The Assassin, the Jedi and the Wardrobe Update *

[Adia Issoris]

*(Open to NON IMPERIALS)

Adia’s lightly modified Lambda class shuttle dropped out of hyperspace above Umgul, a world famed for it’s casinos and blob racing. The former Hand had been to Umgul before on a few different assignments. She felt comfortable enough with her knowledge of the place. She knew which hotels were heavily bugged and which were not. Most of them were somewhat bugged. Minerva was a common enough name, and Adia wasn’t a familiar face unless you were top level Imperial brass or a Moff. She had switched the transponder during travel to something nondescript. It now read as a retired Imperial shuttle sold to a “Jannisori Tino”, which Adia had full identification for. So did several other COMPNOR and Intel agents. For the sake of temporary disguise, Lianna had tried on a few simple pieces of Adia’s clothing. While she was only 5 cm smaller in the waist, she was 13 cm smaller in the shoulders and in the hips, and Adia was another 10 cm taller. Everything fit comically, and they gave up after two tops fitting easily over the rags Lianna was wearing.

After she booked a room, she’d come back to the shuttle and get Lianna. But first, Umgul control.

“Umgul control, this is shuttle Tino’s Tidy. Requesting a berth in the City.”
“Tidy, do you have a prior arrangement with any of the resorts?”
“No control. This was a spur of the moment trip.”
“Understood. Transmitting cooridinates to your Navicomp. You’ll only have 25 hours before the rate quadruples.”
“Thank you, control. Tidy out.”

“It looks like we have time to shop before we need to find a room after all.” Adia said with a slight smile while she eased the shuttle toward the green, white and blue planet below. Umgul had extensive, foggy forests.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

She sat in the co-pilot's chair in stunned awe. Lianna's mouth had crept opened, slightly agape, from what she was looking at through the view port. There were so many ships buzzing around the planet like annoying mosquitoes, waiting their opportunity to land and strike. Never before had Lianna seen so many types of ships either. Usually the Jedi only saw the same hum drum freighters that were held together by patchwork and luck. They were here too, but also some of the most expensive personal yachts were present. Even one of those massive cruise liners that could hold thousands of sentients was seen.

Lianna felt terribly out of place and looked down at the beautiful royal blue blouse covering her pitiful attire, wondering if this was such a good idea after all.

The fabric felt smooth between her fingers while she played with it and tried to remain focused. She was finally going to meet her birth mother. Of course this was worth it. Remaining true to the Force and her training, she could accomplish anything. And, she had Adia.

"Good," she finally replied and looked over at the Assassin. "Though I do wonder how is it possible that the rates for a hotel could quadruple within a day. Seems so ... unbelievable."

[Adia Issoris]

“It’s not the hotel rate. It’s the rate for the dock. The casinos and the Duchy have an arrangement for spur of the moment visitors. You can dock for one day at a very reasonable rate while you look for a hotel. I expect we will be bombarded with hotel offers as soon as we step off the ship.” Adia said while she eased the ship toward the birth. There was no need for hot headed flying, but apparently someone was in a big hurry on the way out.

“Krasst.” She muttered and banked the large shuttle moderately left while a pleasure yacht shot past. While not the most maneuverable craft, the Lambda class was very stable in the atmosphere, and that was all the excitement.

“I have another ID. You’re now Lianna Renn, my cousin. I go by Adia, my middle name. Your luggage was misplaced on the way out the door.” While they had gone over this on the several days journey through hyperspace, this was part of ingrained Imperial procedure, which she had politely warned Lianna about. Lianna still looked a little overwhelmed from the descent. Considering the planets she had visited on the outer rim, this was not surprising at all. The ramp dropped to an immaculately clean landing pad that seemed to sprout out of a pine forest.

Adia looked like a hundred thousand credits. Her red hair cascaded to her shoulders, wrapped in a tailored dark green blouse and her black slacks clung to her hips and waist, but grew a little looser on the way down. The black, low heeled boots shined neatly.

Conversely, Lianna's outfit was terribly awkward.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

A timid narrowing of her eyes was the only indication of Lianna's feelings of inadequacy. Her wild unkempt hair was brushed out as best as Adia could do, and the oversized blouse covered her body down to her knees, leaving her torn and tattered boots visible. She looked like hell. The pad workers were giggling rude comments to one another, but she let the cruel words roll off her shoulder. The Jedi had to at least act the part of a rich cousin, though her manner of appearance said otherwise. She tried to mimic Adia's confident manner and relax her features, willing the tension away. The later was easily accomplished, acting if she was upper class was not so. Her movements were too rigid and unnatural, so Lianna fell into a more comfortable pattern of being on guard, alert of everyone around her. That seemed to fall in line of Adia's presence better.

They hadn't walked one meter off the shuttle before the holo-displays popped up, begging for the pair to book reservations at their respected hotels. So many bright images could make one go blind, and they talked over one another so much that Lianna could barely understand what the hotels names were or where they were located. How could any tourist make sense of this? It was horribly overwhelming and the Jedi stepped closer to the Assassin for support, much like a daughter would in uncertainty.

After they passed the length of the pad, the advertisements stopped, much to the comfort of Lianna's senses. This was the first 'loud' planet she had been to, and her instincts told her that it wouldn't get much quieter until they left. But then their destination was Coruscant, a planet one hundred more times packed with beings ...

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, silencing that train of thought. There would be time to worry about Coruscant later.

Adia had already flagged down a hover-taxi and was already inside. A burly, beer bellied human had the door opened and was waiting on Lianna. He did well to smile politely at the young woman, but his mind was just as callous as the other workers. There were very few moments in her life where she had been judged like this but with wealth all around her, of course it was going to occur constantly.

Sighing softly, she stepped into the taxi.

[Adia Issoris]

Unlike Lianna, Adia was used to the noise pollution. She was on Coruscant often, and before that, among hundreds of thousands of clones.

She instructed the corpulent taxi driver to head for Lakeside Shops, the second largest mall in Umgul City. Adia was more familiar with it, having run a security detail for the Balmorran Senator years prior.

She watched the driver’s eyes float from the lane to Lianna, and the path of the speeder deviated more than she cared for. With sudden violence, she bashed the wire mesh separating the front from the back. The taxi jerked left for a moment before righting itself. The driver’s heart nearly expired on the spot.

“Watch the lane.” Adia said with disgust, and sat back with her arms folded across her chest.

Silence filled the cab again, and the driver nervously committed his full attention to getting to Lakeside, except for the occasionally glance at Adia that was only met with stony green eyed glare. When they arrived, Adia tipped him what would be considered the bare minimum of acceptable. She had a role to fit in to, and to do otherwise would attract undue attention.

She looked Lianna over against the background of the tree-lined lake. The main indication of the mall was the “glass” statues that served to collect light and send it down to the underground structure that also ran beneath half of the lake. The topside was a mix of open-air shops and park. The main entrance overlooked the lake, and was a mix of classical columns and modern transparisteel that crept out into the lake by only 25 meters. Enough space for a wide walkway and overhang.

“I think we should start with shoes.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna hadn't registered what Adia had said. She was too enthralled by the architecture. The Jedi couldn't recall seeing such beautiful landscape that was actually constructed from today's society's hands. The planets she visited were barely built up. Many of them were smaller settlements with one or two larger cities, and the native structures were hundreds of years old with kilometers of natural landscape in-between.

The holovids she spied every so often did not do the modern cities justice.

"Lianna?" Adia's voice cut in again. "Shoes?"

