Mara left the warm comfort of the bath with an hour to spare, and quickly rifled through her bag for something to wear at the celebration that night. Although she wanted to look dressy enough so as to fit in with the other party-goers, she didn't want to stand out among them by dressing up too much – when it came time for her to leave, she would need to be able to make a quick and inconspicuous exit.

In the end, she settled on wearing a velvety green dress with a form-fitting black sleeveless top. It was an attractive, but practical choice. The skirt hid her small, undetectable blaster and the vibro-knife attached to her thighs, and if things got iffy, the green fabric could easily be torn away from the black body suit she was wearing underneath. She hoped not to have to tear the dress – it would mean that she had been detected – but was prepared to do so. As long as she eliminated her target, she was willing for her pride to take a blow.

Mara brushed through her red hair quickly and blow-dried it before deciding just to leave it down for the night. Within minutes, she had grabbed her purse and was out the door.

BBBBB

"I'm sorry, miss, I need to check your bag. For the Senator's safety and all that. We just need to make sure."

The young security guard seemed rather embarrassed about stopping Mara before she entered the Senator's private eating area, for he stammered and blushed as he held out his hand. Mara arched an eyebrow at him, but with a kind smile passed over her purse.

She had expected a least a cursory weapons check at the door, so she had prepared for it. The guard would no more find a weapon in her bag than he would a Wookie. With mumbled thanks and apologies, he rifled through her bag and checked her passport before handing both back to her. Another guard simultaneously scanned her for weapons. She wasn't too worried about him picking up her blaster or her vibroblade on his scanner; they were made of a rare material found in the Rim Worlds, and wouldn't show up on mainline weapon scanners.

"Do you have to worry about many people going after the Senator?" Mara asked with a tone of innocence. Keeping with her part as the fun-loving tourist, she allowed her gaze to follow the security guards' movements. They saw the look as mere curiosity; it was really a study of them so she could be prepared to take them out if it became necessary.

"Not too many," the young guard replied, "We just have to be prepared." He looked over Mara's shoulder at his partner. The older man nodded and stopped scanning her.

The young man returned his gaze to the Emperor's Hand. "You're clean, miss. You can proceed now. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."

Mara smiled as he opened the door for her. "No problem; I understand that you have to do your job. You have to keep the Senator safe."

The guard beamed as she walked past. "Yes," he agreed happily, "Senator Organa's a good man; we need to keep him alive and well."

Mara rolled her eyes as soon as she was out of sight at the guards' stupidity.

You morons, she thought with disgust, your beloved Senator is a traitor to the Emperor! You'll be lucky if I don't report you. Lucky for you, you're too insignificant to be bothered with! Besides, the realization that you probably let in your Senator's killer will probably be punishment enough…

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you were on your honeymoon!"

Mara stifled a groan as the overly-cheerful masculine voice broke into her thoughts. She turned slowly to meet the gaze of the smuggler she had met on the transport to Alderaan. He looked dashing in his red suit and black cape, although he was conspicuously weaponless.

Having the man dogging after her all night was going to get her some unwanted attention, but she had the nasty feeling that it would get her less attention than sticking with the honeymoon story. He would continue to tag after her, and the Senator or others might even become suspicious as to why her husband wasn't with her. Besides, people always wanted to congratulate honeymooners, and she didn't need people to show that kind of interest in her.

Bowing to the inevitable, she changed her tune. "I lied," she said bluntly, going with her official cover story instead, "I'm really just here for the festivities, but I'm a little leery of scoundrels so…" she shrugged apologetically. "I didn't think you would take a simple I'm-not-interested-in-flirting as an answer."

He blinked, his smile wavering. "Well, I've never had any woman say that to me before! Look, sweety, why don't you just give me a chance? If you feel too uncomfortable with some simple dancing and an entertaining flirtation, you can slap me!" He winked. "I'm used to it, believe me."

Mara laughed. "I have no doubt that you are." She went over to the bar and ordered a drink, and he did the same.

He raised an eyebrow at her choice. "Corellian brandy?"

"I know how to handle my alcohol," she shrugged, accepting her glass from the bartender. She leaned back comfortably on the barstool as she glanced up at the wall chrono. Two hours to waste before dinner with the Senator.

"So what are you doing here?" Mara probed, taking a sip of her brandy, "I thought you came to Alderaan on business."

The smuggler shrugged as he took a big gulp of his own drink. "The deal fizzled out," he explained with a sigh, "My prospective customers got too shy to deal. So when I heard about this party, I figured I'd come since I was here anyway; I mean, you can't beat getting your drinking habit paid for by Organa."

The lady's red eyebrow rose to her hairline. "Sounds like a deal to me."

He chuckled into his drink. "That's one way of putting it." He leaned back in his own seat and studied her, obviously liking what he saw. Mara stared right back, refusing to be intimidated.

The smuggler laughed again. "You don't let anyone daunt you do you?"

"It was never a habit I could get in to," Mara retorted, "I'm too stubborn."

"And sassy," he grinned. He ordered another drink and one for her as well. "What's your name, anyway? I don't think we ever got introduced. I'm Rovan Curikk."

"Jezzel Quilana," Mara replied, "and this is very fascinating for me, by the way. I don't usually associate with smugglers."

Rovan played with his drink. "Yeah, well, it doesn't show. You seem perfectly at your ease." He threw her an impish grin. "You interested in joining the racket, Jezzel? I wouldn't mind having you as a partner."

Mara cocked an eyebrow again. "A little quick, aren't you? No, thanks, Rovan, I have the feeling that you're a bit of a ladies' man, and I don't need the heartbreak. Besides, I have a desk job I'm perfectly happy with."

"You? A desk jockey?" he snorted distastefully. "You're wasting your life, Jezzel. You could do much better In smuggling and it's more exciting besides."

Mara finished her drink and stood up as she glanced once more at the wall chrono. "You can't get a steady man in smuggling, Rovan. You guys are in smuggling for a reason; you're wanderers who can't follow the rules. I'm not going to find someone who can make a commitment there."

She pointed at the chrono before he could protest. "Look, I have an hour before I join the Senator at dinner. I want to do some dancing before then, not spend the whole time drinking. This conversation is ended."

Rovan stood up as well, leaving his drink unfinished. "Is that all for tonight then?" He sounded disappointed.

Mara threw him a saucy look. "Can you dance?"

Rovan's face lit up and, taking her hand, he led her onto the dance floor. As they swung to the music, Mara smiled to herself. While she might have been remembered if she had spent the whole night alone, no one would remember a couple that drank and danced like any other couple at the party that night.

By the time her job was done, she could disappear, and no one would be able to point her out among the many other guests that night.

Yes, she was good.