She eyed Lieutenant Hawkins from his coiffed hair down to his recently polished boots. What a prick. She thought.
"Well, I'm Thea and I don't take kindly to those who accuse me of something. Regardless of if I did or didn't do it." She tried to struggle again against the officers' grasps. "You know this is all so very annoying and I've had kind of a crappy day. What do you say to letting me go and doing this some other day, hmm?"
Lieutenant Hawkins leaned in close to her face and gave her a smug smile, "This an inconvenience for you?"
"As a matter of fact," she forcefully yanked one of her arms free from its hold, "it is!"
She heard the shocked inhale of breath from one of the guards just seconds before she landed a punch on the side of the Lieutenant's pretty face.
It was as if it happened in slow motion. Her knuckles collided with his cheekbone just enough for his head to whip to the side. She watched his green-blue eyes close like he was more annoyed by her left hook than in pain by it. He deliberately made an effort to turn his head back towards her. Thea only had eyes for him, but she could imagine the look on everyone else's faces in the bar – looks that showed their uneasiness and undivided attention as to what would happen next. Assaulting a ranking officer of the Interstellar Federation was a prosecutable offense.
Lieutenant Hawkins rubbed a hand against his already reddening cheek.
"That's a nice shiner you'll have there, Lieutenant."
She mocked his title blatantly, having had no respect for the Federation or its rules before, and this encounter had surely not softener her opinions towards them. The guard whom she had gotten loose from a minute before grabbed her again, this time with no sense of gentleness. His partner procured a pair of cuffs from his satchel and secured her wrists. She had worn these once or twice before and was not a fan of them. Though the Federation consisted of a bunch of stuffed shirts and shiny medals, they didn't fool around with their tech. This particular style of cuffs that delivered a jarring shock to the victim when the material was overstretched due to struggle.
Too bad for them they hadn't cuffed her earlier.
People always seemed to underestimate her. Spratt had made that mistake and he'd be sorry for it soon enough. Or so she hoped.
She turned her attention back to the Lieutenant and not that she had anything other than hate for him, but she gave him silent credit for not responding to her punch nor her insults. Usually, at this point, her captor had either slammed a fist into her gut, slapped her across the face, or had had someone else do the dirty work of retaliating for them. This Federation officer didn't even attempt to make a jab at her. She was impressed (if only slightly) but she didn't know that inside he was struggling to keep his temper under control.
Though, Lieutenant Hawkins knew that if he mirrored her actions the situation would only get more out-of-hand, and he really, really didn't want that. He had at least some sense to show from his years in the Academy. So instead, all he did was flash a smirk at her.
"It'll be something to remember you by then when you're in prison." He retorted, the only retaliation he could allow himself without looking immature in front of his fellow officers.
Thea watched him then as he looked around at the patrons of the bar. She watched him take in the lowly scum of Mosli that frequented this dump, and many of the others littered throughout the whole of the Galaxy. These men and women were dressed in clothes they had been wearing for weeks. Their hair was greasy and their lopsided tricorns were adorned with holes and stains. The majority of them looked sallow and harsh.
These were people that men, like the Lieutenant and his officers, rarely gave a second glance at unless they had were looking at their names and faces on wanted posters. And if they did manage truly see them, the look they would give was one of disgust or disdain. Or at least, that's how Thea thought Lieutenant Hawkins would look at all of them, but the he didn't look at them with that air of contempt. He looked at them as if they were just another person he had passed on the road, no one of any particular consequence, just a person. She thought it rather decent of him to feign indifference, then she scoffed at his presumed air of equality. An air that secretly screamed of superiority.
You're not fooling me, Lieutenant.
With her wrists firmly encircled in electrically reinforced platinum restraints, she knew she definitely wasn't going anywhere except a penitentiary made of stone and steel. She saw no harm in delaying her ultimate journey before what could very possibly be a lifelong sentence. And she always did like to have a bit of fun.
"So, tell me, my good Lieutenant, what precious thing did I steal from you? Did I hijack something you were guarding or was this something more personal? I have to say I've been known to do both. I really have no regard for my assignments. Someone says steal, I say, 'what, when, and where'!" Thea smiled at him toxically, packing all her condescension into a sweet sneer.
He noticed her patronizing smile but figured there wasn't any harm in telling her what she had done, so he indulged her, giving himself this one semblance of revenge for his bruised cheekbone.
"You managed to steal twenty barrels of Helium-4 from a ship I was charged to see safely off towards the Coral Galaxy two mornings ago. I assume it's being put to better use somewhere else?"
"Oh, probably, but it's not like I care. As long as I'm paid, I don't feel the need to ask questions."
Thea could see this bothered him. It went against everything he must believe in. Honor. Justice. Honesty. Loyalty. All of it made her want to gag. None of those things had ever done her a lick of good. She continued to goad him.
"Twenty barrels of Helium-4 you say? Hmm." She said thoughtfully. "That's pretty impressive. How ever did a little girl like me manage to sneak those out from under your handsome nose?" She made a quick step forward despite her restraints and took a playful nip at his nose. She saw his light eyes go dark as his resolve completely disintegrated.
