Naboo was as far Coreward as Asuka Hino had been in many months, and she was already regretting it. The Outer Rim was so much simpler than the bustle of the Mid Rim. There, news traveled slower and people kept their heads down. Minded their own business—for the most part. Out there, she could almost forget about the conflicts the Order was embroiled in. Forget the Sith had returned. Forget that most of the galaxy couldn't care less whether the Jedi Order lived or faded back into the waste bin of history.
Communications from Ajan Kloss came less frequently now. When they did, they were increasingly depressing. A battle on Ryloth. Debates in the Senate. Each one made her grateful she had been assigned to keep an eye on the Outer Rim. To watch out for gangs and cults, and all sorts of other bad news that could turn into worse news. She told herself the job was important. The last thing the Council needed was some shady moof milkers showing up to make bad situations worse. The resurgent Sith Order was already bad enough. But she knew, in the end, it was a laundry assignment. Something to occupy her so he didn't cause trouble at home.
Fine, she thought, bringing one humming white blade up above her head so that she could see better through the dense fog making it difficult for her to see the path through the woods ahead. Its not like I want to be there, anyways.
She was content to do her thing. Even if they were to call her home, she wasn't certain she'd go. Not immediately, at least. Besides, something interesting had come up. And if her hunch about it was right, the Council would have to cut her some slack when she finally went back.
At the edge of the woods, the fog peeled back, revealing a glittering city against the night sky. Moenia. From this distance, it looked just like the capital of Naboo, Theed. But the undercurrent was different here. The people, too. And, more importantly, if the rumors she'd been following were right, so was the religion.
One didn't stumble upon the name 'Darth Sidious' in casual conversation anymore. The name was taboo, and on Naboo, so was the name of the man who'd used it: Palpatine. Yet, she'd heard the words not a fortnight ago while undercover in a gambling den on Canto Bight. The mention made her ears perk up. By the end of the night, she'd gleaned two things. One, something called 'The Alternative' was rising up in the Rim. Something with sympathies to the old Sith Emperor. And two: she could find out more on Naboo, the Emperor's homeworld. It had taken her awhile to piece together where on Naboo, but now she was pretty sure she had found the right place.
Half an hour later, she was strolling up to a cantina in the market district, lightsabers hidden in a kimono she'd chosen to wear instead of her traditional Jedi robes. In the off-chance her targets were lecherous, this was advantageous to her. Fate had long since dictated that she drew creeps to her like swamp flies to a lamp. She had no more than stepped through the threshold of the bar than she spotted her two suspiciously dressed subjects sitting on the far side of the bar in a booth. Both were wearing the same necklace she'd seen around the necks of the patrons on Canto Bight. The insignia of the Final Order.
Subtlety, they knew not.
She went to the bar, leaned against it. "Spotchka, please," she said, slapping a few coins down on the metal. "As much as this'll buy me." She eyed the men again and set a few more coins down. "Might as well thrown in a round for them too."
"Theysa pallos of yousa?" the Gungan bartender asked.
Asuka couldn't help it. The slightest smirk tugged up the corner of her mouth. "Oh, we're about to be real cozy," she said.
Whether the answer satisfied him or he just didn't care, the Gungan shrugged and went for the drinks. Minutes later, he handed her three shot glasses of glowing liquid. She picked up all three, tipped her head to him in thanks, and went for a walk. @Feng Mian