To be clear, you can run away and hide. The only times I’ve been insta caught are when a guard is inches from me, facing me, because wtf is my character going to do with a blaster rifle in her face, she’s just a smuggler not a jedi

But typically, when a guard sees you from afar they go yellow and walk in your direction, checking out the disturbance and you have a split second to find cover or get away. If you fail to then yes you’re caught.

To be fair I am yet to understand why a restricted area means I can’t use my pistol, but I can sneak up on them and take them out with melee…or have Nix attack them and using one of the upgrade abilities have them shoot wildly during that and thus kill their own buddy next to them, and that’s fine? Why couldn’t I pull out my own pistol and ice them both myself