Public Weekend at Pordo's

[Arla Rodarch]

The Hutt Gala, Pordo the Hutt's annual lavish party was only hours away. Late afternoon on Qena was beautiful to Arla. Something about the way the sun's rays caught the towers and cast long shadows across the artificial surface of the planet. The weather was just as artificial as the surface, carefully managed to produce what was a mild, cool evening over the Concordat Capital District. The spacescrapers here were some of the most colossal anywhere on the planet. She was standing at a railing on her private balcony, overlooking deep and wide openings below which gave access to the subsurface levels of the world. Federation Tower was not the tallest building, but it stood out by virtue of its location, surrounded by low surface buildings and large openings, the tower stood far higher than the surrounding area.

A drink, Minister?

Her personal assistant, an earnest young man named Corki, brought her a glass of Corellian Whiskey on a tray. Arla took it and nodded gratitude. Corki didn't make conversation, reading his boss's mind, and departing having done his job well. Sipping at the smooth spirit in silence, Arla contemplated her gargantuan task in heading up Intelligence for the United Galactic Federation. She'd been read into several classified projects, including that of her personal guard; The Black Watch. She'd resigned herself to their presence in her life, as she had already done once with the Moon Guard. A smile cracked her impassive face as she considered the inter-service fireworks that must have occured between the two very elite and notably untrusting organizations out of her sight.

Tonight was an important function, there was a charity gala being thrown by a local businessman who was as notorious as he was hideously wealthy. As many illegitimate individuals did, Pordo the Hutt had done his best to purchase legitimacy, political capital, and a place among more discerning high society. His parties were legendary, and everyone wanted to be there to experience his notable generosity, and one hell of a hangover the next day. Attendance was always worth it, everyone said. Arla had selected her outfit carefully, knowing she would attract attention as a leader of the Federation, she decided on an item that would turn all heads her way; or so she fervently hoped...

Arla arrived at Pordo's Penthouse within fifteen minutes of the invite's start time. The Hutt owned one hell of a party pad, taking up no less than the topmost ten floors of his building. The entire open space was wide, balconies and mezzanines criscrossed the upper levels. At the lowest level, pools and spas holding both water or mud were abundant. Droid servants flew about on repulsor lifts, quickly and efficiently taking care of the guests' requests and needs.

Inside a plethora of species were in full party mode. Ishi-Tib danced with Wookiees, Ortolans and Hutts lounged on inflatable couches or hung comfortably in zero G. Arla was not surprised to see more than one species she didn't recognize, Pordo's guests were always exotic and eclectic. Artfully located sound dispersion fields allowed for multiple sources of music which didn't interfere with one another. There were two live bands, and many dancers. Some cavorted among the guests, others hung from poles or in cages suspended from the upper galleries.

Arla found herself a bar on the lower level, and ordered a Corellian Whiskey. She was not surprised to see the droid hover back into view with a bottle, of Whyren's Reserve, no less. This, it appeared, was going to be one for the ages. Sighing, Arla took the bottle, and found a side table. She stood, watching the water dancer, a lithe blue Twi'lek, and poured herself a glass. She let a smile crack her face, and tried to relax, forget the job, and enjoy herself. Tonight's self-assignment was as close to vacation time as she was going to get, and damn it, she would make the most of the occasion.

Here's to Pordo, and his party.

She sipped at her glass and settled in to enjoy the show for a while, seeing what transpired, and perhaps hoping a little that she might find some more personal entertainments this evening. The little black dress she wore, she thought, complimented her figure without being too trashy. She wore heels and carried a small clutch, within which was her holdout blaster that the nice guards had let her keep. Knowing it was there let her feel like she could deal with any trouble, even a drunken wookiee, if it came to that. Arla didn't expect so. Pordo's parties were legendary for everyone having a good time, and so far, she could see why they had such a reputation. Things were wild, and sure to get wilder.

