Chapter 18

by Saber Girl Leia

It seems that this story may be taking a sudden feminist turn soon... Could be cool.

SG AmiDee: SHH! It's a secret! lol

Both you and me are more mature than SG Jaina, but we're younger! Not that any of us have, 'you know'...

I LIKE LUKE'S HAIR! Not that I'm a crazy fangirl or anything...

Huh?

No, I wasn't saying that was annoying. But then again, we already resolved that. WHO'S A NUN TO BE! lol

Mara look-a-like: heeheehee! I suppose you had something specific in mind lol!

SailorLeia: I'd have to hold you down, too, I think! Much love!

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Mara managed to hold the illusion without any significant slips until they had landed and disguised the Jade's Fire. She felt very self-conscious at first as Katris, but soon slipped into the part easily enough, even taking Lando's proffered arm.

They rented a speeder- rather Lando rented it while Mara looked on. They did not speak during the drive. At one point, Lando put his arm around her. Mara stiffened, but otherwise did not react.

Once at the hotel, he graciously dropped her off at a chair near several other women, while he went off, cape billowing, to sign out a room. In his own name. Mara still hated that part of the plan. She did not like Lando, but neither did she wish him harm, and she had been an assassin. She knew well that putting one's real name down anywhere could easily lead to one's death.

Mara did her best to exude an air of laziness and small intelligence, trying to find a pose that would suit Katris. She settled on lounging, one foot dangling, with a slightly sulky look on her face.

A few of the other women were playing cards. One of them came over to her. Mara groaned inwardly. She was not here to make friends. And if all the women here put up with being treated like the empty-headed Katris Mara had created, she did not think she would like them much anyway.

The approaching woman was a tall brunette, her hair done up in curls. She bent and spoke. "Do you play?" she asked, gesturing.

"What game?" Mara inquired.

"We're between games. You can suggest something, if you like."

Mara nodded, stood, and followed her. But the women at the table seemed more interested in gossiping than beginning another game.

"You came with him?" asked one small Falleen, pointing to Lando.

"Yes."

"Your choice, or his?" the first woman asked dryly, making certain to keep his voice down.

"Oh... well, um..." Mara cursed herself for not having a prepared answer. "I like him well enough."

"He dragged you here didn't he?" asked the brunette again.

"Well, I suppose you could put it that way... I think he just wanted to find some place really romantic to, you know, ask me to marry him..." she made a sighing noise and an expression she hoped came off as besotted.

The woman shook her head. "Face it dear, it's not going to happen."

Another woman, whose short black hair framed a face slightly darker than Lando's, slapped her good-naturedly. "Hey! I married my man! Plenty do, you know. A lot of the natives. It's mostly the foreigners who don't."

"Yes," the Falleen said, "we just get dragged here where they can get away with controlling us and then they never leave. And this krethin' place doesn't allow us access to a ship on our own so we can't get away."

"Even if they did," a woman of a species Mara did not recognize responded, "none of us know how to pilot one." She was stick-thin and bald with long arms and a flat nose. A quiet sigh of discontent from around the table greeted her remark.

"Would you want to leave anyway?" asked a Twi'lek. "What about your babies?"

"I'd take them with me. They don't deserve to grow up here, either."

"So none of you are from around here, then?" Mara asked, sudden excitement overtaking her at the realization that these women were real people, not the Katrises the men made them sound like.

"Of course not," answered the dark girl, "why would we be at the hotel if we were?"

"Right," Mara answered.

"What's your name?" asked the brunette.

"Katris Tomyas," she said, shaking hands around the table.

"Who did you come with?"

"Lando Calrissian." She said it with trepidation, but there was no sense in getting their stories mixed up.

There were gasps around the table. "I think you need to drop the marriage hopes," the Twi'lek murmured.

"The Lando Calrissian!" the brunette exclaimed. "He's famous! A war hero."

Mara nodded sheepishly. "Do you know any others?" asked the Falleen, "I've heard he's good friends with General Solo and Jedi Skywalker."

Mara impishly replied. "Well, I have seen Jedi Skywalker from a distance... several times..." she leaned forward covertly, "I think he's gorgeous." She and a few of the other women giggled.

"And he seems so... kind on the holos. I bet he never beats his girl like Tarn does with me." That came from the Twi'lek.

"He beats you!" Mara exclaimed. The woman nodded sadly.

"Luke Skywalker doesn't have a girl," the bald one said, "those sludge reports are always nonsense."

"Yes, he does," retorted the dark woman, "he was on the Holo last week. Mara Jade is engaged to him."

"Really!" the brunette burst out, "Good for her!"

Mara's heart warmed and she had to fight to keep from showing her full emotion on her face. He's done it, he's told everyone... we're to be married! Oh, Luke!

"I always admired her," the skinny one said. "She's beautiful and tough and stands up for herself. If she were stuck here I bet she would do something about it. I bet she'd be able to pilot a ship on her own."

Oh, galaxy, thought Mara, what in the stars have I gotten myself into this time?

"She always seemed a little nasty to me," the Twi'lek commented.

"It's not her fault," said the dark woman, "she's been through a lot."

"So what are your names?" Mara interjected before they got a chance to ask her what she thought of herself.

"I'm Adele Palani," replied the brunette. She continued to introduce the others, gesturing as she did so. The Falleen was Ila Sori, the dark woman Skye Qi, the Twi'lek Fai'Nel, and the bald woman Zafirah.

Listening to them, Mara found herself trusting them, and wished she could ask them if they knew of Car'das. She truly wanted to tell them who she really was, to help them and to teach them. But she knew breaking cover now could be disastrous. And as much as she sympathized with these women, she did not yet know enough to trust them. And even if they were her friends, at least Fai'Nel had already mentioned being beaten, and Mara had no idea if any of the others were. She did not know what someone might say in that sort of situation.

Their conversation ended abruptly, the women cast their eyes down, and Skye began dealing cards. Mara did not need to look up, having sensed Lando's approach, but did anyway.

"Hello, ladies," he hailed them, placing a hand on Adele's shoulder. She smiled, but Mara could sense her displeasure. Lando brushed his other hand down one of Fai'Nel's lekku. She visibly flinched away.

Crossing to Mara, he drew her to her feet, saying, "It's all taken care of sweetheart." She did not realize until it was to late to pull away without the women noticing that he intended to kiss her. And he did. She clamped her mouth firmly shut and imagined herself far away...

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So the story line has gone in a completely new direction. Do you wonderful reviewers approve? Comments, please! Constructive criticism shall be showered with gifts!