Planet:Hapes
Required:Knight or Master
Target:An anonymous tip has been sent to the Jedi about a group that has plans to kill the Queen Mother. The Jedi are called to once again go to Hapes and ensure the Queen Mother's security. Protect the Hapan Queen Mother Selucia, her consort Prince Brodir, and her daughter/heir apparent Zana from a group of assassins.
Comments:Draw as little attention to yourselves as possible. We do not want to show our obvious support to the Hapan Consortium to the world, this could lead to increased danger to the Queen Mother and her family as well as attracting unwanted attention from outside the Hapan Consortium if the news spreads.
Reward: Training in a Force Power or Lightsabre Form.
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The silent, empty expanse of space spread out before the medium-sized Jedi vessel as the ship slid smoothly out of hyperspace. Sitting in the cockpit, Callan could just make out the dark shape of Hapes through the Transitory Mists. The ship was set to autopilot, as Callan wasn't sure enough of his abilities to navigate the Mists. He was perfectly happy to trust the pre-programmed A.I to guide them into Hapan space. Hopefully, the many Jedi that had made this trip before wouldn't guide Callan and Tarissa into an asteroid belt.

When the thought of Tarissa came into Callan's mind, a smile crept onto his face. They hadn't spoken much since the ship had lifted off from Shedu Maad, and Callan thought it best to go check on her. In the back of his mind, he knew that she was a very strong person, both mentally and physically. That didn't stop him from worrying about her after the attack that she'd suffered at the hands of that maniac. Perhaps it was the protective nature of being a Jedi and a Guardian that made him want to look after it...maybe it was something more. He was still confused as to the feelings that he had for Tarissa. They'd been forbidden from manifesting any feelings that existed, though, and he had no intention of going against Master Odakota's wishes.

Still, he wouldn't cease being a friend to her.

The newly Knighted Callan stood and moved his dark gray Jedi robes from the back of his chair and swung it nonchalantly over his left shoulder. The cockpit door opened with a wave of his hand and a slight nudge from the Force and Callan moved into the interior of the ship.

Tarissa had spent most of the relatively short flight in the empty cargo hold, either training, exercising, or reading. Callan would have been more than happy to join her, but, while the AI. was driving, he didn't fully trust the machine to pilot the pair perfectly. So, the Knight made his way to the cargo hold and stopped short of entering. He could sense Tarissa inside and had nearly walked in without announcing himself in the Force or otherwise. Besides not wanting to startle Tari and hinder her training, he also didn't want to walk in on some awkward situation that would earn Master Odakota's ire.

So, with a deep breath, Callan pushed outward with the Force, announcing his presence to Tarissa, and knocked three times on the durasteel door with a closed fist. As fond as he was of Tarissa, Callan was just as terrified of upsetting his friend and mentor. He sincerely hoped that he wouldn't do anything stupid on this mission to jeopardize either relationship.

Don't blink.
Blink and you're dead.
Don't turn your back, Tarissa. Don't look away. And don't blink.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Tarissa's meditation was for the moment uninterrupted. It had been about a month and a half since her gruesome injuries on Nar Shadda, and though she was feeling better, she still had some ways to go. Her revelations during the fight, her weakness, her shame, and her talks with Lysander after all that had been weighing heavily on her mind, and she'd been working to clear it. Unfortunately, talking can only do so much. Actions were key. This current exercise was a sense and perception one, learning to focus utterly on one object until you could see every tiny motion or movement it could make, both visually and through the Force. So far, she was doing well, but she'd been off and on since the attack, and she wasn't sure how far along she was, though she'd had finally resumed her usual singing habits a few weeks ago.

So, she was out on a mission to test her recovery progress with Callan, the other person who had been worried half to death upon her return to the Redoubt. Ever since that…incident in the hot springs a while back, she wasn't sure how she felt about him. He was a friend, no doubt. A great friend, maybe even her best friend, aside from Master Lysander. He'd caused her to feel things she'd never felt before, all from simple motions. She was told that what they wanted couldn't happen now, and she was content to accept that explanation, but she wasn't going to let him go and never talk to him again, which isn't what her Master wanted either.