 

[Damion Dorian Tarkin]

A Night of Fun​

Dorian seemed to be crushed after the pyrrhic Victory over Draconia, and only now started to get back into his senses. It had been a few weeks since the destruction of the main city, However, it was proven that the vast majority of lives had been saved, and even early reports of the estimated amount of lives lost had been overstated. For the Weeks that passed he put all his effort and wealth into reconstruction efforts which were starting to be Fruitful. He had called these efforts 'Phase one Of the Archo-home Projects'.

He had heard of this party From some talks with another ruler of the Federation he ruled, Despite His absence from the galaxy at large, Including from the United Galactic Federation. He had made much progress In the hearts and minds of the Draconian People at Draconia, gaining the trust and even starting his own 'Draconian House' The first and only 'Non-Blooded' House As he was not a Draconian By blood.

He had left his fleet back at Draconia and only took a transport ship to the planet and surface of Qena two days before the party. He was indeed invited.

The day of the Party would be a day of pleasure for him, He was excited about this party and the opportunity to mingle with others. It would be good for him and his mental Ability to do so.

Dorian Arrived 5-10 Minutes beforehand, which is when most of the guests had already arrived. He would mostly stay away from other party guests at first but would mingle with a few here and there. Finding a quick chat with A fancy looking Duro Male

Eventually, he would see Arla Alone at the bar on the lower levels. He was expecting that the Federation would be invited in its entirety, however, when Dorian only saw Arla, he was surprised. She was absolutely stunning in the black dress she wore. Maybe it was a bit TOO reveling for his liking but not by much

He would walk to the bar finishing a drink of a noble Red wine Wearing a sleek Deep purple Suit accented Perfectly with A deep blood-red Undercoat. And despite his slightly growing facial hair due to his efforts going somewhere else, he was still Quite handsome. His lightsaber was nowhere to be seen at the moment. Likely it was hidden, or perhaps he had simply not brought it with him

"Evening Arla, You look too stunning to just sit there and drink. or are you tired of all the boring conversation" He spoke with his standard Charisma. He took a seat next to her and leaned his back on the bar, waving away two different droids that had come to try and serve him more drinks.

Arla Rodarch

 

[Vokeo Iga]

While partygoers chatted and sipped various spirits, an unseen shadow crept up the walls of the towering penthouse.

The shadow entered through an open window where some servants were doing laundry.

The servants never saw the shadow, nor did they notice the butler uniform that went missing.

 

[Ali Kare]

Ali never really liked parties. But the Lilaste Order had to be represented somewhere at this party, where the two other UGF leaders were present. She rolled her eyes as two Lilaste Elghaseki escorted her from her matte black speeder, thinking about the leadership of this new federation. A triumvirate. That never went well. Probably Laphisto Arla Rodarch and Damion Dorian Tarkin would start fighting over something. Some resource, some planet, anything really. Of course, in any such situation, High Admiral Kare would be ready and willing to take down the Order's enemies, whether it be Susni or Damion.

For now though, she put on a mask of joy and excitement and walked into the utterly overextravagant penthouse. Almost immediately, that mask cracked under the mountainous pressure of Pordo the Hutt's wealth. Absolutely disgusting. The crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the poolside bar...that was indoors, all of it. It was all morally wrong. How could that slimy Hutt have all this, while others around the galaxy had not even a fraction of the food that could be found in this penthouse?

Lost in thought, she nearly slammed into a server droid. Luckily for her, the Elghaseki were thousands of times more attentive than Ali at this moment. The one on her left flank laid a hand on the droid's metal torso, and pushed it firmly aside. Ali blinked rapidly, clearing her thoughts and unfortunately re-immersing herself in this hellhole.

Straight ahead, though, she found the two other leaders of the UGF. Silently wishing her shoulders were less exposed in this navy blue dress, she folded her hands behind her back in perfect military form and walked over. Her two elite bodyguards drifted away from her to "mingle" in the crowd. Good thing they both knew how to dress for such an occasion, each of them wearing a neat tuxedo.

As Ali neared the UGF leaders, she gestured towards the bartender droid, then towards Arla, and said, "I'll have the same thing as her."

She seated herself next to the woman and held out a hand to greet her. "My name is Ali Kare, High Admiral of the Lilaste Order. I believe I am to fill in for Commander Laphisto," she said, taking a glance at Dorian and nodding at him too.