She blinked and felt her cheeks flush ever so slightly. As appreciative as Lianna was to the new surroundings, she knew better then to become so absorbed in them that she failed to notice what was occurring around her.

"I'm sorry," she offered an apologetic smile. "Shoes it is."

Her eyes drifted from one side of the walkway to the other. None of the shops seemed to be selling shoes on this floor. Fortunately, a directory was close by and Lianna walked towards the black circular structure that flashed with red and blue lights now and then. Upon approaching, a handsome human male appeared and welcomed her to the mall. Then a lengthy description of the mall ensued ...

"Stop."

It complied, literally stopping in mid sentence.

"We're looking for a shoe store."

It processed that information and Lianna's image before answering. "There are several stores here depending on the type of footwear needed. For adventurous sorts, there's the Umgal Trading post, specializing in boots."

Lianna half wondered if the directory said that on purpose because of ones she was wearing. In all honesty, she couldn't remember when the last time she had replaced them. It had to be over five standard years ago.

"For sports fanatics, there's Kenjak's. It doesn't matter if you're into Blastball, Rugby, or need something to work out in. Kenjak's has the perfect style for you.

For the casual citizen, we have Simply Elegant..."

As the holovid continued, Lianna looked to Adia for approval. She was flying blind and the last suggestion made sense to her, but perhaps the Assassin knew of some place better.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia let Lianna get the full-run down on the shoe stores. While each description of each store included a fancy fly-through, Adia preferred the more traditional ¾ view.

“Map.” The holoprojector complied, bringing up a 3d map of the entire publicly accessible mall. “Footwear. Bipedal, female: casual, adventure, and formal. Each applicable store’s space lit up, labeled itself with its name and distance in meters. The entire complex was nearly a kilometer and a half in diameter at the widest of the oval, and had three levels of shops.

“One of the pains of even being mildly cosmopolitan is stupid amount of clothing you’re expected to own. Fortunately for you, I’ve already figured out how to distill things down to something manageable.” Adia explained as she led Lianna to nearby Simply Elegant, a casual department store with an exceptional shoe department for almost every bipedal. Lianna’s eyes were wide again at the array of choices. On the outer rim, you had general boots and maybe specialized shoes for climbing and various types of inclement weather.

Adia immediately went for low-heeled, classic, “practical” footwear and ended up with six different pairs of shoes. They were different sizes, so they found that a 24cm shoe fit best.

“You’ll end up keeping three. We’ll do the shopping for today’s outfit here.” Adia said as the saleswoman finished her sale and honed in a minute later.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Three pairs of shoes? Lianna was thoroughly confused as to why anyone would need more then one pair. A question for another time since such a comment made from an affluent customer would undoubtedly make little sense.

As if that wasn't enough, the Jedi did a double take at the amount the shoes had cost. 450 credits? She stifled a gasp and merely smiled at the cashier. If footwear cost that much, buying an outfit was going to be even more expensive.

When the pair was far enough away from prying ears, Lianna turned to Adia, who was already rummaging the racks for something suitable. Simply Elegant was a department store and had more then just shoes to offer consumers.

She walked up to her companion and spoke in a hushed tone, "I appreciate this, but you mustn’t spend this much on me. I could never repay you for the kindness."

[Adia Issoris]

"They'll last for years." Adia countered politely. "Besides, this isn't really my money." She said with a wink and a mischevious smile. Lianna still looked like a fish out of water, but didn't say anything as she was dragged into the women's clothing department. Adia didn't really tell anyone about it, but she had an eye for color and cuts. She had been the distraction on a mission and had taken it very seriously at the time. She discovered she didn't mind dressing when the occasion called for it, and it gave her a needed edge for some ops.

Lianna followed but maintained an air of bewilderment. "Don't look at the tags." Adia said sternly, but smiled immediately afterword. She placed a set of different color blouses next to Lianna's face, one by one, examining the way the color interacted with the girl's hair and skin and eyes. A few of the colors she put back up for a second glance. She repeated the proccess with set of nice brown pants, finding a shade that satisfied her fashion sense. She escorted Lianna into the dressing room, and instructed her to try on the various sizes of pants and shirts before she closed the door behind.

"Remember to take your time and make sure you can move, and remember that the fabric is stretchy where it needs to be." While not a cat suit by any means, the clothes were fitted. It would be a sharp contrast to what the girl was used to.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna looked between two of the shirts that hung on the hook, one red and one blue, with an uncertain look. She really didn't understand how the Assassin nailed down what were the proper clothes. It seemed an odd ritual, placing the clothing back and forth against her skin, but who was she to argue. Everything about this venture was foreign to her.

"Go on." Adia encouraged and Lianna reluctantly began to strip off her clothing. Not out of modesty but out of doubt. Perhaps even a bit scared to see the final result.

Being rid of Adia's oversized clothing felt good however. Swimming in the sea of fabric was not pleasant and had caused her to walk awkward all day. Finally she was down to the white tank top and randomly selected the blue shirt.

"Top needs to be taken off too."

The Jedi looked at her quizzically.

"For the proper fit."

She sighed and did so, now bare from the waist up.

The shirt was snug at the waist and chest. The sleeves billowed from the shoulders and fell just short of reaching her elbows. The brown pants were far more form fitted then the shirt. It felt terribly confining, though oddly comfortable. She was able to stretch her legs out and sit and remain with the ability to breath.

After some coaxing from Adia, Lianna turned around to face the mirror and immediately stiffened in surprise. Years of bulky robes and clothing had hidden an attractive physique. Her frame was slender but her body maintained a certain amount of muscle mass that had been built up over years of training. It only added to her beauty. Every curve of her body was accentuated by the cut of the clothing, especially how the v-line of the shirt dipped down to reveal her breasts in a tasteful manner.

Lianna crossed her arms shyly, "I'm not so sure about this."

[Adia Issoris]

"I am." Adia said as she looked Lianna over carefully, but made note to save shopping for evening dresses for last.

"You're in better shape than your sister, but no one will really notice. Turn around slowly." The young Jedi looked rather unsure, but turned around. The clothing fit to Adia's satisfaction. She was pleased with herself for finding clothes quickly. The cut and color was ideal, and Lianna looked stunning, if somewhat reserved. She handed Lianna her pair of black shoes, decorative belt and brown quartersocks.

"Good. You'll blend in well enough today." Adia straightend the collar on the shirt and smiled. She just had to get Lianna comfortable with the new clothing.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

"I suppose," she grudgingly agreed as Adia snapped off the price tags so the items could be purchased.

Lianna sat down on the bench and took her time putting on the socks and shoes, allowing a few short minutes to look at herself in the mirror again.

It still felt as if she was looking at a stranger. Her unkempt hair was the only aspect left that was recognizable, yet she had a feeling that would be taken care of shortly. The clothes exuded money but her hair screamed peasant. Her sister would never be caught with such long and wild hair.

"You're in better shape than your sister ..."

She hadn't thought much about the comment but now her own thoughts had turned curious; actually thinking of herself as a sibling instead of an orphan.

"What does she do?" Lianna asked while clasping the belt in place, "My sister? You didn't go into great detail when we were on Bakura."

Perhaps Adia did that to protect her. Maybe Lianna wasn't ready for further truths to be revealed. Just finding out that she was a Tarkin was overwhelming enough, but the Jedi had to know. She was going to be impersonating her twin after all. That still didn't sit right with Lianna, but there was really no other way to get on Coruscant without arousing suspicion and to see her mother.