Still, there was something about him, something different. She knew she wasn’t supposed to feel anything more than the natural love any sentient creature has for another, nothing more than the usual bonds between young Jedi. She knew they were close, but she knew they couldn't be too close, and Callan had done his best to work with that - keeping them as colleagues and good friends. She'd done her best, as her training regimens now included extra emotional control and detachment. Both times that she had lost control, it had ended poorly, and she never wanted it to happen again.

Overall though, when she was with him, she felt safe. More than anything in the galaxy, that's what she wanted right now.

Thus, it was with a slight smile that she focused, telekinetically clicking the lock with far more exertion than most other Jedi would require to do the same feat. The door slid open to reveal her kneeling on the ground, dressed in her usual sand-colored Jedi garb, taking a few deep breaths after her effort. She was looking intently at a small floating training droid, but when the door opened, she turned to face him, happy as always to see him, her attention now off the droid.

"Salutations, Callan. I thank you profusely for the warning. Though it was not entirely necessary, I appreciate the forethought and considerations of my current state of mild paranoia towards others. It is quite a relief to feel your presence." She wasn't kidding. She'd been very jumpy since the incident, though she'd gotten better as time passed. No major violence had ensued, but she had been rather apprehensive for quite some time after she was up and about.

She stood up and stretched, brushing off her tunic afterwards. "In addition, it is always a pleasure to see you." She smiled wider. "I assume from the shuddering of the ship that we have exited hyperspace and are now close to the planet?" As she spoke, she walked over to the training droid, grabbed it, deactivated it, and put it in a box with a few others. She then moved closer to the door and picked up some clothes from her bag on the floor, ready to start this assignment.

Sure, getting back into the field was nice, but one of her best friends being here made it a lot better, somehow.

As the lock clicked to allow his entry, Callan found himself standing a bit taller and holding his head slightly higher. The Knight stepped quickly into the room, smiling at the kneeling form of Tarissa. His smile nearly faltered when he noticed the slight bend to her nose that hadn't been there a few short weeks ago. A few new, criss crossing scars on her already worn hands also paid a grisly testament to the hell that the Padawan had been through at the hands of the Cultist. The thought of meeting that Cultist someday still kept Callan awake at night. The mind was a frightening thing, sometimes.

Mentally berating himself for getting distracted, the young man turned his attention back to Tarissa. Callan wasn't sure what he'd been so paranoid about. It wasn't as if Tarissa made a habit of meditating and training in the nude...at least that he knew of. If he had anything to say about it, he would not be tempted during this mission to break Master Odakota's trust. Also, he found that he wanted to spend some time with Tarissa where the two of them could actually work together and further the goals of the Order...not to mention keep the Queen Mother and her family alive.

"Salutations, Callan. I thank you profusely for the warning. Though it was not entirely necessary, I appreciate the forethought and considerations of my current state of mild paranoia towards others. It is quite a relief to feel your presence."

Callan smiled at the girl and opened his mouth to speak, finding it difficult to find the right thing to say in this situation. Words never seemed to come as easily to Callan as they did to his very talkative friend.

"Oh...uhmm...you're welcome."

Callan smiled reflexively, while tussling his hair with his left hand. What in the Force was it that made him so jumpy around this girl? He was a people person, after all, it was never difficult for him to start a conversation. Whenever he got around Tari, though, his stomach started turning cartwheels and his tongue twisted itself into a hundred different knots. Still, when she mentioned the fact that she appreciated that he made himself known, he opened himself up even further in the Force. He wanted nothing more than to make her comfortable, and if letting her know that he was there for her would help, then that's what he would do.

And yes, we're getting close. We should touch down in about an hour. I thought that would give you enough time to change into your gown and get ready."

He smiled a very boyish grin and turned to leave. He stopped short of the door, though, and turned over his shoulder to smile at Tari once more.

