"Are you sure this is a party?" a perky, female voice said over the communications device in Sahren's ear, "I don't hear anything that sounds remotely like a party."

Sahren reached up under her auburn curls and considered plucking the comm from her ear but thought better of it.  Her co-pilot wasn't very comfortable with this place.  In fact, there first time she'd even seemed to step away from her holonet terminal was when Sahren had mentioned this celebration.

"It certainly isn't a grind," Sahren replied, whispering into her own hair towards her ear, "but what did you expect.  These are people that believe that avoid temptation at all costs.  You really expect them to get all spiced up and dance on the tables like you?"

"Right.  Magic powers.  One with the force and all that religious nonsense.  Their high ideals didn't stop them from trying to conquer the Republic.  Until the High Chancellor took them down."

"I thought you believed it was all a conspiracy to eliminate the Jedi."

"It could be.  Or it was a Jedi conspiracy.  There was definitely a conspiracy somewhere."

"I am so glad you stayed on the ship."

Sahren attempted to mingle, touching her plasma caster and blaster pistol as if to assure herself they were still there.  She felt out of place.  She was wearing ordinary pants, a bantha leather jacket and looked more like a pilot or smuggler while most others here were wearing robes or archaic armour.  She also was the only one there that wasn't toting some sort of plasma sword. vibro-blade or... by the five worlds, some of them even had axes.  She was starting to resent Raksha's instructions to attend this thing.  What she wouldn't give for some Corellian Brandy.

She could see the stares.  The many of the people here attending looking down upon her.  She didn't belong amongst these folk.  What she wanted to do, more than anything, was to put on her Mandalorian mask and hide her face but that would be a sign of weakness.  She didn't like to admit or succumb to weakness.  Besides, she strongly suspected wearing a Mandalorian Mask in this group would draw even more stares.