Playing the Part

[Ninda Chae]

“Chae, get in here!” Laying atop her bed in the first mate’s quarters of the Dusk Harrier, Ninda set aside her datapad that she held with outstretched arms above her, her head turning in the direction of the hall that led to the galley. She turned and rolled over, dropping her feet into her boots and tightening their straps. “Chae, did you hear me?” She winced as the call came again. “Yeah, coming.” She returned, ambling into the galley and posting her forearms up on the island in the center.

“We’ve got a job taking us to Ralltirr.” Captain Thorn let that settle in for a moment, giving Ninda the chance to respond. “Imperial territory? I’ll bite, what’s the catch?” On queue with her question, she grabbed a piece of fruit from the basket in the center and took a bit. Captain Thorn had a set way about her that she didn’t often deviate from, and the fact that she was forewarning Ninda rather than waiting for the whole crew to gather meant she had some sort of special assignment she wanted her to prepare for.

The Captain, a woman in her mid-forties with blond hair intermixed with greying strands, quirked a proud smirk at her second in command. “The catch is that you are going to have to take point on this one. I’ve got some history that would just complicate the mission.” Ninda raised her right hand holding the fruit up, taking a bite then carrying the motion forward to use the fabric just past the thumb cuff to wipe at the corner of her mouth. “History, huh? Sounds juicy. Do I get to ask?” No sooner had she said the word, then she was met with a sharp [/i]No.[/i] “You will still have the support of the crew and ship as you need it. We land in two hours, where you’ll be making contact with the granddaughter of our employer.”
__________
Three Hours Later

The door chimed as she entered the quaint shop, her eyes cutting side to side as she took in the sculptures. She paused before one, mostly to wait and see who might approach her. Having not contacted ahead, she wasn’t sure if her contact was here, had some other individual holding down the fort or even what she looked like for that matter. Her hands stuffed down into the pockets of her black leather jacket, the skin of her forearms still partially visible where the sleeves cut short just beneath the elbow.

Alright…where to go from here. She mused mentally to herself, cutting her eyes to the side just briefly. It was then she heard soft footsteps approaching from her right side, and in posing to invite someone to approach her she suddenly felt very self-conscience. It wasn’t often she pretended not to notice someone, but she had already gone over ideas in her head in how to discretely discern if whoever approached her was who she was supposed to be talking to. The Captain is so much better at this than me…

[Morgana DeLaTour]

As much as Morgana loved her grandmother, she was still angry at what she had got dragged into because of the Zeltron crime lordess. She was pissed. They almost died at the hands of imperials because her grandmother couldn't stand anyone even sniffing on her territory. She understood being territorial, but she had never been as scared. Helping with the underworld deals had been an on and off thing since she was a kid, because Vivella wanted to groom her; but frankly Morgana doubted she'd want to take over the Ralltirr criminal world whenever her grandmother would eventually be too old or pass away. Morgana had also worked on and off with imperial universities to help as a mathematician, and she had been worried it would mess up with her credentials. So far it didn't seem to be the case, but she was careful.

She had hoped for some time to lick her wounds, and focus on her art, for she had always found Light Sculpture soothing in times of stress, which was also why she had even worked on developing ways to create smaller pieces with more portable equipment. But way too soon, Vivella had required her granddaughter's assistance. As much as she was still shaken and angry, Morgana had said yes. She didn't want to rock the boat, and she still loved her grandmother. She would probably stay on her meds longer than planned then. Her brain was one of her most fascinating traits, and Morgana had no want to fuck her brain up, but her nerves had been a wreck.

It seemed that Vivella needed some information to find about a ship of lost goods, which she suspected had been stolen by local competitors trying to get some ground, thinking the Zeltron matriarch was getting too old to retaliate. Some people were idiots. As to keep a low profile, Vivella had recruited some people from off world, but Morgana was still supposed to help, and in ways which rubbed her the wrong way.

Anyway, she had told the contact to show up at her workshop on Ralltir, which was the closest thing she had as an office, and that was far enough from the actual city to be quiet, and yet of easy access from Reshagar's space port. She had no idea what to expect SHe'd do the job, hope it'd go smoothly, and just go back to work and creation.

When someone came in, Morgana took a minute to properly stop where she was on her current piece. Removing her goggles, she smoothed her hair, and adjusted her clothing to be presentable (https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/meghan-ory-picture-id533643940). The woman waiting for her in the entrance, which doubled as semi-gallery, was quite pretty. Being easy on the eye wasn't what Vivella really cared about, but Morgana was happy for the little blessings in life.

Walking her to the woman, she extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Morgana DeLaTour."

[Ninda Chae]

Bingo. Maybe she wasn’t so bad at this? That was wishful thinking and she knew it. The woman had offered her name freely with not need to question. She turned to her, a smile alighting across the Hapan woman’s features. “Hey, I’m Ninda. We spoke earlier…” She suggested, trailing off a bit to give the woman a chance to confirm that. Of course, she wouldn’t go about referencing illegal affairs in a potentially public place, even if she was the only one besides Morgana presently inside. Her hand extended, grasping the woman’s hand. Her hands are so soft… It wasn’t what she expected from a sculptor. In fact, nothing about Morgana was what she expected when she was told she would be meeting a mathematician and sculptor.

“Your pieces are pretty cool.” She turned for a moment to admire one, nodding slowly. She had no idea what it was, or what it was meant to represent. Art had never been her forte, but she was trying her damnedest to be both relatable and earn a modicum of trust. “Should we go somewhere we can talk?” Her eyes glanced towards the door she had only just entered, worried that at any moment they might be interrupted. Her hand rose up shaking through her short hair and tussling it from the left side up and over to the right, exposing the singularly shaved side. “Lots to discuss, ya know?”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

"Nice to see you, Ninda," Morgana said with a warm smile. She liked the woman's name. It was pretty, with just that hint of an edge. The sculptor knew that they were both on a job, so to speak, but for the few moments when life felt normal, she would take it, and savor it. She really wanted to strangle her grandmother for so many things, but at the same time, extra work provided a distraction, and she shouldn't get in even ten percent of the deadly trouble she had found herself in.

She grinned at the compliments regarding her pieces. "Thanks! I'm in between showings for the most part. I'm currently working on a few new pretties." Calling her art "pretties" shocked some connoisseurs, but as much as she liked her money and comfort, she also found pleasure in enjoying life, and snotty elitism for the sake of it wasn't to her taste. She preferred people expressing simple and genuine appreciation for her work, than people trying to come up with convoluted bullshit to sound important.

"We can go to the lounge," she replied right away to Ninda's comment about what they had to discuss. "If you'll please follow me," she added before sashaying her way to the back of the building, though not before having locked the workshop doors. She was known to be mostly open for appointments, unless she had open days. Today wasn't an open day, so it worked just fine.

She took Ninda through a large room, mostly storage and lots of hand and digital drawings showing around them, though it wasn't her actual creative lair. She led them upstairs, in a comfortable area with plush chairs, a holo projector, and a large coffee table. Over a banister, her actual creative space revealed several in progress pieces, some very early and small, another large one already showing its vibrant purple and orange hues.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?"

[Ninda Chae]

So far, so good. In spite of her lack of confidence taking the lead, Morgana seemed to be receptive. She was grateful the woman wasn’t as snobby as her social standing would have suggested and figured she might owe that in part to a portion of her lineage and how that might ground an individual. Ninda fell into line behind Morgana, a hand reaching out to graze the smooth structure of one of her sculptures but recoiling before contact could be made as she considered their possible fragility. “Is this a lucrative business? As I understand it you are also something of a Math Wiz. I wondered which one really provided for you?”

While they walked through her shop, Ninda’s eyes wandered freely over all the various representations of her art. It wasn’t just sculptures but also drawings, which made sense when she considered the drawings were likely the concept pieces. Once upstairs Ninda wandered to the banister, sweeping her eyes over the collection of artistic pieces. She sure keeps busy. “Huh?” Her mind offered the placeholding question as she processed what she had almost not heard and gave a quick follow up reply. “Sure, a drink. Surprise me.”

She turned and moved towards the seats in the lounge, settling down into the softest looking one. Her eyes widened with the surprise for a moment as she sank back further than expected, hand steadying against the plush cushions and chortling. “Haven’t sat in a chair this nice in a long time.” Her hand tapped a spot on the headrest. “Ours has tape right here to patch a hole.” She again laughed, smoothing her hand back over the before drawing her leg up to cross her ankle over her knee and resting that hand atop the knee.

“So what do you know about the job so far?”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

"Math wiz..." Morgana repeated half absentmindedly, briefly returning to a place of terror of where her gift and education had taken her to. "Math definitely pays more often," she admitted with a smile. "This allows me to only create new artworks when I am inspired, and not just pump them out until they lose all flavor. It also gives me opportunities to have time by myself." While working on equations could be a solitary enterprise, she often collaborated or was brought on projects due to her expertise. Art was her own thing, and the universe knew she could need it.

She couldn't help grinning when Ninda told her to surprise her. "That, I can do," she replied, a small bounce in her step as she led her guest to the lounge. She went straight to the small bar area, and mused over what to make. Something strong enough but not the hammering kind. She often had to remember that non Zeltron couldn't hold their liquor as well as even an half breed like her could.