"I'll be in the forward hold if you need anything."

With those final words, Callan turned, shutting the door behind him with the Force and made for the hold. He had a young girl's party to get ready for.

"Oh…uhmm…you're welcome."

Callan's usual reaction to a particularly large verbal expulsion was still slightly amusing and embarrassing to Tarissa, and she turned just a little red. She still hadn't made much progress to making herself clear, though she was trying. It was easier to do when she was playing a part or using a cover, but then she didn't really feel like herself, so it was almost a moot point. She liked herself. Well, most of herself. There is always room for improvement.

It's not like she was embarrassed to be who she was, but it was something about spilling out her words around Callan that made her blush, like she wanted to just say what she wanted. She didn't want to be so verbose or confusing around him, she just wanted him to know what she was thinking at the time. It was frustrating, to a degree, to never be understood as much as she wanted to, despite that she used such clear language and specific words.

Then again, looking at Callan, it seemed he may have the same issue. Still, she sensed him opening himself up more, and she smiled, feeling more comfortable with him. She wasn't closed off herself, but she'd been working to minimize her Force presence, and that meant appearing as small as possible as a Force presence - or, trying to do so. Now that she was here, though, and feeling more at ease, she let herself be more easily read to him. They were friends, so she saw little reason to continue hiding.

"And yes, we're […] get ready."

She smiled back to his boyish grin, liking it quite a bit on him, how it showed that underneath his serious and symbolic stature of a Jedi Knight, he was someone who enjoyed having a good time. She was about to turn and move to her back when he stopped short and glanced back for one more smile, which she returned without hesitation, not regretting it at all.

"I'll be in the forward hold if you need anything."

She nodded. "If I require any assistance or clarification, I will not hesitate to ask for your help. I will see your shortly." The Knight left, closing the door behind him with the Force. Tari smiled and shook her head slightly, then moved over to a small storage closet, removing her dress for the ball from it and setting it aside.

About 20 minutes later, she emerged from the hold to the cockpit, now clad in her dress for the party. It was the color of sand, and it gave off a slight shine as she moved, hugging to the natural contours of her body and showing off her athletic figure fairly well. She wasn't especially curvy, but she certainly had some where it counted. A single strap went over her right shoulder, the front not being very low cut. A strip of the same material was around her stomach, pulling it taut against her torso. A slit ran up her left leg to a few inches above her knee, and the dress itself fell to around her knees.

She smiled as she approached Callan, looking the same as she did, yet also very different, as this was one of the very few occasions she'd ever worn a dress. "How do I look? Is my appearance satisfactory?"

Upon leaving Tari to change, Callan made for the forward hold. He didn't dress formally very often, and had been unsure about what to bring along for this mission. He'd spoken to a few of the senior Knights, who had more experience going undercover, and they'd suggested that he opt for simplicity rather than extravagance. Also, the Hapans were notorious for looking down on men of any kind. He would be acting less as Tarissa's date and more as her manservant during this mission. So, as humbling as it was, he'd be following her lead, for the most part. It also meant that he would have to let her out-dress him. So, he'd brought along a handsome, but simple knee-length robe. The robe was a shade darker than the dress that Tarissa had brought along, with tall black boots underneath. The sleeves covered his arms, down to his wrists and sagged slightly, leaving plenty of room for a concealed lightsaber or two. He also had a hold-out blaster strapped to his calf, on the inside of his boot. He fervently hoped that he wouldn't need it, of course, but it was there should the need arise.

Callan contemplated throwing his hair back in a knot, but decided against it. If not solely to make his appearance more natural, it would also keep him more comfortable in this situation. The butterflies in his stomach had been picking up steadily, leaving him almost physically sick. This was his first mission since being promoted and he wanted nothing more than to execute perfectly to please the Council. Sure, he'd performed well in the past, else he wouldn't have ever made it past the level of Padawan. And as far as Callan knew, he couldn't be demoted, so wasn't quite sure why he was worrying so much. Maybe he was still obsessed with impressing Tarissa. More likely, he wanted to impress Master Odakota. Some part of Callan's brain was convince that if he showed Lysander that he could be a good Jedi, he would let him see Tarissa in a less official capacity.