[Adia Issoris]

“Miranda is in public relations. She’s the smiling face of the Empire. She has more pull than she should.” She explained as they walked through the checkout. Adia’s tone was slightly irritated for the last sentence. Not at Lianna, obviously, but at her sister’s clout being completely overblown. Pure politicians: ugh. When the Emperor ran things, she didn’t even understand why they had PR, much less why COMPNOR was as active as they were. The Emperor was right, always. But Adia wasn’t so sure anymore. She handed the tags to a cashier and after engaging in brief small talk, the pair was on the way.

That doubt was why Lianna was alive. While not as powerful in the Force, Adia simply outclassed the young Jedi in combat. It had been strange. She felt as if she were going through the motions instead of genuinely wishing death upon Jedi.

KILL HER! Adia’s hand tingled, and the blaster in her boot twitched.

Her eyes narrowed fiercely at Lianna for a moment, and then softened again.

“Do you want to get something to eat?” Maybe she just needed some food. They hadn’t eaten since the “night” before. The food court wasn’t too far away. It stretched out underneath the lake.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna had felt it again. The same flash of danger that had woken her up on Bakura when Adia tried to leave quietly. She sensed that her internal struggle was still raging and Adia had moments of doubt. This was not unexpected, and the Jedi had placed much of her faith siding with the Assassin.

She reached out and squeezed the hand that had contemplated shooting Lianna. "A good idea. We haven't eaten in some time." She didn't want to make a big production, only reinforce that Adia wasn't alone and that someone believed in her.

Exotic smells touched Lianna's senses and her eyes lit up. There were quite a few new aromas that made her curious and her stomach anxious for a decent meal as they descended down under the lake and into the food courts There were dozens of tiny restaurants stretched along the lake. Alien and human cuisine surrounded her and at that point, as hungry as she was, the Jedi hadn't a clue what she had a taste for. Meals were often acts of charity or bought by the meager means Lianna could scrounge up. The best meals she ate were the ones when she hunted and cooked for herself.

She lifted a hand over her eyes, moving some of her brown hair out of the way to get a better view but was distracted by the scene above. Native fish could be swimming above her that were as close as her head at some points, depending on the walkways chosen. The rippled shadows of the water reflected off her face as a school of shaia trout shot passed her, causing her to smile.

[Adia Issoris]

Lianna had noticed her impulse. The impulse was not her own. While she overrode the dangerous part, the urge to despise Jedi took longer to fight down. When she had first killed Jedi, it wasn't out of any partictular malice. Order 66 simply meant to eliminate traitors of the Republic, and 66 just happened to designate Jedi. As they became more and more rare, she found she hated them more and more. She just did. Adia let Lianna take her hand, but dared not react until her nerves had cooled, which seemed to coincide with their arrival to the food court.

The smells of many different foods for many different species wafted up. Unlike the mall, they were segregated by species preference. The carnivores were on one end and the herbivores on the other, and the omnivores were catered to inbetween. On the absolute farthest end was the exotic stuff no human would want to touch, but considered sanitary enough to have in the building but... away. Adia's sharp sense of smell picked up enough of that scent to stay firmly in the omnivore section.

Lianna was distracted by the school of trout. The only way she would have seen something like this would have been in a science expedition. To be underwater and not be wet would be a new concept. She waited for Lianna's eyes to settle, but it made her realize how little she had ever stopped to smell the flowers. Nearly 60 years had been filled with duty and almost nothing else. Adia found herself smiling, too.

She led Lianna to a vendor serving fresh Naboonese cusine, which was usually simple but spicy. It used a fair amount of garlic, tomatoes and a sharp cheese, served on flat breads or in wraps. Since she knew what she wanted already, Adia ordered a pair of steak wraps with tabouli, lettuce, tomatoes, other veggies and the sharp cheese.

"But you can get whatever you'd like." Whatever it was would be a welcome change from the rations they had eaten on the long jump from Bakura.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Her eyes wandered over the meats and toppings offered. Everything looked and smelled delicious and Lianna was having a hard time deciding on what to eat, though her grumbling stomach kept insisting that she should choose something soon.

"Can I try one of those please?" Lianna had found a small dish of dumplings and was curious to what they tasted like. The vendor happily cut up a piece of the food and speared it with a toothpick for the Jedi to take. Slowly she chewed the sample, making sure that the spices were not too hot for her taste buds and there weren't any odd aftertastes.

"Mmmm!" The dumpling had a variety of vegetables inside that had been seasoned with garlic and ginger. The wrap itself had a bit of a bite, but that was because of the chili pepper. Overall, it was very appetizing.

She covered her mouth with her hand and swallowed the last bit of food and ordered that for lunch, along with a glass of water. Adia had the same and paid for their meals. Lianna still felt awkward that she could not contribute any meaningful credits towards this day, regardless of how wealthy her companion was. It just didn't feel right, but Lianna was sure to be scolded if she brought up the issue of money again.

Adia found a table next to one of the lower portions of the lake. It dipped down five meters and curved back up, allowing visitors to watch the sea life swim around in their habitat while they ate. The ambiance did make for a pleasurable eating experience.

A few minutes into their meal, Lianna noticed that two fairly attractive human males had found their table interesting. They were to their left, whispering who knows what to one another but they were definitely the topic of conversation since they kept turning around to watch them eat.

She licked a piece of lettuce off her lips and dabbed herself clean, looking across the table at Adia with concern. "I think we've attracted undo attention. I'm not sure how though."

[Adia Issoris]

"Because you're very attractive, and I'm not hard on the eyes, either." Adia said evenly. The assassin looked some indeterminable age of about 30. Her body still had all of the bounce of youth and was obviously fully matured, but still unlined. She concentrated, filtering out the hum of the food court. She could make out the verbal confirmations of oogling.
”I bet the redhead is a total animal between the sheets.” The other smiled.
“Yeah, she looks like she could crush your head with her legs.”
”But what a way to go.” Both laughed. It was the typical obnoxious stuff of male humans, but wasn’t meant in a malicious fashion. Men’s sex drives were generally uncomplicated and lust-based.

“They probably will steal glances here and there but nothing will likely come of it. Neither one is drunk, so we’re not in any real danger of anything. It’s normal.” She explained.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Her inept understanding of social customs made Lianna feel foolish. Such normal glances had been misconstrued into something unwarranted. Years of living out in the Rim had molded her into being suspicious of everyone because of her nature. Any glance in her direction always meant trouble and it was best to leave as soon as possible just to be safe. It never occurred to her that some of those glances could have been innocent.

This incident only compounded what Lianna had been feeling since deciding to come with the Assassin to Coruscant. She was naive to a fault and that might end up getting them killed the closer they moved towards the heart of the Empire.

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm not sure I can do this, Adia."

[Adia Issoris]

“You’ve only been doing this for a few hours.” Adia said with a soft smile.

“It takes practice, Lianna. It took me a few years to not march everywhere. Some of the practical jokes at Intel were absolutely horrible then, but now are pretty funny.” Lianna didn’t look wholly convinced.

“I realize it is a radical change, but you’ll adapt. You already have better interpersonal skills than I started with. The mid-rim and the core are different than the outer rim, and it takes time to adjust. Besides, sometimes the easiest place to hide is in plain sight.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

"Perhaps," she sighed softly. Adia made sense but what she learned in several years, Lianna had scant months. There were still other problems with this plan. "But I still distress that my inaction, or action depending, will put you at risk."

Her voice lowered, not wishing for the rest of their conversation to be heard by passerby’s. Adia had picked a remote table and there wasn't anyone near but one couldn't be too careful. "And as much as I've tried to rationalize it, this doesn't sit right with me. Lying my way through the Core Worlds to see my mother by pretending to be the sister I've never met... I..."

