Spooky time!

Tw: Stalker, death, kidnapping, poison.

Also, if you saw any errors, please forgive me.

I got two shots today and can't think straight. 

Tech turned his gaze upwards, taking in the bright stars that were a stark contrast to the darkness that was the sky.

"Tech, she wants to see you."

Tech flinched at the sudden voice, his frayed nerves making him react in a way he normally wouldn't have. "On my way."

Hunter crossed his arms, starting down at his brother. "Tech."

Tech avoided looking him in the eyes by staring at the floor of the landing dock. "Yes?"

"Tech, you can't pretend it never happened," Hunter gently said as Tech stood up. "You can't keep running away from what's happened."

Tech nodded, feeling a jumble of emotions inside him that he just couldn't unravel. "I'll meet her at her quarters."

"You better talk about what happened only," Hunter sternly said, using a threatening tone. "I mean it."

Tech hurried off the landing dock, entering the Kamino hallways with a heavy sigh. When had his life gotten so complicated?

He slipped his helmet on as he walked, his heart hammering in his chest.

He'd get to see her, he'd get to see her, he'd get to see her.

He shook his head, letting out a groan. He was better than this, he was a soldier, a genius, and his brother had been murdered recently.

He shouldn't be getting butterflies in his stomach at the thought of seeing her.

He hesitantly knocked on her door, the quiet tapping loud in his ears.

"Come in."

Tech stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He watched her glance up from her datapad before returning her attention to it, leaving him standing there in silence.

She typed something out before putting the device down, finally acknowledging him with a smile. She brushed her red hair from her face, leaning back in her chair. "Tech. It's nice to see you after everything that's happened."

Tech didn't say anything, unsure if he was allowed to speak. 

"Have a seat." Eliza motioned to the chair in front of her desk. "And take that helmet off."

Tech sat down, removing his helmet and resting it in his lap. "Ma'am, I was told you wanted to see me?"

"It's about your brother's death. As you know, I'm a specialist when it comes to investigating these types of things, and I have been working on finding out what happened," Eliza said, pausing to take a sip of tea. "You seem smart, and I need someone close to the victim to help me."

Tech adjusted his goggles. "You need me to help you discover who killed Wrecker?"

Eliza grimaced. "I hate to ask you to do this, since we'll be talking about his death. I would never want to talk about my sister's death over and over again. I hate to ask this of you, but I need someone close to him to figure out the note left at the scene."

Tech's let started anxiously tapping against the floor. "I'd be more than happy to do anything I can to help. Wrecker's death has been hard on all of us, and this would give us some closure."

"Thank you, Tech," Eliza gratefully said. "If it ever becomes too much and you need a break, you just let me know, okay?"

"Understood," Tech said.

Eliza handed him the note that had been found in Wrecker's hand. "The killer delivered this to my door this morning."

Tech examined it carefully before looking up at her. "I don't see how I was needed it this matter. It's perfectly legible."

"It has some references to stuff only he would know," Eliza explained, pointing at one of the lines. "Right here for example. Who's Lula? His girlfriend? Apparently that's where the killer left a clue as to who they are."

Tech's lips quirked. "Lula is his toy."

"Can you take me to her?" Eliza questioned, taking the note from his hand.

Tech gave a quick nod before leading her down the hallways, to the Havoc Marauder. They were alone because his others had gone off to mourn and cope with their loss in their own ways.

"Here," Tech said, pointing to the stuffy on the chair. "No one has moved her since Wrecker's death."

Eliza let out a hum before carefully picking up Lula, inspecting the stitching along the sides carefully. "Do you mind if I take her apart? I promise to fix her, but I think there's something inside her. The stitching is very tight, except in one of the ears."

Tech stared at Lula for a moment before blinking back the sting of tears. "You may."

Eliza gave him a soft smile. "I understand this is hard, and you have my apologies for what happened." Then she got to work, casting an apologetic look over her shoulder occasionally at him.

She gasped as another note fell from Lula, catching it with one hand. 

Tech snatched it from her, reading it aloud, "To my dear specialist, I've been watching you for a long time. I've set out a little puzzle for you, and if you manage to solve it, I'll reveal myself to you."

Eliza'a gaze hardened. "This is very serious."

"What do you mean by that?" Tech asked, staring at the note.

"Whoever the killer is, they did it because they wanted to get my attention," Eliza told him, clenching her fists. "They knew I'd be assigned to find them, and they planned this whole thing out. They're a sick, sick karker."

Tech blanched. "You mean to say you have a stalker?"

Eliza considered it for a moment. "I suppose so. This investigation just took a turn."

"How do we find them?" Tech questioned, watching the way hee forehead wrinkled as she thought about it.

"Whoever they are knows Wrecker well enough to know about Lula. It has to be one of your brothers," Eliza said before turning to him in horror. "Or it could be you."

Tech's face scrunched up in response to the insult he had just revived. "I would never kill my own brother! It makes me nauseous thinking about such a thing!"

"How do I know you're not just saying that?" Eliza demanded.

Tech frowned, pondering it for a moment before brightening. He scanned the note for a moment before pointing out a signature at the bottom. "Look! Here is a signature! Perhaps if I run it though a database something will pop up and I can prove I didn't kill Wrecker!"

"Go ahead and do that," Eliza said with a small yawn. "Let me know what you find in the morning. I need some sleep."

Eliza returned to her quarters. She grabbed her datapad and was looking at funny pictures of Tooka cats to unwind in her bunk when a message popped up.

Hello, my dear. Did you think I did a good job doing the stitching? I had to learn to sew in a single rotation.