Vokeo Iga

 

[Arla Rodarch]

There wasn't long before Damion Dorian Tarkin joined her, coming up to sit next to her, carrying a glass of what appeared to be fine wine, and clad in an immaculate purple trimmed red suit. He was far more dressed than she was, but that had been her intent when choosing her own attire. And his compliment was polite, and much appreciated. A girl liked to look good, and to have it confirmed. She regarded the Draconian ruler with a smile.

Good evening, your highness.

She used his formal title, which outranked hers, part compliment, part recognition of respect for him. She'd been privy to much intel since taking over a leadership role. Draconia had suffered much, and Arla knew how much Damion cared for his people.

Arla didn't notice the shadow Vokeo Iga that had entered. None of the servants had taken note, either. Indeed, none of the UGF Blackhand or Moon Guard, 8 of each, that were in the vicinity of the party, had noticed anything amiss as yet either. Charged with the personal security of the Commander, they were not to be distracted by the entertainments, and were always alert and on guard for any sort of trouble or anomaly. For now, they patrolled individually or in pairs, some overt, some covert. Two security services, working separately, but with the same mission. The shadow might find a challenge, if it wanted one.

Turning to face Damion, and taking a sip of her drink, Arla was about to ask a question when she saw a woman of obvious military bearing approach Ali Kare . Just as she introduced herself, looking positively stunning to the Commander's eyes in her blue dress, Arla recognized her from her intel file. She smiled in greeting and took the offered hand to shake it.

Welcome, Admiral Kare. Please pass our regards to Commander Laphisto.

Arla took introductions. She turned to Damion to ask a different question.

Has your highness met the High Admiral before?

The festivities continued, though a large vidscreen had lit up to show a rolling list of names and numbers. These were donations made by Pordo, his family and Kadijic members, as well as live donations from the ultra-wealthy guests among those attending. Some were in the thousands, but there were many larger still. Some were incredibly generous. Pordo might have been a debauched lecher, but he made sure to give back a little to the community and the less fortunate. Even though he did it to buy legitimacy, Arla knew that much good was done by the virtue-signalling largesse.

 

[Lina Djo]

Lina had never been one for dressing up, she understood the importance of dressing for the occasion and had a basic understanding of the cognitive science behind how people gravitated towards a better dressed person, but she took no pleasure in it. It was impractical. So she set aside the gown her aide had picked out for her, much to her dismay and settled instead for a suit made from a dark shimmering material, the jacket long and loose enough to conceal the lightsaber secured at her lower back, simple low heeled black boots complimented the outfit perfectly.

"I still think you should have worn the dress." Leilah complained as they made there way up the steps, in her own slender dress, earning a sideways glare.

"I can't fight in a dress." she retorted.

"Its a party, people don't fight at parties." The pink skinned Zeltron, rolled her eyes. Lina has hired her becasue people liked her. She softened the harder edges making it a little easier for Lina to make connections.

Lina raised an eyebrow. "Really? A party hosted by a Hutt? I'd rather not take the chance. Go do what you do best, try not to run up too much of a tab though please. I'm not paying for drinks for the whole damn party again." With a wink and a wicked smile the Zeltron peeled away, melting into the crowd. Lina made for the bar, settling into a stool and waving the bartender down.

Arla Rodarch Ali Kare Vokeo Iga Damion Dorian Tarkin

 

[Damion Dorian Tarkin]

Dorian Could see his little friendly non-serious flirts were working as he could see her smile at his words, But he did mean what he told her. The black dress Arla Rodarch wore fitted her nicely in his eyes. When he was told...

Good evening, your highness.

...His smile dropped only for a slight moment.

"It's no longer Highness...I dropped all titles from my Zakuulian Blood due to the controversy of the attack. Weather it's true they had a part in the attack or not, I no longer wanted to be what I was...Sorry I am rambling It is a good evening indeed." His normal Swagger had not fully returned from his time away. "Perhaps I can ask..." A slight interruption from another person showing up to the bar

Ali Kare Had found their way to the bar to introduce themselves. Giving a nod of respect to the Officer, Expecting them to walk away somewhat soon, Forgiving the Slip from Arla as he was asked a question.

