Open To Craft Identity

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Spoiler: OOC

OPEN to anyone with a valid reason to be on this planet

Hera felt a little bit of shame as she sat quietly in the seat of a transport shuttle. Beside her, Tala Contiello (@Forsythe Crowholde) sat. Both were dressed in plain clothes as Hera had instructed her before the mission began. What Hera's shame originated from was the little bit of lying to the council when she requested permission to take Tala on a mission. What she told the council was that they would be going to a Jedi Order-friendly world in order to teach Tala about interacting with locals in a friendly and professional manner.

Well, it wasn't totally a lie. They would be interacting with locals in a friendly and professional manner, it was just to establish false identities for Hera to operate under. She chose an ISC world as an ISC identity would be the strongest for her to work under in most spaces. New Republic territory would accept it, and with the imminent surrender of the Empire there would be another large swath of space that would work with it. Hera brought Tala along not because she needed the backup, but because Hera wanted to train someone else in the art of subterfuge.

Too many Jedi lacked all sensibilities when it came to subtly, and Hera was not an exception in many cases. Perhaps this would be a learning experience for the both of them. Dressed in a plaid skirt, white blouse, and black combat boots, Hera smiled and reassured herself as she looked over to Tala. Hera did not bring her lightsabers on this mission, and she would be lying if she said she didn't feel naked without them. But anything that might expose her as a Jedi was unacceptable. Her hair had been washed free of its red dye, exposed to the pure white appearance she was genetically predisposed to.

Her eyes, pupilless and a little unsettling, where covered by darkened, round sunglasses. With a grin, she spoke to Tala, "Are you nervous?"

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

Dress in plain clothes, no lightsabers - had Tala not known better she would have assumed that she and the Jedi Master seated beside her were headed off somewhere to hang out. But certain factors disproved the would-have been assumption effortlessly. One, that she wasn’t friends with Hera Albion, just that they were acquaintances (at least, for now). Two, Jedi Masters requesting the Council for the presence or assistance of a Padawan meant either for teaching, training, or mission purposes. And third, the half-Tiefling could sense the barest hints of unease(?) from Master Albion, as if the older Jedi was worried about something Tala didn’t know about. The Padawan knew that she wasn’t the most insightful person around, but she was empathic enough to perceive other people’s feelings and to notice nuances that could tell her that something was either right or wrong around her.

The young Jedi followed Master Albion’s instructions to a T: her lightsaber remained within the confines of the box she kept it in inside her bedside draw, and today the half-Tiefling was dressed in a somewhat stylish (to her, anyway) and comfortable knitted jumper, long plaid skirt, and a pair of ankle high boots. Her long, blonde hair was braided and draped over her right shoulder, some loose curls tucked behind her ears. Tala hummed a soft, romantic song quietly to herself, one he heard from her fellow Padawans. She made a mental note to ask them who the artist was when they returned to the temple on Ithor.

Red eyes darted on the faces across her, discreet in their gazing and not lingering upon a single person before moving onto the next; a woman rolling her eyes at her partner when she thought he wasn’t looking, a child’s sticky fingers sneakily snaking their way to his seatmate’s snacks, a male Rodian reading on his datapad with hands trembling minutely. Tala felt her companion’s gaze on her and the Padawan returned it and the grin offered to her, a quick but warm smile ready on her light orange tinted lips.

”Yes,” she replied truthfully, but her smile nor the brightness in her eyes did not dim. ”Mostly because I don’t know yet why we’re here for, nor the real reason for these,” added Tala, one hand patting away whatever invisible dirt there was on her skirt - or maybe the action was to emphasize the non-Jedi clothing they both wore. ”But I’m also excited for what’s ahead.”

The heart-shaped tip of her tail flicked lightly on her lap, mirroring the Padawan’s relaxed outward demeanor. Her parents usually gauged how she really felt from the way her tail unconsciously moved, so Tala, more often than not, became too conscious with the way her tail moved around other people and most especially in certain situations. It was a work in progress, getting to control her tail’s movements so it wouldn’t reflect how she really felt. The rest of her tail, currently wrapped around her waist so it wouldn’t get accidentally sat on, curled a little tighter around her.

”What are we going to do today,” then, Hera’s title coming out a little softer, a little quieter, so the person next to Tala wouldn’t hear, ”Master?”

