that time they were undercover married

[notallofus]

So imagine there's a woman. You love her, and you want her, and you're partners in everything, and there's very little you hide anymore, and it's good that way, the greatest, but you're not . . . You're not together. Like that.

Now imagine that there's a mission, and it involves a sudden opening in someone's social calendar, and this opening involves a fancy party for married couples where lips are guaranteed to be loose, wine and spice flow like rain, and some very valuable materials and information will be less guarded for six hours than they ever will be again.

Imagine that the person who provided the opening is a Twi'lek, and she has a husband, and it's their slots that someone has to be prepared to take at this shindig.

"I think whoever made these pants cut them a little too tight."

Uh.

"My dear."

Comments

[notallofus]

"I set myself up for that one," Kanan admits, sheepishly.

Then he rests his hand on Hera's arm and sweeps off in that direction.

"Art, they call this," he says, as they approach the hoverfountain. "It's certainly a novel application of the technology, but isn't that more engineering?"

He can keep this up for hours. He's not going to, but he could!

[for_everyone]

"I don't know, dear," Hera answers, returning to her Ryloth accent. "I think it's charming."

If 'charming' means 'gaudy and ostentatious.' But the Moff looks up from his drink, his eyebrows raised. He glances at Hera, but immediately turns to Kanan.

"Your... companion has taste," he remarks, his Core drawl halting briefly on the second word.

[notallofus]

"My wife? It's true, she does."

He can't help it, the whole . . . thing just makes his skin crawl, even here. Especially here.

"Rihn, darling, here's someone who shares your artistic sensibilities. I thought their like didn't exist elsewhere in the galaxy, and I am at last proven wrong."

It's fond as he says it, though, because of course it would be.

[for_everyone]

"It's always nice to know you're not alone," Hera says, offering the Moff her free hand. He glances over to her again, but only nods in response, and Hera quickly withdraws. The Moff takes another swig of his drink.

"And how did you two get in here?" he asks, voice already bored, as though he couldn't be bothered to find a more polite way to ask the question.

[notallofus]

"An invitation, just like anyone else."

Kanan smiles and smiles.

"Rihn makes a lot of influential business deals, and what keeps the credits flowing keeps everyone happy."

[for_everyone]

"It's an honor to meet you, Moff Laval."

At this point, Hera isn't expecting much response from the Moff. But that might not be such a bad thing.

"I've heard good things about your work in the Vorzyd Sector," she continues.

Very grudgingly, the Moff looks back to her. "You do a lot of business in the Vorzyd sector?"

"Of course," Hera smiles again. "And we're thankful the Empire has reduced our rates of delayed and lost shipments there."

[notallofus]

"Mmph," Laval says, not quite able to help the acknowledgment -- because who doesn't like being praised -- but not particularly overjoyed by who his giving it.

"We'll be eliminating more of it shortly."

Kanan's metaphorical ears perk up.

[for_everyone]

"That's a relief," Hera says, still smiling.

"I think we'll all be glad to see the last of pirate scum crowding the trade runs."

[notallofus]

"They always seem so dashing in the holos," Kanan puts in. "But in reality they are just vicious thugs."

And people keep conflating them with the various rebels against the Empire, which . . . no.

"I'll be glad to think our shipping runs will be safer, too."

[for_everyone]

The Moff scoffs. "Pirates are the least trouble we have."

Hera's smile fades, and she raises her hand to her chest, as though struck by this. "Really? There's something worse than pirates?"

[notallofus]

"It seems as if you haven't run into them yourselves, yet," the Moff says darkly. "Be grateful for that. Those who do not appreciate the work the Empire does, the peace we have brought, they seek also to remove that peace for others. They would steal your goods, your ships, and your personnel, and repurpose them to upset the Empire's good works on the planets of Mid-Rim, the Rim, and eventually the Core itself."

Someone, it seems, really needs them to be impressed with the oncoming terror.

Kanan grimaces. It's the best approximation of terror he can come up with. And he's not sure Zak would believe in such a threat, anyway.

Right?

[for_everyone]

Hera widens her eyes, her hand still over her chest.

"That's very troubling. We'd hate to see the good fortune the Empire has brought us threatened. But surely there can't be many of them."

The Moff takes a step closer to them, eyes now trained on Hera, clearly enjoying the effect he seems to be having on her. "You'd be surprised at how often traitors can be found in high places."

[notallofus]

Kanan, too, catches his breath a little, in the back of his throat.

This Moff is disgusting. Why a certain kind of person loves to see fear . . .

"But surely you'll rip them out root and branch, right? You and the rest of the Imperial officers and governors. The loyal ones, anyway, if there really are traitors that have gotten so far."

[for_everyone]

The Moff looks back to Kanan, and smiles, a sudden sharp movement that cuts across his face.

"Of that you can be rest assured."

Before another word is spoke, there's a commotion near the doors. A very elaborately dressed couple, who must be a king and queen of some planet or other, have entered the party. Their tall silver costumes, weaving around them like cocoons, glitter under the party lights, and many other attendees begin to head in their direction.

Including, apparently, Moff Laval. He lifts his glass to Hera and Kanan. "Until later."

Hera watches him as he leaves, leaning back into Kanan's arm. "That's someone to drop by later."

Maybe after he's had a few more drinks, at least.

[notallofus]

Kanan nods, watching the Moff go for a moment, then turning to look at other party guests.

"Yeah, he seems like the kind of guy with something to say."

He shifts a little, resting his free hand on top of hers for a second.

"You'll tell me if I come on too -- if I'm too defensive, right?"

The way these Imps treat Twi'leks is already wearing on his nerves and they've been here less than an hour. He doesn't want to break their cover. (Break some faces, yes, maybe. But not their cover.)

[for_everyone]

"Just keep playing the trophy husband, dear," she says, reaching up to playfully flick his beard.

"You're doing fine."

[notallofus]

Kanan only wishes his sudden blush were acting.

Ah, well.

"Right. I can do that. Yes."

[for_everyone]

"In the meantime..."

Hera's eyes flicker once around the room, before she looks down again, lifting her glass. She's still leaning into Kanan's shoulder.

"The ISB agent by the holosculpture? More art you can criticize."

[notallofus]

"Oh good. My favorite pastime."

His voice is only a little dry.

"You ready?"

He's trying to muster his own gumption just now.

"I think I'm going to go with color criticism this time. Such a monotone palette."

[for_everyone]

Hera finally lifts herself from his shoulder, smiling up at him for a moment. And then she starts leading the way toward the slowly rotating sculpture. It's indeed a monotone gray, a rough-hewn figure of a human man, a minuscule spiral of stars glittering between his hands.

"That's Imperial taste for you," she agrees.

[notallofus]

Kanan grimaces, only a little theatrically.

"Quick, let's do this before I lose the two sips of drink I've had."

[for_everyone]

"Maybe we can find a real plant."

Or some other way to surreptitiously dumping their drinks. Hera has no interest in more than a couple sips of wine while in a room full of Imperials.

Still, she smiles at him again, eyes lingering for a few seconds. But then she blinks a few times, and glances away again, back to their ISB agent.

[notallofus]

"I'm also not letting myself be seduced. Just so you know."

Because of all those people having affairs with ISB agents. Or rumored to be, anyway.

"Right. Here we go."

[for_everyone]

Hera can't shove him for that now. She'll have to do it later.

As it is, she puts on a vapid smile, and flickers her eyes from the agent, to the sculpture, and the stars in its hands.