Fat chance of that.

"How do I look? Is my appearance satisfactory?"

The noise startled Callan, causing him to flinch slightly. He spun slowly, fastening a black belt around his waist as he moved. Jedi were beyond the appreciation of the female form. They were conditioned to treat everyone equally, no matter what they looked like or how they dressed. Even so, Callan's breath nearly caught in his throat when he saw Tarissa. He managed to swallow the massive lump that formed so quickly in his throat, and smiled at his friend.

"Beautiful."

Callan smiled again, rolling up his sleeves to expose the hand-made holster that was strapped to his right forearm. It was more a mismatch of ropes and wire tied to his arm, but it was small, and would hopefully not conspicuous during the mission. The two of them were supposed to keep a low profile, but he wouldn't hesitate to use his blade as a last resort. Using the Force, he carried the silver-bladed lightsaber from the pilot's seat directly into his outstretched palm. He quickly fastened it into the arm holster and placed the loose sleeves back where they belonged. Satisfied that his outfit was complete, and his weapons were properly hidden, he turned and smiled at Tarissa one more time. Callan stretched his arms out to each side and turned a deliberate circle, allowing his partner-in-crime to appraise his disguise.

"How do I look?"

Tarissa didn't realize she had unintentionally sneaked up on the boy, and she waited patiently for him to turn and fasten his belt. He sort of froze for a brief second before smiling and calling her beautiful. Her face grew warm, and she couldn't help feeling a little more excited than perhaps she ought to feel, her smile turning somewhat sheepish and exceptionally genuine. He placed the lightsaber into the jury-rigged holder on his arm. Tarissa's was securely fastened to her thigh, hidden underneath the dress but still within easy access. These on-loan sabers were always handy.

His robe color went with her dress color rather well, which made sense, as they were supposed to be attending this party incognito as a couple. An interesting cover, true, but one that was effective enough. When blasters started shooting, the ruse would drop fairly quickly. For now, though, it would have to hold. Hapan society, though, meant that she would be leading socially on this particular adventure,

The Knight finished adjusting his robes and turned a circle. Tarissa gave him a good look over, a critical eye – and deemed him satisfactory. “You look...really nice.” His hair like that and the robes and just...him made this all better. This was going to go well. They were skilled, they were trusting, and they were in their element - protecting. This should be quite the interesting mission.

That still didn’t get rid of the strange feeling of nervousness she had in her stomach. Being nervous before a mission, even a small one or one she knew she would excel at, was not exactly a new sensation to her. This, though, was something different. This was more of a desire to seemingly impress, rather than just perform adequately. She wasn’t sure who she was trying to impress, though, since Lysander wasn’t here and Callan was someone she didn’t particularly need to impress.

Still, it was there, confounding her.

She did her best to get back to business, clearing her throat slightly and realizing she was staring. “Um. Yes. Quite nice. If you are ready to depart, then I suggest that we begin landing procedur-” She was cut off as she felt the ship settle onto the landing platform. “Clearly, you are ahead of me. Let us begin, then.” She double checked to make sure she was ready, then glanced back to confirm that he was as well. “Heel, Kai.” She grinned, the familiar call of Master Marin to her hounds seeming appropriate given Hapan’s culture, and descended the ramp into the docking pay. No party awaited them, and Tarissa had not expected one. They were guests, same as any other.

Callan did his best to suppress a smirk at Tarissa's command. Master Marin's vornskr was well known around the Redoubt, and Callan had seen the animal multiple times in recent weeks. In all honesty, the pup was rather cute. That wasn't to say that he wasn't at least a little bit wary of having it in the Redoubt. Vornskrs were known Force hunters that had a very nasty penchant for hunting down Jedi. Like most animals, they could be tamed, but they still had part of the wild living in them. One wrong move around a vornskr could end in a bad situation for all involved. Kai was cute now, but Cal would watch out for him in the future.