The Council sent her a message telling her to accompany Master Albion, but not the reason behind it. She didn't question it, knowing that her query would be answered by the Jedi Master herself.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera nodded and smiled as Tala acknowledged her lack of understanding of their mission. That was good, the less she knew meant the less the council knew, and they need not be involved in these dealings just yet. Gripping the side of the shuttle as it shuddered and shook through a little bit of turbulence, Hera decided to explain a little bit to Tala. "We are here to acquire official documentation of our citizenship to the ISC, specifically of this world."

As she spoke, her voice was quiet and her tone low, the kind of volume that could be easily heard by Tala but would be difficult for anyone else to hear without obviously craning in their direction. Additionally, Hera kept herself open to the Force to scan for any force sensitives around them that might attempt to interfere. This was not a world hostile to Jedi, therefore she did not see a reason to hide her presence in the Force just yet.

The shuttle shook once more, setting down at its destination, and a mechanical voice echoed over the PA system to alert passengers to begin disembarking. Without another word, and motioning that Tala should not speak just yet, Hera stood and moved to disembark with the Padawan. Stepping off the shuttle, the pair were greeted to the breathtaking sight of mountains, rolling clouds, and the precariously attached bridge city that they found themselves upon.

Stepping out and away from the other passengers, Hera motioned for Tala to continue following. Once out of earshot of everyone else, she continued speaking, "Being 'what we are' brings with it many benefits, but also a few glaring negatives. In order to operate clandestinely, we need identities rooted in reality. We can't always rely on fake names created in a rush. Therefore, we are going to apply for citizenship on this world, which extends to its owners, the ISC. Does that make sense?"

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

A citizenship? And to the ISC, no less? Tala couldn’t help the way her brows shot up, the surprise clear on her face. Her thoughts immediately went to whatever identification cards she carried, as well as asking for her parents’ consent. She was still a minor, after all; didn’t this kind of thing needed a signed parental consent or something? Was this something her parents should be doing for her? A thought occurred to her, then: Had Master Albion reached out to the half-Tiefling’s parents about this? But it couldn’t be, since Mom and Dad would’ve told her. Then surely, the Council knew?

A thoughtful expression replaced the surprise painted on her face. Master Albion’s voice was lowered, quiet, as if- no, so no one other than Tala would hear. The Padawan didn’t want to put too much into it, but she couldn’t help but think anyway. Was this supposed to be a… secret? But why?

The half-Tiefling didn’t press the Jedi Master for further information just yet, opting to ask once they were out of anybody else’s earshot. Tala rose from her seat as the shuttle came to a stop, her tail uncurling from her waist and flicking once, twice, before settling into a light swish and flick as she followed the older woman disembark from the transport. The sight of the mountains and the city would’ve distracted the Padawan from her thoughts but her curiosity easily dominated the landscape before her. Tala walked beside the Jedi Master, matching her pace. When Master Albion spoke again, the Padawan was all ears.

”Oh, I see!” muttered Tala, nodding in understanding. Part of her agreed with the older Jedi’s explanation. Not everyone trusted the Jedi, let alone had an inclination to work with them, and those people weren’t limited to the majority of the citizens of the ISC. A hand skimmed over her braid, red eyes scanning blonde hair then shifting over to the Arkadian’s white hair and eyes behind the cover of dark sunglasses. The hand on her hair soon rose to graze one of her tawny horns, her tail swishing behind her. ”But, um… some of my physical traits aren’t exactly subtle to hide nor change…”

It was easy to dye her hair and change her eye color through her many corrective contact lenses, but Tala didn’t want to simply count on getting mistaken for someone else based on resemblance alone. ”Should I dye my hair first and change contact lenses?”

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera smiled as Tala asked her question, then shrugged and gestured for her to follow. "We can do that if you'd like! I removed the dye from my hair, but that's to throw people who have seen me in passing off. It's not going to do much for facial recognition software, our best bet is to visit a local here that I know of. He will be able to change our faces to look completely different, and that'll be our basis going forward."

At that, Hera began walking through the city. This planet, known to be a 'Purse World' for the Neimodians, seemed to be adorned in wealth nearly everywhere they went. While Hera felt a little out of place, it helped that Tala was dressed so nicely as to not attract attention. Additionally, the immensely wealthy weren't the type of people to listen in on others' conversations because they were bored. This allowed Hera to speak fairly freely, though she kept her voice low.