She looked away, ashamed at her weakness, "I .. just don't know, Adia."

Doubt had clouded her mind since accepting this venture. It continued to gain strength as they reached closer to the Core worlds and practically solidified when Lianna saw herself with her new attire. All of this newfound attention in the food court frightened her.

Doubt and fear. Two paths that led a Jedi on the road towards the Dark Side of the Force. Such a fate was not worth claiming a lost heritage... Was it?

[Adia Issoris]

“You would need to lie precisely once.” Adia countered. But she wasn’t pitching an operation. There was no need to convince Lianna one way or the other. It was up to her, after all. She pursed her lips together. “Okay.” She said, and took in a deep breath. “You don’t have to do this. We can leave and go to the Outer Rim.”

Lianna was clearly conflicted, but Adia had no idea what to do other than reassure her that there was an out and that she didn’t have to do this. She put her elbow on the table and half her face in her hand for a minute before she collected herself.

“And you don’t have to make a decision now, or even a month from now.” She said earnestly.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

She bit her lower lip, rolling the soft texture back and forth in thought. It was one of the nervous habits that Lianna had as a child that she never grew out of. Drin would often kid her that she'd make a terrible sabbacc player, but the gesture was calming. Her fractured thoughts were starting to be reigned in. She needed focus and think on the situation with clarity.

A Jedi's greatest enemy is fear. It can lead you down the path of the Dark Side of the Force. But also, it can strengthen you Lianna. If you are calm and at peace when facing your fears, you can accomplish anything.

Her Master's earliest lesson echoed inside her mind, trying to help give her the resolve needed to see this through. On Bakura when Adia had first mentioned going to see her mother, it felt like the right course of action. The new surroundings, clothes and the stares were trying to place doubt; and successfully too.

Lianna relaxed and quit biting her lip, "How long until we are ready to go to Coruscant?"

Going there was still the right thing to do. She just needed to believe in herself and was grateful that Adia was so understanding. Her indecisions must be looked upon as strange, but she could not have seen this through without the Assassin's help. There was still doubt and lingering fear and it would remain a stain upon her heart unless she confronted it.

"I apologize for my ... indecisiveness." She frowned, "I must seem like a fool acting this way."

[Adia Issoris]

“Well, I’m not sure. You’ll need to fake being comfortable in the Core, and you’ll need to have your hair cut.” Adia smiled wryly.

“You’re in a nearly alien environment where the language has the same words but sometimes mean different things. Of course you’re going to be overwhelmed. I’ve been down this road before. But first we need to finish lunch and get that mop of yours trimmed. One objective at a time.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna's eyes drifted downwards towards her shoulder. Her dark mousy brown hair lay there limp with countless split ends. It wasn't too far from the ragged mess that Adia had first seen the Jedi with, all long and wild. A product of Lianna's life, her nomadic nature didn't require conditioners and cream rinses for survival.

She went back to eating, hoping that Adia wouldn't make her cut it too short, but that was dependant on Miranda's current hairstyle. Just that the Jedi was rather fond of it being long ...

[Adia Issoris]

“We’ll save the haircut for last. Besides, I don’t know how your sister wears her hair right now.” They finished lunch, both more intent on enjoying the food and scenery than talking. Schools of fish flitted by, chasing smaller fish, with the occasional larger solitary fish cruised and then disappeared with a pulse of movement.

“Let’s go to the fun store.” Adia said as they both deposited the paper their food came on in the trash.

Adia’s fun store was Omniwa’s Outdoors Equipment. It offered specialized goods for hiking in all environments, climbing gear, hang gliders, aquatic gear and even spacewalk gear. It, however, did not sell any weapons beyond vibroblades. Not that Adia really wanted any beyond her personal modified arsenal.

“Find some hiking gear and clothing you find comfortable.” Everything in this store emphasized function over form. The clothing all claimed to wick away water quickly. Or collect it, desert intended. It either retained heat or made it easier to expel, depending on how you wore it. Everything was stain, tear, and wear resistant. Most everything was either a tan color, or it was various forms of camouflage.

“I thought you might enjoy this before we move on to other stores.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Finally a store that sold wares Lianna was comfortable with and wouldn't have to keep close to Adia like a lost puppy. Her eyes lit up in approval as she wandered the store. Several clerks asked if she needed assistance but the Jedi politely refused their service. She could find her way around the store well enough with the holodisplays overhead.

Her first objective was boots and finding them was easy. Trying to decide on a pair was a bit more difficult. There were dozens of brands and dozens of styles related to those brands. It made her head spin momentarily. She narrowed down the focus for a similar style of boot she was wearing, brown and calf length that supported her ankles well and provided good traction. Surprisingly, well at least to Lianna, there were still several types to choose from. She narrowed it down to three choices based upon aesthetic likes and tried them on in turn, walking back and forth several meters to get a feel for them. In the end, she decided on the Borell Steer line. The boots were saddle brown leather with no shine. There was no point in having glossy boots that were only going to be ruined with wear and tear.

Finding clothing was much easier then picking out a pair of boots. She chose a soft tan shirt and pants, deciding on a darker tunic to match her boots. As much as she wanted to get another robe, that really wouldn't be feasible since Lianna was trying to hide her identity. What she did find to her liking was a long all weather desert style trench coat. Not only did it match her clothing, it provided enough length that it almost touched the floor. The Jedi was used to having such 'confining' attire that this was a good compromise.

Everything else was easy enough to find in the terms of hiking gear. Lianna picked out a backpack, glow sticks, flashlight, sleeping bag, a new hunting knife, a canteen, compass and first-aid kit. She survived on a lot less out in the Rim so these items were more then enough for Jedi.

Done with her own shopping, she pushed her hover cart towards an open section of the store and waited for Adia.

[Alexander Bane]

The typical mall hubbub filled the building until it was suddenly pierced by a blood curdling scream. Next to Omniwa’s Outdoors Equipment was a dark video arcade by the name of "Zim's". At the present moment there was a mad rush of people of all shapes and sizes fighting to get out of the arcade. Screams of confusion and terror filled the air as the mass of bodies pushed their way through in a desperate sprint towards safety. Once the entrance was cleared one could see two figures walking slowly out of the arcade. The first one was a tall man with long white hair and wild gray eyes. He was dressed in a simple black trench coat that stretched down to his knees, below it could be seen his black combat boots. A medium sized bag was hanging from his shoulder and there were splashing of a crimson liquid on his coat, blood. With his left hand he held onto the arm of a woman who was standing in front of him and his right hand held a wicked looking knife to her throat. His hands were covered with black gloves and quite a bit of blood coated them as well, "Yes, go ahead, run!" He screamed at the people around him, "Run back to your mother and hide behind her skirt, it won't protect you when I rip it from her body!" He put a little pressure behind the knife blade and listened to the girl scream. A faint cut could be seen, but there the cut was not deep enough to be deadly.

Alexander had only been on Umgul for a few days. He had left Corellia when the city watch started catching up with him. He had stowed aboard a merchant vessel in a cargo crate and waited quietly until the vessel had landed. Upon landing he had killed the crew and ran out into the streets before anyone could catch him. He somehow managed to resist killing someone long enough to sneak into the mall and enter the arcade. Once inside he had held the owner up at knifepoint and demanded all his credits, upon getting them, though, he killed the owner and whoever else he could get his hands on. From there he had grabbed a girl who had stumbled and fell and here he was now, standing out in the open waiting for security to show up so he could have fun killing them.