Callan smirked while in the ship, but as soon as his boots touched the boarding ramp, he was the essence of servitude. His eyes were cast down, as per the station of most men in the Hapes Cluster and he walked a step behind Tarissa, as if ready to serve her any and every need. When his friend spoke, he answered as anyone of a lower caste should answer a superior.

"Of course, Mistress Karina."

The Onderonian smiled inwardly, knowing that Tarissa had no way of knowing the origin of her new alias. He hadn't even told her about his status as the son of the Alliance's Director of Intelligence, let alone the name of his mother. Hopefully she would at least be slightly confused by his choice of name. It would serve to entertain him for the night, knowing that she was stuck pondering why he'd chosen that particular moniker for her. Or, she would brush it off as an off-the-cuff name choice, and that would be that. Either way, Callan was amused for the moment.

Callan...Kai...allowed the Padawan to take the lead in the direction of the party. It was probably best that she was in charge for the majority of this mission. He was a Knight now, and that came with an extra bit of responsibility. He was no longer merely the student, watching and learning as Masters Norghar and Odakota took the lead, leaving him to take notes. Whether he wanted to or not, the Masters expected him to make sure that Tarissa got a valuable learning experience from this mission. It certainly put Cal in an awkward situation.

To put himself at ease, Callan decided to strike up an in-character conversation with Tarissa. Hopefully the brief escape from reality would be enough to put his mind at ease and help him to prepare for the mission ahead. He held up the small, beautifully wrapped box in his left hand and spoke to Tari.

"You know, Mistress, the Jedi that I bought this from says that the pendant in the necklace has a special connection to the "Force." Apparently they're fairly sacred to the Jedi. A foolish superstition if you ask me..."

He sent Tarissa the Force equivalent of a friendly wink as they approached the main entrance to the palace and dining hall that was holding the birthday party for the young Chume'da. Callan smiled as the pair approached the armed guards at the door, clearly there to admit or decline visitors who were attending the party. The Jedi contacts should have had their names on the entrance list, so Callan was fairly confident. He stepped forward, as was his duty to his Mistress, and spoke as her vessel. He addressed the guards with a polite smile and a bow.

"Karina and Kai Flinte. We're here for the birthday ball."

He smiled once more, gesturing to the present in his had as evidence of their intent to with the Chume'da a happy birthday. He refrained from trying to influence the guards through the Force. He was on assignment to seem as benign as possible, and he would certainly do that to the best of his ability. However, he was fully aware of the possibility of a search by the guards. He didn't know how far down the chain that Jedi-Hapan relationships went, so he prepared himself to make an attempt at fooling any sensors by use of the Force.

((Are the Jedi allowed into the party? If so, what do they see when they enter?))

((Since the Queen Mother had requested the Jedi presence, she made sure that they would be allowed to enter, even with keeping their identities secret. They are allowed in and even announced as a couple as they enter.

The ballroom is opulent, clearly gorgeous on a regular basis, but decked out even more for the occasion. Much of the decor is transparent blue crystal and silver-hued marble. The room is filled with Hapans, mostly in the form of minor nobles and other richly dressed people.

Chume'da Zana and her mother stand near the far wall currently, as they are approached and greeted by the crowd. A number of Hapan couples are dancing to a string-instrument music that has no discernible source. Waiters flit around with food on trays. No one seems to currently pay the incognito Jedi any mind.))

”Of course, Mistress Karina.”

An odd name, but Tarissa betrayed nothing of her thoughts save a single arched eyebrow in Callan's direction. Aliases were aliases were aliases, and since she had little choice in who she would be on missions, she had figured it was not something to worry about. Granted, Callan also picked this name, as she had picked Kai for him. Maybe there was some ulterior motive. She'd have to ask him about it later, when they were not otherwise occupied.

