On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter LXXXVI

"....A ball?" Luna asked, looking at the Grey Jedi as though Ahsoka was speaking some other tongue.

"We are supposed to poke around for information. Apparently a lot of wealthy Imperials are to attend. We won't be the only team sent in either, Skywalker and Co. have a separate mission there as well," Ahsoka explained. It had been a few days since the two of them had regrouped, and Luna had been set on not acting sick the moment her fever broke. Thankfully the Togruta had managed to negotiate something more their speed for the time being.

She honestly still didn't know how to really handle everything that had transpired, but for the moment Ahsoka knew things were fine. The human girl, Sith apprentice or not, was still the person Ahsoka knew. It also helped Luna had been more open to answering all of the Grey Jedi's questions now that the fact she had been Eclipse was out in the open.

That said, she hadn't gotten a true answer for the fallout that had occurred between Luna and Vader, though Ahsoka had learned that Luke Skywalker as well as many of his companions knew of his relation to Vader. And Luke and Leia were twins apparently.

That had been a bombshell. Smaller than the one Luna had dropped on her the moment they met back up, but still. Ahsoka would have really liked to know ahead of time, thanks a lot Bail.

It was one of the few times she was grateful for the fact Vader had actually kept Luna in some form of the know during her time with him. And the fact that once something huge had been spilled, the girl felt obligated to explain anything else that may be asked.

Ahsoka really had a time trying to see how her friend could possibly be Darth Vader's infamous Shadow sometimes. Then again, the Grey Jedi had only ever heard rumors (that was a pet peeve of Vader's apparently, the girl had admitted to not being allowed near any form of Jedi activities until Commander Skywalker showed up). She'd never met with Eclipse in person.

Until now, that is. And even then Ahsoka could only believe it because she had seen Luna with yellow eyes and the expression of a general.

"Skywalker, seriously? You know my issue with them!" Luna complained.

"It's a masquerade-auction-ball thing," Ahsoka clarified, running her fingers over Morai's head. She had taken up Luna's offer of a pet and the convor had joined their little band of opposites. Neither Cerberus nor Morai trusted each other as of yet, but Luna had made it clear to the Tuk'ata that he wasn't allowed to hurt the bird. Ahsoka was still uncomfortable with the hound's presence herself, but had started learning a few words of the Sith language all the same to better communicate with him at Luna's insistence.

"....That does make things better," the human admitted, pursing her lips in thought. "Are we making up identities or using someone else's?"

"They're leaving the identity stealing for the others since you're so good at fabricating things."

Luna tilted her head in acknowledgement. "Well then, first thing's first, we need to send ourselves invitations, create identities that are obscure enough but high ranked enough to not be questioned. And of course dresses...."

"Dresses? Might I remind you we're broke?"

"Not for long. We'll just have to take a withdrawal from....Paleen Hastings, that's got more Imperial credits to the name," the human murmured.

"Who the hell is Paleen Hastings?"

"No one," Luna answered with a shrug, coming out of her thoughts. "I have dozens of bank accounts under different names, some with Imperial credits in their holdings but most with other forms of currency. There's more than enough in Paleen's to buy the both of us dresses worthy of a masquerade on Coruscant, let alone one elsewhere."

"....Why?" Ahsoka asked, astonished.

"If I had to run, Vader wanted me to have access to money. Up until I needed to get Cerberus's procedure done I hadn't dared touch any of them for fear of drawing his attention."

"....How much money do you actually have?" How much time have we been wasting by job hunting and working?

"Ahsoka, I was the Imperial Princess and heir to the Galactic Empire. Why in Force's name would I know the answer to that?"

The Grey Jedi opened her mouth, only to pause. "Fair point," she eventually admitted. "....Since you're withdrawing money anyways, can you get some for us to use in general?"

"Might as well," she answered with a careless shrug. "Might draw more attention, but we'll be drawing attention anyways. We should get the withdrawal out of the way before heading to wherever this thing is being held so we can hack into their servers and get us on the guest lists. Then dress shopping. And make up. We should probably redo your lukka pattern. Don't want Leia recognizing you."

Ahsoka could only blink at the words, stunned. "....Are you sure—"

"This is being hosted by Imperials, right?"

The Togruta nodded.

"I have been to numerous parties no doubt similar or identical—Palpatine loves his balls. Trust me, we need the right outfits."

"I'm surprised you went to any of them, being...." Vader's apprentice.

"Not all of them, especially if Vader had a say otherwise. They were dull, really. Sith don't dance."

"....I don't follow."

"You don't need to," Luna said, shaking her head. "Just one of many rules I used to have to follow. Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"