Onderon, Izzy City.
A woman cloaked entirely in black, with only her masked face exposed, walked into a bar. She sat at the counter and said in a low voice, "Two glasses of Malgan Green Wine."
The bartender wiped a plate as he replied, "Sorry, miss. No alcohol is being sold starting today." He pointed at a holographic screen ahead.
On the screen was the portrait of a flat-headed, three-eyed robot, beside two large words—Alcohol Prohibited.
"Then two glasses of Kaxing Fruit Juice." The woman seemed unconcerned.
The bartender quickly poured two glasses of pale green juice and slid them across the counter, stopping precisely before her.
The woman picked up one of the glasses and took a light sip. Her mask was exquisitely ornate, resembling one worn at a masquerade ball, though it left her chin and mouth exposed. Her chin was slightly hard-edged, lending her a heroic air that did not quite match the style of the mask.
"Hey, miss, do you sing over in the East District entertainment block?" A young man came over and leaned against the counter beside her, asking in a teasing tone, "That place should be shut down by now, right? So doesn't that mean you're free every night?"
"The Galactic Republic's army will be here soon, and you still have the mood to come flirt?" The woman did not reject the man's obvious attempt to hit on her, instead answering with a question.
"What does the Republic's army have to do with me?" The man smiled. "What they care about should be the factories on Dexen Satellite. Once Dexen Satellite falls, we can just surrender. Besides..."
He shifted his posture, bracing one hand against the counter as he slowly leaned closer. His voice became slow and low. "With the apocalypse right before