As they descended the ramp and walked forward, closing the distance to the party entrance, she heard him speak up more. The gender dynamics were taking an interesting role switch here. Not that she was usually so subservient, but the way Hapes worked made for strange situations and fascinating study. High society was, by itself, a decidedly odd society of beings and sentients with new and unusual behavioral patterns and habits. It seemed to be less about how much you could do and more about how much you had, with class reflecting more on your worth than anything else. Physical attributes mattered more than most - a curious world indeed.

Still, though she would never admit this to Callan (or anyone else), it was amusing and somewhat oddly satisfying to her knowing that he was at her beck and call.

”You know, Mistress, the Jedi […] if you ask me...”

She smiled slightly, giving a small giggle at both his words and the wink before responding in kind. “Hokey religions and ancient superstitions are no match for good sense and large pockets, Kai. You would do well to remember that.” She was talking a little bit lower than her normal voice, and her inflections and tone were a bit different – similar to her normal patterns, but at the same time, not.

As they approached, Callan took the lead, and Tarissa stopped to wait patiently as he announced their arrival. The guards checked a list and nodded, one of them presenting a small card to a very fancily dressed man who read off their names in a booming voice to those attending. One or two of the guests turned to look, but as it was standard procedure, it wasn't met with much recognition. The party seemed to be well underway already. The girl-of-honor was standing across from the Jedi duo as they entered, being greeted and talked to by various attendees.

One look around made Tarissa think that the cost of this little get-together was more than the entire Order spent in a year. She probably wasn't right, but the place still looked incredible, especially to one who wasn't used to seeing just what money could do for places. Calling it excessively opulent would still be an understatement.

Tarissa descended onto the floor, still mildly awed by the grandeur of the ballroom. Giving herself a moment more of amazement before getting back to the task at hand, she turned and smiled just slightly at Callan, hoping he was enjoying this as much as she was. Deciding to take a forward approach, she followed the lead of other guests and made her way down to speak to the Queen Mother and her daughter.

They approached, waiting in line until they were at the forefront. She stepped to a respectable distance and gave a deep bow with a nice smile. “Your Majesty, I wish you a most wonderful birthday, and humbly ask that you accept my token in celebration of this event. Kai, present the gift.” She glanced back at Callan, signaling him to present their gift – a beautifully cut and polished crystal, set in a necklace.

Tarissa's comment on the absurdity of the Force and the all-powerful lifestyle built by money and brains nearly caused Callan to break his "character." His amusement was short-lived and quickly replaced by intense intimidation by the party itself. In the relatively austere life of a Jedi Knight, living among others of the same lifestyle, no one really cared where Callan was at any given moment, unless he had a job to do. The fact that an incredibly well-dressed man boomed his and Tarissa's (assumed) names to the assembled nobility.

The room itself was enough to cow any grand imaginations that Callan may have had before their arrival. He'd imagined a birthday party for a Princess to be excessive and expensive, but he hadn't even been close. Nothing in his life as a Jedi had prepared him for the excess opulence that greeted him upon entering the party. The blue and silver hues that draped the walls and glittered from massive chandeliers. It took much more will than he would have expected to avoid his jaw hitting the floor.

When Tarissa turned and smiled at Callan, he couldn't help but smile from ear-to-ear. He let the large grin drop to a simple smile after a moment, doing his best to perform up to the standards that he was now held to as a Knight. This mission was too important for him to go messing it up by getting caught up in some sort of real-world fairy tale. There was a job to do, and he would see it done.

The pair made it to the line before the Chume-da rather quickly, which surprised the young man. The Hapan nobles were clearly very practiced in the party scene and seemed to be going through the formalities of greeting the young Princess and giving her their gifts rather quickly. Callan would remember to do his best to not waste any of the party-goer's time by dawdling in line.

When they finally made it to the front of the line, Tarissa took the lead as expected, and greeted the Chume-da for the both of them. When he was instructed to give the young girl her gift, he removed the pale purple jewel, which was set into a bright silver chain, from his breast pocket. The jewel was, in fact, a lightsaber crystal that the Order had deigned to give the Princess.