Making her way toward a maintenance elevator, Hera asked Tala, "Tell me, why do you want to be a Jedi?" As she spoke, she pressed the button on the elevator, calling it up to their floor. Hera would motion for Tala to wait to tell her until they both stepped into the small, circular shaft. It was an important question for Hera as well, a question she asked every Padawan. They needed to know why they were choosing the life they were in, and working under another's whims was no way to live.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

"Hmm, that makes sense," muttered Tala in agreement, her shoulders relaxing the further Master Albion spoke and mentioned that she knew someone from here.

She maintained a close proximity with the Jedi Master so as not to get separated from the older woman - or more like for Tala not to get too distracted as they passed by luxurious shops offering a variety of merchandise. The half-Tiefling had been surrounded by the wealthy as she grew, but her parents' humility and kindness were picked up by the young woman more than the behaviors and personalities of her peers before she joined the Jedi Order. Tala had to remind herself that she and Master Albion weren't here to sightsee, and held herself off from wandering around to buy souvenirs for her Mom and Dad nor pulling out her NalPhone from her pocket to snap a picture or two and send them a quick update about her day.

The young woman stepped into the elevator, minding her tail as the doors slid shut. Tala blinked, head tilting to Master Albion at her question. It wasn't her first time hearing it and it probably wouldn't be the last. A look of solemn contemplation crossed the Padawan’s visage as she mulled over the question, a faraway look settling on her gaze.

Upon the discovery of her Force-sensitivity her parents decided to send her to the Jedi because to them the alternative was unacceptable, and they knew Tala harbored fear towards the Sith. A relative was killed on the glassing of Firrerre, another on the Denon invasion. There was a fear of becoming like the Darksiders if they didn’t choose the right people to teach the Contiellos’ only child about the Force and what it meant to have that power at her beck and call, and even more so the responsibility chained to that power.

For Tala, there was more to her fear of the possibility of becoming a Darksider - if not a Sith - that made her agree with her parents’ decision to send her to the Jedi. Helping those in need was already a given, and she knew that it wouldn’t be the first nor the last time Master Albion would hear it. There could be wrong answers to the question posed to her, and while the half-Tiefling wasn’t overly worried that she might say the wrong thing it was still a question she wanted to answer as honestly as she could. Collecting her thoughts and the words she wanted to say the most, the Padawan’s lips parted with a quiet breath.

”I…” she began, voice soft and quiet, and Tala was secretly grateful for the privacy the lift offered them for a moment, ”want to understand this power we possess. I’m still learning about the Force every single day, and I guess I can never hope to fully understand It. I want to be a Jedi because I want to learn how to use this power given to me, and to help other people like us the way our fellow Jedi continue to help me.” Carmine gaze fell upon the older woman as Tala turned halfway to face Master Albion, a warm and sincere smile on her face. ”Of course I want to help other people, too, but I have to help myself understand this power first. This is why I agreed when my parents sent me to the Order. Maybe one day I’ll rediscover why I really want to be a Jedi - I’m looking forward to that day.”

There was nothing but honesty in the half-Tiefling’s words. She knew that she still had so much to learn when it came to the Force - and maybe there would never be an end to learning about It. But that was one of life’s purposes, wasn’t it? Learning was an endless affair, one of the Knights told her when she bumped into him in the Library of the Jedi Temple on Yavin IV.

A bright “ding!” chimed above the pair of Jedi as the elevator came to a stop. Hands clasped behind her and tail swaying gently, Tala stepped out of the lift and tilted her head to look at the Jedi Master before looking around.

”Can I ask about this local you spoke of? What are they like?”

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

As they rode the elevator, Hera listened closely to Tala's reasoning. While Tala spoke, Hera watched her closely and smiled. The Tiefling's reasoning was different than most Padawans, and Hera found that to be refreshing. Most told her 'I just want to help people!' without understanding the weight of the power they innately held. It seemed to Hera that Tala was more in tune with the potential of her own strength and wanted more than anything else to learn how to master it.

Tala's bit about wanting to help people and rediscovery sounded almost tacked on as if she needed to sound less selfish in her reasoning. Continuing to smile, Hera said nothing until after they exited the elevator. As she walked along the maintenance shafts, Hera observed their hallway. It was a large, open area where various pipes and steel cords ran along the walls, transporting hydraulic fluid and holding up the city.

