Chapter 26

I smile and elaborate. "That may be true, but her death serves us a purpose." I pause a moment, folding a leg over my opposite thigh. Settling into my chair I continue on. "Laza's death will shake things up in House Vansae and create a problem that the Matron must attend to." I smile coyly. "Getting her attention will make our job easier, because while Matron Vansae is a formidable planner, she does not account for unforeseen events such as one of her daughters being killed by an unknown assailant."

Galinae stares at me in confusion "how does this make our job easier?" she voices aloud "if anything it makes our job *harder*!" she sighs "Kara, you cant be serious! House Vansae is not an enemy we need!" I sigh and elaborate in response. "House Vansae is but a means to an end, it is no secret that Matron Vansae treats with the High Matron, even providing security using her own staff. If we can draw out Matron Vansae, we have a direct lead to the High Matron."

After a pause I continue "Laza's death will shake Matron Vansae's mind and disrupt any plans she currently has. Which puts her on the backfoot with us. In the meantime…"

I glance to B'Nan "I need you to find anything of relevance from that data I extracted. Plans, names, transactions, dates, locations.. Something we can use to get to the High Matron." B'Nan smirks coyly at my order "A 'please' would help greatly.." I roll my eyes in response "I was not asking, I was ordering you..." I deadpan at B'Nan with a tense stare, making direct eye contact for a moment.

Gali meeps at the brief stare before B'Nan grunts and looks away, standing. "Very well. I will have something within the next few hours." I stay quiet as B'Nan exits the room before I look to Galinae "that's all I have for you, Gali, you are dismissed."

***

A few hours later.

After some time preparing, planning and considering a list of careful observations, I retire for the rest of the evening to my quarters. I remove my zip-up blazer and jacket, down to a tank top and pants. I unbuckle my gun belt and remove it before I slip out of my pants and slip the tank top over my shoulders. Now down to my underwear, which I slip down my legs.

I turn towards the shower stall and turn on the water. Running water was a rare commodity in space ships. It was expensive to put on a ship and the treatment, storage and recycling equipment took up useful space for other more essential, functional systems.

I turn back to the vanity to look at myself in the mirror. Below my neck line I had a scar from a cut below my clavicle that ran to the inner-most part of my right shoulder. I suddenly remember the Chimera operative I had killed to end my training with Farsa, looking away from the mirror to the side.

My mind goes over possibilities with that encounter. Why was a Chimera on the Iridian homeworld? Was I followed? Who was their employer and why were they searching for me? Certainly the first assumption was a Terran Federation agency that would use external assets to do their dirty work outside of Human spheres of influence.

Shaking that train of thought, I look back to the mirror. My eyes wander down past my breast and cleavage to my stomach and navel before I look back up at my face. I have bags under my eyes. A rather weary appearance, all the mental exhaustion seemed to be catching up to me at this point.

I resign myself to shower and get some rest. Turning back, I step into the shower stall under the hot water. Letting it run over my skin, I start to feel my muscles relax as the hot water runs over them, relieving the aches and pains I never knew I had all over my body.

I reach for a foaming soap bottle and squeeze a dot onto my palm. Rubbing both hands together to lather it up. I use the soap to wash dirt off myself as I think quietly. My hand brushes over the scar on my lower back, which is a fresh scab now. My healing factor means this is normal so the sting of the soap touching it is a reminder of that fresh wound.

I seethe a moment in pain before I sigh and go back to my thoughts, rinsing off the lather. I half-lid my eyes and stand under the water for a while. After ten minutes I shut the water off, wring out my hair and exit the shower, wrapping myself in a towel.

I emerge from the restroom portion of my quarters, and I pause.B'Nan is sitting on the foot of my bed waiting. "Are you done, Captain?" I feel my cheeks warm up in a blush and I grab my gun from atop the short metal locker to my right. I yell at him in my fluster "GET OUT!"

B'Nan stands and heads for the door, remarking aloud "Women are strange." he shakes his head as he exits my quarters. I sigh and calm back down, muttering "Pervert".

I turn and put together an outfit, laying it out on the bed before I head back into the bathroom to dry my hair out with a blower. I come back out to redress in a mid-thigh length skirt, thigh-highs, a buttoned corset and calf-high boots with 2 centimeter heels. After combing my hair straight I head towards the door. Not bothering with makeup as I head to the CIC to get B'Nan's findings directly from him.

I emerge onto the CIC from the bridge and look around for B'Nan. I spot him by a console in front of the holotable in the center of thee CIC, leaning on the console as he watches data streams scroll upwards with an observant eye.

I approach on the other side of the table and lean back on the ledge of a console. "So what do you have for me, B'Nan?"

The Gravidan grunts in thought. "I have a few options, but. The most viable is a dinner party being hosted on Eridan III in the High-Matron's residence in the next two weeks. We need to move fast to set up whatever it is you have planned."

I purse my lips in thought, then I smile coyly. Perfect! This is just what I need for the job. "Very good, can you forge an invitation?" B'Nan smirks "I can, and I can do it within the next 2 hours." I nod. "Then I have some preparations to go over for our visit. I expect the invitations soon." after a smile, the Gravidan offers me an mGlass. "Here is the intel. I also compiled a list of potential preparations you may want to consider."

I take the mGlass and slip it into my cleavage. This catches the Gravidan's attention, which seems to remind him of something. "and Kara?" he looks up at me and my brow furrows. "mmmh?"

"Would I be too direct if I said that your ample chest seems to make a great storage space?" While I knew B'Nan was quite gruff and that he was quite direct and hated mincing his words, I never thought he'd go that far. I sigh softly and shake my head "B'Nan? Sometimes it is best to keep words to yourself." I flash a smile and walk away. Feeling a blush coming on.

I head up to my quarters and flop onto my bed. Shutting my eyes as I slowly drift off to sleep with my thoughts. Was B'Nan really that infatuated with me? Or was he simply physically attracted? Would it be right or wrong for me to reciprocate that feeling? Was I truly attracted to that Gravidan or was I merely in a phase?

These thoughts whirl around in my head as I drift off to sleep.