Has your highness met the High Admiral before?

"I don't believe I have, thought I have heard of the help you provided on Draconia, I heard you did good damage to the 'Dorvis' and its fighters, as well as sent teams on the Groud to help the Peacekeepers Search and Rescue. I thank you very much for that, and thought it escaped, you helped save many lives"

 

[Todblaz Graker]

Tags: Arla Rodarch | Ali Kare | Damion Dorian Tarkin | Vokeo Iga
Interacting With: Lina Djo
Outfit: xxx [Excluding Hat and bag]

Tod had been enjoying his drink at the party, a glass of amber liquid in front of him that he sipped on occasionally. While he tried to avoid drinking, he was bored and at a party which gave him the perfect excuse to indulge.

He had heard about the party through an accomplice and decided to show up, even cleaning up his old officer's uniform to fit in. When he first pulled it out of its box it was covered in dust and wrinkles. At first he tried to clean it himself, but it was just too dirty for him to cleanse. He eventually settled on sending it to someone with the expertise and equipment to do so. Once the outfit was returned it looked brand new, all the buttons were sewed back in place and it was clean of any stains.

Turning to look around he returned to his glass just to realize it was empty, sighing he was about to signal the bartender for a refill, but a woman had taken a seat by him and began waving the barman down.

Turning he said, "Hello my friend, what brings you to this party?"

 

[Vokeo Iga]

A young man in his late teens walked silently through the penthouse in servant livery. He did not work there, but nobody batted an eye. He excelled in stealth, and nobody batted an eye at servants anyway. It was the perfect way to hide in plain sight while gathering intel. It was an effective way to reach his target.

Grabbing a silver tray, a couple of fancy glasses, and a bottle of Ambrostine from the kitchens, he balanced it all as if he had been trained as a butler all his life. He approached various of the guests, asking "Excuse me, M'Lords and M'Ladies, but have any of you seen a Belugan noble? He ordered a drink delivered to him but forgot to say where to bring it."

TAGS: OPEN
Arla Rodarch Damion Dorian Tarkin Ali Kare Lina Djo Todblaz Graker
Interacting With: Anyone and Everyone
​

 

[Ellremi Umay]

⠀⠀

Elegance.

It was odd to her how her mind understood certain things while, at the same time, it could not recollect how it knew. She's been told a handful of times just to let it go, that with time, things will start making sense again, and until then, she must be patient. It's such an easy prayer to say for someone who isn't in a constant state of confusion and ebbing on the edge of fear. But she can't be too sour towards someone just trying to offer a helpful hand. So she shrugs away the cloud of annoyance and approaches the celebration with her facade properly in place.

The only thing on the agenda was to mingle and be merry; everything else would fall into place - whatever that meant. The small woman tries her best not to think too far into the future and linger on honeyed words. It's been easier to adopt the saying 'whatever happens will happen' than to decipher what he means whenever he speaks.

Plucking a drink off a wandering tray, Ellremi resigns herself to the festivities at hand. Acclimating to the comfortable chaos of the party, the young lady finds herself enjoying the atmosphere - a common thing? Was it always this easy? Again, curiosity and fear try to stain her mood, and again, she adjusts, this time in a dance with a stranger who talked about things she hadn't a clue about but was interested in nonetheless. Another drink in her system fanned the flame, and in a flurry of random exchanges, she was in the clutches of another gentleman who was a variety she hadn't seen before. The third drink made the charade more affixed and comfortable, yet she gathered herself on the sidelines instead of indulging in another dance from another stranger.

Ellremi gathered handfuls of her white hair and molded it into a messy bun that sat quietly at the nape of her neck; when she arrived, it had been properly curled and dressed, but now it's a catastrophe with tendrils loosey shaping her face, and the bun being half-hearted in skill. Thankfully, her dress is still in order, with its golden appliques glittering when she moves, and the swish of the skirt adds a drop of sophistication. It properly accentuated the paleness of her skin, with the color making her gray eyes almost shine.

For tonight, she was just another face in the crowd, not a restless soul lost.

