"Quiet or they'll notice us." Revan signaled to both Turan and Shim. Getting caught infiltrating the royal palace on Hapes, was not something that would end well for anybody.
The pair of arguing Norgri's paused before turning to her and nodding. The trio resumed forwards with their operation.
Climbing the ledge of one of the many rain soaked rooftops of the palace, proved no obstacle for any of them.
Revan was about to move forwards before Turan put his staff in front of her. "There." He whispered, pointing to a patrol of two women. "Gas them." She ordered and the two commandos moved just behind the pair before releasing the toxic mist from their staff; the guards dropped dead immediately.
Revan herself was impressed by the capabilities of these weapons and with the help of the duo, built one for herself.
Reaching above a window, she reached out using the force, trying to anticipate when lightning would strike next. She intended to time it with her breaking of the window.
Five minutes of wait later, she sensed an incoming thunderbolt and slammed her staff right into the palace window; jumping in along with the Noghris.
The three guards inside were easy work, having been caught off guard by the trio jumping in and kicking them to the floor before delivering a staff to the face.
"You remember the layout?" She questioned to which both nodded. "Well search the areas we agreed upon where the clone is most likely to be. You also have my brothers' younger pictures for reference." The last part came out almost forced; she didn't want to think about her late brother. His memory was sour and sweet at once but she tried to forget the sour in particular.
But she wasn't the only one pained by his 'death'. The Noghris were also mourning his death. They had sworn a life oath to protect him yet they failed and were now bound to help the closest member of his family; in this case it was his sister.
They split up, hoping to cover as much ground as possible. Their target was a very tall child with a slender build and wearing extravagant outfits befitting of the royal family.
The hallways were lined with patrols of guardswomen who they evaded; killing more would just be too obvious.
The layout Sigil had provided before his departure for Fondor was matching with what they were seeing but the child's quarters were unknown even to him.
The three were forced to sneak a peek into every room in the living areas of the palace. Leaving no room for doubt; they even searched all educational and training areas while under immense pressure not to be caught.
Revan was heading into yet another room when she felt the comlink on her belt vibrate. "Talk." She whispered. "Found a tall and slim child. Her face seems to match that of the late Admiral but her hair is red." Shim spoke.
"I'll come and check. Location?" She asked. "Room fifty-six-G, western wing. I've got the child incapacitated and Turan is on his way." Shim said, ending the call.
By the time Revan had snuck her way there, Turan and Shim had the child ready to go. "This one." Shim said as soon as she entered.
"A girl?" She mused. Looking more closely at the face, build and force signature, she determined that this was her brother's clone and the one they were looking for. "This is the one." She said, turning around.
"You won't be coming with us?" Turan questioned. "I'll destroy the rest of the genetic samples." She elaborated. "But look." Turan pointed. "She has red hair. Kaminoans were the cloners, not palace scientists since they allowed for minor changes like hair to happen." Shim said.
"Yeah you're right." She admitted after pausing for a bit to think about it. "Let us get out o-" She was interrupted by the door sliding open and a tall woman walking in wielding a guardian staff.
Revan quickly pressed the gas release on the woman's face and watched as she fell to the floor after coughing for a few seconds.
"Next bolt will strike..." She said, closing the door and grabbing the woman's staff. "Now!" She said, throwing the staff to match the next lightning strike.
They all climbed onto the ledge and started to make it back up slowly. For this part, the girl was levitated by Revan using the force as they crossed the narrow walkway; careful to avoid security droids flying about.
Reaching their secret parking spot uneventfully, Revan reached out, trying to feel for the ships' exterior. The awaiting Ghost of General Hera was parked just above with all but repulsorlifts turned off.
Making their secret tap, she opened the door and let them climb up the boarding ramp and up, the child slung over Turan's shoulder.
Once in the cabin, they set her to rest in one of the old bunks of the Ghost before heading off to report their finding to the rest.
"So what is it." Hera asked once they had entered the cockpit and she had begun to meticulously fly through the royal capital, avoiding almost anyone until they were far enough from the city to attempt a full dive upwards and make a mad dash for the New Republic.
Although not as adept as her brother, Revan was still a capable navigator and would be able to get them out of the Hapes cluster with only one jump.
Hera suddenly pulled the ship upright while turning on the engines and having diverted all power to them.
Not two minutes later, a squadron of fighters was hot on her tail. "Gunners!" She said. The two Noghri commandos instantly went into the twin turrets of the ship and began responding to the fighters with deadly aim.
Hera, still continued with her erratic and asymmetrical piloting trying to shake the fighters off her tail and leave. But there were cruisers waiting in orbit.
"Watchout for those cruisers!" Revan warned. "I've run worse blockades." She joked, dismissing the notion that they posed any threat.
Once the Ghost was in space, aside from the fighter Hera had to also work around dodging laser cannons from the orbiting cruisers.
"We're outside the gravity well Hera! Flip!" Revan yelled. "What?!" She asked in confusion. "Belly up!" She elaborated. "If you say so." She muttered, flipping the ghost onto its belly. That is when Revan pulled on the hyperdrive lever.
Neither Revan or Hera even talked for the duration that they were stuck in the Hapes cluster.
Once out, they jumped back into real space so a proper route back into the New Republic could be calculated. "Great piloting, as always." Revan complimented. "Thank you but let us not forget why we came here." Hera reminded. "Turan, Shim, move to meet us at the quarters." Revan said into her comm.
Once in the same hallway, they heard the door open and out walked a girl with waist length red-good hair, slender frame and tall limbs and of abnormally tall height.
"Who are you?!" "Where am I?!" She demanded from the strangers. "Woah, woah, calm dow-" "How am I supposed to be calm?!" She cut Hera off.
"Okay fine. Look you were the heir of the Hapes Consortium and don't know your own father, right?" Revan asked. "So you don't even know who you were supposed to kidnap!" She replied, flinging her arms.
"Answer." Revan said, this time more authoritatively. "Ues." The girl replied. "Well, that is a lie." Revan said flatly...
It took Hera, Revan and the Noghris hours of showing her old files, quick genetic testing using the Ghost's medical bay and videos to convince Nevarra that she wasn't a member of the Hapan royal family.
"So why did you bring me out of there?" She finally asked, defeated. "To protect you." Revan said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hapan politics will be the end of you. Who you think is your mother, is ruler because she allied with our lost expedition and agreed to give us the needed equipment to fly out of the cluster if we assisted her." Hera reminded. "Thank you, I guess I owe you." She said, still uncertain.
At that moment, Chopper rushed into the lounge and began beeping frantically. "What is it Chop?" Hera questioned. "Bop bop, bop bop bop beep." Was the noise he made.
"Thank you." She said, walking off towards the cockpit.
"Where did she go?" Nevarra asked. "Well, we are about to drop out of hyperspace, so she is going there to pilot it." Revan replied. "You two understand that thing?" She questioned looking up at her 'aunt'. "Bop boop bop." Chopper replied, getting his taser out. "You put that down!" She ordered and the droid complied. "You see certain droids develop sentience over time if their memory banks aren't wiped every once in a while." Revan replied, pulling Nevarra in for a hug as they looked at the center console. "Wanna play?" Revan asked, smugly. "Better get your game on!" Nevarra replied.