Eventually a lone security officer appeared rushing towards the arcade. Alex released his left hand from the girls arm and reached into his pocket with it. He drew out a small holdout pistol and aimed it at the officer. He grinned and then pulled the trigger; blowing a small hole through the man's chest. The guard fell, not dead, but down for the count. Alex giggled madly and then started to inch towards the closest exit, the girl being hopelessly pulled along with him.

[Adia Issoris]

OOC: I have had a very crazy week! Sorry for not posting sooner.
Adia pulled Lianna down behind the shopping cart and then drew her boot blaster. It was slender, but nearly the length of a regular blaster.

“I want you to run back into the store while I use the cart as cover.” She did not doubt Lianna’s abilities, but when she took the madman down she did not want the Jedi on any of the news agencies.

“Go.” She said quietly, but firmly. The man turned toward the source of the noise of Lianna sprinting back into the store, and Adia popped up with practiced speed and precision, presenting a blaster bolt inches away from his face. It left a bright afterimage.

“Let the girl go.” Adia commanded firmly, standing behind her adequate cover. She could kill him, but it might end up killing the little girl in the process.

[Alexander Bane]

A blaster bolt went whizzing past and Alexander had to muster all his strength to stop himself from wetting his pants. He turned to face his attacker, dragging the girl with him, "Threatening me with popguns?" Alex giggled, "Why don't you go and play with kids your own size!" He returned his own blaster to his pocket so he could maintain a better grip on the girl. He pushed the blade further into her throat and listened to her scream, "Shoot again and she dies!" He threatened and then continued to move towards the door, "Your mother was a...er... Wossname!" Alex said with a laugh as he moved his knife blade over slightly so that Adia could see the faint cut in the girls neck. Alex looked at her and amidst the insanity in his eyes was a clear message 'Push me and she dies'.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

She did not like leaving Adia alone, but the Assassin was correct. Their entire plan meant nothing if the news media obtained footage of her. Questions would be raised as to why Miranda Tarkin was saving a child with seemingly Force like abilities.

No. She needed to stay hidden but the Jedi was going to help regardless.

People were panicking inside the store. Many were pushing and shoving towards the emergency exits, stumbling over one another. No one was seriously hurt yet but it would only be a matter of time.

Lianna ran up to the front of the crowd, her presence provided a calming effect to those present, allowing them to be more receptive to what she had to say. "Everyone needs to leave one at a time! All you are doing is delaying your escape!"

To add emphasis to her next words, she helped pick up a young girl of four off the ground, "And you are going to get hurt."

The girl smiled up at Lianna as the Jedi picked her up and straightened her jacket. Murmurs of embarrassment and agreement passed throughout the crowd and everyone started to hastily leave. They were still terribly frightened but at least they weren't going to cause each other harm.

"Jessika!"

The girl in Lianna's arms turned around and happily cried out, "Mommy!!!"

The child's mother scooped up girl from Lianna's arms, "Thank you so much for finding her! I'm so glad you're all right honey." Little arms wrapped tightly around her mother's neck.

Lianna pressed her hand against the mother's shoulder, "Hurry and get going. The authorities should be here soon."

"But what abou-" Lianna silenced her with a raised hand. "You just need to worry about your daughter's safety."

A flicker of understanding flashed in the mother's eyes and she nodded firmly, "Thank you again," and she quickly removed herself and her daughter from the scene.

Lianna returned to helping the rest of the patrons evacuate, stealing a gaze now and again to where Adia was confronting the lunatic kidnapper.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia's eyes narrowed. She did not move at all, making no gesture agression or aquiesence. The blaster stayed stone steady. She stared at the madman.

There was no motion aside from her finger squeezing the trigger in one flawless, smooth motion. The blaster spat one single bolt at her target. Upon impact, the girl screamed, and Bane dropped his knife. The bolt charred his hand, and the girl was seeing badly from the afterflash.

Adia lept at the pair.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

After some time explaining what had happened and Adia being debriefed, the Assassin was allowed to leave with much gratitude. The local authorities were more then pleased to have an Imperial Agent diffuse the situation before more fatalities occurred.

Lianna hovered around the police station at a safe distance, making sure to keep unnoticed. Something she was well adept at doing. It only took a few minutes for the paperwork to be processed and met Adia at the bottom of the steps, wondering what they were to do.

"Your hair!" The Hand answered the unspoken question and carted Lianna off to a salon she was familiar with.

An hour later of wet hair being sprayed down repeatedly with even more water, snippings, brushings, and some odd gel that smelled of berries being applied to her hair, Sola, the owner of the salon, turned the chair around for Lianna to see the new creation that was crafted out of the unruly mop of hair that she had come in with.

She held her eyes shut like a little girl, afraid of what the mirror was going to reveal. The clothes could always be taken off, or rather, covered up to hide her body, but her hair was something that could not be so easily replaced.

"Come on, dearie." Sola nudge her shoulder. "Trust me. You're gonna love it! Take a look."

One eye relaxed and slowly peeled opened, quickly followed by the other one. She sat there slacked jawed. The girl, No, the woman that she saw was barely recognizable. Her curly fuzzy head of hair was pulled down severely straight that hugged her just below the shoulders. And she had bangs! They were just as straight and fell below her eyebrows enough to not take away the beauty of her eyes.

She leaned forward and picked up a few strands of hair by the hand and felt how silky smooth the texture was. It looked as soft as it felt and was so shiny.

Sola patted either of her shoulders and winked at Adia. "I think she likes it."

[Adia Issoris]

The haircut had gone surprisingly well. Lianna had been pliant, even if her winced-shut eyes would have looked more appropriate on a defiant, squirming 6-year old. The wild headed young woman with the frontier mop had been replaced by something far more metropolitan. While the haircut wasn’t “the new trend” it was easily accepted in any “normal” circle. Lianna could have stepped of the page of a fashion magazine advertising something practical for the business woman. She would have been more nondescript if she had not been so stunning.

Adia left a more than generous tip on their way out. Lianna occasionally ran her fingers through her hair experimentally while they walked out of the mall. She was the same mix of nervous and fascinated. One moment to the next was experimental for the young woman.

“Let’s get a hotel room before the men around start to do something stupid like walking into a light post.” Adia said with a smile that implied mischief.

Like some other tourist planets, Umgul had visitor centers scattered around the main attractions. They contained a wealth of somewhat biased information about hotels, activities, shopping, and transportation. In the park above the mall, a low lying building of wood and stone was surprisingly soft and spacious inside. Adia queued up a geographical map. Their current location was centered. A scale in single kilometers lined the edges of the map. She scrolled the map to a valley about ten clicks away that began the transition into mountains. Adia turned on the buildings. As she remembered, that valley was part of a nature preserve, and only three hotels overlooked it.

One was traditional Core Worlds architecture, which Adia dismissed outright. Another was a thoroughly modern affair, but neither fit the valley like the third. It was subtly carved and terraced into the steeper part of the valley wall, with most of the construction being of the stone it displaced. Trees sprung up between the many sections of suites, connected by winding wooded paths, while the central dining hall was a graceful, large windowed monument of the native stone and large amounts of glass.

“We can go hiking tomorrow, if you like.” Lianna nodded, awed by just the pictures.

Lianna’s jaw hung open the moment she stepped out of the hotel provided transport. The smell of trees and earth filled the air. The valley ran east to west, and the hotel faced to the south, which meant every day, weather permitting, granted stunning sunrises and sunsets.