Her attention was caught when Ninda chose one of the chairs and it tilted further than expected. Morgana's gaze traveled over the other brunette, thinking she looked quite lovely in her lounge. "Well,we have some planning to do, so it's good you found a comfy seat." She listened to the explanation about the patched up chair aboard the ship. "That sounds like one of my grandmother's hides," she admitted.

She put together a cocktail in shades of orange, with a purple swirl. She sashayed her way back to Ninda and handed her one of the tall glasses. "Itara liquor with a hint of Zeltron rum, some tonic, and winter lemons and Naboo peaches." She sat on a nearby couch, bringing her legs beneath her. "My grandmother said that she had hired you to help locate a lost shipment and retrieve it, but that first we needed some data from the Rakashys who are throwing a charity event in two days. That's about what I heard. She said you'd bring me up to speed about the specifics."

[Ninda Chae]

Her answer was about what Ninda expected. Her artwork was a side project that just happened to earn her some extra credits, but the math was her true bread winner. “Well that’s good you can keep that separation, so you don’t learn to hate what you love.” She concurred in true small talk fashion. Once more her eyes swept the small chamber, which had a surprising amount of personal comforts for what Ninda would have assumed was a workspace. “Is this where you live also?” Dark eyes traced Morgana’s excited path behind the bar, watching as the mathematician/sculptor added mixologist to her list of titles.

Morgana returned with a pair of glasses, and Ninda’s eyes briefly dipped, then returned to the colorful concoction. “You sold me on peaches.” She confessed, pushing down into the plush cushions to straighten herself a bit and not risk spilling the drink. When she was sure of her positioning she took her glass, twirled the straw around to mix the various flavors, then pursed her lips around it to take a sip. Her eyes brightened a bit at the first long sip, pulling back to examine the glass. “Wow, that is fancy and delicious.” She grinned, shrugging her shoulders. “Would it be redundant to say on the ship we often just have a single liquor or ale?”

How was she ever going to handle some fancy charity event, she wondered. She was already struggling with a bit of the lap of luxury she was getting a taste of, even if her earlier background revolved around royal courts. While Morgana recounted what she knew of the job, Ninda sipped on her drink and listened until it was her turn to remark and add to the details. “That’s most of it. Your work is two-fold really. One, help me navigate high society without looking like a complete fool. You’ll get me in the door and be my shield for any encounters I get into. While there we will break away when we get a chance. We need to acquire coordinates for where the shipment is being stashed, might require some of your math skills for that one. Should be relatively simple.”

Ninda figured she certainly made it seem like it should, but they also had to avoid getting caught sneaking around, the calculations might not be so simple, and then their was the matter of blending her in and not rousing suspicion. “I’d say you have two days to help me act like I belong, but I think it’d be just easier if you were prepared to deflect. Not much too it though, huh?” She certainly wasn’t expecting danger, but she might have preferred being shot at to mingling with high society prigs.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

"Pretty much," Morgana agreed. What she hated most now was the whole underworld stuff. She wasn't against it and didn't have some fake moral superiority about it. She understood that it existed and that having the upper hand was better. She would just prefer not having to be involved. That was when having siblings or cousins who could have taken up on Vivella's endeavors would have been great. But most of the DeLaTours only had one kid, and her cousin Lorna had butted out a long time ago, and the blonde's anti-imperial sentiment had certainly made a bigger ridge between her and the rest of the family. Morgana sometimes missed her cousin but life just changed, she guessed.

Ninda's comment about her living at the workshop brought her back to reality. "Yes. I technically have an apartment but I prefer it here. I like the quiet." As much as she could be a stellar social butterfly, her introvert side appreciated being left alone when she worked and created on a regular basis.

She beamed when her guest praised the cocktail. "Not redundant. I ended behind a bar counter when I was eight because I loved the pretty colors, and my grandmother's barkeep back then acted as my underworld nanny you could say. Anything with pretty colors always fascinated me, and so the barkeep was set on teaching me how to mix things right."

She sipped on her drink while listening to Ninda explain the plan. She had such a lovely accent. Morgana couldn't pinpoint it, but she definitely enjoyed it. She pondered on the situation and looked her over once again. "Getting you an outfit to compliment on your pretty face and curves won't be difficult," she said genuinely. "And I promise it will be a practical one too." She didn't imagine Ninda especially on such a mission, wanting to put up with extravagant but constraining clothes.

"We'll have to play it discreet for sure." She paused for a moment, lips pressed together as she briefly frowned, hoping it would go as smoothly as possible. Shrugging it off, she looked back at Ninda. "The easiest way to get us in would be if you were my plus one. Acting as my current eye-candy and interest would raise the least suspicions. People would then be jealous of me and mutter to themselves rather than asking you direct questions."

[Ninda Chae]

In spite of Ninda’s wandering gaze and attention, she did notice that distant feeling that swept over Morgana, where she was only drawn back by the next statement. She wondered what it was she had said, and what it was the woman was thinking, but she also knew she should avoid getting too personally invested. The crew was family, and other people just came and went in life. “Fan of the quiet eh? I bet you’re none too thrilled about this little mission then.” That was, considering it required her to be at the forefront socially between them.

“Raised by a bartender. I bet you have some stories.” She remarked to follow the details Morgana provided her. She knew she hadn’t meant to say she was raised by a bartender, but it was just a simplistic way of touching on the topic. She did however worry that it might be taken inappropriately, and so let the conversation flow further to not give much time to think on it. “You can be my alcohol connoisseur while I am here then, and I’ll bring some tricks back to the crew when it’s all said and done.”

As she was complimented, she chortled softly and brought her drink up to her lips, a slight warmth creeping across her skin that she attributed to the alcohol. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy the compliment, or wasn’t flattered, she was just more used to random cat calls from men and not such kind remarks from women. “Oh, heh, thanks. Yeah, um I suppose a leather jacket and leggings won’t be suitable attire, huh?” She really hadn’t even considered the outfit portion.

It was at her role suggestion that Ninda’s lips broke from the straw and she sputtered, nearly choking on her drink. Her eyes watered, and she held up a hand as she coughed and sought the return of her voice. While embarrassing, there was a part of her that was grateful for that brief reprieve so she could compile just what she would say to that. “Sorry about that…” She choked out, wiping unceremoniously at her lips. “…well this will certainly be new cover for me.” She also couldn’t help but pick up on certain words. Jealous of her? She knew she was attractive, being Hapan after all it was pretty commonplace, but she was also not put together the way Morgana was, and she voiced that. “Jealous of you? No way, I mean you’re super pretty, and put together way better than I am. I mean..” Her hand rand up, shaking through her black hair, scratching at the shaved side hidden beneath. “..my hair’s all greasy…” She glanced at her nails. “…and yep, there’s grime under the fingernails.” Product of ship maintenance. Man, I sure didn’t prepare to be somewhere so fancy.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana nodded and shrugged at Ninda's observation about the upcoming missions. "Yes and no. I'm always glad to help my grandmother. I was just hoping to have some time off, I guess. Anyway, playing fancy guest and blending in the upper society is something I could do in my sleep, so unless I end on the wrong side of an airlock door, I'll be fine." She took a very long sip from her drink, and felt like she might need a second round. She didn't know what Ninda may or may not think of her comment about airlocks, but she just carried on.

She chuckled at the notion of being raised by a bartender. "You bet I do. Being raised one foot in both worlds is good to avoid turning into a snotty asshole," she grinned a little wickedly all of the sudden, relaxing a bit at last. Also, Ninda looked so freaking cute when she reacted to her compliment. That girl was hot and she didn't seem to realize it.

"Leather jackets and leggings are amazing but not for that charity ball." She scooted slightly closer as the couch wasn't far from Ninda's chair. She tilted her head, still clearly looking at her guest, thinking about options for the event. "Pssh, nothing a good shower and stylist won't fix, gorgeous. I'm fairly sure any black dress would be amazing on you." She thought for a moment. "Given who is giving that event, we'll stick to a black aesthetics. Vibrant colors are definitely not up their alleys, and we want to blend in. Because we're not doing boring grey or beige. No way in hell. I have my limits."

[Ninda Chae]

It seemed as if there was something more to the story. Airlocks doors were pretty specific, considering everything would be taking place on planet. She didn’t question what potentially traumatic experiences Morgana might have been subject to. Conversation flowed on, and moved to lighter discussions, and ones that would inevitably flare up some unknown social anxiety. “I’ve had to work with snotty assholes before, and I am certainly grateful you are grounded.” She smiled appreciatively, at least until the conversation turned back towards garments and her looks. She still smiled, only a touch awkwardly now. Morgana wasn’t upsetting her but living her life she wasn’t used to receiving compliments all the time.

