Rian:

            I can't say that I really felt like the gem of the party.  While being flung to a planet in a burning escape pod, one usually isn't given enough time to pack a cocktail dress.  So I had to go as is.  I brushed my hair at any rate.

            Carth was sulking behind me.  He still wasn't happy about being anywhere near a group of Sith.  At least he complied with my plans, though.  To avoid suspicion for showing up with an uninvited person we decided that Carth would pretend to be my slave.  Carth as my slave, now that was an interesting thought.

            Yun was thrilled when I walked through the door.  He ran up to me and pressed a drink into my hand.

            "Hey, you made it!" he exclaimed.  "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show.  The party's in full swing—come on in!  Try this Tarisian ale—it's fantastic!  We should have conquered this planet ages ago!"

            "Careful, Yun."  A Sith woman walked up and gave me an evil glare.  Was she jealous of little old me?  "That ale's got quite the kick.  A couple more bottles and we'll all be passed out on the floor!"

            "Who cares?"  Yun took a healthy swig from a bottle for effect.  "We're off duty tomorrow—let's live a little!  Come on—drink up!"

            I grinned and took a gulp myself.  They weren't kidding about Tarisian ale being potent.  That stuff had enough juice to knock a rancor on its butt.

            "Carth," I waved a careless hand at him.  "make yourself useful and get me another drink."

            Carth muttered a reply and stalked towards the drink table.  Yun frowned as he looked over Carth.

            "You have an interesting slave." he said.

            I laughed and put a hand on his chest.  "I make sure that all my slaves are big and muscular, Yun." I explained.  "But it's all for show.  All my slaves are eunuchs."

            Carth's knuckles turned white around the drink he was carrying.  I rewarded him with a saccharin smile when he presented me with my drink.

            I don't know what Carth put in that glass, but it tasted wretched.  He smiled after witnessing my expression.  I shot Carth the most evil-looking smile I could muster.  Damn it, I had more important things to be worrying about than a vicious smiling competition with Carth!

            As the night progressed, Yun kept nuzzling closer.  Finally he faced me, a predatory look in his eyes as he stroked the inside of my elbow with a thumb.  I had expected as much, but fortunately he had also drunk as much as I had expected.  He leaned forward, wet, sloppy lips hungry for a mark.  I tilted my head to one side to avoid him.  The sudden movement proved too much for Yun and he stumbled towards the ground.

            The rest of the Sith party-goers weren't much better.  Some were dozing off soundly, their mouths open letting loud snorts and snores loose.  Others were worse off, passed out in puddles of vomit, but it all worked well for my purposes.  I began digging through the pockets of unconscious Sith.

            "What are you doing?" Carth demanded. 

            I groaned.  "Be a good slave and try to find some uniforms."

            "Yes master."

            "Hey, I like that."

            "Don't get used to it."

            Once I relieved all the Sith of their credits, I helped Carth search.  We found what we were looking for in a coat closet.  Tossed haphazardly aside, the white-silver uniforms were practically begging us to take them.  We found two that were approximately the correct sizes, shock of shocks my chest plate was too big, and gathered them into a sack.

            Along with the credits and uniforms, I tossed the last bottle of Tarisian ale in the sack.  Carth glowered, but said nothing.  Stealing from the Sith was for the better good, right?  Carth slung the sack over his shoulder and followed me out the door.

            Despite it being night, artificial light cast the Upper City in an ethereal glow.  The silver streets glinted of blue and green and my skin had been given an orangey hue because of it.  A little voice in the back of my head told me to wait all night until sunrise.  That way I would experience being veiled with a completely different spectrum of colors.

            I turned to Carth, but the words caught in my throat.  The blue streetlights had muddied his complexion as he walked towards our apartment.  His eyes were overcast and his mouth was set in a frown.  I wish I knew what he was thinking, but he didn't look like talking.  I gave him space on our walk home to deal with whatever was on his mind.