Finally, Hera responded, first to Tala's reasoning behind being a Jedi, then to her question. "Of course, we want to help people, but do not feel ashamed that you are more concerned with mastering yourself rather than finding poor, unfortunate souls to raise up. After all, you cannot be of help to anyone if you are not in complete control of yourself and your power. You have an admirable goal, Tala, don't become distracted from it.

"The person we are meeting is a nice little man, great guy, I've known him for about two months. Pretty sure he's gone a little silly in the head but that's a bridge we'll cross when we come to it. That aside, I'd caution you to remember that you are a Jedi now, even if you haven't become a Knight yet. Your parents, while important, will not direct your steps anymore. You must forge your own path, you are already seventeen, right? Soon you'll be an adult by the standards of most of the galaxy, then you'll be expected to become a Knight soon after that."

Hera paused speaking for a moment, coming to a small access door on the right side of the tunnel they walked. She looked at it and finished, "Know yourself, and be sure of the path you forge." Then the Master pushed open the door. Immediately, a glass bottle flew at the side of the door and barely missed hitting Hera's face, instead shattering against the wall. A small rodian, no taller than 1.2 meters, sat in a small lounge chair surrounded by various drinks. He shouted at the Jedi, "Who tolllld shyouuu where- where I was -HIC- I'll killllsssh them!"

Hera grinned and answered the little man, "Good to see you too Harrie! How's the back?"

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

Tala took Master Albion's word with great consideration. She couldn't stop her tail from wagging happily when the older woman praised the half-Tiefling's goal, red gaze brightening even more at the advice given to her. The Padawan appreciated genuine praise from other people, but above that was a greater appreciation for feedback and constructive criticism alongside helpful advice. She nodded along with the Jedi Master's words, unable to really contain the appreciative smile on her face.

The young woman was not embarrassed to admit to her limitations and flaws. Her parents often commended her for her self-awareness. As such, Tala had little to no capacity to feel upset when someone pointed out her more obvious faults. Nothing seemed to upset the Padawan when it came to her shortcomings – at least for now. She knew that she hadn't been given the chance to truly prove her mettle nor be thrown into a dire situation. Though she wished for a time like that to not to come, Tala also knew that facing grave troubles would be inevitable. It didn't matter that she was a Jedi. Everyone faced severe trouble regardless of who they were. No one was exempt from hardship, not even the kindest person in the whole galaxy.

Master Albion's words about becoming an adult mirrored that of her parents. Though she was their only child, Narciso and Hiraya taught and encouraged Tala to be independent and self-sufficient. Even if they encouraged her to join the Jedi Order because they knew that the Jedi would be able to help and teach her, the Contiellos also expressed that the decision to join would be hers to make and not because it was what they wanted for her. Of course she could simply stay with the Order until she had learned enough to understand the Force and her powers, but Tala saw a glimpse of a deeper reason to stay. More than helping herself and others. She couldn't really discern what it was, at least not yet. Maybe one day she'd be able to identify that reason and put it to words.

For now, it was her duty and responsibility to learn.

"Thank you, Master. I shall remember what you told me," she promised the Jedi Master, her sincerity blending perfectly with the warmth in her eyes.

Tala kept close to Master Albion, her neck craning this way and that as she observed the hallway they were traversing. Her ears twitched slightly at the sounds reverberating across the walls lined with pipes and steel cords. She didn't expect that this area would be their destination– no, the path to their destination, but there was no disdain nor disappointment in her countenance. The half-Tiefling was intrigued, to say the least. She wasn't overly worried about Master Albion's friend given her assurance that the person was a "great guy". Still, Tala couldn't help but squeak when a bottle flew towards the Jedi Master when they stopped by a door and the latter opened it. Standing behind Master Albion, Tala peered over the older Jedi's shoulder to look at the latter's friend.

From the speed with which the small Rodian reacted and threw the bottle at the Jedi Master… it almost seemed as if he was expecting her or something. And instead of grimacing at the scent of alcohol as it hit her nose, Tala focused more on the individual who was seething and shouting at Master Albion at being found.

The half-Tiefling stepped away from her spot behind the Jedi Master, flashing the tiny Rodian a bright, disarming smile.

