to assist her and he would not dare to escape. The two walked the streets of Urma 7 like a slightly awkward couple. A tall, well-built man and a petite, small woman side by side. They wouldn't have stood out much on any other planet, but Shannon's height was several feet bellow the Urma 7 amazonian size of women.

After they reached the busier streets, they hailed a taxi. As they settled in the back, Frank slipped a piece of paper into the back of the cyberpilot.

"Coordinates received. That will be 25,5." said the robotic voice.

That was when Shannon realised she had no credits on her. She hadn't expected all her stuff to be disintegrated at the spaceport. Frank looked at her, but she was just fumbling with her short skirt, trying to avoid eye contact. "I... I kind of left my chipcard in with the rest of my stuff..." she blushed.

"Don't worry. My treat." he said as he slipped some credits into the slot. "Let it be known that I did contribute to our mission." he smiled jokingly.

Shannon just blushed. There she was, the detective with her latest catch, and she couldn't even afford to pay a taxi. During the ride, she kept her knees pressed tightly together, still pulling down on her short skirt. After about 10 minutes, she noticed they were leaving downtown. She wondered how far they were going. Umra 7 was a big planet, after all.

"How much longer?" asked Shannon impatiently. "And where are we going again?"

"We'll be there soon." said Frank. "You know, Shannon, I admire men like you."

"I think you meant 'fear'." she smirked.

"I fear them because of what I do, but I admire them as a person."

"Really? How so?"

"Quite simply, you keep the Federation in order."

"Hah, if it was in order you would be in cryo."

"You misunderstand. Men of my... profession could not exist in total criminal chaos. And the different sides of the law are just sides of the same old coin. You and me are very much alike."

"We have nothing in common."

"I do what I have to, but I decide how to do it. You do what you have to, but you decide how. Despite what many believe, you are not dogs on the Federation's leash. At least most of you aren't. We wouldn't be having this conversation if that was the case."

"I still serve the Federation."

"Of course you do. Of course you do. And I admire that individuality in which you put the future of the Federation and its people ahead of petty rules and regulations. That is what true professionalism is all about."

Shannon thought about it for a moment. She did strive to achieve justice, but she had never been very fond of the Federation's shackles. Heck, she was breaking at least a dozen rules at the very moment. But it was all for the greater good. "I see your point. Though it still doesn't change the fact that we are enemies. This," she pointed at the two of them, "is just temporary. If we succeed today, I'll still catch you some other time."

"I'm gald you do. And of course I understand. Wouldn't be any fun otherwise, would it?" he gave her a sly wink.

Her silence made it abundantly clear she was satisfied with what she had heard. Frank was a smooth talker, and he knew the agent would need some coercing into what was about to happen. "Here we are." he said as the taxi flew into a small hangar.

"Destination reached." said the robotic voice.

Frank stepped out of the ride and politely held out his hand for Shannon, but she smacked it away and got out herself.

"No need to wait." said Frank to the taxi.

"Have a pleasant time." said the robotic voice as it flew out the top.

"Where are we exactly?"

"Through that door. Come." said Frank as he walked to the only door leaing out of the hangar.

Shannon found it suspicious that she had no idea where they were. She recalled asking a number of times since they had left, but Frank always smoothly changed the subject. She was careless not to notice this before. She put a hand on her gun and followed Frank, prepared for whatever lay beyond that door. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw on the other side.

"Welcome to Fólkvangr Nudist Beach." said a very naked young woman once they stepped through the door to the reception. "Just go into the changing rooms there, and once you remove all articles of clothing, you are free to enter the resort." she smiled.

"What?" asked Shannon, pretty shocked. "You - You never said we were going to a nude beach!"

"I didn't? Oops. Must have slipped my mind..." Frank joked. "Well, I guess you shall see me in my birthday suit. I will just have to live with that. Hope you will not hold it against me."

"Who cares about you? I would have to be naked as well!"

"As will be everyone else."

"I bet Dee Dee is not even here!"

"I can assure you, they are chilling here while the spaceports are under repair."

"I - I... I can't do this..."

"Where did that professionalism go?"

"Shut up! It's... it's not like that." she flushed. On their way here, she had ran a thousand different scenarios where they could end up catching the Scourge, but a nudist beach was none of those. How could an agent walk into a place completely naked and still retain her authority? Screw other agents, how could SHE? "You... you tricked me."

"Indeed, I have withheld one piece of information," said Frank apologetically, "but I was afraid you would chicken out of our deal if you knew."

The expression 'chicken out' hit something deep inside Shannon that she had long forgotten. Ever since high school, those two words had been really pushing her buttons. "I don't chicken out!" she yelled.

"Good. Then, shall we?" he pointed towards the changing rooms, with a grin.

"I mean..." She assessed her situation. A certain catch was standing right in front of her. Not a big fish, but she could be content with Frank alone. But for that, she would have to back out of their deal. It would make her look so silly if she gave up this close. Especially after all that talk on the way here. How could she take herself seriously ever again after doing that? But the only alternative was being buck-ass naked in the company of a criminal. Could she go through with it?