It was interesting to see the shift in excitement as Morgana started looking at the job not for the job, but because she might get to play dress up with Ninda and make a statement. That was good, she needed Morgana relaxed, just as she needed to relax about the affectionate ways in which her companion addressed her. Still, she couldn’t help that warm flushed feeling that she again blamed on the alcohol. Her throat cleared before she spoke, unable to suppress the fringes of her smile with her words. “Right, so we’ve got two days to make a miracle happen. Where and when should we start?” Beyond just getting her ready to go, Ninda would need to study the buildings layout. She could almost hear the Captains voice chastising her for not using her resources though, in this case Morgana. “Have you been to this place before? Any idea where we might find sensitive files?”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana smiled warmly when Ninda express relief that she was "grounded" because as much as the mathematician appreciated her comfort and money, she was grateful for her upbringing to have ensured that hard work and not being a judging asshole were ingrained in her. Sure thing she could be judgemental and hate certain people, but she wasn't thee obnoxious kind. And right at that moment, she was glad she could at least plot the mission in the safety of her home, before going into the big charity event and be on her guard and do her best to cover up for what Ninda had to do.

"We can get started right now. It really is mostly about you looking the part. Story wise, the closer to the truth the better. You visited my workshop because you heard of my art, and one thing led to the other. The minimum of lying sounds like the best course of action so we don't have to memorize a bunch of lies." She had a fantastic memory, but she also knew that the less extra stress she put on herself at the moment, the better.

She got to her feet, and finished her drink, putting it by a sink. Some tea sounded like a good idea now. "Would you like another drink, caf, something to snack on?" She inquired, before answering Ninda's next question. "I do have a general layout of the estate. It is from a few years ago, when they purchased a custom-made installation from me. The exact size of the rooms may not be accurate, as I estimated some of them, but I got to see the whole place." She had drawn and estimated what she didn't have measurements for, all by memory, thanks to her good eye for math and light sculpture.

"I can pull them up upstairs in my suite, while we go over the best options for your appearance."

[Ninda Chae]

“You are smart.” She stated more as confirmation than anything else. “Best lies contain some truth, I agree.” Morgana certainly kept Ninda on her toes. Every time she thought she could figure the woman out, she pulled another trick that wouldn’t have been outwardly obvious for who she was and what her general role in society was supposed to be. “So…” She began to recount the story, to make sure they had it down. “I came to see your work, we…” At this she hesitated. “…hit it off.” She smiled a touch awkwardly at that one, to try to mask her hesitation. “If we’re keeping truth, we’ll say I’m a…dealer in fine goods. Galactic wide business, I bring fancy sorts of things to other planets to turn profits.” That was about one of the tamest ways to say pirate, after all.

Ninda stood and followed Morgana, bringing her emptied cup and setting it atop the counter. “Caf might be good. Another of those and I won’t be much good to anyone planning ideas. We’ll end up with some ridiculous infiltration tactic where we climb through the vents and end up hanging by wires.” She laughed. Had she seen that in a holo? Ninda leaned forward, placing her elbows and forearms atop the counter and leaning her weight overtop of them. “Sure, the more direct we can be the better. In reality we don’t need to know the finer details, just an idea of where what we’re looking at might be.” The other details, like guards, patrol routes, etc. would be dealt with on the spot and by Ninda.

All of this certainly uncomplicated the job. “I’m really expecting no trouble out of the whole thing. Don’t you worry, I’ll plan for the worst, but I think this will be pretty tame.” She smiled reassuringly, keenly aware most people didn’t take well to being dragged into the world of deception. The hard part, she figured, was going to be when she had the coordinates and needed to retrieve the goods. Morgana was likely not to be taken along for that part. Her eyes turned ‘upstairs’, finally addressing Morgana’s last statement. “There’s more to this place? Damn. Well, lead on.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana realized that playing eye candy as her plus one must not have been on Ninda's mind as possible options. The sculptor tended to forget that not everyone was romantically and sexually interested in more than their different gender. It was common on both sides of her family, and not just the Zeltron one, contrary to what some people may think. Morgana had a natural inclination towards any gender, as long as she found them attractive. At least, she was glad that despite some awkwardness, the other woman wasn't totally shocked or worse, repelled, at the idea. She didn't say a thing about the bits of awkwardness she witnessed. They would have time to address that later when need be. "Dealer in fine goods? Yes, yes, that works just fine," she replied with a spark in her eyes.

"Caf it is," she said before laughing at what Ninda said regarding crazy infiltration tactics. "Yeah, you don't want me to do that, I'd likely blow the whole thing." She was still chuckling as she finished to make caf and tea ready. Handing her cup to Ninda, she nodded at the other woman's reassurance. "Planning for the worst isn't a bad thing, because sometimes it does happen," she said without thinking twice. Fetching her own cup, she led the way towards the nearby staircases. "Two more levels actually, but my quarters, walk-in closets and armory are up there." She was a decent shooter and had self-defense basics, but her family insisted she had weapons at home, more than she could use at once, and her grandmother had just restocked...

"I would advise against carrying any weapon unless you are sure they don't get detected. They're fairly strict about their security. They don't have that many armed guards, but it will be a medium size event, with roughly a hundred to two hundred guests, so I'd count on extra guards. Grandmother is supposed to have a few of her freelancers among them, but I've not got any precise update yet."

Leading the way to a large walk-in closet, with dark wood panels and colored metallic accents, she let Ninda choose whether she wanted to look around, or take a seat on one of center round sitting area. In the meantime, Morgana turned on a holo projector, and displayed what she had on the residence layout.

[Ninda Chae]

“Thanks.” She smiled appreciatively at Morgana, brief contact made between them as the mug was passed off. She took a deep inhale of the caf, eyes closing briefly as she appreciated the thick aroma. It was as Morgana lead her on that she remarked on the grandeur of what she had originally assumed was just a studio. “Did you say an armory too? Ms. DeLaTour, you are full of surprises.” She admitted. She imagined with owning an armory came a certain level of training.

“I have to admit…” She started as she crested the last step. “I was expecting some tiny, frail woman with glasses that had never handled a weapon in her life. Not…well, you. No complaints, you are none of what I assumed.” She smiled once again, hoping her words would be taken for the compliment they were intended to be. She wandered into the large closet, which was probably as spacious as her cabin on their ship, and instantly took the proffered seat in the center. With how large the chamber was, and how full it was, it felt a little daunting to even consider looking for something.

“I’m just going to trust your fashion sense on this one.” Seated on the large circular seat, and with the caf now warming her, she briefly set the drink aside and rolled her shoulders back to shed the leather jacket. Beneath she wore a charcoal grey top that could have been counter as either a tank top or a sleeveless, for how wide the straps that ran over her shoulders were. A modest V cut kept her from being too exposed, and the top draped down past the waist line of her leggings.

Ninda’s focus rested on the holoprojector while Morgana busied herself as she would. “So, this is the study. That’s where I would guess the information is kept. Do you know how much of the residence they will close off? Will this be in restricted territory?” She once again aimed, despite her questions, to reassure Morgana. “I’m not planning on bringing any weapons. We’ll just have you charm us out of any trouble.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana couldn't help laughing at Ninda's remark about how she was full of surprises. "That comes with having one foot on each side of the law!" She was teasing but there was a lot of truth in it. While her parents and her paternal side were proper imperials so to speak, they understood how the underworld answered many needs, and they had respected the eccentric and powerful Zeltron grandmother's decision to have a hand in the upbringing of their only daughter. Sometimes Morgana wished it hadn't been the case; but for the most part, she knew it gave her a more comprehensive perspective on life.

It was funny that Ninda would then kind of comment on what her expectations had been. She grinned to her guest. "If I drive you crazy with picking the right outfit, or suddenly start muttering aloud about my calculations when we'll have the data, you may reconsider about the no complaint," she winked to Ninda and let her take a seat while she was musing over options for the reception.

"Yes this is the study," she replied, peeking at the holo projection. "I think they might have a second one now, as they said in passing that they were thinking of remodeling the last bedroom on the East side. I don't know if they actually did it though. I hope not, because the East section will probably be closed off, while the old or current study is right above the ball room."

She nodded at the mention of charming them out of any trouble. "That works most of the time. I heard I have disarming eyelashes when I bat them right," she kidded, before taking a long look at Ninda and then picking two outfits from the closet. "Alright, I think either (https://img.simplydresses.com/_img/SDPRODUCTS/1551308/320/black-dress-LP-23801-a.jpg) of those two (https://tristanpush-120f.kxcdn.com/image_produit/395x593/FV090C1540Z_NO01_1.jpg) might suit you just fine." Based on what Ninda was wearing, she had avoided low or extravagant cut, and both dresses should be fine in terms of freedom of movement. Simple and elegant cuts would look just fine with the right hair style and accent jewelry, but before she made more plans, she wanted to hear Ninda's opinion.

"If neither works, we have more options, and you're free to look around."

[Ninda Chae]

“Oh no.” She began reassuring Morgana. “I trust your expertise, and whatever goes hand in hand with it, even if it is little eccentricities.” She smiled, tossing a playful wink at her partner. Her eyes then turned back to the holoprojection, peering over the rim of her caf mug as she studied the aforementioned secondary study. “That could be a problem.” She pondered ideas for how they might gain access to a secondary study if it was in a closed off portion of the manner. “What if…” She began to toy with an idea but paused the thought to instead focus on the two outfits presented to her.

She might have at first been a bit apprehensive at the idea of a dress but seeing the pair of them she couldn’t help but formulate a preference that she chose to share for the moment. She drained the last of her caf, feeling far more alert and focused then when she had first entered, and set it off to the side as she crossed towards Morgana. “Disarming eyelashes huh? Can’t say I have ever had someone say the same about me.” She laughed, reaching a hand out to touch the material of each dress. Ninda briefly glanced over at Morgana, appraising something about her. “It’s a good thing I’m the shorter one, or we’d be seeing a whole lot of leg.”