The double suite shared the same stone, glass and wood theme as the rest of the hotel. They were only one terrace away from the valley’s edge, but the view was nonetheless spectactular. The line of sight was clear to the other side. There were two bedrooms, a kitchen, more than serviceable to make an evening meal for a family of four. However, of immediate interest was a ten meter by ten meter common area with a real fireplace (coil or wood, coil preferred) on one wall, an entertainment center on the opposite, more brochures, mostly relating to the valley below, and warm reddish leather furnishing and a table between the couches and the kitchen. Of course, the best part was the window. Even though there was a servant droid to carry the luggage, Adia still carried some of theirs, out of habit, and because some of it was rather important. They both planted themselves on the couch, and stared out the window for a while, taking in the view some more. When their attention broke, Adia turned the holoprojector to the news, which she hadn’t seen in a while. Normally, she read, as it was far faster and more accurate.

“…today spokesperson Miranda Tarkin delivered a speech regarding the Chancellor’s new social initiatives…”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna had remained awestruck since her eyes first looked upon the amazing landscape by the hotel. She walked around in a daze, especially when entering their suite. It was bigger then some beings homes. The accommodations here were obscene, making her feel rather sheepish that she was allowed to stay in such luxury while others had to suffer. It was just wasted space to the Jedi.

She stopped dead in her tracks as her sister's name was mentioned.

" ... Emphasize the importance of the Empire standing together strong in the coming months."

Quietly, Lianna made her way behind Adia, her eyes were fixated on the image of Miranda giving her speech on Imperial Center. The situation made her queasy. It felt as if she was having an out of body experience and was forced to watch herself do something terrible.

"... the loss of life at Endor will never be forgotten, but we must rebuild our proud Empire and defeat the Rebel Alliance before more of our brothers and sisters are lost to their acts of terror.

I have lost family as I know all of you have and I will not stand having their crimes go unpunished! And neither does Chancellor Anar. It is why he is asking you good people to fight ... "

She was listening to her twin convince everyone that the military draft set in place by Anar was voluntary. Miranda was martyring those that died at Endor and twisting the circumstances around to make people believe they had a choice, when in reality they didn't. She also talked about taking private citizens from the work force and placing them into public works. Anything to increase their man power so they could rebuild. The worse part was, the people who were there live ate it up and cheered her for her warmth and compassion.

"Off." The image of Miranda fizzled out of existence and Lianna felt numb. In the back of her mind she toyed with the notion of being able to help her sister see the error of her ways. That the Empire was evil and corrupt and used their citizens. But after seeing that snippet of her sister the politician, her hopes came crashing down.

[Adia Issoris]

“Lianna.” The girl may as well have been hit by a stunner. Her shock was terrible and deep.

“Lianna.” Adia repeated evenly. The young woman turned to look at her, but it was more of an instinctual reaction than a genuine response. She was in deep emotional shock. Even though she must have been familiar with Imperial propaganda to a degree, there was less of it in the Rim, where people were too busy just getting buy to be affected by central governments.

She put a hand on Lianna’s shoulder. Lianna looked up, her face numb but her eyes displayed a deep wound.

“Lianna, listen. You’re not responsible for your sister. You aren’t her, and you’re not in control of her. She made her own choices. Right?”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

She flinched when Adia touched her shoulder but didn't shy away. Everything that the Assassin was saying made perfect logical sense and Lianna agreed, it was just that she had been following the wishes of her heart. Drin had told her to be mindful of her emotions. A Jedi can feel; just mastering the emotions was the difficult part. Emotions could end up being the master of the Jedi and that was turn towards the Dark Side.

The loss of her Master she had accepted a long time ago when he had to confront Vader. He did it to save her life. Yet still she clung to the possibility that he was alive. Not merely because her heart told her so, but because she would have known if he had died. The knowledge of her sister had given her hope in filling a void for companionship.

"Are you so sure?" She said matter-of-factly. "That could have easily been me. It's the argument we had on Bakura."

Lianna walked away from Adia and stared off into the distant landscape. The sun was just starting to fall into the horizon. Rays of orange and red were cascading across the blue backdrop.

The silence between them almost turned awkward ... "I entertained the silly notion I could change her." The Jedi sighed wearily, "Maybe I still do ..."

[Adia Issoris]

“I never said you couldn’t. But she has to want to change first.” Adia had tried to tell her that she was different from her sister, and took after their grandfather, the Grand Moff. If it was the environment it was the environment. But twins raised in the same house often had different personalities. But the extent of the differences, hadn’t taken hold till Lianna had seen them for herself.

Adia opened one of her pieces of luggage and retrieved a package of herbal tea. She set some water to boil, and retrieved two mugs from the cabinet. The water boiled a moment later, and she set the tea bags into the mugs and poured. The lemon-honey tea was mild.

She sat on the couch and set the mugs on the coffee table. She looked at Lianna against the window of deepening red, gold, orange and pinks. She picked up a mug for a moment and put it back down before standing again. Adia stood next to Lianna and smiled sadly for a moment. Lianna was focused on the fantastic sunset. Awkwardly at first, she put an arm around the Jedi’s shoulders.

“You’re too hard on yourself sometimes.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

The sunset was beautiful and Lianna found herself lost within the bright colors that dulled slowly. It gave her time to relax and refocus her mind, to find her center and when Adia allowed herself to offer some comfort, the Jedi didn't flinch. Instead she smiled softly.

With a clear mind, Lianna knew she couldn't focus on what ifs. She needed to do what she felt was right and prepare herself for possible disappointment. "You're right."

She leaned into Adia, wrapping her arms around the redhead's waist and rested her head against her shoulder. "Thank you."

The Force didn't have her meet Adia just to learn about Miranda. She was certain it was for the comfort and support that the older woman could give her. She had been alone for so long.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia was stunned at first, unsure of what to do. Her arms hung limply at her sides. Her contact with other beings typically involved at least 10 kilos of force. Slowly, she put her arms around Lianna, who was beginning to relax. Adia said nothing because she had no idea what to say.

The sky darkened and stars began to wink in. Lianna’s grip loosened, and Adia’s did too.

“Tea?” She asked the Jedi, who now had regained her composure.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna nodded before pulling away and smiled up at Adia with a measure of peace. "That sounds lovely."

She noticed the mugs on the table, the steam long since gone. "Though it has grown cold. Let me fix that."

The Jedi took the mugs into the kitchen and warmed them to a desirable temperature inside the food heater. A few minutes later, she returned and offered a mug to Adia who was sitting back down.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia took the mug gratefully, and sipped at it for a moment while Lianna sat on the couch.

“Unfortunately, you’re going to have to watch more footage of your sister to pick up on her mannerisms and tone.” Adia said quietly, between sips. “I can coach you on some of them once you start.” she had spent enough time around the Tarkin girl to know them.

“But not right now.” She added. “Want to go through the brochures and see what most people would do for fun?”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Lianna nodded, determined. "I understand."

The initial shock would wear off but the Jedi was thankful for Adia's compassion. Some enjoyment would be welcomed after the long day they had together.

The brochures that the older woman was talking about where fanned neatly on the coffee table. Fancy lettering and bold discounts flashed brightly to warrant attention. One by one Lianna picked them up with curiosity and learned what Umgal had to offer.

Gambling. No.

Drinking. No.

Exotic restaurants that went beyond her comprehension of the word expensive. No.

Plays and Musicals; Human and Alien. Though this did spark some interest, it really wasn't what the Jedi was in the mood for. ... Maybe.

Then her eyes lit up. They offered rock climbing! Adia had mentioned that they could go hiking tomorrow but this was something Lianna could focus on to regain her center.

