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The advantage of Hera's typical technique is that it's controlled, and understated. She draws as little attention as possible to the act while she's carrying it out, giving her time to plant evidence and leave the area before most have even realized what has happened. But, once in a while, a particular job calls for a little more showmanship than this. Her work is never supposed to leave any uncertainty as to what it means, and who is behind it. But sometimes, there can also be value in sheer brazenness.

Which means that Hera's most recent target, Captain Orfanidis, was stabbed in the chest in his own quarters aboard the ISS Laran. At least the follow-up requires slightly less work – Hera doesn't even bother hiding her weapon. She hopes they find it. She hopes they find her DNA on it. She hopes they know exactly who did this, and that they walk in fear of when she'll do it again.

But if she plans to do it again, it also means she has to get away. Which is why she waits just long enough to ensure Orfanidis is dead before she drops her blade, and checks her time, before she steps back out into the hall. The moment she does is just as the ship's assigned cleaning "staff" is passing through. They're all wearing shock collars, so that they don't need a monitor, and are dutifully keeping their eyes down. Already disguised accordingly, it's easy enough for Hera to step in among them, and walk with them as they pass through the staff quarters.

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Kanan is off-duty at this specific moment, but on the whole that doesn't mean much. Any infraction now will only be paid for immediately, while at least when on-duty the Captain tends to wait until the shift is done to throw people in the agony booth.

Which is to say he's wearing his second-most pristine uniform as he prepares to leave his quarters and head for the mess. Only --

He tries not to pay attention to his Betazoid skills, because it only draws more unpleasant attention. If he were purely human, that would be something. Doubtless he'd have risen to Head of Security by now, if not higher. But as it is, he's barely a Lieutenant, and will probably remain there for the rest of his time. He looks too human, while manifestly not being one. It's . . . frustrating.

But regardless, as he pauses in his doorway to let the cleaning staff pass by, something feels off, a spark of --

His eyes narrow. Is one of the cleaning crew not burnt out and resigned? That can't be, the XO would never allow it. But . . . it is.

Edited 2018-07-14 17:30 (UTC)

Hera moves with the others, until they begin to split off, down separate hallways, to their assigned duties. Hera does the same, turning off from what remains of the group, still keep her eyes down and her hands folded in front of her.

But the hallway she turns down doesn't lead to any quarters she could clean. It's a short, empty space, and there's only a turbolift.

Edited 2018-07-14 18:05 (UTC)

Kanan, from his position in the doorway, sees the group break up, and that same spark of awareness turns down a corridor that leads to nothing on the duty roster. There is a turbolift, however, and that makes Kanan step away from his room and follow just behind the last of the crew.

He doesn't want the woman to run just yet, but he doesn't plan to let her escape the ship, either.

Hera walks up to the turbolift.

And then, she simply stands in front of it, angled very slightly so that her back is turned to the wall, rather than the outer corridor. Hands still folded, eyes still down, she waits.

Kanan stops at the top of the corridor, looking down at the cleaning woman beyond.

"Get out here," he says, because requests are for people, not slaves. "This isn't your assigned location."

Hera doesn't turn.

"I was given special orders."

Her tone might have been appropriately low and deferential - if she hadn't left off a 'sir' at the end of it.

"Don't lie to me."

His voice is low and even, and he starts heading down the corridor, pace quickening with every step.

She doesn't answer, staying completely still as he approaches.

And she waits. She doesn't have to see him to feel his approach, to sense when he's right behind her, close enough to reach out to her -

That's when she spins around, lifting her right arm to sweep across his chest in a movement so fast her hand might've been a blade. His communicator is knocked away, with such force that it smacks the opposing wall before tumbling to the floor.

"What the-- "

Kanan curses himself for not expecting this, at the same time as he shifts his stance, striving to turn this mess into some form of grapple.

He has questions for this woman. So will the Captain.

Hera moves so quickly, darting his attempts to grab at her, slipping behind him and aiming a very sharp kick to the back of his knee, in an attempt to shove him off balance.

She says nothing, barely making any sound at all.

He is still struggling to get his mind in line with what's happening, twisting and turning and being balked from overpowering the woman at every turn. His frustration starts slowly turning into panic, because if she escapes . . .

He's not even sure days in the agony booth will count as recompense enough.

Hera, meanwhile, is simply becoming impatient. There's only so long this can go on without garnering attention.