She smiled sheepishly at the thought, then took up the sleeveless dress. “I suppose I should try it on.” She turned her back to Morgana, slipping her sleeveless off overhead and discarding it onto the seat she formerly occupied. The dress was taken and pulled overhead, shimmying her body through until her sleeves and head made it, then reaching down to tug the dress on. “Zip me?” With the dress providing her some modesty, she slipped the leggings off and waited for Morgana to zip her up. “So back to my earlier thought…” She spoke over her shoulder. “…what if we say you want to donate a sculpture, because you heard they had a new study and you worried it might lack an inspiration piece. Say you want to see the room so you can think on what piece works best in there.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana couldn't fathom how Ninda didn't realize how charming she was. That woman was gorgeous, and she had a down-to-earth personality, which the half Zeltron appreciated. She grinned when her partner-in-crime assured her she trusted in her input. "I have a few pieces I can lend you once you pick your dress. I'll make sure it's stylish but practical. You'll have better things to do than struggling with annoyingly impractical aesthetics."

She tilted her head when Ninda started a sentence but didn't finish it. She didn't pry as she believed the other woman would carry on with her thought if need be. She watched her look at the dresses, and she laughed at the comment about showing a lot of leg. "Not that I would mind," she admitted quite freely, winking at Ninda.

She averted her eyes while Ninda tried the sleeveless dress on. She had thought it would be the best choice, but had wanted to give style options to the pirate. When she asked her to zip the dress, Morgana closed the distance between them and rested a hand at the bottom of the zipper, fingers pressing lightly on Ninda's back, as she zipped the clothing up. She adjusted the zipper so it would lay flat against the fabric, her hand briefly brushing against Ninda's neck, before she stepped back.

"Hmmmm, you look fabulous."

She pondered what Ninda said next. "Under normal circumstances, I would have said yes. It could have worked with many people, but those might sniff something is off if I suddenly want to create something for them again, especially if they realize there was a theft later on. They have attempted to spit on my grandmother's network in the last year, so if I suddenly was over friendly to them, despite a history of providing a sculpture for them, it might look suspicious."

[Ninda Chae]

It certainly all felt like a life she could have had but left behind, and there was something nice about it. Her mind wandered down that path for just a few moments as he looked down her frame, smoothing out the hem of the dress. A shiver shot up her spine at the brief contact with her neck, raising bumps across her skin. She visibly shook with a chill, before turning to face Morgana. Her hand nervously toyed through her somewhat greasy hair, that awkward laugh coming to the surface once again. “Thanks. I mean you probably wear it way better than I do. The legs sell it, I'm sure.” She turned, glancing back, taking in other angles of the dress on her frame. “Wouldn’t be so bad with a leather jacket.” Somehow, she couldn’t help but tom boy up the image.

“Hmm, good point…” She hadn’t been aware of the dynamic between the families. “We’d end up with a job complete but leave you in some trouble. Trust me, we’ll look out for you. Seeing the job to completion means no loose ends.” Besides, Morgana was growing on her, and it had only been less than an hour. No need to get her into trouble. “Do you have any ideas?” Ninda supposed she could always stage some breaking and entering equipment somewhere outside the grounds, but she was trying to do this in the most deniable manner possible.

She turned back away, reaching back to try to pluck at the zipper again. “Suppose I shouldn’t risk getting this wrinkled before the big night, and there’s no reason to wear it any longer.” She had quickly realized, with just a small glance down to see the bareness of a portion of her leg, that she was still wearing the dress provided to her. Conversation had stolen her down another tangent and she hadn’t even noticed.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

"Oh you sell it nicely, as it is," Morgana observed. She was fairly sure that heads would turn for the pirate at the reception. In a way, it would make her have to be more charming and social butterfly to keep attention upon her, which would serve the mission well. When the other woman quipped about wearing a leather jacket with the dress, she nodded towards the one the pirate had come in. "Put it on," she said in a naturally commanding voice. Once Ninda had put it back on, she walked up close behind the shorter brunette, her hands snaking to the front to adjust the jacket, before pulling Ninda's shorter hair over the collar. "Grunge is in fashion this season," she said, her mouth close to Ninda's ear. The subtle chill she had caught from her guest moments earlier hadn't been lost on her.

She eventually stepped back, grinning as she went to take a sip from her tea. She appreciated Ninda's supportive behavior in regard to not drag her into trouble. After the last near-death shenanigans her grandmother had thrown her through, she would rather limit trouble of the tragic kind.

"Well, there's always the good old excuse that sometimes people need some privacy," she quipped, the innuendo quite obvious. "Kidding," she reassured Ninda, as while the idea was attractive, it would still draw attention to her."

She mused over it. "What kind of expensive goods are you trading in with your cover? I might have an idea..."

When Ninda offered to let go of the dress for now, she smiled. "I can unzip you then," she said gesturing for Ninda to turn her back to her.

[Ninda Chae]

“Really?” She questioned, glancing at the jacket. It would need to be cleaned, but there was something about the jacket and how it connected her to who she was that would certainly have made her feel a touch more comfortable. She retrieved it as instructed and tugged it on then flared it to get it to sit flat across her frame. She hadn’t realized Morgana was so close behind her until she adjusted her hair and spoke against the back of her ear, which caused her back to tense up rigidly at the surprise of that proximity. Nearly ever muscle in her body went tense for the moment, and her heart rate increased. “Oh, good.” The response was so plain, so awkward, even Ninda was aware of it.

Her mind certainly wasn’t thinking clearly enough to wonder whether Morgana was teasing with her, but somewhere on the fringes of her mind it tickled as a possibility. She glanced over her shoulder as Morgana suggested privacy, just in time for the brunette sculptor to dismiss the idea as a joke. “Oh, right of course.” She laughed that awkward laugh that Morgana had so frequently drawn out of her. Why am I being so weird? This woman definitely knew how to get under her skin. She usually carried herself with so much more confidence, and independence.

Discussion reverting to the mission certainly helped to relax her, and it became obvious with the noticeable slump of her shoulders. “Well, I figure our relationship in part is about me delivering your sculptures to clients outside of your normal reach. I would say legal good, fancy ones. I probably wouldn’t have limitations. Paintings, jewelry, gems, etc. You have a suggestion? I’m adaptable.” She did turn her back to Morgana once more, shrugging off her jacket and tossing it aside for the moment to give her access to the zipper. “How does anyone dress themselves alone in these things? So impractical.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Ninda's awkwardness might be very alluring to Morgana; but they'd have to do something about it before the party. It was one thing that Ninda might be flustered around her, but she had to be more comfortable if they were to pull the plus one and romantic angle. She would need to address it quite soon, but for now she wanted to hear the pirate's details about her cover story, because it might help them come up with a way to access the other aisle of the mansion. What Ninda said was along the lines of what she was hoping for. "They have a small but very pricey collection of jewels in that other section of the residence. You might sweet talk them about selling them something they don't have yet. The baroness has always wanted to get her hands on a solar ruby from the Unknown Regions; but has always miserably failed at acquiring one. It could be our way in."

She walked up to Ninda to unzip the dress, and grinned at the other woman's quip. "It takes a lot of practice and flexibility," she said, half teasing, half serious. After she had unzipped the garment, she didn't step back though, instead resting her hands lightly on the pirate's hips, still standing behind her. "You might want to remember to breathe. I'm not that terrifying, and I don't have the reputation of scaring my lovers off... For the most part."

[Ninda Chae]

She pondered Morgana’s suggestion as she made it, seeing ways to support the idea and one hiccup that she planned to address. “Okay, so we play up my work. Let the rumor get around until they are approaching us.” Ninda knew that it would be suspicious if they went and offered to acquire something directly. “So, what happens when I don’t deliver one, and they remember you introduced me right after something goes missing? Like I said, no loose ends. I don’t want this to fall back on you.”

She froze, and visibly tensed in her shoulders against at the woman touched her hips. “Yeah…” She could only answer for the moment, closing her eyes and thinking on it. Why am I so intimidated by her touch? It should be flattering. I’ve let other friends in more than I am letting her in. There doesn’t have to be anything, just because she is into women. That mental debate raged on in only a few seconds time, and her shoulders slumped slowly. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I’m making things more of a big deal than they need to be.” She laughed awkwardly, glancing over her shoulder. “Thanks for calling me on my shit. We’ll be good, promise.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana was thrilled at Ninda's answer. This was working well, better than she might have first expected. Granted, her hopes had been quite low. Ninda had already helped a lot by proving a quick and organized thinker. "We do have a solar ruby available to us to sell them as part of this plan." Her grandmother was one of the most devious persons she had met, which explained why the Zeltron woman had been keeping a tight reign over the criminal world of Ralltiir for several decades. "My grandmother had been sitting on it for a long time, as part of her potential leverage or baits. I'm fairly sure this could be used in this case. If so, you could deliver the gem, and accusing us would make no sense. Nobody in their right mind would use such a gem as a diversion. At least this is what these narrow-minded people believe."

