It was obvious that the Empire hadn't touched the planet yet--the people still went around their business largely ignoring intergalactic politics. Though some supported the Alliance, most inhabitants only wanted was a free world to live on and weren't very interesting in joining the war. They allowed people to come and go, half-listening to the politics.
Add that attitude to the planet's seclusion, and Mara and Luke were faced with a bizarrely open attitude about the rebels.
"Oh ya, they're here. Just look for cheap jumpers, eh?"
"Check the bars. Those starpilots..."
"Oh! Are you looking for anyone specific? There's a lovely rebel reading group that meets at the library."
Weren't they concerned the Alliance would draw the Empire's wrath?
"They've never been to war," Mara commented. The trees were unscarred, the air unpolluted--yes, it was a peaceful place. The last sentence of her mission outline briefly scrolled through her mind: terminate the rebels. But everyone here was sort of a half-assed supporter of the alliance. Would they be expected to wipe out a whole city?
"Excuse me?"
The humanoid creature stilled in the crowd and faced Luke's deadpan expression. It was about a foot taller than him with stalks sprouting out of its head and too-large, rounded teeth. "Yes?"
"Do you anything of the Alliance's presence here?"
It snorted dismissively. "They're hiding out." Its voice was low, like long strings stretched throughout his body were vibrating with a deep hum beneath his words. "Check out the bars. Where they meet, around round tables--it isn't hard to find."
"Thank you."
Looking somewhat annoyed, the creature slunk back into the crowd. Mara was eyeing Luke with a look of disbelief, a hand perched on her hip. "You don't think it's dangerous to pull random people off the streets?"
"He won't remember the encounter."
"Whatever. Let's find a bar then."
They were strolling down the sprouting sidewalks without knowing where they were going (walking looks less suspicious, Mara had ordered). Every couple blocks they'd pass a booming business, music and whistles pounding through the glass, and Luke would eye it disdainfully and want to press on.
"They're all the same. Let's just pick on and go in!" She was growing impatient.
"They're dangerous places," he murmured.
"So? You blew up a Death Star. Isn't that less frightening than a pissed-off drunk wookie?"
"Not dangerous for me..." He trailed off and saw her eyes blaze. Wrong thing to say. Despite knowing she was powerful and an able fighter, he couldn't shake off his first impression: attractive woman. Seedy bars. The two didn't mix.
"You are ridiculous." Then without speaking any further she stormed past the closest bouncers and into roving lights and thrumming music.
Luke followed, irritated. How compulsive. But most about Mara was compulsive; even her use of the force largely came up in angry flares, emotional outpourings too strong to control. No wonder she drew from the dark side. He thought, as he tried to pinpoint her energy while scanning for red hair, that his master was too comfortable in thinking that Mara was allied with him. She had a natural inclination towards light things--he thought of her compassion when he spoke of Leia, her happiness at being reunited with nature, her detestment of the Sith.
Why was she allied with the Emperor anyway?
"Luke!" Embarrassed she'd spotted him first, he turned to see her hanging off the edge of a young man in x-wing uniform. There were four pilots at the table, though it was the man beside her wanted to touch her most. He could feel it quite strongly. Did she sense his attraction then single him out? "This is my friend Luke," she told everyone loudly. His eyes picked out a strong-smelling drink sitting on her knee: Well, that didn't take long.
"Hey Luke!" They cheered. "Grab a seat!"
He perched himself down straight-shouldered and sighing, disdain evident on his face. He swelled with urge to ask: "Do you know of Leia's death? Did you load the poison onto the death star with a heavy heart? Or were you relieved?" Murderers. He remained silent, following Mara's voice--the men around them were entranced by it; the more alcohol she drank the more interesting her tales became. He had the sinking sense she'd done this before and was quite enjoying his awkward silence.
"Oh yeah, Luke was part of the Alliance back on Tattione." The table quieted. Mara was looking at him with a grin; the man beside her had wound an arm around her side, and in response she'd pressed her body into his.
"Tattoine eh? So what was it--slave-freeing? Investigating moisture farms? I can't imagine there'd be much to do there."
"There isn't." The table broke into laughter at Luke's bluntness. Fine. Laugh. Anger was swelling within him--Mara's lips were on the man's jawbone laying down small kisses (and were her lips always that full?)
"So what're you guys planning up next?" She asked somewhat drunkenly, breasts were swelling out of her top and her perfume strong--sharp spices, strangely foreign but sweet nonetheless.
"Well," an older guy piped up, "We been waitin' for our commander to join us before loading up and leaving, but it's been two months so most've given her up for dead. Though she's pulled some crazy comebacks before I'll tell you what!" The table murmured and nodded in agreement as a sinking dread clung to Luke's stomach. Mara reached out a hand underneath the table and set in on his knee, rubbing his leg smoothly despite her disjointed body language elsewhere. So she was acting.
"Well where was she last seen?" Mara asked with a pout (oh, she was good).
"She led Endor's defense!" The table broke into congratulatory cheers: thousands of lives saved, a moon preserved, and the rebels were able to get all of their information and equipment safely away. It was considered, despite Leia's loss, a success.
Now Luke was bitter. The murder was obviously covered up. What lying scum, poisoning her like cowards and then praising her! He wanted to leave. I want to leave.
And as soon as he thought it Mara straightened and said, "I'm sorry, we have to go--we have tickets for a show." She kissed the man beside her deeply on the lips, even toying with his hair, and then broke off with a smile: "I'll be around here, kay?"
"Sure Lina," low-voiced. Certainly had an effect on him.
As she gathered her purse one of his buddies blurted "Oh! Is that that wookie show? Where they get the Ewok-Wookie totem pole going, with the disco lights and all?" A shiver of excitement ran through the table.
"Yes, it's that one."
They broke into cheers once more, mugs rattling on the wood. Mara smiled and took Luke's hand in hers, winding out of the bar.
"So you going to show up here again, Lina?"
She laughed shyly, eyes on the ground. "No." She'd sobered up after leaving sight of the men; her footsteps were confident and straight. "Should we head back to the hotel?" She sensed his inner turmoil, the losses drudged up again with the mention of his sister.
"That would be nice."
Luke thought, walking beside her, that he liked her lightness and compassion. Hidden though it was--it was there. She cared for him.
Light years away, the Emperor felt his apprentice's dependence on the dark side slip and began formulating new plans.