 

[Ali Kare]

Ali smiled as warmly as she could and replied, "I will certainly pass your regards onto Laphisto. He is sorry he couldn't be here." The reason the High Commander couldn't be there? Well, the dragon had been secretive about that so far. But she was sure he had his reasons.

Turning to Damion, she said, "Yes, I was at Draconia during that terrible event. Although I did deal some damage to the terrorists, I only wish I could have been there earlier."

After looking at the Draconian leader a moment longer, she found that he seemed...tired? Really, who wouldn't be after catastrophic terror attack on their world? Hopefully this wouldn't affect his performance as a leader of the UGF.

A stirring out of the side of her eye turned her attention that way. A gleaming silver server droid stood there with a drink in hand. Finally. Ali took the glass in her hand and shooed the droid away. Taking a sip of her whiskey, a bright screen across the room caught her eye. Names and numbers.

No. Donations. Some of Pordo's immense fortune was being donated back to the community? And not only Pordo. Other names were up there with donations in the thousands, and the hundred thousands. Ali's eyes narrowed. Was Pordo different than the other Hutts?

She scoffed aloud. Of course not. That was only a fraction of the Hutt's money, probably just to raise his standing with the public. Hutts were, and would always be, selfish slime monsters. Foolish of her to think otherwise.

Arla Rodarch Damion Dorian Tarkin Vokeo Iga

 

[Lina Djo]

Interacting with: Todblaz Graker
Nearby: Arla Rodarch Damion Dorian Tarkin Vokeo Iga Ali Kare Ellremi Umay

Lina resisted the urge to rebuke the soldiers use of the word 'friend'. Such a presumptuous terminology to use. Instead she smiled in greeting, graciously accepting the glass of wine the bartender had brought her. "Business and opportunity, mostly. Yourself?"

Her eyes swung to the vidscreen, making a note of the names, eyebrows creasing slightly when her own flickered across it with a figure large enough to be generous, but not so much it would make any real dent in the fortune she'd collected over the years. Thank you Leilah, she thought. though she would reprimand her later for making such a donation in her name without permission.

Her gaze swung softly back to the soldier. Opening her mouth to ask a name when she overheard a serve ask about a belugan noble. It was odd, for a server to be so openly inadequate. She kept an eye on him, inclining her head in his direction to alert the soldier to his presence also "Our gracious hosts seems to cut some corners when hiring his staff this season." she said softly "Not like a Hutt at all."

She offered a hand to shake "Lina Djo."

 

[Arla Rodarch]

With : Damion Dorian Tarkin Ali Kare Vokeo Iga
Other Guests : Lina Djo Todblaz Graker Ellremi Umay

Arla watched as Damion and Ali exchanged greetings and thanks. She regretted not having been present on Draconia during the troubles to render what aid she could, and she felt grateful to the Lilaste High Admiral on behalf of Damion. She was about to speak when she was momentarily distracted by a young servant toting a silver drinks tray.

"Excuse me, M'Lords and M'Ladies, but have any of you seen a Belugan noble? He ordered a drink delivered to him but forgot to say where to bring it."

He was asking about a Belugan noble, Arla had no idea whom he was searching for, and admonished herself for allowing her attention to be drawn away. She didn't have time to ponder the strange encounter, as her mind snapped back to the conversation.

It was tough not to get swept away in the million distractions abounding inside Pordo's Hutt Gala. The noise was mild and pleasant thanks to the sonic fields that kept the various bands from blasting their particular flavor of pleasant noises over the top of one another. Arla's attention was focused for now on the former Draconian royal, and the High Admiral, her companions.

Crap, she had forgotten what she was going to say. Trying not to look dumb or disinterested, Arla hid behind her drink.

 

[Todblaz Graker]

Tags: Arla Rodarch | Ali Kare | Damion Dorian Tarkin | Vokeo Iga
Interacting With: Lina Djo
Outfit: xxx [Excluding Hat and bag]

"I guess opportunity and maybe a drink," Tod replied, looking back at the bartender. He gestured toward a spirit on the wall, and it was promptly poured into his glass, the amber liquid once again filling it.

