Kiara stood to get a good look at the work that Sabine had done. She wasn't surprised to see that she had done an excellent job in turning her friend into a Pantoran, just like her. When she stood, however, she saw that Alex grimaced.
"What?"
"What are you wearing?"
Kiara rolled her eyes. Yes, her outfit was a bit on the skimpy side. A style that she wouldn't even consider away from a place like Canto Bight. It was very short and had a slit up to her hip on one side. The limited top that she was wearing was practically a couple of shiny scraps of cloth that barely covered her breasts. But she also was aware that if she didn't want to draw unwanted attention from other gamblers at the tables that she needed to look like nearly every woman in the casino. Not to mention, she knew from years of experience that the briefer the outfit the bigger the bets at the table tended to be.
"Something that will help me blend in with the rest of the women who are here to gamble. Would you prefer that I wore my jumpsuit that I wear when working on the ship's systems?"
Zeb nudged Sabine as the two did their best to become part of the ship's décor so that they could watch the small argument that looked to be brewing.
"At least it would look like you were planning to earn credits at the tables instead of-"
Kiara's eyes flew open at the implication as her jaw tightened from the strain she'd put on her teeth. When she slapped Kallus the other two in the room both felt their jaws drop. Kallus, for his part remained stock-still as the two glared at one another until Tac floated down the corridor.
"Mistress Kiara, I've tapped into the casino's computer as you requested and downloaded the guest list so that you could best decide which tables to start at." Tac zipped around with a small datapad in hand. "There are several high-rollers present who were also here when we were last on Cantonica."
Kiara took a step back, no longer wanting to tease Alex on the way he looked as had been her intention when she had first stood up. She grabbed the datapad and glanced over the list of names to see which ones she recognized from over the years of hitting gambling spots like this one to pull in a few extra credits. She snickered when she read over one name in particular before she turned to Sabine, utterly ignoring Alexsandr.
"We'll work the same way as before." Kiara handed the datapad over to the Mandalorian as she spoke, "Tac has noted those who you'll need to keep a watch out for, for me."
Sabine nodded as she glanced over the information, committing much of it to memory. She'd set up an interface with her helmet's computer so that she could refer back to the list as needed. "I'll head inside and get ready. Wait a few minutes."
Kiara then turned toward Zeb to apologize for his having to stay on the ship. He understood but that didn't mean that he had to like it.
"Maybe another time," Zeb said with a shrug.
"Definitely."
Kiara then turned and eyed Alex who still was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She didn't have time to figure him out, so she instead slipped past him and headed down the loading ramp to leave the ship. She didn't turn her head when she heard footsteps behind her on the ramp. He had come to the planet to keep an eye on her after all and he couldn't do that from the ship. As they entered the casino Kiara felt a hand on the base of her spine as she walked through the lobby. She ignored it as the two worked their way toward the various game tables.
In her ear Sabine directed her toward a table that had one of the individuals who had a notation on the datapad that indicated that he tended to bet large amounts of credits, especially after he had a few drinks in him. Kiara glanced over toward the man in question and saw that he was already a bit unsteady on his feet.
"Go to the bar and watch from there. I'll go to the tables alone," Kiara muttered without turning to look at the man who still had a possessive hand on her back.
"I don't think so," Kallus said as he looked around the casino.
Kiara practically growled as she spun around, nearly sliding on her impossibly high heels. "We are here for credits. We will only get those credits if I don't have someone glowering over my shoulder at the other gamblers."
"I don't glower," Alex said through gritted teeth.
"Oh no?" Kiara raised her brow for a moment before shaking her head. "I think you coming here was a bad idea. Maybe you should go back to the ship. Especially since once I get to the sabacc tables, they only allow players into the area."
Kallus shook his head. "Not going to happen. I'll go to the bar; for now. But I'll be watching."
Kiara took a deep breath before she turned to walk toward the gaming tables. She did her best to ignore the man who was watching her every move behind her. She joined a game and put a bet on the table as she started to chat up the man whose name was on the datapad of high rollers.
