for_everyone | (no subject)

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For a third time, Hera slid her stylus over the PADD, reading through her report. It wasn't that she was nervous, but –

No. It was exactly that she was nervous. Which wasn't something Hera was used to feeling, even when she had ample reason for it. She was even fairly certain it was something her captain inspired in her without meaning to. And yet, here she was, looking through her report, again.

Near the end, she rises from her desk, never looking up from the PADD. Hera carries it with her as she walks to the wall of her quarters, moving along it to the Replicator.

"Computer." There was a chime of recognition. Hera still didn't look up. "Water, ten degrees."

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"... you need to be prepared for an emergency."

That wasn't an unreasonable test!

"And this is why I have confidence that eventually you and the Captain will get along like a house on fire."

It was kind of an impressively madcap sort of test, but reasonable?

It wouldn't be the first time rogue AI overtook a Starfleet vessel's systems. Kanan can blame whoever programmed the holodecks.

"Maybe what we need is a crisis."

But she leans forward, resting her head in her hands for a moment. "Pretend I didn't say that."

Kanan's lips twitch, even as he sighs into his cup of tea.

"I don't know what just happened here, I was drinking this fine replicated leaf-water."

Which is to say 'pretending that didn't just happen is fully engaged'.

Except --

"You're really antsy. Are you sure it's just the Captain?"

"There are a lot of things I could be antsy about."

She chews on her sandwich, thinking this over. Ryloth, her father, any of the problems on board currently simmering beneath the surface. But -

"Maybe he's just the only one I feel like I can't do much about."

Aside from move a comma back and forth a few times.

"You could try getting to know him when you're both not on duty?"

The slight curve of his mouth -- a little wry, a little self-mocking -- suggests he knows how that sounds.

"I know for a fact he frequents the rec lounge on deck 15 when he has beta shift off."

Hera takes a deep breath. It's not a bad idea, but it also doesn't make her feel any less anxious.

"Well then - you might have to try being a little less distracting."

"Oh no," Kanan says dryly, reaching out to brush his fingers across Hera's cheek.

"Anything but that."

"You're not doing a good job right now," she says, doing absolutely nothing to stop him.

Kanan grins, leaning over to kiss the tip of Hera's nose.

"If your report were actually not done, I'd be trying harder. I promise."

"Is that right?" she smirks, also leaning forward toward him.

The crackle of the comm activating is loud in the momentary silence.

"Commander Syndulla to the bridge."

The voice is smooth and understated, but very definitely to the point.

And that's about right, Hera can't help but think.

She leans back, giving Kanan an apologetic half-smile before she taps her badge. "I'll be right there, sir."

Kanan doesn't even sigh.

"I'll clean up in here before I go on-shift. Don't worry."

Whether he refers to the Captain or cleanliness is left up in the air.

She taps her badge again, and then smiles, and leans forward to very quickly kiss Kanan once more on the cheek.

"I'll see you later," she says, picking up her PADD and rising from her seat.

"Hopefully not on an emergency away mission. "

He's smiling as he says it, though.

And after she's gone, he's still going to be smiling.

Hera's own expression clears as she enters the hall. She pauses just long enough to smooth down her uniform again, and then heads for the bridge.

It doesn't take long. She nods a few times as she passes other crew members, and somehow feels her nervousness dissipate as she approaches the bridge. Facing a situation is always better than waiting for it.

"Commander," Captain Thrawn says, mere seconds after Hera enters the bridge.

He stands from his command chair, nodding briefly to a nearby science officer.

"Lieutenant Wren, you have the conn. Come with me to my ready room, please, Commander."

Given that the ready room is the next one down from the bridge, it isn't as if they have far to go.

"Yes, captain."

She follows him, though she glances to Lieutenant Wren long enough to give her a quick smile as she does.

Thrawn keeps his hands clasped behind his back all the way to sitting at his desk, gesturing for Hera to join him for a better view of the vidscreen.

"We've received a hail, Commander, from one of the planets in this system. I'm curious what you make of it."

Given that they're here to provide a mobile base for several scientists -- including Lieutenant Wren -- to study the spectra output of this binary star system far too close to a black hole -- and the system was reported uninhabited due to difficult gravitational forces . . .

"I myself, I confess, am not sure what to think, as yet."

Hera does join him, her own hands folded behind her back as she approaches his desk.

"A distress signal?" she asks, though it's the only thing she says before the message ends. Then -

"They don't have to be locals. Maybe deep space runners who made a navigational error."

She leaves unsaid that there are many legitimate, and not so legitimate, reasons to fly deep space in such a way that would leave one stranded in an otherwise uninhabited system.

"Hmm."

Thrawn's brow is faintly furrowed as he considers a swathe of possibilities.

"Desperate people are often inclined to do desperate, foolish things. Our away party, should we send one to investigate, ought to be made of up at least a few who are prepared for an ambush."

"Our Chief of Security might be able to confirm whether the distress call is genuine."

At least it's one of the advantages of Kanan being half-Betazoid.

"A good thought."

Thrawn's thin mouth curves in the faintest smile, and then he taps his badge.

"Lieutenant Commander Jarrus, report to the captain's ready room post-haste."

Once that's done --

"Any other suggestions? Perhaps Lieutenant Orrelios and Ensign Vanto, should we decide the message is genuine."

Edited 2017-08-13 17:06 (UTC)

Hera glances away, briefly, at the Captain's shift in expression, but otherwise her own doesn't change.

"I can lead the away team."