She observed Ninda's words and physical reaction when she called her out on being too tense or awkward about being around her. She found the pirate even more attractive because of this weird shyness that was a stark contrast to her otherwise behavior when it came to the mission. "If I can help you be more comfortable about the plan, please let me know." She meant in, but wanted to leave the door open to Ninda to figure out what she may want.

She smiled and let go of Ninda, turning her back to her so the pirate could get back into her regular clothes.

[Ninda Chae]

Ninda wasted no time removing the dress and slipping back into her previous clothes. They certainly gave her a different level of comfort than the dress, but she had to admit something about wearing an outfit so nice felt like home to her. The dress itself was laid out neatly across her former seat so as to avoid any wrinkles. “I feel pretty good about the plan, actually. Acting as your lover might present a bit of a challenge, but we’ll work it out. It’s been a long time since I’ve had any manner of relationship like that, so I’m not sure I would have known how to act no matter who it was.” She laughed, not so awkwardly this time but generally amused at her own lack of social experience.

She gave her coat a couple of tugs to sure it up about her shoulders, then stuffed her hands into the pockets. “Willing to part with a solar ruby for all of this, huh? Must have something worth a pretty penny in whatever was taken. Or at least sentimental enough to be priceless.” She didn’t mean to pry, but it was a curious item to give up to help the ruse. “Alright. Well I’ll see if I can’t use it, but also make sure it comes right back to you somehow. Anyways…” She pivot a little, considering if there was anything more they needed to address. “…I’m going to retire and consider the plan a bit more and my role in it. I’ll be by a few hours before the party to get changed.” She assured her companion, flashing her a smile. “See you soon. Call me if you need anything.”

The next couple days passed uneventfully with the occasional communication between Morgana and Ninda, though nothing of extreme importance to the mission that would have required them meeting up. With only a couple hours until the party, Ninda had already arrived to get ready. She had just finished showering and now sat around in the cleanest but comfiest clothes she could wear, a tanktop and sleep pants, before she got dressed. “So the hair.” It had mostly dried, and she stood before a mirror toying with it. “Show the side…” She tossed it over to expose the shaved side. “Pull it back?” She then tugged it back, as she suggested. “What works with the dress, and with this class of society?” At the very least it no longer looked greasy, like previously.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana had been relieved that Ninda seemed aware and willing to adjust to the cover story they had. She not only needed the pirate to be more comfortable around her to make it work, and truth be told, she didn't mind the idea to turn the cover story into something a little realer. Maybe most people were against mixing business with pleasure, but Morgana didn't have this clear distinction in certain cases. That was part of her underworld upbringing, in contrast to her more legal and appropriate one.

She also appreciated the pirate for how she seemed willing to even get the solar ruby back to her and the family, should it be needed. She was still a little apprehensive about pulling such a thing on people she knew, although didn't appreciate, so early after the imperial mess. But she would do her part, and nothing would stop her. She might drink too much and have mixed a couple of pills to chill since the almost tragedy, but her nerves would be in check, or so she hoped, and she also reminded herself that she just had to look pretty and be sociable. That were baselines for her, so it should be fine. At the same time, she didn't want to look like an idiot in front of anyone, including Ninda. She was proud, prouder than some might think her to be.

The next couple of days went smoothly for the most part; and she let Ninda be unless she had to discuss a detail. There was no reason to be in the pirate's face after all.

When time to get ready happened, she made sure to do so for herself (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e6/55/47/e65547c81200ec1efc4d3a3a23d3c0c7.jpg) early, so she could help Ninda. "Choices, choices," she mused, staring at Ninda as she pondered on the hair. "Showing the shaved side would be my personal preference, but I think pulling it back will be the best option for the evening."

[Ninda Chae]

Ninda considered Morgana’s words for a moment, releasing her hair and letting it fall naturally. “Well, I’m supposed to be your girlfriend tonight? I feel like if I was, I’d shirk what’s proper and expected and do what you preferred. So…” She ran her fingers through her hair, teasing the path of it so it was tossed over to expose the undercut. It didn’t stay so well with how freshly washed it was, so she followed Morgana to the refresher to use whatever product she could provide her. With little effort, since it was a familiar style, she managed to get it to hold combed opposite of the undercut, leaving it exposed and teasing the side of her head with a pleasant chill.

“So what else do I need?” She was already wearing the dress provided to her, which did a good job of conveying more of her tanned skin than she was used to showing. She knew Morgana had spoken about accessorizing her, and she wasn’t sure if she was supposed to wear makeup or not. She really couldn’t tell if Morgana was wearing some, which left her questioning but also not eager to voice the suggestion. Instead she gave a quick smile. “You look good. You really do look like you belong in this world.” She knew it could be taken for an insult, so she quickly elaborated. “Like…classy. You really look like a Lady.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana couldn't help grinning at Ninda's response about how to wear her hair. That was quite true, and added to her overall good impression of the pirate. "Did you study my girlfriend history in the last couple of days?" She had to tease, especially given the plan, and that the other brunette did look very attractive right then and there. It didn't take too long for Ninda's hair to be ready, and the mathematician scampered off to where she kept jewelry.

"I have the perfect set of necklace and earrings. Statement enough that you'll look the part; but not large enough they would get in the way." Soon, the tall half-breed returned and handed the gold drop earrings to Ninda, before placing and fastening the matching necklace, which was the perfect length as she had expected so it didn't plunge into her partner in crime's cleavage, but still pointing right enough towards it. She rested her hands on Ninda's shoulder as she looked at their reflection in the standing mirror. "People wouldn't guess it's for show," she complimented, whispering into Ninda's ear, before going to retrieve her own jewelry, a couple of gemstone adorned gold rings, and discreet earrings. Her dress made most of the statement.

She chuckled at Ninda's compliment, for she had taken it the right way in the first place. "Well, thank you. Now I'll just have to avoid cussing like a Zeltron brothel owner and have a baroness spill her champagne in the middle of small talk. That tends to kill the mood," she joked, although she was speaking from experience.

"I believe we are good to go unless you have any last minute questions?"

[Ninda Chae]

She glanced over her shoulder at Morgana as the woman leaned in, appraising the couple they made. “That’s the idea.” She kept herself relaxed, even if that near proximity did make her still feel the tiniest bit timid. It was a different way though, almost imperceptible and easily confused for that former apprehension she had shown. She echoed one aspect of how the conversation was going, the fringes of a blush stealing across her features. “Well, I mean…if I was dating someone, I’d probably not want them to put on a show everywhere I went so if we were playing to my type, that cussing like a Zeltron brother owner wouldn’t be far fetched from the right sort of pairing for me.”

She offered a hand to Morgana’s, giving her invitation to take her’s. Playing the part began now, and she tried to distinguish all the gestures to come as part of that façade but also part of what she would do with a friend, to ensure she kept that confidence that would sell their story. “I think we’ve planned enough. We’ll figure the rest out as we go.” Their fingers interlaced, and Ninda walked with Morgana out of her home and to the awaiting speeder. She slipped in aside her companion, flashing a quick smile. "Should have pre-gamed a bit. Would have loosened me up. I'll be fine though." She let out a deep breath through her nose. "It's funny, the danger and the mission don't even make me nervous. Doing the right things, selling the story. I'm worried I'll botch it and act as awkward as a few days ago."

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana was relieved that the pirate was more relaxed, even though there were still traces of apprehensive lingering every once in a while. The slight blush adorning Ninda's cheeks could work just fine with their cover. "I'm sure you'll get to hear me cuss in full-fledged Zeltron mode at some point," she purred to her guest.

When her partner in crime offered her hand, the socialite took it gently but surely. She enjoyed the sensation of her fingers laced with Ninda's. There were calluses on the pirate's hand, but her skin was nevertheless mostly soft. And the mathematician enjoyed that people' body could show signs of actually living life, and not stay in sterilized environment. She understood the irony if not hypocrisy it might seem coming from her, given her want to play it safe after the recent trauma. And yet, here she was, ready to do what was required of her to help her grandmother's criminal business.

As they left her residence and climbed up, sitting side by side in the back of the luxury speeder, she told their driver, one of her grandmother's trusted employer, to get going. The two women were soon isolated from prying eyes between the tinted windows and the slid up panel between the driver and them.

Ninda's returning apprehension was almost palpable at this moment. Morgana could have Zeltron reactions, and also, she couldn't deny finding Ninda attractive regardless. So her professionalism was laced with more personal indulgences, as she leaned closer to the pirate. "What is your preferred poison," she asked, her hot breath tingling the pirate's ear. She had options in the liquor cabinet included in the vehicle.

As she watched the split moment of hesitation on Ninda's face, she decided to break the ice. She lifted her hand to gently brush against the pirate's jawline; but turned her face to hers firmly and quickly enough that Ninda didn't have time to double-guess herself. Morgana pressed her lips against the other brunette's, enjoying the briefly chaste sensation. Morgana then kissed her a little more firmly, her tongue teasing the pirate's lips, sensually demanding to be let in.

