"Seriously?"
"Yes." Mara held his eye, refusing to buckle.
"That is the most pointless thing I've ever heard."
"Welcome to the Palace." Mara countered, unmoved.
He sighed, turning the automemo Mara had carried in with her around to face him, "Fine. I'll have that one."
"You can't just pick the first one you see."
"I like it- it'll do fine." Luke countered unconvincingly, glancing back to the image, "It has colors, it has... what the hell is that?"
"It's a...." Mara leaned in, looking at the design and reading the short explanation that came with it, " 'Modified Navy Jack of the Core Fleet- to make reference to The Heir's military standing', it says."
Luke squinted, "It doesn't look anything like the Fleet Jack."
"It's modified." Mara repeated pointedly, reaching out to press the 'image replace', "The point is that there are thirty or so designs- you're supposed to choose one which you feel best exemplifies you."
"Do they have one with a womp-rat on?" Luke grumbled.
"It's not a literal translation." Mara countered, unable to resist.
There was a quiet knock at the door and Hallin entered, performing his usual flawless bow before glancing over to Luke, "Am I supposed to call you Highn..."
"No, Highness is banned." Luke said sharply without looking up, "And so apparently is waiting to be allowed to sit, so you may as well do that too."
Hallin paused a second before setting forward, his manner changing abruptly, voice open but droll, "Ah, let normality reign- or as near as we get around here."
Luke smiled and glanced up at that, and Mara shot a surreptitious sideways look at Hallin, aware of what he was doing. She'd never really thought about it before, but the medic had always seemed to be somewhere near Skywalker, whether he was in the Palace, with the Fleet or planetside with Imperial Forces. She'd always just considered him a medic in attendance rather than part of Luke's entourage; someone on the fringes of the elite rather than closely involved, though Luke tended to be guarded even in this.
Still, much as she dismissed him, it was Hallim's casual, flippant air which had effortlessly dispelled Skywalker's difficult mood now, and if she'd had any doubts as to his position here, then Skywalker's next words shattered them.
"Hallin will do it." Luke said, gesturing him forward.
"What?" the medic had just made to sit and froze mid-action, aware of all eyes turning to him.
"Come and choose a flag." Luke said, ignoring Mara as she spun back to him, green eyes narrowing as her jaw flexed.
"For what?" Hallin asked, stepping forward uneasily, though he knew full well; had been trying his best to avoid it.
"Me." Luke said, turning the automemo about.
Hallin glanced uncomfortably at Mara as he walked around the far side of the table then stretched out to press the image-change, leafing through the designs. Mara resisted the urge to snatch it back, frustrated that Skywalker wasn't taking this seriously.
"Really- a flag?" Hallin asked, echoing The Heir's own indifference.
"Absolutely." Luke assured, coming round to the idea now, "Choose with care- one day soon you may be flying it at half-mast."
"Why," Hallin asked, tone glibly dismissive, "What have you done now?"
"Nothing yet," Luke grinned, teasing eyes turning to Mara, aware that she was fuming, "That Mara knows of anyway."
Hallin leaned in to rearrange three images on the screen, "This one is good, with the stylized lightsaber hilt against the two.... are they moons or suns?... and that one with the... what is that?" he prompted, finger on a wreath on one of the flags.
Mara pursed her lips, so Luke prompted her expectantly, "Mara?"
She ground her jaw, but answered without looking to the medic, "It's lorric willow- a sign of royalty. They used to crown their rulers with it in the Teta System because they thought it encompassed the best attributes of a leader- it's strong but flexible and never breaks."
"I'm not from the Teta System." Luke parried without hesitation.
"Hey, I didn't design it." she grumbled. When she glanced up at him though, his expression was laced with wicked amusement rather than genuine confrontation, and she huffed, annoyed that he could bait her so easily, frustrated by his lack of interest in or excitement about his incredible new position and title. She held his eye and he grinned momentarily, then glanced down, finally giving a moment's considered thought.
"I like the first one- the twin suns..." Again he paused, seemed to reflect; "But with two sabers, crossed, not one."
Dark eyebrows scowled beneath her flash of gold-streaked auburn hair, "Why two?"
"I like the symmetry." Luke replied vaguely, adding, "And why don't we have Palpatine's precious wreath of lorric willow behind them, just to keep him happy."
Mara frowned; Palpatine had of course dictated the designs that Luke would be given a choice of, though he'd been sure that Luke would choose the twin sun design, given his heritage. But Luke was right; the lorric willow had been his Master's concept.
"How did you know?" it was all she could ask.
"You said lorric was flexible," Luke said, rising dismissively as if tiring of the game now, "That which is flexible is also compliant."
Was that what the Emperor was inferring when he'd ordered the design? Mara frowned; was he still playing his games, even here? It would be so like him to do that- and typical of Skywalker to spot it, his close association with his Master ensuring that he'd identify any entendré, no matter how subtle.
"Then why use it?" Hallin asked, offended on Luke's behalf, though Luke himself seemed completely indifferent, having already turned away to gaze distractedly out over the city below.
"Because I don't care; let him have his petty game. I really don't care."
Mara stared uneasily at the design of the two suns, the smaller of the two set part way behind the larger, not hearing Luke's words, something disturbingly familiar about the images, as if she'd seen them in a dream once...
.
.
As he left, Mara slipped away to catch up with Hallin. He cut through the unofficial shortcut which took him through Luke's spacious office and down the curved corridor beside the library, Mara taking the alternate route through the main cupola and running to be at the intersection point of the main hallway before Hallin, leaning casually against the wall as he rounded the corner. He slowed a few steps as he saw her, but clearly decided to try to brazen it out, setting forward again.
He didn't break pace as he continued down the corridor and past the silent Mara, aware of her disapproving gaze on him every step of the way, her eyes narrowed to emerald slits though she didn't move, didn't speak until he was three steps past her, the relative safety of the more public, surveillance-heavy hallway tantalisingly close.
"That was quite a show." Mara said, voice studied but casual. "Amazingly I never really realised until today."
"Realized what?" Hallin stopped, turning as he spoke, feigning ignorance though he knew what she was talking about.
Mara only nodded, "As I said; quite a show."
"Whatever it is you're referring to, I'm sure you're right." The medic said vaguely, hoping to disperse this, setting forward again.
"Don't get too comfortable though." Mara sniped, stopping him dead.
"Meaning?"
She shrugged, "I'd hate to think you... abused the position you've obviously worked so hard to gain. The repercussions would be... grave."
Hallin turned, "I think you have me confused with someone else- I have no ambitions above backing up a friend. And yes, I have worked very hard to gain that position; because I happen to value that friendship."
"Really? Because that was quite a display of persuasion today and if it was for my benefit I'm not impressed."
Hallin rounded on her, tone wounded and affronted at once, "Did it ever occur to you that The Commander's awkwardness today may be due to his discomfort at his new position - that he may feel that this is being forced upon him, or that he's uncertain what the Emperor expects in return?"