"Good day to you, Mister Harrie!" greeted Tala with an energetic wave of her hand. "I'm Tala. It's nice to meet you!"

She figured that she didn't have to mention his being "friends" with Master Albion given his hostility the moment the older woman opened the door. But he didn't know Tala, so the Padawan quietly hoped that the Rodian's antagonism wouldn't extend to her.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

The Rodian didn't move as the two Jedi greeted him, instead, he leaned back and forth in his little chair. Rocking and humming quietly, he responded to neither Hera nor Tala. Taking this in stride, Hera stepped over the trash and filth of the hidden apartment and towards the Rodian's kitchen. Reaching the tiny area, she rummaged about until she found a roll of trash bags. Tossing them over toward Tala, she spoke, "Tala, could you help clean? We will need a cleared area for Harrie to work."

At the mention of his name, the rodian grumbled something unintelligible in rodese. Hera, allowing herself to coalesce and gain strength through the Force, moved over to Harrie. Standing behind him, she placed her hands gently on the side of his temples. While he would not understand what was going on, Tala would be able to clearly sense the power moving throughout the room.

Morichro was a powerful Force ability, one Hera was well versed in. However, in this scenario, Tala would be able to sense Hera moving the Force in the opposite direction. Instead of slowing down Harrie's bodily functions, she was steadily and carefully accelerating them. The movement of blood, the pumping of oxygen, the speed of his breathing, and, most importantly, the processes of his liver.

She was cleansing his body of the toxins of alcohol. They would need him focused, after all, for the work still to be done. After roughly fifteen minutes, Hera removed her hands and moved back toward the kitchen to wash her hands. The Rodian, still grumbling, spoke up, "You know I don't like that, Hera, you're supposed to ask my permission first." Hera, without skipping a beat, answered in a chipper tone, "I would have if you remembered who I was! And if you remembered our appointment."

Grumbling, the Rodian headed towards a small closet in his apartment. From within, he withdrew two chairs and motioned for the Jedi to sit. Shortly after that, he withdrew a large black case and looked over at Tala, "What do you want to look like?" He asked calmly.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

When Harrie fell into seemingly quiet contemplation after Tala introduced herself, the Padawan took it as a cue that he was done with his slight bout of hostility and gave her enough leeway to move about in his abode. The half-Tiefling couldn't help her gaze from wandering as she took in the mess that was the Rodian's living space, tail lightly swishing to and fro as she stepped over an empty bottle only for her booted feet to fall upon an empty packet of crisps. Master Albion's friend didn't seem to be the type to keep his place tidy. She didn't know the circumstances for the general untidiness of the place. Tala, for her part, turned her thoughts away from judging the little man for his lack of cleanliness.

The Jedi Master disappeared into the kitchen for a bit, returning with a roll of trash bags which she tossed over to Tala with an instruction to help clean the area. Catching the roll deftly, the Padawan simply smiled and nodded in acquiescence before throwing herself into the appointed task. With the Rodian's attention to Master Albion, Tala was able to move freely around the room, picking up and bagging trash before moving to the kitchen herself to look for any spare rags she could use to wipe the table and other surfaces stained with spilled drink, a splatter of some kind of red sauce over here, a smudge of grease there. When she felt the Force ripple from the Jedi Master's position Tala kept her own senses open to try and discern what Master Albion was doing.

There was a sense of acceleration through the Force, as if the older woman was steering it into speeding Harrie's bodily functions…? There was steadiness in the way the Force flowed from Master Albion into the Rodian, but more so care. Was she healing her friend? But Tala couldn't see any signs of illness or injury on Harrie. Perhaps Master Albion was purging the alcohol from Harrie's system?

Tala hadn't realized that her body had gone on autopilot as she observed Master Albion's actions through the Force. By the time the older woman was done the half-Tiefling had also finished her own task and more – she had cleaned up the living area as best as she could and was on the verge of washing the dishes stacked in the sink. Tala blinked, peering owlishly between her rolled-up sleeves and the dirty dishes. As much as she loved cleaning, she wasn't at her dorm or her parents' home so she stepped out of the kitchen and back to the living room just in time to hear Harrie admonish Master Albion about asking his permission to which the latter responded to with enough cheer in her voice to make Tala smile.