From the nearest bar Kallus watched as Kiara laughed with those at the table and even flirted with the large Besalisk as the man put one of his four arms around her, resting his hand on her hip. Alex flexed his own hand, forgetting that he had a drink in it, and broke the glass that he'd been holding. He watched as she leaned forward across the table to collect her winnings. He also watched as both men and women at the table eyed her form as she stretched and leaned as she did so. When she moved like that, even less of her blue-painted body was sufficiently covered.
Alex spent the next several hours watching from across the way, moving from one bar to another to shadow Kiara. He listened as Sabine would give warnings against going to certain tables and which ones to join based on who was playing and who was winning. He hated to admit it, but the two women worked seamlessly together. Both drew on their own strengths and abilities.
Finally, after earning more than enough credits to get into a high-stakes game Kallus watched as Kiara went further away into the corner area of the casino that was roped off so that only the players could go. He suspected that this was so that the players couldn't have assistance from anyone walking behind the others to give them a heads up regarding the hands of each individual at the table. This is what Kallus had been waiting for. He hadn't told the others, but he'd had a stash of credits on him, and he saw that it was enough to get into the game that Kiara was joining. He stepped away from the bar and walked in the direction of the sabacc tables and put his credits on the table as he took a seat across from the woman that he'd come to the planet to watch and protect.
Kallus tried to read what Kiara was thinking when she looked in his direction, but she was well practiced in keeping her face schooled while gambling. He thought about saying something to break the ice, something non-descript that wouldn't reveal that they were on the planet together, but before he got the chance another man took the last place at the table. A seat right beside of Kiara.
"Well, well," a dark-skinned human male smiled broadly at the blue Pantoran woman whom he'd met once before right here at the tables. "This is a surprise. I didn't expect to see such a lovely vision at the tables twice in one lifetime."
"After our last encounter, how could I possibly stay away?" Kiara smiled in Lando's direction. "Especially since finding a true gentleman is so rare in the galaxy."
"You flatter me, my lady," Lando took Kiara's hand and gave it a kiss on the knuckles.
"Is truth really flattery?"
"Perhaps it only sounds as such coming from your lovely lips."
Kallus didn't know if he wanted to roll his eyes or punch the other man as he heard the exchange. Actually, maybe he did know which he'd prefer to do but he settled for rolling his eyes instead.
When the cards were dealt, he did his best to concentrate on the game, but it wasn't easy. The man beside Kiara kept flirting with her and what was worse, she not only didn't discourage him but flirted right back. He also saw that each time that the man beside her took his time to debate on a bet or trading a card Kiara would take the opportunity to cross her legs and shifted in her seat. And of course, it drew the man's attention more times than it didn't.
He knew that the woman was using her ability to read the people at the table so when she put in a lower bet it meant that she didn't have as good of a hand as the others at the table. When she put in a larger bet, she wasn't bluffing. Kallus, for his part, stuck with modest bets. Occasionally winning so he was still coming out ahead. He wasn't here to win, though; that was Kiara's job. No, he was here to... Hell, what was he here to do? He knew what he wanted to do when other players got too close to her, but he couldn't exactly indulge in those impulses.
Kiara, for her part, had earned quite a healthy pot of winnings as she sat at the table. She looked at her cards and knew that this hand was quite promising since few hands would be able to beat it. She was about to place a bet when Sabine's voice came over the comm unit in her ear.
"Guys, we should head back to the ship. I saw security pulling out some weird devices, having individuals to speak into them, and they seem to be looking for someone."
Kiara looked over to Alex and saw that he heard Sabine, too. They may not be looking for them but if his voice print was taken, he could become a convenient prisoner for security to take in to turn over to the Empire. That meant that he needed to get to the ship. He subtly gestured with a brow to indicate that he wanted her to leave first. Kiara looked down at her cards and the bets on the table already. They even included a city on the planet of Bespin. That could bring in a lot more credits than they had hoped. She could win. But she also knew that Alex wasn't about to leave the table until she did. And they couldn't exactly leave at the same time, either. Nor could she actually bet to win because that would extend the game longer than they had before the security got to the table.
Groaning, Kiara placed her cards down on the table to indicate that she was folding. She was withdrawing from the hand. That left Lando the victor. Kiara then stood to leave the table.