He turned his attention back to his new acquaintance as she motioned to a server. Subtly, Tod glanced in the direction of the person she was referring to as she spoke. Tod replied, "Seems like a stark oversight by them, one must've slipped through when hiring." From what Tod knew about these Hutt parties, everything was typically well-maintained. However, occasionally, someone new might slip through the cracks during the hiring process, it was an inevitability.

Turning his gaze back once again, he looked at her hand and then shook it, saying, "It's nice to make your acquaintance, Ms. Djo. I'm Todblaz, but you may call me Tod."

Glancing at her glass of wine, he added, "If I may inquire, what is your line of work? Buying glasses of wine blindly typically isn't cheap." This was based on assumption, as Tod hadn't bought wine in many years. Whenever he had it, it was served from a private collection and came at no cost.

 

[Damion Dorian Tarkin]

Dorian was observant enough to see a slight hint of regret on Arla's face. Likely because she was away on another mission when Draconia was Attacked. He did not blame her, Nor did he ever think about it. While her help could have helped save a few more lives or repair the damage that had been done quicker, It was not needed and many more planets needed and deserved the help more.

A strange waiter had come up to the table, to speak and ask about a noble, One he did not know about. Something was...off.

It was the Way this waiter moved, slightly different and less refined than the professionals that were tending to other guests. Yet professional At the same time. He knew something was up. He looked this waiter dead in the eyes, Giving the man a death stare as he tried to identify the strange waiter.

A burning sensation could be felt in the back of the skull, Nothing too painful, but it was there. He knew. Not everything, and not any details but he knew the man should not belong here. He still wondered if he should intervene or not, as any trouble connected to this man would not affect him at all.

Then just as soon as his stare began, it ended with a warm smile

"I do not know of any noble that you speak of, but he is likely to be in the richer sections...Not down here with us poorer folk" He gave off a slight chuckle as he passed one of the drinks from the tray this waiter was carrying, knowing that they would not be poisoned. If he was right, Positioning the drinks now might cause unwanted attention, as any partygoer could have grabbed any glass at any time. He grabbed another and slid it to Arla who was hiding behind their drink.

"Now run along I'm sure you have a guest to take care of" He gave the waiter a slight smile, One that looked innocent enough to any untrained eye.

He still thought if he should intervene, as he was enjoying this party, and was enjoying talking and drinking with Arla, arguably more.

Waiting for the waiter to simply walk away, He took a of of the new glass. A fine dark brown brandy that was maybe a bit to strong for him. Paying more attentions to the two other UGF members at the bar.

Tags: Arla Rodarch Todblaz Graker Lina Djo Ali Kare Vokeo Iga Ellremi Umay

 

[Ali Kare]

There seemed to be a bit of a lull in the conversation at the moment. Arla appeared to take a sip of her drink to be less awkward. The High Admiral did the same, though instead of a tiny swig, she gulped down the rest of it. It was hard to find this quality of Corellian Whiskey anywhere. It was probably due to Pordo's extreme wealth.

Ali set the glass down on the bar with a clink and waved towards the bartending droid. "Another round, please."

Just as the droid picked up her glass and turned away, a human server neared the bar. Damion Dorian Tarkin fixed him with a piercing gaze. Ali looked at the man and frowned. The Force was telling her something, warning her about...something. However, it was far too vague for her to single this waiter out as the cause. Instead, she swept her gaze over the small crowd that was mingling around. She had trouble spotting her Elghaseki.

Something was behind her. She turned abruptly...to find her bodyguards there standing at attention. Well, Ali had to expect their skill in stealth to come back at her one day. Luckily she wasn't the one fighting against the elite warriors. With a finger, she pointed towards the waiter inconspicuously. The Elghaseki understood immediately, and one of them got in position to shadow the man.

Even if there was no danger presented by the seemingly normal waiter, she knew there was no reason to take a chance. Might as well make sure the waiter was doing what he was supposed to do.

When she turned her attention back to the Draconian, she picked up the conversation again. "So, Damion. How is the reconstruction of your capital?"