The half-Tiefling made her way towards the two, gaze following Harrie. She sat down as instructed, returning his gaze when he addressed her. Tala glanced at the black case then, assuming that what he meant was how she would look like in her identification, responded almost without a beat, "Black hair, brown eyes, brown horns…" She lifted a hand to cover the two, tiny moles resembling a snake's bite on the left side of her neck. "And, um, have these covered."

Going for an average look was her best bet if she were to successfully register as an ISC citizen, and an appearance she could pull off applying herself. Though her tail and her horns were her biggest distinctions, she would bet that she wasn't the only half-Tiefling this parsec had, so even in her undisguised self she still was not a rare sight – at least in her point of view, anyway.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

The rodian nodded solemnly in response to Tala before remarking, "I can work with this." then he withdrew a myriad of tools from his black case. Hair dye, contacts, body paint, and a dozen different chemicals and materials. The Rodian was not some face-switcher nor was he a surgeon. Hera's contact was a professional makeup and prosthetic artist!

By layering different materials and paints, adding makeup where necessary, hair dye, and all the other works, Harrie the Rodian was able to utterly transform the pair of Jedi into something resembling entirely different people. It took a few hours, each, but by the time he was finished neither of the Jedi would be able to recognize the other. His work finished, the Rodian stepped back and spoke to Hera, "Alright, that'll last about two days, assuming you don't get rained on. Transfer my payment the regular way."

Hera, now looking like a slightly older woman with black hair, brown eyes, and, most importantly, an entirely different facial structure, stood up and hugged the Rodian. "I appreciate you Harrie, don't spend it all on booze, ok?" The Rodian pushed her off, but didn't look mad. Turning to Tala, Hera spoke, "Ok! Let's go!" And headed out with the Padawan.

Within minutes, they were headed down the long hall once more. This time, they would emerge from the sewers from another location. As they walked, still in privacy, Hera spoke once more to Tala, "Fake names will be required for our IDs. Make sure you think of something that you won't forget, ok? From this point on, I am Mira Britannia. I'm an investor from Chardaan seeking to start new businesses here and spend money. You are one of my assistants, what should I call you?"

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

Tala’s eyes widened and shone as they gazed upon the tools contained within Harrie’s black case. To say that the Padawan was impressed was an understatement. She glanced at Hera, as if to exclaim “he’s a makeup artist!” before drawing her attention back at the Rodian. She had to keep her hands to herself, no matter how they itched to pick one item after another for closer inspection.
She didn’t realize that they were meeting an artist today!

The teenager had to hold her tail to keep it from wagging like an excited puppy’s when the Rodian began to work. She watched closely as Harrie slowly but surely began to work on transforming Master Albion into a completely different person. Tala also had to keep her mouth firmly shut to avoid bombarding the Rodian one question after another, instead keeping close but not too close to crowd Harrie and interrupt his work. The Padawan’s awe was loud and bright in the Force, and it would’ve hit the Jedi Master like a truck if she was a fellow Padawan.

When Tala’s turn came, the half-Tiefling allowed herself the briefest of moments to smile excitedly before smoothing her expression into a barely restrained neutral one. Delighted as she was to be able to witness a professional makeup and prosthetic artist up close, the Padawan determined to be an outstanding subject, letting Harrie work without a hitch. The amount of time and effort it took to transform the two Jedi was impressive to the Padawan, and she told herself not to let the Rodian’s work go to waste.

Harrie had followed Tala’s request to a T and more – he made the Padawan look more mature, as if she was in her mid-twenties. The twin moles on her neck were completely concealed, and the Rodian had thoughtfully “placed” one under her left eye and the other on her right temple. The young woman couldn’t help but admire her new look as Master Albion and Harrie spoke about payment, turning to face the two just in time to see the older Jedi hug the Rodian. Tala would’ve honestly done the same, but she settled for shaking Harrie’s hand.

”Thank you very much, Mister Harrie! I hope you wouldn’t mind if I ask Master Albion about your contact details. I have so many questions about your work!”

Waving the Rodian goodbye, the half-Tiefling followed Master Albion as they left Harrie’s residence, this time taking another path as opposed to the maintenance lift from a few hours prior. Tala didn’t complain as she walked beside the Jedi Master, careful not to touch her face, hair, and horns too much. She looked at Master Albion as she spoke, nodding along her words and keeping them in mind. When asked about what to call her, Tala hummed, gaze drifting upwards as she thought.

