The Emperor's unsubtle assignations aside, Luke had his own agenda for that night and the best place to hide it was in plain view. If he couldn't ignore the Emperor's order regarding D'Arca then he could at least exploit it, and while Luke was well-used to operating around Mara's constant presence, an excuse to remove Palpatine's eyes and ears was surely worthwhile.
Dismissing his momentary pang of guilt, Luke firmly fixed his eyes on the greater goal; they had never lied to each-other about their positions or their situations. He had a job to do, and he couldn't do it with Mara in close attendance.
.
Yet here she was, and she was clearly looking for someone. Did she know about his intentions tonight? Or more likely, had she found out about the Emperor's orders regarding D'Arca? Either way, if she was here looking for him then they had an interesting night ahead.
Luke turned away, hiding himself in the crown, mind focused on the task at hand.
The launch of the Invincible - or rather the Patriot - had gathered an unprecedented number of influential people in one place, both military and political; many potential allies, if approached properly. Those who may be open to such negotiations had already been identified, and Luke had the task of working his way round the carefully chosen selection of Destroyer Admirals and Captains, representatives of both the Core and more importantly the Rim Fleet, whose ships had accompanied Vader's back to Coruscant in Palpatine's grand display of force.
Although Luke now had large numbers of supporters in the Core Fleet, Palpatine had always taken great care that he had little or no prospect of accessing the Rim Fleet, so that to date Luke had the support of only a few Captains who had been transferred from the Core to the Rim Fleet, making this an unprecedented opportunity to increase his standing there.
There were also dignitaries, politicians and officials from all over the Empire; people of standing and power. To be here at all one must have certain credentials- which coincidentally made them just the kind of specialist entrepreneurs Luke was looking for. Those willing to claw their way to the top were often willing to invest in the future and every shrewd dealer knew that one should invest early; by the time such investments paid off, there was no time for latecomers. The earlier one invested, the greater the rewards.
So tonight he was selling, and the product was himself- not Luke Skywalker of course, but The Heir. Power, potential; a place in the future- for those prepared to take the risk.
Already he had invested a good amount of time speaking with those whom he needed to, scattering thoughts and suggestions, oblique offers of endorsement and future support, forming the beginnings of working relationships, affiliations and alliances within the Empire's expansive military and political machines. Mostly suggestions of such at the moment, a testing of the waters - it was too early for anything more yet - but the groundwork was laid... and the general attitude was receptive. Which was good, because he needed to have people in power who would support him- enable him to maintain stability through change. Needed to identify those who would be willing to work with him, the presently-subordinate, the mid-ranking and those within the existing hierarchy. As Heir he was in a position to create or consolidate status... to manipulate, elevate and maintain.
Power was something which came at a price, as his Master was so fond of saying. Some accepted this and others didn't. Those who played the game would prosper- he would see to that. Those who did not... they were of interest only in as far as that they were now fair game.
Officials and military personnel whom he felt he felt could be relied on would be quietly manipulated into new positions within the Fleet and the Palace, both by Vader and himself. The astute would realise why; some had already made subtle suggestions of deals to be made - the rest would find out in time. Some may never know - occasionally an enemy in the right position could do far more to further one's cause than any ally.
Wheels within wheels.
This was what he did now. This was what his Master had trained him for- in his own way and for his own reasons, but lessons learned were applied across the board.
And Luke felt no trace of guilt at drawing the willing or the powerful into his own strategies; these were intelligent, ambitious men who well knew the rules of the game, and if they chose to gamble it was at their own risk. They would have no qualms about using him in the same way if they could.
.
His eye was drawn by a movement from the crowd as Mara glided by several steps away, still searching. Luke turned away slightly, catching the sliver of her attention within the Force and subtly deflecting it, the action muted enough that he hoped Palpatine did not notice, or if he did it was only to take it at face value; as a rejection of her interest, given D'Arca's presence.
He glanced now to the far dais where the Emperor sat on his gilded throne divorced from his subjects by distance and disposition alike, making a rare 'public' appearance; he would stay a short while, then retire.
Luke was more wary of his disappearance than his presence; at least whilst he was here, he couldn't be watching his precious Jedi too closely. Though he had others doing just that; Luke had sensed four watchers scattered among the crowd already; it seemed a pointless act on face value, since Palpatine knew that Luke would sense them, but they served to slow him down in his avoidance, just as Mara did on a daily basis, and there were doubtless more, hidden in one way or another.
Eyes still on the Emperor, reluctant to go any closer but knowing that eventually he would have to, and that his Master would make the moment as difficult as possible, as he always did, Luke took the time to reflect on the day's events-
Admittedly the ring had placed into question all the hard work he had put into reassuring Palpatine of his loyalty, but he thought his Master had accepted the misdirection he'd provided - that he had wanted the ring, nothing more - a surface truth used to hide a deeper one, his search for some link with his mother shielding a deeper connection with his father. He'd tried again to contact his father on secure channels tonight, but again had been unsuccessful, though to his knowledge Palpatine hadn't cared to verify the 'facts' Luke had provided.
Yes, he had lost favour in going to retrieve the ring but now it was done, quickly addressed and dealt with, Palpatine's anger satiated. To have left the ring in his Master's possession would only be an open wound to fester on both their parts. He reflected briefly on Palpatine's unsettling accusations of his mother, much as he'd ordered himself not to- not yet, when so much hinged on tonight. Still, they hovered at the edge of his thoughts without showing on his face.
Had they been true? Yes- as Palpatine saw them.
That was the trouble with the truth; it could so easily be subjective. Another lesson learned at his Master's hand; one of his favourite games was to tell the truth scattered with just a few omissions and personal opinions. It was still the truth as he saw it- just not the actual facts.
What Luke needed for the facts was a name- something no-one seemed willing to give him. But even Palpatine's jealous diatribe had been of value; his father had told him his mother's given name and now he had what seemed like a profession; she had been a Senator - or at the very least involved in the Senate - right up to the time that the Republic had collapsed. And she had been involved in the resignation of Chancellor Valorum... and the Delegation of Two Thousand, whatever that was; records from pre-Empire days were scant, particularly those relating to the Senate. Those that were available were, by the very fact of being made available, unreliable.
Still, that was surely enough to begin a search, though even that was a dangerous thing. And given his own carefully-manipulated history, in all likelihood any useful reference to her would have been removed long ago- another of his Master's favourite impediments. Which didn't deter Luke; it simply made him consider his course of action that much more carefully.