"My dear, you aren't planning to leave so soon, are you? I do believe that you have become my Lady Luck. What could I possibly do without you at my side?" Lando gently reached for Kiara's hand as she went to grab her winnings from the table. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and gazed down at his face with a sweet smile.
"I'm sure that you'll be able to find a new talisman to sit at your side, soon enough."
"Perhaps, but I doubt that they will be nearly as lovely or pleasant to speak to. Nor as well-cultured, such as yourself. A true lady."
"Now look who is trying to flatter?"
"But as you said, is it flattery if it is truth?"
"Until our paths cross again, Lando." Kiara then picked up her winnings and eyed Alexsandr and snickered softly to herself. She knew that he'd have to play at least one more hand before making his own exit in order to make it less suspicious. Still, that didn't mean that she intended to head to the ship just yet. Not until he, too, had left the sabacc table.
Kiara found Sabine and gave her the winnings that she'd collected. Should someone have the inclination, they would be far less likely to try to take them from a Mandalorian Warrior than from someone who looked as if she was a common female player at the casino. Sabine made a quick and hasty exit of her own to wait on the ship. Just in case, she also said that she and Zeb would have the Shadow Chaser ready should they have to fight their way out of the system. Kiara hoped that they wouldn't need to but knew that the precaution was wise.
Kiara stood by the nearest bar to the sabacc tables while she waited for Alex to make his way from the tables. When he left the area holding a case that contained his winnings, he scanned the room around him and as his eyes fell onto her, she could see that he wasn't happy that she'd waited for him. Still, he wasn't going to let her leave alone and she figured that it only went to reason that she wouldn't want him to do so, either.
Kallus made his way over to where Kiara was at and kept his voice low when he asked, "What do you think you are doing? Why didn't you go back to the ship with Sabine?"
"The same reason why you didn't, I suppose." Kiara rolled her eyes. "Now let's go."
Kallus watched as several officers were filtering their way in their direction. "Wait, not that way." He led Kiara away from the officers with a hand to her lower back and scanned the room for a place to take refuge in until the coast was clear. He spied an alcove that had a variety of plants in it and decided that it would do. "In there."
Kiara glanced at the alcove that seemed tucked away from the rest of the lights and atmosphere of the casino. It would be a tight fit with the two of them. She eyed Alex and the alcove but only briefly as she spotted the officers in search of a mystery individual whom they could only identify by their voice, apparently. She slipped in with him right behind her. The alcove was so tight that she had little choice but to tuck in next to Alex as he put an arm around her but kept an eye on the search party.
"Who do you think they are looking for?" Kiara whispered. Before he responded she felt him tighten his grip slightly around her bare waist.
"I don't know. But it's best to try to avoid detection. And if they get close, we may need to pretend to be too occupied to pay them much attention."
Kiara could sense that a couple of officers were heading in their direction as she asked, "And how do you suggest that we do that?"
Her mind took a second to process the answer that he gave her. He'd bent his head down and gave her a kiss; soft, sweet and lingering. After a second of hesitation and confusion she found her hand reaching up and wrapping itself around Alex's neck. When she did, she felt the kiss turn from being soft and sweet to being a bit more urgent and even demanding.
Zeb reached for the comm unit and turned it off when he heard it go silent. Much to the disappointment to the young woman at his side.
"Hey!"
"Let's give them a little privacy, shall we? Likely enough, they've forgotten that their comms are still live," Zeb insisted.
"And if they run into trouble before they get back to the ship?"
"They can activate their emergency beacons." When he saw the younger woman cross her arms with what could be described as a pout he added, "With as thick as the two of you have gotten, I'm sure Kiara will tell you everything, anyway."
Sabine grinned as she let out a giggle, "That mean that Kallus will be telling you about what is happening?"
"I didn't say that. We don't sit around gossiping." That earned him a glare.
"And I do? I happen to be heavily invested after watching Kallus squirm, for how long? I just think it's about damn time."
"On that, we can agree. Now, let's go see what kind of a haul we were able to bring in on our first night here." Zeb then called to the techno-service droid and added, "Tac, keep an eye on the comm and let us know if anything changes."
"Why of course," the droid responded with its typically happy tone as the Lasat guided the Mandalorian back toward the common area of the ship where the credits were left.