Her mind drifted to one of her fellow Padawans who kept a female Arkanian Dragon and called the creature a charming name. Tala remembered gushing about the juvenile dragon and the older Padawan fretfully reminding her not to hiss or bite the half-Tiefling. Sending Padawan Arctus Friers a temporary mental apology, Tala replied to Master Albion’s question,

”I’m one of your dependable assistants, Selene Arcturus!”

Then, doing her part as the dependable assistant, Tala retrieved her NalPhone from her pocket and began to pull up a map of the city from the online search engine. The Padawan chose a route that would discreetly return them to the major streets and began to lead Mira Britannia along the way. Looking between her phone and minding every turn they made on the alleyways, it didn't take long for the pair of Jedi to emerge on one of the main streets. 'Selene' walked alongside her employer, the two of them making their way towards the registry.

"They're not going to ask us for biometrics, are they?" Tala asked Master Albion quietly.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera grinned from ear to ear as Tala dove headfirst into the charade of false identities. Hera dedicated the name, Selene Arcturus, to memory. It would not be difficult for the Jedi to adopt a new persona and history with her 'assistant' in the coming moments. Although what they were doing was undoubtedly illegal, it was also great fun, and Hera couldn't help but keep smiling as the pair left the underground.

Tala lead Hera excellently along a path that avoided prying eyes and before she knew it, they had arrived at the registry building. It, like so many other places on Cato Neimoidia, was a beautiful and luxuriously adorned structure. As they walked, Hera listened to Tala's question and nodded solemnly. Quietly, she whispered back, "Don't worry, I have prepared for such contingencies." and continued to walk into the building.

It was more luxury than function inside, and they were quickly ushered into a waiting area. Within minutes, the pair found themselves in a small office before a richly dressed Neimoidian woman and her protocol droid. Her facial expressions and eyes could not be seen beneath her mask and goggles, but Hera hoped she was smiling as she spoke, "Mrs. Britannia, is it? You and your assistant were on time for your appointment, this will be noted in the records. But your assistant's name was not put on the application for citizenship? I will assume this to be just a mistake, fix it now, I will allow no more mistakes."

Hera nodded calmly, a smile still on her face, and she handed Tala a datapad to fill out her information. The Neimoidian woman tapped her wrist gently and spoke, "I know much about you, Mrs. Britannia, and what you could bring to our Purse World, but I do not know much about your assistant. Why should the both of you be allowed citizenship? I expect a prompt explanation-" That last part was clearly directed at Tala, and Hera waited for the Padawan to answer.

Hera hoped Tala knew how to improvise.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Tala Contiello]

Relief washed over the Padawan incognito’s face at the Jedi Master’s quiet assurance. Tala had been worrying about one thing after another when told of their today’s agenda, but Master Albion continued to prove that she had things sorted out - from their visit to her friend and now, contingencies for when the registry asked for biometrics. The half-Tiefling, of course, didn’t doubt the older woman’s capabilities; she felt that it was normal for her to worry about things going sideways.

Force forbid things slipping from their favor today, though.

Unlike earlier, when they first arrived on the planet and were still free of their current disguises, Tala was a ball of excitement of things to come and their purpose on this place. Now she carried herself much differently as the pair of Jedi entered the registry building. The Padawan walked taller now, back straight and posture borderline dignified. Her expression shifted from neutral to mild interest as her ‘employer’ was interviewed by the registry officer regarding the disguised Jedi Master’s application for citizenship.

Receiving the datapad handed to her, Tala began to fill the form with the information she already crafted and mulled over on their way here. It would be suspicious to bumble around, especially with something so simple as to fill out personal data. Once done, she handed the datapad back to the Neimoidian with a small smile on her face.

Though she was surprised at the officer’s question, Tala had curbed and hidden it behind the smile that remained on her face, dark eyes flashing with interest as she straightened on her seat and crossed one leg over the other. Hands clasped and resting above one thigh, ‘Selene’ tipped her head in acknowledgement of the Neimoidian’s concern and glanced at ‘Mrs. Britannia’ before responding.