Finally she ducks down, and aims a hard hit straight into his stomach. Without pause, the same movement carries her up, so that she launches herself around his shoulders, leveraging her weight and moment to force him to fall backward toward the floor.

"Oof."

It's pathetic that he can't hold back that grunt, but it fits with how he topples over, landing hard on his back and losing even more of his breath.

He couldn't even speak if he wanted to.

Hera somehow manages to twist as they fall, landing with one foot on the ground. She stays down long enough to snatch his phaser from his holster, then jumps up, and kicks him hard in the head.

For a few seconds, then, she holds the phaser over him. But it's just long enough to catch her breath, and then Hera lifts the phaser, and aims instead for the turbolift doors. They erupt into a mist of metallic dust.

He can't see, after that kick to the head, and he can't think either, his ears ringing. Once his vision clears, though, he begins struggling to his feet.

"Don't you dare -- "

She kicks him down again, this time a straight, sharp stomp against his chest. Then she moves to the now open shaft, pulling a small, circular metal object from her belt as she does. Before she reaches it, she takes the time to shuffle his communicator with her foot, and kick it out, over the edge of the floor and down into the shaft.

"Do me a favor." There's no humor in her voice, no inflection at all. She glances up and down the shaft, finding the lift is above them. That'll make things easier.

"When they torture you for this, tell them the truth." She slams the small metal object against the wall, and it stays in place, a thin white rope now visible running from it. "Tell them who killed your captain."

And then she steps into the shaft, and falls out of sight.

Edited 2018-07-15 18:03 (UTC)

No. No. Absolutely not.

If the captain is dead --

If --

He is not being tortured for that. He is going to catch this woman, subdue her, and drag her before the XO so that they can question her instead. Or her the most. Regardless, he is not dying for this. Not today. Not ever.

And that's why he stumbles over to the rope, grabs it, and drops down into the shaft after her.

Edited 2018-07-15 18:05 (UTC)

By the time he's taken the rope, Hera has unlatched herself, having found that the lift doors aren't locked from the inside. She carefully rolls open the doors leading into the cargo bay, and slips out, darting in amongst the stacks of crates.

There's one pacing human guard on the far side of the bay and she holds the lieutenant's phaser tight in her hand. But for now, she'll try to reach the blind spot without more attention.

Kanan's boots smack hard into the bottom of the lift shaft, and he takes off at a run after the woman. He doesn't need to be silent, after all.

Though he does stumble to a stop under the eyes of the human guard. Great. Carrying himself in a manner unbecoming of an officer will surely be added to his tally tonight.

"We have an intruder on board," Kanan spits out. "I saw her come this way."

The guard only scoffs. "Right, Betazoid. Go back to your duty rounds, I've got this area handled."

It's a matter of seconds before Hera darts out from behind one of the stacks of crates, and fires her phaser, killing the guard. Once the guard topples over, she turns the weapon to the lieutenant, but doesn't pull the trigger. For the first time, she looks directly into his eyes.

Quietly, "You're not Terran."

Edited 2018-07-15 18:28 (UTC)

Kanan sneers, but --

"Half-Betazoid. What, you couldn't tell already?"

Everyone else seems able to.

Hera doesn't lower the phaser. But her thumb slides down along the side of the weapon, dialing down its settings.

"I can't half-kill you."

"I'd like to see you try," Kanan returns. It's nonsensical in the extreme, but at the same time her attempt would at least be a different sort of torment than the booth.

She doesn't have time for this. Hera pulls the trigger, and watches as he falls, stunned. Even still, she's careful as she approaches him, even kicking him again to make sure he's unconscious.

Then she pulls him back over her shoulder, and drags him back among the crates with her. There's no more time to waste here, and not too far among those stacks is the blind spot. She'd memorized the pattern, the markings, the lighting when she'd first beamed aboard, not to mention the path leading back to it, and though the lieutenant's weight slows her down somewhat, she pushes through.

When they reach the blind spot, she spare just a few seconds to check and ensure she's in the right place, and then holds the lieutenant's body firmly against hers, ensuring the transporter will pick up both of their patterns as she signals to be beamed out again.

There's a flash of spiraling light, and they both disappear from the Laran.

Thrawn is waiting for them in his ready room, not seated behind his desk as is usual, but standing next to one particular painting, hands clasped loosely behind his back.

He was told of Hera's unexpected guest, of course, and he has . . . questions.

He has also sent an ensign to help carry the unconscious visitor, so that Hera will be free to more easily handle him when he wakes.