Shale found events like these strange, and she was happy she didn’t have to participate. She had the option of going undercover, but she still wasn’t comfortable being out of armor. Especially around outsiders. ISB had received intelligence that a diplomat here was the favorite for the next planetary governor of Ord Radama. The Empire wanted to curry favor with the man and offered the most elite protection available.
There were intelligence reports that Sith activity had been detected and the desire to assassinate the diplomat. This man's competitor was working with Sith. The Empire couldn’t spare a lot of soldiers, so they sent Shale. The Mando thought she was signing up for an exhilarating mission only to find it was glorified bodyguard duty. She accompanied the governor wherever he went. Thankfully, she could slip into the persona of the stoic and rigid warrior that didn’t say a word and stared intently. It couldn’t be further from who she was under the armor, but it spared her the obligations of laughing at his terrible jokes or putting up with cringey flirting.
The event in question was a grand charity ball. There were high society people from all corners of the planet coming out for this. For all she knew, one of them could be a Sith. However, her presence in full armor was to intimdate and deter anyone from trying anything stupid. Even Sith had cause to fear Mandos. Especially one that finally had her jetpack fixed.
For now, Shale had her arms crossed, leaning against a wall near the snacks. She eyed all the guests, bored beyond belief. The music was dull and she felt entirely out of place. Stifling a yawn, she checked her chrono. Only a few more hours till the event was done.
Her comlink buzzed. She answered it discreetly through her helmet, informed that another Imperial was assigned and en route for the mission. She knew about this beforehand, though it didn’t list any names. Apparently the soldier had past dealings with Sith and qualified for this op. Shale thought nothing of it, wondering if the Imperial would arrive in armor or disguise. She didn’t care either way as long as the night progressed without incident.
@Alhon