[Ninda Chae]

Ninda slid her hands along the seat within the speeder, admiring the soft material. Her hands briefly reached over, engaging the heated seat function. “Oooh.” She remarked suddenly, smiling. “This is nice.” At the time she didn’t think anything of the privacy screen, or even notice it for that matter. Morgana questioned her choice of drink, and Ninda turned her head to appraise the alcohol. Her sudden close proximity though caused a shiver to run down her spine, and her shoulder to cant upwards as the shiver transitioned to a shudder. A soft sound escaped, tickled by the breath, but it didn’t have a chance to go any further in thought or words.

“How about a Corellian Bran-“ That was where her thought ended, and Morgana’s kiss began. Her eyes shot open in surprised, closed then as her mind slipped, then opened once again as Morgana sought to deepen the kiss. She paniced, pulling away suddenly and grasping a cup and bottle of liquor. She fumbled with the cup, which fell but did not break atop the floorboards of the vehicle. So she popped the top off the liquor bottle and drank straight from the lip, not even sure what she was imbibing at the moment. She nervous laughed when the bottle was lowered, glancing to the privacy screen and fully aware for the first time that Morgana’s driver couldn’t see back to them.

“Ah…sorry..Umm.” She stuttered over her words, her mind moving so fast she wasn’t even able to process how she actually felt about what happened. Subconsciously her tongue tasted her lips, whereas her conscious mind rationalized gathering the taste of the liquor. “You want some?” She offered the bottle back, her face such a deep shade of scarlet she didn’t dare look back.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Truth be told, Morgana had kind of expected such a strong reaction from Ninda, when things got further than being in each other's nearness or even holding hands. She had observed the pirate get a bit more comfortable around her; but the mathematician had thought a freak out was likely on the table; which was one of the reasons that had led her to kiss Ninda while they were still in private. Maybe other women would have taken that as a strong rejection and throw a fit about it; but not Morgana. She had been slowly pushing further with the pirate, both for the mission and out of personal interest.

"I'm good, thanks," she replied with a slightly amused smile at the booze-guzzling hottie by her side.

She fetched the unbroken glass from the floor and put it in a disposal bin, before fetching a bottle of Coruscant gin and pouring herself one with tonic.

"Remember to breathe. And you don't need to apologize. I thought it might go this way, and it was better it happened behind closed doors, don't you think?"

[Ninda Chae]

The bottle was capped and set aside, and finally she rummaged with a slightly clear head to find the Corellian Brandy she had initially desired. “There we are.” She said, as if it were her closest friend that would ease her struggling mind. She could almost feel that confident smile of Morgana’s burning a hole straight through the back of her head and causing her cheeks to burn like the twin suns of Tattooine. She uncorked, poured a glass, and immediately sipped from it. “That’s the stuff…” She said, relaxing slowly, letting her shoulders slump.

“Y-yeah. No, I suppose that is best. I mean…if you had done it in front of all those people, I have no idea how I would have reacted.” She chortled, sipping her drink. “I need to slow down…” She stated, noticing the half empty glass. “Still have a job to do.” In spite of that, she sipped again. “I guess we get that awkward first kiss out of the way, so if we need to do it again for our cover for some reason, it won’t be so weird for me.” She cringed. “Not that it was weird, it was very nice. I mean…it was unexpected, and different. I need to shut up and breathe.”

And she did just that, setting her glass down and focusing on composing herself for a good thirty seconds before the words started again, but not so rushed. “That’s like… a real thing, huh? You’re really attracted to me. I just…I’m not used to being around those sorts of relationships, or really any relationships. My mother raised me…very traditionally, and here I am…a very nontraditional pirate.” Her eyes downcast a moment, thinking on her actions, reactions. “Thank you for not getting mad at me for how I acted.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana quietly nursed her drink, enjoying sips here and there; but mostly giving her attention to Ninda. She found her reactions quite adorable. Of course, she knew they couldn't risk looking awkward at the party, but they still had a solid half-hour before reaching their destination, and that was likely a good thing as she felt that at least talking and some drinking might help. She was relieved when the pirate stopped herself after drinking a fair amount of hard liquor. Morgana had no interest in baby-sitting her at all; but she was ready to call shots if need be.

She didn't interrupt Ninda's following ramble. She believed that her emptying it all out was what she needed. Morgana had been raised in a very open-minded and unique family; so her sexual exploration had been fairly organic and learning she was attracted to multiple genders had never been an issue to herself or to her family. And she didn't care about other people' opinions.

"First of all, it'd be rude and idiotic of me to be mad at you. And yes, you are correct to think I find you attractive and not just because of our cover."

She smiled comfortably; and polished her drink before pouring herself another one. "I'm happy to enjoy someone's company romantically and sexually when they attract me. Regardless of that. I want to make sure that when I kiss you again at the party or that my hand wanders, you won't look like a womp rat caught in headlights."

She crossed her legs, and tilted her head at the pirate. "So I would gladly kiss you again for both professional and personal purposes."

[Ninda Chae]

At this point, Ninda couldn’t tell if her face felt so warm because of Morgana’s words and actions, or because of the alcohol. She was no lightweight, but she also wasn’t exactly pulling her punches when it came to downing the drinks. She eyed the glass, then sat back. Her index finger traced the rim as she made the conscious choice to pace herself, with the knowledge there were likely to be more drinks at the party and they still had a job to do. Pull it together. You’ve got this. Her free hand rose before her face pinching her fingers together inches before her as she exhaled a breath, like she was drawing some unwanted part of her out of her body.

She laughed, a small tinge of nervousness still lingering in that sound. “Let’s save it for the party. I’m afraid if we tried again, who knows I might like it and I would just be very confused and unfocused for the entire night. I need to get my game face on.” She stated her previous thought, a reassurance. “I’ve got this.” She flipped a half-cocked smile, taking a sip from the glass, then sparing a brief glance out the window. “I can play the part. We’ll be a couple tonight, and no one will suspect a thing. I’ve got this.” It was unclear who she was saying this for, but it was working. Confidence did surge within her, tension draining from her and change in her expression reflecting that she was ready. “Maybe I’ll catch you off guard next time.” She lifted her glass to her lips, her smirk fading behind the amber liquid but a wink over the rim teasing her companion.

The speeder pulled up to the Rakashys estate, Ninda’s eyes sweeping the exterior through the tinted windows. The layout was as she expected, and she’d seen enough wire-frame holo’s to be familiar with many parts of the structure she couldn’t see. The driver looped around after putting the speeder in park outside the carpeted walkway and drew the door open. Ninda exited first, turning back to offer a hand down to Morgana. She made a point to aid her out slowly, so the reveal of who was being aided out would draw all that much more attention. When Morgana was out, she pulled on that hand to bring her towards the entry way but the tug was just enough to bring them in line with each other, where she could slip her arm around her waist right when they neared the threshold, solidifying the image that they came together right when their invitations would be requested.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana would focus on the mission for the time being, not one to get sidetracked unless she was working on her own and in the confines of her office or workshop. Yet she was set on seeing how things would turn out after they got home later in the evening. Sure thing, Ninda was nervous; but the more she observed her, appreciate the subtle shift of warmth in her cheeks, the way she held herself, her half-smile. None of it was lost on the light sculptor. And she dared think that she could be even more - and deliciously - overwhelming to Ninda than she had already been. Everything in its time though, she reminded herself.

"I think you will like it," she said just cockily enough. No lover had ever complained about her, except that one trash bag who had ended shot down in a gutter for unrelated reasons.

"Try me," she dared Ninda, when the pirate said she might catch her off guard next. Hell, she'd love that. It sent a tingling sensation down her spine, and she finished her drink, deciding against any other until the party. As a half Zeltron, she could drink most under the table; but she liked her focus sharp.

When they eventually reached the manor, she was impressed with Ninda slipping into the part more easily than she had expected. She fell in stride, watching Ninda's dress hugging her curves everywhere it counted, including her backside, before she turned to offer her hand. She noted the intended slowness, and they definitely drew attention the way they needed. She took her hand and took her time to get outside, not caring that all attention were upon her - and her legs for the dress existed for this purpose too.

She naturally walked by the pirate's side, and the slight purr escaping her lips as Ninda laced her arm around her waist was quite genuine. It didn't take long for them to be let inside upon showing their invites. As they walked towards the main reception hall, she laced her own arm around Ninda, and instinctively adjusted her longer stride to the shorter brunette's. Many eyes were on them, and she recognized a large number of patrons.

"Let's go greet our hosts," she whispered into Ninda's ear, before subtly nudging her towards the Rakashys. The husband seemed fairly unhappy to see the mathematician, but she had expected it, because he was the one most likely being why they had to steal data back from them. On the other hand, his wife smiled warmly and not so discreetly ogled both women.

"Baron and Barnness Rakashy, thank so much for the invitation. Wondrous taste in hiring the Frazen band for entertainment. They are so talented."

Looking at Ninda, she smiled and hugged her just slightly tighter to her for a brief moment. "Please, let me introduce you to my partner Ninda."

The Baronness warmly greeted Ninda, while the Baron had to repress a sneer, simply staring at Morgana. "A new flame, Miss DeLaTour? I thought we had only seen you with that businessman six months ago. This is very Zeltron of you," he said in jab. The thing was that indeed Morgana was very Zeltron, and didn't take offense for the remark.

"Some of us ladies, know when to upgrade, my good sir," she replied with a smile, eliciting a chuckle from the Baroness, which visibly annoyed her husband.