"Your Majesty, I hope that you like it. I'm sure that it will appear all the more beautiful around your neck.

((What does she think of the gift? Does anything of importance happen in next few moments?))

((She thanks them genuinely. "It's very beautiful," she says, taking it with delicate fingers. "Thank you for coming." It has clearly gone over well.

The Queen Mother herself nods to the couple, knowing exactly who they are. She is veiled, but both Jedi can tell from her aura that she is pleased to see them. "Lady and Lord Flinte. Always a pleasure," she says. She hasn't spoken to many who have passed by to greet her daughter, and it's a clear honor.

"Please, enjoy yourselves. Though perhaps later we can talk again." And she waves them off.

Other than that, the party continues as planned. Music still wafts around. People still dance. Lovely bits of food are still consumed. And there's a line to see the Chume'da, so get out of their way!))

Tarissa and Callan split off from the royal, bowing once before heading back into the throngs. The hall had only grown more crowded as they waited in line, and a few more couples had taken up the dance floor as the other guests formed a broken but large circle around the central dance area. As they had now fulfilled their primary social obligation, the pair had little to do but wait until one of them sensed something wrong or until they were called to attention by the Queen Mother. With that in mind, Tarissa began looking about the ballroom, looking for something to distract them.

Her eyes settled on the dancing couples, and she smiled slightly before turning to face Callan. “Kai, come. Indulge me for a dance.” She took his hand and lead him out to the dance floor, grinning eagerly now. She’d always wanted to try this.

Though she’d never been formally trained in dancing, Tarissa and Callan had both been given a crash course in formal behavior, more to blend in than to be properly respectful. They both knew respect, and how to treat those in positions of societal power, but neither of them knew how to be in high society. They knew more now, of course, as they were given lessons in proper etiquette, protocol, and actions - including basic dances.

The current choice seemed to be the Alderaanian Waltz. Fortunately, they’d been taught that one. Joining the circle that had formed, the two took hands and synched up with the rest of the dancers, spinning the other alternately. She was smiling all the while, a strange warm feeling moving through her as he watched him dance, and when the waltz was over, the couples split off into a small slow dance. The Jedi followed their lead, Tari placing her left hand on his waist and her right hand clasped with his, leading. Unusual for anywhere but Hapes.

The warm feeling only increased as the two swayed slowly to the music, and her hand tightened some in his grip. The feeling that she was getting, and the one that she most wanted, was feeling safe. They were here to ensure that nothing happened to the royals, but here, with one hand of his on her, and the other held securely, she felt safe and able to relax. Her dreams were occasionally haunted by blind men with swords, but here and now, she took delight in his presence and sighed happily, enjoying this.

One glance at the Queen Mother, though, and she remembered why they were here. She spoke up quietly, regretting breaking the moment, but doing it none the less. They were on a mission. The dancing could wait.

“This is a valuable chance to observe all directions of the gathering with relative secrecy. Be on the lookout for suspicious activity, or perhaps those that are not blending into the surroundings as well as they should be. Also I feel that it would be complimentary to note that you are an excellent dance partner.” She smiled slightly, but then got to work, looking about and stretching her senses out as much as she could with the Force. Callan was better at that aspect than she was, but she figured she might as well try.

((Do the two notice anything out of place, or is it all quiet for now?))

((Everyone on the dance floor seems focused on their partners. No one on the fringes looks or is acting suspicious. No danger really seems to present itself, and maybe, just maybe, Cal and Tari will get this little assignment as a chance to relax and just have a good time...

But wait. The music. The orchestra can't be seen, but it's clearly not a recording. There are no speakers and the sound is clearly coming from a specific direction.

Callan is the first to spot the box. Up along a corner of the wall, opposite the Cheme'da, is an area of crystal that seems opaque--at least from this side--and marble. The sound seems to originate from there, like the orchestra is playing, overlooking the dance floor.

There's no obvious way up there. Maybe it has to be accessed from outside the room?

Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't. As of the moment, the Force doesn't profess anything about it.))