Vokeo Iga Arla Rodarch

 

[Lina Djo]

"My line of work?" she repeated, watching the server move along. She tore her eyes away bu made sure to keep him in her peripherals, something was off and it was just her paranoia. "I have a finger in many pies. Shipwright and design, droid technology, entertainment." she smiled "I inherited a family business, small in the gran scheme of things, but it pays for my expensive taste in wine." she took a sip of said wine before responding in kind.

"What opportunities are you seeking?" A mercenary might find a job in a place like this, body guarding, security for someones questionable transport. Lina slowed her steady roll of thoughts. She could be wrong about him, it was a possibility, however slim.

Unlikely.

Todblaz Graker

 

[Vokeo Iga]

"I do not know of any noble that you speak of, but he is likely to be in the richer sections...Not down here with us poorer folk"
"Now run along I'm sure you have a guest to take care of."

The young man just shrugged. "One never knows where these nobles might go or what they might do. I thank you anyway, good sir." He gave a bow, trying to approximate polite speech and actions, though his eyes and face remained as blank as ever. Though, anyone seeing it might simply attribute it to the soul-sucking job of serving pretentious upper-class narcissists.

After a few more attempts, someone was able to point the young man in the direction they believed the Belugan might have gone -- a soliatry balcony overlooking the city. Perfect.

Sure enough, the target was sitting in a chair by himself looking at some risqué hologram, which he quickly shut off and stashed in his pocket upon noticing the "servant."

"Sir, your drink." He nimbly poured the Ambrostine into a glass and held the tray out for the man to take the drink.

"Ah, yes, thank you. It's about time someone finally brought me a drink. I'm quite parched." He took the glass and drank heavily, much more than one should of such a beverage. This would certainly make the assassin's job much easier. The young man poured the Belugan more of the alcohol. "Just a servant," the noble muttered to himself as he took the holoplayer back out of his pocket. He flipped it on, showing a barely dressed Delphidian woman, of all people, dancing. "It's an art. I'm sure someone as low-class as you probably would not understand."

The young man just continued refilling the glass. "I am simply here to serve, good sir. Your hobbies or modes of entertainment are none of my business."

"Good boy. If only all servants had that attitude. Can't even trusst droidss to mind their own bussinessss or keep ssecretss thesse dayss." The man's words started slurring; the drink was already taking effect. The young man continued refilling the glass and simply nodded. It was all the encouragement Belugan noble needed to continue on a drunken tirade about what was wrong with the Galaxy, in his (not-so) humble opinion.

"Very true, Lord Bormo Grikt. Of course, if you think the other lords here are so inconvenient, why don't you just have them killed? Say, hire a Seyugi Dervish, like you did to the Kage family fifteen years ago."

The Belugan's beady eyes bulged out of his head upon comprehending what he had just heard. "How do you...?"

"How do I know how you hired an assassin to hit the Kage Iga clan, simply because you were rejected by a woman who loved an Echani smuggler over a noble baron such as yourself? Well, the hit was certainly successful. Almost everyone from that clan was killed. Everyone except the infant son, because the Seyugi Dervishes have a habit of stealing and training Force-sensitive infants they find." The young man continued, still completely emotionless. "Imagine my surprise when I discover logs my master kept telling how he had been hired by a certain Belugan baron to assassinate my family. Now, I have no memory of them, but it still seemed only right to honor them by killing those responsible for their deaths. First, my master. Now, you."

The baron jumped up, staggering around and drooling in a near stupor. "B-but you c-cant! Someone will notice! You mussssn't! I... I..." Instead of even attempting to scream, the Belugan simply started sobbing.

"Oh, I won't touch. You're going to do it yourself. A simple fall from the balcony, due to over consumption of Ambrostine. It will be nothing but an accident."

"But why would I..." The man staggered in confusion, but the young assassin simply turned around and walked out the door.

"Sir, I believe you have had too much to drink. I suggest you lie down and sleep it off," he said in a semi-loud voice. Enough to be heard, but not enough to seem suspicious. As he walked away, he created the briefest illusion of a womprat scurrying towards his target. There was a light, startle scream. Anyone below would certainly soon get quite the surprise of a metaphorical slice of toast landing jelly side down.