She flipped the pamphlet around with a victorious smile to show her companion. They did buy all that outdoor gear after all; it would be shame to do nothing with it.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia and Lianna hung off the side of a nearly vertical cliff face, already thirty meters above the valley’s forest canopy. A nearby waterfall made roaring background noise. Adia stopped to set their safety line into one of the pre-existing mount points. She laughed.

“I don’t think they expected me to do that at the beginner wall.” Adia said, looking down at Lianna trailing behind. The place had required that your skills be assessed before being allowed to undertake certain walls, such as the one they were on. Adia wasn’t about to tell them that she had trained ARC Troopers and Clone Commandos for the Clone Wars, and climbing was one of her areas of expertise. Bounding up the wall with no equipment had irritated them, but she had climbed halfway before the Official Expert Rock Climber was able to properly tell her to get down. Adia had wedged her feet into the artificial holds and hung upside.

“Are you sure?” She asked, eyebrow raised.” He gave up at that point and told the two of them they could do whatever they wanted.

“Come on Lianna, I’m getting hungry.” Adia said, still giggling. Lianna, while not an expert climber, was moving along at a more normal pace.

Adia’s immediate goal was a cliff another five meters up, with more than enough room for two to eat lunch.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

She wiped her brow and grabbed the closet hand point and pulled herself up. Adia was providing the safest path for them to take, not to mention the quickest. Lianna wouldn't have made it up this far without her expertise.

The five-kilo climb went smooth and it offered the peace that the Jedi was searching for. Every doubt and fear she had about her twin sister was left at the bottom of the cliff the moment she grabbed the first mounting point.

With a grunt, she used the rope to her advantage and scaled the vertical wall. She saw that Adia was already setting up lunch and waved her on over, but there was still three yards of distance between her and the cliff. Making sure the line was secure; Lianna planted her feet against the rock, aligned herself properly, and pushed off. Lianna dangled in the air for a few seconds before landing safely, bending her knees to account for stress.

She unlatched the line and secured it around a hook that Adia had planted. Pulling off her gloves, the Jedi knelt down on the blanket that was laid down and took a generous drink of water.

"Mmm." Lianna felt invigorated. She could have probably gone none stop up the wall but that wasn't being fair to her system. Water and food were necessary in order to not pass out in the afternoon sun. "Did you need help with anything?"

[Adia Issoris]

Adia bit into a sandwich and shook her head.

“No.” She said after chewing, and handed Lianna a sandwich from her pack. Adia was intent on eating. Lianna, too, was hungry, and they finished most of the food without speaking.

“I think you’re taking to this more than shopping.” Adia winked. Lianna giggled.

“I’m glad you picked this. I haven’t gone rock climbing in a year or so. I used to do it almost every day.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

“I think you’re taking to this more than shopping.”

That was an understatement. Lianna could tackle physical exercises with ease. Standing around looking pretty was another thing entirely.

“I’m glad you picked this. I haven’t gone rock climbing in a year or so. I used to do it almost every day.”

That widened her eyes. "Everyday?" She covered her mouth and swallowed. "What would warrant climbing rocks everyday?"

[Adia Issoris]

"Training ARC Troopers and Clone Commandos." Adia replied.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

"Ah." Lianna frowned, dropping the topic and went to refitting her line since they were done eating. It wasn't that the Empire was a forbidden topic, the Jedi just wanted today to be fun. Adia already hinted that they would begin 'work' tomorrow, which would include enough information about the Empire that would make up for today.

[Adia Issoris]

The two finished lunch with mostly jokes and small talk. It was clear that Lianna didn’t want to talk about the Empire or the events that lead to its creation. Adia didn’t really mind, but Lianna would need to know sooner or later.

Adia coiled and sprang nearly two meters vertical. She grabbed a crevice, pulled herself up next to the anchoring, and latched the safety line into it. She planted her feet against the wall, coiled again, and sprang upward, grabbing another set of handholds.

“Only another one-fifty meters to the top. Don’t follow me exactly. I’m going to be skipping a lot of normal holds.” Adia instructed. She wanted Lianna to figure out how to read the cliff-face. She looked more like a cat climbing a tree than a person climbing a near-vertical wall of stone. It was the combination of speed, quick scrambles, tests of solidity, and jumps with economy of motion.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Adia was serious about not following her exactly and Lianna watched slack jawed as the older woman bounded up the cliff with natural ease. It took the Jedi much longer then Adia to scale the cliff, but time was shortened by how the redhead anchored the safety line.

With much patience and determination, Lianna was able to figure out which holds to use and how to plant her feet for maximum support and leverage. At one point, she found herself stuck without any holds to continue the climb and had to backtrack several meters down and realign her ascent.

Three hours later, the Jedi pulled herself up towards victory kneeling. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. The expansive landscape she saw of Umgal was simply breathtaking. The natural beauty of the land was far more appealing to Lianna then the congested tourism she was introduced to yesterday.

[Adia Issoris]

Adia helped the Jedi to her feet, appreciating the view.

“I think I like the valley from this side better.” Below, birds called and dove from one side to the other. Nearby, the stream tumbled down the cliff side, rushing against the rocks and wearing them smooth. She approached the stream, a mere 30 meters away. Adia cupped her hands and dumped some over her head, and then her face. It was cool and invigorating.

It was a fantastic way to end the day. Unfortunately for Lianna, tomorrow would not be so kind.

She had booked them into a nice restaurant. Not especially expensive by expensive restaurant standards, but still pricey enough to send the young woman into shock. That would be after they purchased an evening dress and shoes. Lianna would loathe the shoes. Adia had bought a practice pair for the young woman on the first shopping day, and she would be wearing them all day. Lianna’s etiquette lessons would begin in the morning. She would only be drilling her on what was the standard in Imperial courts, and leaving out the region-specific rituals.

When Lianna woke the next day, the table had been set properly. Adia was seated at the other end, and sipped a cup of tea. An array of breakfast fare dotted middle of the table.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

After sleeping for two days, coupled with strenuous physical activity, most of the Jedi's hair had lost is shine. Adia had bought her hair care products but Lianna had stood in front of the mirror for ten minutes wondering what to do with the white puffball of goop.

She had a similar expression on her face now. Her brown eyes bore the innocence of curiosity, unsure of why the Assassin had set the table in this odd manner.

"Morning, Adia," she asked somewhat reserved as she walked over to the redhead and bowed in greeting. "Did you sleep well?"

[Adia Issoris]

Lianna looked at Adia like she had gone mad when she was told no when she reached over to grab a namana from Adia’s side of the table.

“Lianna, you need to learn proper etiquette if you want to pass of as your sister, even briefly.” The Jedi looked bewildered.

“When you want something on the other side of the table, you need to ask the person nearest to it to pass it. Would you please pass me the eggs?” Lianna, still somewhat taken aback, complied. Adia explained what she was doing as she did it, and why she was using that fork or this spoon. When they had finished breakfast (and Adia’s running instructional commentary between bites), Adia told Lianna to take a shower but not to wash her hair. Armed with a pitcher and various hair care products, she had the showered Lianna sit with her shoulders against the top of the large bathtub. She used the detachable shower-head and wet her hair again with warm water, for good measure, and then set to work with the shampoo, massaging it through. She rinsed and applied the conditioner, repeating the same process. Adia set to work with the brush and infrared hair dryer, ensuring her hair was neat, and then produced a modest makeup kit with the correct tones for Lianna.

Lianna was obedient, but uncomfortable.

“You have to blend in. You’ll get to see your mother.” Adia reminded her. Lianna’s features were a smidge sharper than Miranda’s due to her lower body fat. Adia didn’t bring them out quite as much. If you had portrait photos you would have simply figured Miranda had lost a few kilos.