Eliza's hand trembled as she turned the datapad off, closing her eyes and falling asleep to dreams of eyes watching from the shadows.

"Eliza, I found the owner of the signature!" Tech excitedly told her when they met in the morning.

"Really?" Eliza asked in surprise. "Who?"

"It seems there's a bounty hunter who used that signature to purchase land on Naboo several years ago," Tech told her. "I messaged him, and apparently he took a job to kill Wrecker. I have proof of our messages where he said he had never met me or heard of me before."

"I'm sorry for doubting you," Eliza said, putting a hand on his arm.

Tech's face flushed at the contact and he spluttered, "I would have suspected me as well if I were you."

"I think we should talk to your brothers now," Eliza decided, starting to walk at a quick pace down the hallways. 

Tech trailed behind her. "Of course."

They reached the training rooms, where Crosshair was rapidly shooting a target on the wall. Eliza and Tech waited for him to stop, then approached him carefully.

"Crosshair?" Eliza softly called out, making him look up at her with a scowl.

"What?" Crosshair snapped.

"Can we talk to you?" Eliza requested. "About Wrecker?"

Crosshair slammed his fist into the wall. "Leave me the kark alone!"

"Crosshair, we need to ask you if you've ever hired a bounty hunter," Tech said to Crosshair, trying to convince him to speak with them. 

"Why would I do that? If I wanted someone dead I'd kill them myself!" Crosshair hissed before pushing past them. 

Eliza stared after him, pity in her gaze. "Poor thing. The grief is hard on him."

"It's hard on us all," Tech grimly said, watching his brother storm off.

"Hunter, we need to speak with you."

Hunter snapped his gaze up to them, looking up from his tray of food. "What is it?"

"Have you ever hired a bounty hunter?" Tech bluntly asked.

What? No." Hunter frowned at them. "Why would I ever do something like that?"

Tech ran out of the room, the situation obviously becoming too much for him.

"I don't get it," Eliza muttered. "Who could have done it?"

Her datapad dinged.

Eliza pulled it out in confusion, wondering who could be messaging her.

Hello, my dear. Have you figured out who I am yet? You've ruled out all your suspects. Actually, since you're doing so poorly, I'll give you a hint. I know how much you love tea.

Eliza pulled her brows together. 

Who could know she liked tea?

Eliza walked back to her quarters, wondering who could possibly know that, and why it could be a hint.

She found a cup of tea waiting for her on her desk, and took it with her to her bed. She curled up with it under her blankets, thanking her friend for leaving it there like they always did at after she had a long day. 

She took a sip as she looked at more pictures of Tooka cats.

They really were adorable.

She giggled as she found one with its head stuck in a basket before scrolling to the next one.

The cup fell out of her hands, breaking on the floor.

Eliza felt weak, her vision swimming as she scrambled out of bed, the blankets weighing her down as she fell onto the floor.

The side of her face fell into the spilled drink as she went limp on the floor, passing out shortly after that.

Eliza felt something press against her forehead, making her begin to stir.

"My dear, it's time to wake up."

Eliza opened her eyes sleepily, brushing whatever it was from her forehead. 

A hand clasped her own.

Eliza sat up instantly, making eye contact with Tech, who was looking at her in concern. "Tech?"

"Oh, Eliza, I found you unconscious on the floor," Tech told her, voice laced with disappointment.

"Huh?" Eliza murmured as he gently pushed her back down.

Tech tsked. "And even after the killer told you they knew you liked tea, you just drank it?"

"I don't understand," Eliza confessed.

"My dear, I thought you were smarter than this," Tech clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disappointment. 

It was starting to dawn on Eliza.

"You killed Wrecker." Eliza scooted away from him, her back hitting a wall. 

"What?" Tech said in mock outrage. "Of course not! I hired someone to do it! Do you really think I'd kill my own brother?"

"I still don't understand!" Eliza's throat aches and her eyes stinged with the threat of tears.

"I chose to write down private information about Wrecker, because you'd need someone close to him to assist you," Tech whispered. "And the bounty hunter had never heard of me before because I used Nala Se's datapad to message him. I stole it and returned it without her knowing."

"Why?" Eliza demanded. "Why would you do this?"

"This was the only way to get you to notice me," Tech cooed, tracing his cheek with his finger. 

Eliza flinched away from his touch. "I need to go."

Tech watched her stand on wobbly legs, stumbling to the door.

It was locked.

"Let me go!" Eliza exclaimed. 

"Why would I do that, my dear?" Tech questioned.

"You sick son of a-" Eliza started, but was cut off with Tech shushing her.

"I was afraid you'd turn me down." Tech sighed and got up, unlocking the door. "Goodbye, Eliza."

Eliza ran out the door, not even glancing back.

She started coughing and raised a hand to her mouth. 

Blood droplets were on her hand.

"Didn't I mention?" Tech innocently said. "I poisoned the tea. The antidote needs to be given every nine hours."

Eliza bent over, body spasming with coughs. She glowered at him as she coughed up blood.

"So you have two options. Come back to me," Tech said, motioning into the room, "or run away and die."

Eliza pursed her lips. "How does the poison spread?"

Tech shrugged. "I don't know, and even if I did, it wouldn't matter. I have the antidote on me."

Eliza smiled sweetly. "I've made up my mind. I'll stay with you."

She wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed him. He put his hands on her hips, and her arms slowly travelled lower.

Until they slipped into his pocket, pulling out the vial.

She also grabbed the blaster from his waist, shooting him and pushing him, letting his body fall to the ground.

But before she could take the antidote, everything went dark once again, and she joined him on the floor.