[Ninda Chae]

She found more comfort in being in public with this appearance than she did in private. In private, it felt as if there was no show to put on and everything was very real and intimate. The idea scared her. So being in front of other people, knowing she was wearing a mask, felt far more relaxing. It was how Ninda slipped into the person so easily.

“Lead the way.” She mused back through smiling teeth, adjusting her path to approach the couple that owned the residence. The vibe she received from each of the pair was very different, and she could easily pick out the troublemaker of the two. Her dark eyes quickly swept across each of them. The Baron was a black-haired man with graying temples that ran backwards towards a point she couldn’t see. His thick brow didn’t serve to hide his distaste with Morgana, but his words confirmed the idea even further. The Baroness, however, was a brighter being to behold. Her clothes didn’t hold the same dreariness of the all-business baron, and her brown-blonde hair provided quite the contrast.

Ninda missed the first part of the conversation as she appraised the two and didn’t return into the physical cue Morgana gave. She cocked a half smile, reflecting that while she may dress the part and look the part she did exist in a world outside of their own. Morgana did well at drawing the ire of the Baron, which would serve to keep the attention off of her and also probably encourage the Baron to not seek their company any more than necessary.

Ninda’s mind was already pondering their plan. It was a loose idea, and she knew the situation would dictate where they took things. The Baron was the problem, and Ninda saw for the plan she formulated to work she would need to isolate the Baroness. Stepping forward just a touch, her grasp relaxed but remained around Morgana’s waist. Ninda’s free hand rose, gently touch the gem situated just above the buxom chest of the Baroness. “That is a beautiful piece. I deal in fine goods just like this, actually.” She tossed a smile towards Morgana. “It’s kind of how we met.” She stepped back more in line with her companion.

The Baroness smiled warmly, and her lips part in pleasure as she was brought to a topic that interest her greatly. One could almost see the cogs turning. Ninda was quick to echo the thoughts the Baroness was likely already thinking. “I’d love to see other pieces you have.” Her hand touched the Baroness elbow. “Later of course. I know how these events work. You need to make your rounds before you can have time to yourself.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana was fairly satisfied with the attention she had garnered from her brief but eventful interaction with the Baron. He wouldn't get in her way now; but people would want to know what they had missed from the altercation. She was the flame for the moths that the guests and even personnel made. So far, it was working. Being a trouble maker wasn't that difficult for the mathematician. Treading the line of stirring things up without real consequences and being totally unsafe was something she learned at a young age, from both sides of her family, really. Her looks and her intelligence allowed her extensive leeway in certain situations, and tonight's event was definitely such a case.

The tall brunette watched Ninda's behavior with the Baroness, and she was impressed with the pirate. She grinned and had a wandering hand from Ninda's hip to her ass for brief moment. She knew people were watching, so she could as well keep eyes upon her. "She is very very good with gems. I had to ask very nicely so I could see some of her available goods."

"Oh, that nicely?" The Baroness jested, giving a pointed look at Morgana, before returning her attention to the lovely plus one the mathematician had brought. "I am sure we can talk more later. I will let you two enjoy yourselves for now."

Morgana grinned and maneuvered Ninda away, sliding her arm under hers, so they would go towards the buffet, passing by a few people Morgana knew. In between greetings, she leaned towards her companion to whisper in her ear. "Well done. Knowing the baroness she will deliver if you keep sweet talking her about gems."

[Ninda Chae]

Ninda fought every knee jerk reaction as the hand dipped from her hip to her ass, casting a gaze over at Morgana that spoke the words, ‘You naughty thing’. It would add to the illusion, but she really needed a moment to make sure she kept composed, and she was actually kind of amused that Morgana would take advantage of the part they play for as she had claimed, personal interests. You sly devil. The words ran through her mind, turning her attention back to the baroness. “Very nicely.” She played along tossing a wink. “The same won’t be required of you though. I might have had my own personal interest at that time.”

“Thank you, Baroness.” She conceded to let the woman depart their company. She moved with Morgana as her companion steered her towards the buffet, procuring a plate. “Thanks.” She snatched up a small piece of food, sampling it. “Is it just me or was she undressing you with her eyes?” She questioned, falling into that gossip sort of routine briefly, but more out of a shared amusement for how the night was proceeding. “I figure if we can get her to show us her collection, we get past the guards. From their we can find a way to part company from her, and get what we need.”

She glanced about the main room they were within. “Do we want to check the study we know we can access, while they are distracted with their guests? Maybe we find what we need easily, and we’re all done here.” Wishful thinking, but Ninda liked to plan for the worst and hope for the best. “Or should we wait on business for now? You know this scene best.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana flashed a devilish smile at Ninda given her reaction to the ass grab. It wasn't as if she hadn't explicitly confirmed her interest in that hot brunette earlier in the evening. She might be very willing to not go against Ninda's will; but she would definitely make the best of their cover, and push her luck when an opportunity happened, like the curvy ass her fingers lingered upon for an improper moment. When the pirate played along as they talked with the baroness, Morgana had to admit the cover was even more entertaining than expected. It seemed that having an audience did wonders to her partner in crime. If they had been in a freer settings, she might have ended being even more outrageous in public; but they were still surrounded by uptight upper class, so there was only so much her eccentricity could buy.

She chuckled and rolled her eyes when Ninda later commented on the Baroness. "Oh she's wanted in my pants or under my dress for a few years. I've always turned her down. Also, no, even with you in, I will not have a threesome with her either. I ain't swallowing that pill, as much as she paid me solid cash for my art." She had whispered so only the pirate could hear her; and she hadn't thought whether her observation would elicit embarrassment from her companion. She just called it as it was, and had to joke a little bit to keep things light, as it would look more natural to any observer.

Munching on some appetizers, Morgana pondered on the pirate's suggestion about checking the one study first. They definitely had time ahead before the Baroness would be remotely available to speak to them again. It wouldn't hurt. She gestured towards Ninda's plate. "Finish your food, then we'll get some privacy," she said with a wink.

[Ninda Chae]

She had started the conversation, but Morgana took it down a whole other rabbit hole. Ninda wasn’t surprised though, and her mirthful laugh was genuine as she spoke with the half Zeltron. “Well don’t worry. I have no intention of pimping you out towards our goal.” A funny notion, since the job was actually Ninda’s in service of Morgana and her family. The notion of doing such to Morgana would have been ironic to the pirate.

With Morgana’s suggestion, she finished the last bits on her plate and set it aside for one of the house maids to pick up and take elsewhere. “Privacy, huh? You’re loving this aren’t you?” She gave a hip bump, because it was more playful and fitting to the guise then a teasing friend-jab at the arm. “Lead on.” She encouraged. Once more they tied themselves together at the hip, moving through the ballroom and out into one of the adjacent halls. As Morgana suspected, the east wings were being guarded, but the stairs that led above were free reign for the sake of privacy and refreshers.

Together they walked up the stairs, recalling the direction that the first study was just above the ballroom. Seeing the guards at the east wing though, Ninda found it unlikely truly sensitive material would be found in an accessible room such at the study.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

When Ninda teased her and bumped her hip against her, Morgana grinned. "Very much so, gorgeous," she purred at the pirate, before they wandered towards the stairs, and Morgana knew that people were staring as they passed through the crowd. So far things were going well, and hopefully they would stay as such. She was still a bit wary due to the recent events with the run-ins with the imperials; but she quickly quelled such worries.

As they reached the next floor, guards were rarer. She caught sight of a few guests coming in and out of the refreshers, and as she led Ninda further towards the study. As they took a turn, they almost stumbled into a couple who were quite busy with each other, given the semi state of undress. The man let go of the woman and they seemed surprised to see the two brunettes. Morgana just patted the man on the shoulder. "Don't mind us," she chuckled.

Then she thought of something. "Are you here because all the rooms were already taken?"

The woman shook her head. Morgana smiled. "Perfect. Have fun!"

She pulled Ninda by the arm, lacing it around her waist. They took a couple of other turns and reached the study without any problem. As they stepped inside, loud moans came from the other side of the walls, another spare room. Morgana chuckled. "Added distraction from what we're doing. Perfect."

[Ninda Chae]

Ninda wasn’t stressing their presence in this upper floor too much, especially with the random guests roaming about in various directions. The couple they interrupted was covered for well by Morgana, and she barely fought off the smirk that still hinted at the corner of her lips. It played to the part too but was a genuine gesture at how Morgana both played the part, and threw her own suggestive desires into the mix. A lie was definitely best with a hint of truth.

They entered the study with no trouble, and surprisingly no locked rooms. Ninda wondered if the debaucherous undertone that lie on this upper floor was the baroness’ doing. The wall to the north side of the room caused Ninda’s eyes to widen, and her hand to lift to her mouth to prevent herself from laughing audibly enough to make the people on the other side of the wall stop and wonder at what was going on adjacent to them.