”I apologize for the inconvenience caused by my late inclusion on the citizen application. It was a clerical mistake on my part,” the half-Tiefling began, tone calm and voice sincere. ”Mrs. Britannia is a very busy woman who dedicates herself to her work and prefers a hands-on approach with her businesses. With her schedule, it is to be expected that she won’t be here to oversee and monitor proceedings on their early stages all the time. In order to have a reliable personnel to keep watch over future developments, Mrs. Britannia asked me to monitor things here in her stead. And if I am to stay here for long periods of time doing the duties my employer asks of me, I thought that applying for citizenship would be beneficial not just for my part.”

Outside she seemed so calm, so ready to tackle things head on as she finished her initial explanation and left the last part open for the female Neimoidian - which, of course, easily spelled out as Selene becoming an employed taxpayer. But behind her mature composure, Tala was trying her darndest not to mentally scream lest she unwillingly broadcast it through the Force for Master Albion to be assaulted by the Padawan’s panic. With her gaze firmly fixed on the registry officer, the Padawan reached out to the Jedi Master through the Force while at the same time trying to keep her panic to a minimum. She was, after all, still not on the clear, trying her best not to anxiously wring her hands.

Master, this is nerve-wracking; I should’ve prepared better! But at the same time it’s… challenging, in a really good way…

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

The Neimoidian woman seemed to take in everything Tala said and nod. Her expressions were unreadable beneath the mask and goggles she wore, but from her next words, it seemed she took everything that Tala told her and found no fault in it. "Indeed, your inconvenience is noted. I am satisfied with your reasoning. Now, hold out your hands so that we might receive biometric data from both of you and proceed accordingly."

Without hesitation, Hera smiled and held forth her hands, gesturing Tala to do the same. The protocol droid from behind the Neimoidian moved forward and placed each of his four metal hands on the hands of the Jedi. One set of hands took fingerprint data from both of them, and the other set of hands took bloodwork. Unbeknownst to the Neimoidian, though Tala would be able to feel it, Hera was reaching out with the Force and touching the machine.

Inside it, she reached its hard drive data and created a short in its information storage. It would take their fingerprints and their bloodwork data then its green eyes processed an acceptance of the information. But it would not store any of it, and by the end of the day, the samples would be disposed of from inside the machine. After all, there was no need to keep physical samples if the data was processed and entered correctly into the ISC database.

The droid's fault would be noticed on its next scheduled maintenance, which could be as early as the next day, but by then it would be too late. As far as anyone was concerned, the only metrics that could be matched to Selene Arcturus and Mira Britannia were their facial recognition data. Data which, of course, was based on the work of a very skilled holo-movie makeup artist. After a few more pleasantries, Hera and Tala would be shown to the door.

Their paperwork would be delivered to them within a week.

Smiling as they exited the building, Hera remarked, "You did excellently Selene, I cannot wait to work with you more."

/exit

 

[Tala Contiello]

Tala thought that she could somewhat relax as the female Neimoidian bought what the half-Tiefling said. The following instruction, however, sent the Padawan’s heart racing - and for all the concerning reasons.

She refrained, yet again, from glancing at Master Albion. Tala instead focused on the older Jedi’s earlier assurance that she had a plan for this procedure. Still, she stumbled ever so subtly at holding her hands forward, the Padawan trying her hardest not to let her fingers tremble. As the protocol droid’s metal hands closed upon Tala’s, the half-Tiefling’s gaze flickered upwards on the bot’s metallic face, eyes briefly locking upon the droid’s photoreceptors.

Please let Master Albion’s plan work.

No sooner did the Padawan mentally utter the prayer did she feel the Jedi Master touching the machine through the Force. Carefully, and with much interest, Tala followed Master Albion through the Force. The young woman blinked when she sensed the short created through the Force as the machine took her and the Jedi Master’s biometric information. Instead of sighing in relief, Tala returned the Neimoidian’s gaze and offered her a smile.

Tala remained quiet, only joining and returning the pleasantries when she was directly addressed. Heart still pounding, she finally allowed herself to huff out a breath full of relief as she and Master Albion exited the building, one manicured hand fanning herself.

”I was trying so hard not to hold my breath, Master!” she whispered at the older Jedi with a slightly awkward smile. At Hera’s remark, however, Tala stood a little taller, a little proud of herself for a job well done despite the anxiety she previously felt.

”Of course, Mrs. Britannia. The pleasure is all mine.”

Winking a bit playfully at the Jedi Master, Selene walked beside her employer as they spent the remainder of the day making plans for Mira’s future business ventures.

[Exit]​

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