She handed Lianna some of the casual clothes she had picked out on the first day here. When she returned, Adia handed the Jedi the high heels.

“You have to learn to walk in these.”

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Her face fell into an almost pout but caught herself. The Jedi had never worn anything but boots for all of her twenty-two years. She begrudgingly took the pair of high heels from Adia. The four-inch pumps were gorgeous, slick and black to match almost any ensemble.

She held the shoes up eyelevel as if they were diseased. "Am I going to have to wear these all day?"

Lianna looked at Adia quizzically because the thought of stumbling outside for all to see wasn't an appealing one since she was supposedly pretending to be some high affluent young lady. The pain she could deal with.

[Adia Issoris]

“All day.” Adia nodded.

“You can get away with pouting. Your sister does sometimes, to great effect.” She added. Lianna slipped the shoes on and moved experimentally. The Jedi wobbled, but was steady enough.

“You’ll get used to it in an hour and move gracefully by the end of the day. If you take them off and stretch your toes every few hours your feet won’t hurt too terribly tomorrow, either.” Lianna looked down at the shoes covering her feet. She seemed to be questioning their very right to exist.

“I don’t have anything planned till the afternoon, so you can get used to them by moving about the lodge.” Adia left Lianna standing in her room. She was going to clean up from breakfast and pack the leftovers for later.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

As told to do so, Lianna moved about the lodge with her heels on, inside as well as outside. Whoever invented these contraptions surely just wanted to punish women. There was absolutely no reason for these shoes to exist. It seemed their only purpose was to make someone taller but her boots had done that just fine with the two-inch flat heel that was water resistant. Far more useful.

Maybe it was a balance lesson? Lianna was able to right herself well easily after some practice but this couldn't be for everyone. While she was outside resting her feet, which were quite sore as Adia had warned, she dangled the shoe off the tip of her foot and pondered why these abominable footwear were so popular. Maybe she was thinking about it all wrong. Maybe it was the aesthetic value of seeing a woman's slender foot when coupled with stockings.

She rolled her eyes and tossed the shoe off. Flat shoes could offer the same odd beauty for men. It still made no sense, even after five hours of painstaking practice.

[Adia Issoris]

At lunch in the lounge, Adia had again quietly drilled Lianna about the correct way of doing things. She had insisted it go on her tab, and Lianna was a little distraught at the cost of the things on the menu, until Adia reminded her that it was on the company’s bill. After lunch, Adia began to dress and primp the undomesticated Jedi.

The end result was stunning. They were dressed to the 9.9s. Nines would be inadequate. Adia’s dark purple evening dress with green trim was designed to minimize her shoulders. It did, however, bring out her green eyes. Her hair was up in a simple braid. Her heels were not quite as high as Lianna’s. Unfortunately (fortunately?), they only made her more intimidating at nearly 1.8 meters.

In contrast, Lianna’s dress accentuated everything desirable about the young woman. Her brown eyes shone brightly with the natural bronze accents brought out in her skin. Lianna’s dress clung to her slender figure like thin wet cotton. She had concerns about the low neckline, which was slightly more liberal than Adia’s.

The pierced ears had been a point of contention, but a combination of Jedi relaxation and Assassin’s precise, quick hands made it a very nearly painless process. The simple blue stones were only visible when her hair shifted.

They fit in perfectly at the restaurant. The rented speeder was a luxurious coupe, and Adia insisted on driving it too fast. Lianna was a little surprised when the valets opened the doors and offered her a hand getting out. She took it, even though she was now perfectly capable of easing out of vehicle, even in heels. Adia handed the valet the keys and Lianna followed her inside.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

Two finely suited men opened the doors to the establishment for them and Lianna had to fight politeness. She wasn’t rude by any means, but the Jedi highly doubted her Sister was kind enough to say ‘thank you’ to people who were only doing their jobs.

Upon entering, Lianna had to also fight looking around the place with big eyes full of wonder and shock. This restaurant was now the most expensive place she’d ever set foot in. Yes, the Empire was paying it for, but such lavishness still made her feel uncomfortable … But that was on the inside. Outside, she showed indifference, acting as she was used to such opulent furnishes and cuisine.

They only waited a few seconds before the maitre'd welcomed them warmly to Adassioa. He led them to a cozy table towards the back of the establishment and pulled out a chair for Lianna and Adia in turn. The Jedi nodded politely and crossed her legs in a lady like fashion before setting her purse on the side of her place setting. A waiter came by to pour them some water with a slice of lemon as the maitre'd produced two menus and opened them before handing one each to the two ladies.

Again Lianna had to rein it in because the prices here were ludicrous. 150 credits a plate??? Mad people ran this restaurant.

[Adia Issoris]

Lianna was projecting the correct amount of haughty. Adia was pleased. This would work, but one of the tests came when she picked up the menu. Her shock was not completely hidden. Fortunately, no one was near enough to see it, and Lianna recovered her composure quickly.

They ordered after four minutes of running through the menu and the wine list. Adia picked a well known and respected merlot and a sauvignon blanc. Theoretically, they could get smashed, but she would simply take the overpriced bottles home with them instead. For an entrée, Adia ordered an aquatic crustacean with a light sauce and vegetable tempora as an appetizer. Lianna ordered a sesame based salad and another vegetable dish as her main course.

“Which of your wines would you like first?” The waiter asked.
“The sauvignon with the appetizer and the merlot with the main course.” Adia instructed
“Very good.” And it was so. The service was excellent, and the wait staff, while conducted with an air of snotty, was actually attentive and adaptable. It was why Adia had chosen the restaurant and not many of the other options available.

Adia picked apart her food with practiced precision. Lianna ate carefully, but there was some hesitation regarding the correct instrument. She got it wrong only once or twice, and quickly corrected with a tap on the table from Adia. Things were going swimmingly.

[Lianna Mal Pannis]

The appetizers melted inside her mouth as spices tingled her taste buds, and the vegetables were so fresh and crunchy. When dinner arrived, her nostrils took in the delicious scents of garlic, butter, and her basinberry vinaigrette.

Their server set down their plates and Lianna couldn't believe just how pretty the dish looked. It almost seemed wrong in eating the beautifully arranged salad. Three types of lettuce served as the based of the meal as watercress and snow peas were chopped in halves to outline the plate. Shredded carrots and sesame seeds flourished the center of the dish with a topping of grilled salmon strips.

During their meal, they engaged in small talk, mostly discussing their vacation and how it was amazing to see some play that Lianna had never seen before, which was more acceptable here then talking about hiking and climbing rocks. She took in it stride, not missing a beat and enjoyed the meal without gushing over how good it was. She did notice that several polite stares were coming from the other patrons. They were far subtler then the obnoxious stares and ogling that the teenagers were throwing there way several days ago. She didn't keep eye contact with the other guests for that long, merely keeping up the act of knowing she was that damn gorgeous, of course people would stare, attitude. Yet deep down inside, she was blushing as red as Adia's hair.

After they were done, Adia paid the check and left a generous tip. Gracefully Lianna stood up, retrieving her purse, which she almost had forgotten about, and departed with Adia. The same two greeters opened the door for the pair and quickly the valet jogged to Adia who placed the ticket in his hand. A few minutes later, the speeder pulled up and the valet opened the door for the two of them before bowing respectfully, thanking them for coming to the Adassioa this evening.

When they were safely on their way, Lianna kicked off her shoes and sighed, leaning against the door for support, "I can't believe I made it through the night."