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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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"Circumstances change."

He means it to be flippant, but . . . it's not.

She shakes her head.

"Not for this."

He's silent for a moment.

Then --

"Let's say I believe you."

(Because he does. Honesty is very convincing, to a Betazoid.)

"What do you want me to do first?"

Hera leans back in her chair, then turns, looking to Thrawn.

"I think he should eat first."

Thrawn nods once, sharply, and moves to sit behind his desk.

"You seem to have this well in hand. Have him back here tomorrow morning, after the late shift breakfast. Locating quarters is up to you, of course, as is wardrobe. You'll know what best fits in with the crew."

He steeples his fingers once he finishes speaking in Sy Bisti, gaze fixed on Kanan for another long moment.

"We'll talk about that tomorrow. For now, let's see that you have your basic necessities taken care of. Hera, if you would?"

Hera nods, rising from her chair before looking back to Kanan.

This time, at least, she's not so openly bracing for an attack as she waits for Kanan to stand.

He hesitates, waiting until Hera is on her feet before slowly getting to his own.

"I'm going to have to learn another language, aren't I?"

Because speaking Terran seems . . . unwise.

"Betazoid is mostly telepathic, and I don't have much else."

Hera waits until he has risen, before she turns slightly - enough to lead a path toward the door, though not to turn her back to him. She again glances toward Thrawn, but then back at Kanan as she answers.

"Most of us have had to learn English. Many only speak it and their native language. Unless we have a translator available, we often have to use it."

There are times when practicality has to outweigh distaste.

"I see," he says, a little more quietly.

He doesn't yet, not really. But . . . maybe someday.

Kanan seems reluctant to leave Thrawn at his back, though it makes his path toward the door a little more obviously elaborate than Hera's.

Hera notices, and she knows Thrawn will notice, as well.

But she just says, "Stay close to me. We don't want anyone getting confused by that uniform."

And, with another glance back to Thrawn, "Do you want me to come back, after he's secure?"

Edited 2018-07-19 01:29 (UTC)

Thrawn merely lowers his eyelids briefly, a gesture as good as a nod.

"Secure and settled, I think. No need to give him time to ponder his fate."

"Yes, sir."

She reaches the door, opening it and glancing out into the hallway first, before motioning Kanan to follow her.

Kanan has to visibly stop himself from saluting on his way out the door.

A lot of habits will die hard, if they vanish at all.

It is very late in the evening when Thrawn is finally gifted with Hera's return.

He has tea on the table, again, and has placed two comfortable chairs on either side of a small table, one with just enough space on it to fit the teacups and a small plate of finger foods. Bitter ones.

"Sit, please. Where did you finally place him, if I may inquire?"

"I talked to Oona, she thought of one of storage holds on the lower deck."

She speaks as she crosses the room from the door, and takes the seat that Thrawn has set out for her.

"We fixed it with a cot, and it was meant for secure cargo, so it connects to a restroom for a guard to use. And the door locks."

So they won't have to worry about anyone getting in or out without their knowledge. "And I gave him a communicator, if he needs it."

Though aware of the tea, Hera, for the moment, keeps her eyes on Thrawn.

"Sensible precautions, all," Thrawn says. This is his version of praise.

"Do you have an idea of who to set on guard? Besides yourself, of course. What sort of person will our newest recruit prefer to bond with?"

Hera thinks over this, and then answers, "Muroc. Or Vidat Sorec."

She's trying to balance her what she thinks would be a willingness to work with a Stafleet defector, and a personality she imagines would work with Kanan's temperament. But she's not sure she has a strong enough sense of him to anticipate that.

"Or another Betazoid, if that were possible."

"Vidat Sorec will do, but I'll send word to Organa, see if we can get her Betazoid friend assigned to this ship."

He inhales, eyes drifting briefly closed.

"It will be an interesting personality match, certainly, but Amilyn is canny, and she does tend to have a deft hand."

"She might help him change his ideas of Betazed, in any case."

Hera takes a breath, then does look down to the tea.

No use in letting it get cold.

"Small beginnings may serve us very well."

He smiles faintly, lifting his own teacup and taking a sip.

"Your own actions speak to that, no?"

Hera takes a sip of her own tea, and then says, "He seems persuaded, for the moment."

"Then let us build a chain of such moments, and in the end he will be ours."

Thrawn's voice is very mild, but his expression is anything but.

"It will certainly broaden the available mission options, no?"

"Yes, sir."

Hera's eye flicker down, just for a few seconds. It's a rare occurrence; she usually makes a point of maintaining his gaze.

"It doesn't sound as though the Terrans were making very good use of him."

"They have a very narrow -- and very brutal -- lens through which they view the world."

Thrawn's voice is dry.

"Which is to say, I believe you are correct in that assessment. Though it will take time to bring him to full utility -- no doubt he harbors prejudices that will make him difficult to work with, on occasion."

"If he's being truthful, then I think we've already pushed through much of his resistance."

He did seem to have moved past 'live a Terran, die a Terran' after all.

"Though that must be why Terrans won't allow anyone but themselves very high in their ranks. They know they don't give much reason for loyalty."