He lunged forward, ready to do act on that temper he had been trying to keep at bay when a commanding voice stopped him.
"At ease, Lieutenant Hawkins!"
Lieutenant Hawkins was inches away from her face when he heard the resonating voice of his Captain slice through the air between Thea and him. Composing himself as quickly as he could, he backed away, readjusting his uniform (a nervous habit) and turned around to face his superior officer.
"Captain Neyo." He saluted him. The Captain nodded at his lieutenant. He fought a small smile that tried to creep its way onto his face as he saw his lieutenant visibly relax at his small greeting.
Jim reminded the Captain much of himself when he was that age. Ambitious and eager to prove his worth, yet unbelievably tense at the thought of screwing it all up at a moment's notice. Oh, what it was to be young!
He looked around Lieutenant Hawkins and noticed a small girl, well more of a small woman really, being held captive by Officers Geenam and Hoth. He took a step towards both of them, Jim obligingly moving out of his way so he could get closer to their arrestee.
Thea made no effort to conceal her scornful look. She thought this Captain looked even more ridiculous than his Lieutenant. His white and navy uniform was dripping with medals and pendants and the flashy gold sash that ran from his right shoulder down to his left hip was the only strip of fabric not adorned with mementos of heroic deeds. This was a highly decorated Federation officer.
With his hands clasped behind his back, the Captain eyed her much like his lieutenant did, studying her in a way that made her feel more like she was a animal from one of those Galactic Zoos than a normal, albeit criminal, 21-year-old woman. Despite his incriminating eyes, she kept with her charade.
"I'd salute you, Captain, but as you see, your Lieutenant has so kindly restrained me. My deepest apologies." She bowed low.
Without missing a beat, he responded cordially, "None taken, young lady."
This time it was Thea who looked at him like he was an animal in a zoo and she burst out laughing, taking her guards uncharacteristically off-guard.
"Oh my stars! Captain, you're funny!" She breathed out between laughter.
"Captain, this is the thief who stole those barrels off of the RLS Andromeda." Lieutenant Hawkins reported urgently trying to speak over Thea's almost maniacal outburst, but Captain Neyo simply nodded, his attention directed towards observing Thea.
Her laughing had stopped and though her eyes were watering from laughter, he could see the severity in her eyes and the shadows of a hard life plainly on her face. She gave nothing and everything away all at once; Loss, and loneliness. Anger and sadness. And an overwhelming instinct that screamed, 'fight!' at every possible moment.
Thea tried to wipe her eyes, but flinched at a slight jolt of electricity, and looked warily at the Captain. "What is it with you Federation lot?" Thea blustered. "I'm not some animal to be gawked at!" She hardened her face and glared at the Captain, willing her expression to seem as menacing as possible. She got as close to the Captain's face as she dared and tried to look her fiercest.
"Captain, like I told your lieutenant, I've not had the greatest day, and I'd appreciate it if you all get your noses out of my business and I promise to stay out of yours. What I stole wasn't anything that you'll miss, at least not personally. All I did truly was hurt your stupid pride and honor, and I've had just about enough of pride and honor and loyalty to last me a lifetime. And I'm getting rather sick of your presumed supremacy that you all project on this whole stupid Galaxy, so let me go or I swear you'll get it."
"No." Was all the Captain said.
Then she spat at him and watched as her saliva oozed down his cleanly shaven cheek.
"Oi!" Either Geenam or Hoth yelled at her and then she was kicked in the back of the knees, her legs buckling underneath her as she slammed down onto the dirty floor.
A sharp shot of pain went through her legs and up to her neck, her body completely jarred by the impact.
She knew she shouldn't have done it, her conscience always emerging as an afterthought, but what was there to lose anymore? Everything was already gone.
Captain Neyo wasn't disgusted, nor was he angry. He rarely ever got angry. Captain Neyo was very much an inquisitive person and the thing he loved to study the most was people. Psychology and sociology of the human mind. His colleagues said there was no need to look into the minds of criminals; they were criminals who committed all levels of crimes and they all deserved punishment for those crimes, and that was how it was. But he knew, the life of a criminal was more than just a thing that was black and white. He knew that from experience very well. He was fascinated by Thea Wren. Her unwavering attitude, complete disregard for authority, the unfortunate knack for either punching people or spitting on their faces and even stealing their precious cargo was only a portion glimpse of who she was. How does a person like her end up like this? He wanted to find out.
"Lieutenant Hawkins." He said.
"Captain?" Jim answered instantly.
Captain Neyo pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped the spit off his cheek.
"I want you and Thea Wren to meet me in my office in one hour."
Lieutenant Hawkins began to respond, "Yes, Cap- wait, what? Excuse me, sir?"
The Captain turned his attention back to Thea, "My dear, Lieutenant Hawkins will escort you home where you can get cleaned up and dressed in something more suitable. And please, do not take this opportunity to run. I have a proposition I think you'd like to hear."
Turning away from the still-shackled young woman and his baffled lieutenant, Captain Neyo repeated, "One hour, Lieutenant Hawkins." And then he was out the door.