“High society at it’s finest.” She chuckled in a soft tone. “Alright, time to rummage. We’re looking for location data, or anything related.” Ninda went to the desk immediately, pulling drawers out, memorizing how it was before she went rifling through and checking for any sign of what she was looking forward. Occasionally a crescendo of noise from next door would cause her to muffle a snicker. “This is making it very hard to concentrate.” She stated with an amused tone to her voice.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana smirked at Ninda's remark about high society. "I know, right? They look down on what they consider beneath them when really they're no better." Her Zeltron heritage had annoyed more than one person, as well as her free spirit and that she dared be both an artist and a mathematician, with a terrifying crime lord as grandmother. That definitely ticked a lot of inappropriate boxes. And she still had her upper class credentials, so she could keep ruffling some feathers. Frankly she loved luxury and privilege; but she liked how freer the underworld could be. It was dangerous; but even navigating the upper circles was like that.

While the pirate took care of the desk, Morgana started going through cabinets. The first one didn't pull anything useful, although she could tell that the Baroness was likely the one using the study most often, because she didn't peg the Baron to leave anything unlocked in such a neglected fashion.

She chuckled at Ninda's comment about the couple next door. At least based on the sounds, she counted them as a couple, but maybe other players were just the quiet type. "I had to help my grandmother figuring numbers out in clubs, with loud music and a lot more sex going on nearby. So I'm used to it, even though I appreciate it's overall quieter." She tended to prefer quiet environments, unless it was a wild night here and there with loud music.

[Ninda Chae]

“The only thing the separates is money.” She spoke from across the room, continuing to rifle through the drawer. Nothing in her present. She rearranged everything, and slit the drawer closed, moving to the next one. “But in the end, we’re all the same, huh?” The next drawer had far less, and so she moved through it in a matter of seconds. “Desk is a bust.” She remarked, moving towards a bookshelf at the wall. It just had to be the wall that had the couple on the other end, and just as she went to reach for a book a thud against the wall caused her to jump slightly.

She cocked a hand back suddenly, intending to thus her fist against the bookshelf, but stopped herself short. “That surprised the void out of me, jeez.” She breathed, looking across the wall of books. “We’re looking for coordinates mostly, right? I’m thinking this isn’t going to be some paper hard copy.” She moved over towards an end table beside a chaise lounge, engaging the screen on a datapad. The first thing to come up, a romance novel. “Well this is definitely the Baroness’ hideaway. I’m not sure we’re going to find what we’re looking for here. We should head back, bide our time, and see if we can’t get her to give us the tour towards the other side of the house.”

[Morgana DeLaTour]

"And that's not counting the rich ones in the underworld," Morgana mused as she went through a chest of drawers, finding nothing relevant to what they needed to get. It was frustrating; but not surprising.

She laughed when Ninda got startled by the loud thud against the wall. The expression on the pirate's face was awesome. Morgana shouldn't get such a kick out of it; but she did regardless.

She nodded to the comment regarding the coordinates. "No paper hard copy; but some of the upper class around it can be old school and arrogant enough to keep datacards a little too loosely." She had heard how after one of the most prominent families had suffered a regrettable heist a couple of years ago, people had finally realized that they needed to better security-wise. At least some of them had got the memo. Many just blamed the family in question for being idiots. What they didn't realize was that the two weren't mutually exclusive.

"Agreed; let's go back," she said upon the pirate's recommendation.

As they were about to leave, footsteps came very close to. There was no time to hide, so the tall brunette grabbed Ninda, trapping her against the nearby cabinet. As she kissed her eagerly, her hand cupped the pirate's ass, sliding her dress up in the process.

"Who is... Oh, Miss DeLaTour," the Baroness's surprised voice interrupted.

Pulling back from Ninda enough to look at their hostess, Morgana offered a sweet but not sheepish smile.

"All the rooms were occupied. I hope this is alright..."

Lacing an arm around Ninda's waist, as they both stood before their hostess, she winked to the Baroness, laying on a tad more charming behavior for good measure.

The older woman looked flustered, and Morgana knew it was working.

"Don't you worry about it! I was actually looking for your delightful companion, so we may discuss gems. Would you like to join us?"

Morgana quickly pondered on her options. "I will catch up with you shortly, if you don't mind. I need to freshen up."

The Baroness nodded and then gestured for Ninda to follow her. Morgana stole a very quick kiss. "I'll be there soon," she said as she watched them walk towards the staircases.

[Ninda Chae]

Ninda was just about to maneuver for the door when Morgana made her move. Ninda stumbled back into the cabinet, surprisingly the only reason she didn’t truly lose her balance was due to Morgana’s sudden groping. Her hands flattened back against the cabinet, keeping her body steady as Morgana kissed her. She was mostly unaware of the newly entered Baroness, and an overwhelmed look spread over her features as Morgana drew off to address the Baroness.

Ninda’s hand rose up, the side of her index finger brushing over her lips briefly, eyes sheepishly moving towards the Baroness. She fortunately didn’t need to try to come up with the excuse, because she wasn’t sure she could have articulated something convincing in that moment. She did manage to process enough of Morgana’s cover story though that she could play along if she needed to, but for now her cheeks were stained crimson in embarrassment and not a word came out.

“O-oh, you were looking for me. Sorry we had to steal away…” She glanced back to Morgana as the woman declined, just in time for her to steal another kiss. “You’re enjoying this far too much.” She whispered when she pulled away, walking backwards a few minutes with a raised brow, before turning and heading off with the Baroness. “Maybe you could give me a bit of a tour while we talk, Baroness?” She requested, departing the room with a last glance back. Above all, she was curious what would keep Morgana lingering behind.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana wouldn't even try to argue she was enjoying the whole thing "too much," and she wouldn't even apologize to that. Strictly speaking of the mission, their cover story was going very smoothly. She caught Ninda's quizzical look as she excused herself for a few minutes. She wasn't sure what she might find or where; but she had this inkling to just stay behind for a bit. She had faith in her partner to handle whatever the Baroness would come up with.

While the Baroness was a little sad that the lovely Morgana didn't join them right away, she gladly showed the mathematician's plus one the estate. "I need to show you where Miss DeLaTour's light sculpture is! I think you'll like it a lot." The older lady took them through a couple of corridors, until they reached a veranda, in the middle of which an orange and purple swirly abstract composition stood. The complicated installation caught in all reflected light as well, whether from the sun or the moon, giving a surreal atmosphere to the place.

"Sublime, isn't it? You are a very very lucky woman, Miss."

There was a visible hint of longing in the Baroness's voice.

[Ninda Chae]

When Ninda exited to the hall, she lingered just a pace behind the Baroness. Her hands quickly resituated the bottom hem of her dress after Morgana’s sudden groping, smoothing the fabric into place before double stepping to put herself alongside the Baroness. “I would love to see it. I’ve brought her works to many other noble families, such as your own, that are absolutely in love with the work she does.” If she could help her associate expand her business following this, she would do so, and it played well into the part she conveyed.

When they exited out onto the veranda, Ninda moved past the Baroness to circle the piece. She passed by a couple of times, before moving back towards the Baroness. “I dare say it is perhaps one of her finest pieces. No doubt she made it specifically for you.” She winked in suggestion to the Baroness, doing everything she could to curry as much favor as she possibly could. Morgana would likely glare daggers, but not remain mad, for throwing that extra attention from the Baroness back at her. To Ninda, it would be repayment for her little stunt in the study.

“You really don’t know the half of how lucky I am.” Then there was the suggestive nature to her words, further playing to the woman’s desires. It would make it easier to get her to open up and feel more comfortable. “You didn’t pull me away just to gush over my beau, did you?” She finally sought to get the woman back on track, raising both brows playfully but challengingly.

[Morgana DeLaTour]

Morgana snooped around the rest of the free rooms in the floor; but didn't find anything relevant. She knew it was the Baroness's domain besides the veranda she would take Ninda to. The musician found the Baroness's personal quarters actually locked and didn't press her luck, for it was unlikely that what they were looking for was there. She swung by the reception hall again, snatching a drink and making sure the Baron was kept very much occupied by guests he considered important. It was the case; so it meant that Morgana could reunite with her partner and their hostess.

***

The Baroness found that brunette spunky; making it quite obvious why the delightful Miss DeLaTour found her to her state. She still had very strong hopes to lure the half breed socialite to herself at some point. It was both pride and genuine attraction. She observed her current competition for a moment. "You said you trade gems as well, don't you? Depending on their quality, you may consider me interested."

When Ninda talked about how lucky she indeed was with Morgana, the Baroness felt a sharp pang of jealousy, especially when somewhat teased, somewhat confronted, about the reason behind this conversation.

"Gushing over Miss DeLaTour is a fairly common topic for us who have tastes as good as yours," she said curtly, making it clear she wasn't there to be challenged.

"Please gush away, my lady," Morgana said, her face close to the Baroness's ear for a mere moment. She had sneaked upon her, before strutting back towards Ninda, lacing an arm around the pirate's waist. The Baroness was visibly flustered, which pleased the tall brunette.

"I still think that the veranda is one of the most challenging places I had to design for. I hope I might get to do another piece for you at some point, unless your husband would rather have antiques."

The Baroness slightly straightened her posture and beckoned them, as she headed towards the hallway, which would lead to the guarded aisle the two scoundrels needed to get to.

"My husband might be talented at handling our finances; but his artistic tastes are abysmal as you know. I think that a small piece for where I keep my gem collection might be wondrous. If you'll please follow me."

Oh we are following just fine, Morgana mused to herself.