#tk151

Mara checked the charge on her E-11’s power pack once more as she crept through the forest, Sparky half-limping, half-marching behind her, one leg dragging on the ground courtesy of a lucky shot from one of the split-mouthed creatures hitting a servo near the top joint. “Well, those weren’t Quarrens, much as their mouths resembled Quarren mouths… I don’t even think I’ve seen that species…”, Mara thought aloud, “Sparky, anything in your databanks about them?”.  As the droid beeped a negative response, a sound to Mara’s left had her E-11 leveled at approximate chest-height for a human. High enough to hit any of the aliens she’d just seen working together to kill her. And those human villagers. “Alright, come on out, and keep yor hands where I can see them.”, Mara snapped in basic, then repeated in Huttese, Rodese, Ryl, Mando'a, Bocce and Devaronian.

"Akaanir Jetii adenn, akaanir darjetii balyc. Mhi be a’den aru’e par cyare buir…”, Mara sang to herself as she strode toward the group. The ex-stormtrooper was in full armor, over which she’d put on clothes designed to cover it, starting with layers of shirts and a pair of what passed for pants locally. Over this, Mara wore a hooded and sleevless mage’s robe with the hood up. Her helmet was hidden under a long scarf she’d wrapped over it until only the eyes were visible, and these covered by pair of goggles she’d made under the tutelage of the gatekeeper of the holocron she’d hidden under Sparky’s armor.

Whether or not to take the droid had been a matter of debate, ultimately settled by the fact she wasn’t entirely sure the droid would stay put if asked. Attached to the belt that held Mara’s robe somewhat closed was her lightsaber disguised as a control rod she’d seen drawings of, in case she needed to explain him. Presumably the loan shark she’d borrowed the money from had sent word ahead that she’d be bringing a ‘golem’. The droid had already been warned to stay silent, for all the good that would do. Over Mara’s boots and pack were leather and cloth (respectively) facades that seemed to fool most casual observers, even if other arts of her clothing didn’t, and a simple Force persuasion tended to convince those who weren’t that there was nothing too far amiss… at least, when good old-fashioned lying didn’t turn the trick, though the facade over her pack in no way hindered her ability to access its contents. Letting her more sarcastic side out seemed to complete the illusion that she was from the Anderfels. As a finishing touch, Mara had built her SE-14r blaster pistol into a staff, with a sliding mechanism to depress the firing stub built into the side.

Not far behind the ex-stormtrooper walked her favorite Templar. Which was to say one she’d practiced Jedi mind tricks on frequently enough to know she could be rid of him at any time. There was really only one person Mara was too deeply worried about, for the moment, and Mara’s singing stopped as she spotted that person in the expedition party. “Not much of a group. And here I thought we were going to be exploring the Deeproads.”, she derisively remarked as she approached the dwarf she’d been told was leading the expedition, “Guess everyone else was too cowardly. Typical.”.  Mara turned her attention to the familiar woman. “Well, if it isn’t the tour guide.”, Mara remarked, not bothering to hide her contempt, “Seen any madmen lately?”, she asked, sarcasm dripping from her tone like grease from bacon. Which she’d ‘suggested’ the Templar procure for her, and rested comfortably in her pack in place of the Imperial-issue rations she’d long-since run through. small sparks of electricity danced across Mara’s fingertips as she spoke.

"That’ll be enough of that, Mage.", the Templar snapped, "That is, if you want to be part of this expedition you begged the First Enchanter to let you go on.", he continued, "And stop using that Anderfels language. It makes me nervous.", he added with a huff, his tone of someone trying to seem more important than they really were.

"Yes, your Worship.", Mara sniped, eliciting a pose from the Templar that showed he’d taken her sarcasm as respect yet again.

At the sight and sound of the hulking contraption lumbering down Hightown’s street, El wondered if she was sure she’d packed enough wine for this trip. The answer came to her a moment later upon seeing who accompanied it. She definitely had not.

"Would you like me to explain the steps to properly breaking down, inspecting, cleaning, and reassembling an E-11 blaster rifle, proper Trandoshan etiquette, and how you speak to Stormtroopers if you don’t have a death wish, or can we just agree that the Shiny on the world she hadn’t even heard of prior to today isn’t going to know much about said world?", Mara pointedly asked, "I’m really not asking much from someone who could have walked away at any moment, you know. Just for information that will help me not have to blast my way out of the city.", she added.

As El did her considerations, Mara removed her helmet, then put it in her pack as she looked around for convenient places to change in. “Give me a minute. Shout if someone comes by.”, she said, ducking between a stack of empty crates and what looked like an odd extension to one of the buildings. Within fourty seconds, Mara stripped off her armor and body glove, then threw on her civilian clothes, using the Force to speed herself up. After making sure her Adjudicator slugthrower was safely tucked into the holster under her vest, then adjusting the vest to hide the bulge, Mara stepped out. “Better?”, she asked, then sternly added, “I’m not leaving the pack. Anyone stupid enough to try anything won’t live long enough to see what’s in it.”, she added, “How rough is this cantina we’re going to?”, she asked, shifting her posture to reflect more of her Mandalorian heritage than her Coruscanti, and hoping the confidence and toughness her mother’s stance held was at least partly reflected in hers.

El quickly stomped down a flicker of curiosity. No, she would not ask this obviously mad woman about her 'reality'. She had enough on her plate dealing with the mess of Thedas, no need to confuse herself. "Perhaps not, but a little gratitude wouldn't kill you, I'm sure," she said, disdain dripping off every word.

She waited somewhat patiently while Mara ducked out of sight. When she returned, El looked her over with a critical eye. She still didn't look normal, even out of that bizarre armor. Still, perhaps no one would look too closely at the strangely made and rather neat clothes. The pack would draw attention, but El didn't have the energy to debate it. "It will do."