"Congratulations," she offered with a sigh, realizing she'd lost this battle. Had lost the moment Finn allowed the trio onto her ship.
No wonder he'd been so quick to stalk away. Smart oshota that he was, he'd staged an early retreat so he wouldn't have to listen to her complaints when she realized what he'd done.
"You know I really hate it when you become the more reasonable of the two of us," Kira told him.
Raider's chuckle followed her as she strode over to Joule.
Kira regarded him carefully. "I thought you were on a mission. What happened to re-establishing your House?"
Most members of Joule’s House had perished in the attack that had broken its foundation and claimed the lives of its Overlord and many of its high ranking personnel. Joule, Ziva and a few others were all that remained.
As long as she'd known him, his sole goal was to resurrect his fallen House.
Now that he had passed his adva ka, he actually had a chance to do that. But not if he let himself get dragged into other people's battles.
"The Tsavitee are a threat to us all," Joule said with a stubborn lift of his chin. "Dealing with them takes precedence." His manner eased as a cocky smile graced his face. "Besides, I need to gain a reputation if I want to rebuild. Fighting the hostile race that assisted in attacking the adva ka would buy me credibility that would otherwise take decades to accumulate."
"How long did it take you to come up with that excuse?" Kira asked.
"I had a lot of time to think while we were waiting to see if the Mea'Ave would reopen the adva ka or not," Joule returned.
Kira’s gaze shifted to Devon. "And you—you're the only son your father has left. Are you really fine with possibly making him lose you too?"
Devon's expression was harder to read than Joule's, but Kira caught the glint of obstinance. "I won't abandon my brother."
Well, fuck. How was she supposed to argue with that?
"Fine, you can come," Kira said, giving in against her better judgment.
"Yes." Joule pumped his fist as relief showed in Devon's expression before he buried it.
Ziva broke toward the crew quarters. Kira caught her. "Whoa. Not you. You're staying here."
Raider, seeing she had her hands full and not wanting to stick around for when things got emotional, sent her a nod. "I'll leave you to take care of the rest."
"Coward," she called at his back as he disappeared into the corridor. "And you'd better not interrogate him until I'm present."
Aeron was her prisoner. She hadn't broken him out of prison just for Raider to steal the best part.
Ziva threw Kira's hand off her shoulder. "I can tell on you. Same as them."
Kira regarded her patiently. "No matter what threats you make, you're not coming."
Ziva's lip trembled. "She said we were sisters. Sisters don't abandon each other."
"Truer words have never been spoken," Kira said, her voice softening.
She wasn't so different from Ziva. While Kira would never have uttered such sappy words, she'd spent her life embodying the principle. Family didn't abandon family. All of the risks she'd taken to find Elise proved that.
The difference was that Kira was an adult. Not a child with her whole life ahead of her.
Kira squatted in front of Ziva. "Listen to me this once."
The girl avoided Kira's gaze. Stubborn to the very end.
Kira took her hand, waiting until Ziva looked at her. She supposed if she wanted the girl to listen, she'd have to offer up something of value. "If you stay, I promise to become your seon'yer in truth when I return."
Ziva's tears evaporated. "Deal."
Kira blinked. "That was quick."
She'd expected an argument. Maybe even a tantrum.
Ziva's grin was impish as she darted around Kira.
"I think she just took advantage of me," Kira said, watching the girl race down the ramp and out of her ship.
"I'd say so," Talon drawled.
Devon and Joule had departed at some point during her conversation with Ziva.
Kira looked up at the Tuann. "You sure you want to do this? You can still opt out."
Talon pushed off the bulk head. "I'll take my chances."
"I hope you don't regret this," Kira told his back as he sauntered deeper into the ship.
Alone, she stared at the view outside. It was strange. She'd been planning her departure from this planet almost from the moment she'd arrived. This was what she'd worked for. Her entire reason for undertaking the adva ka. To leave.
Now that the time was at hand, though, she was loath to part.
Kira took it all in. The way the night lay heavy and somber. The dim outline of Roake's Fortress of the Vigilant. The sky as it spit the last sprinkles of rain.
Somewhere out there were the last remnants of her biological family. A family she would have once sworn she was better off without.
A figure with burgundy red hair standing on the space port directly opposite her ship caught Kira's attention as she touched the button to raise the landing ramp. His amber eyes never left hers as the ramp slid up, the opening narrowing to a tiny slice until it finally closed.
"Goodbye," Kira whispered with a tiny catch in her throat.
Five
A hiss announced the ship's pressurization. Kira dropped her hand from the control button and stepped back from the exit hatch as the Wanderer's engines fired up. The deck's vibration brought a familiar comfort that helped her shake off the sense of longing plaguing her.
Kira took the corridor in front of her, heading to the bridge. She found Blue seated in the captain's chair, her hands on the controls. Devon sat beside her, studying her movements with a fascination that said he was committing everything to memory.
Joule glanced over from his chair behind the other two.
Kira waved him off, taking in the subtle changes to her bridge since she'd been here last. Additional chairs had been added behind the captain and pilot's seat. As if Harlow suspected Kira's crew would grow to need them.
Beyond that, it didn't look like much had been changed. At least not outwardly. Except for the additional seating, the layout was identical. You'd never know that Roake's ship masters had touched the place.
Relief filled Kira's chest. The Wanderer had been her home for so long. With Jin gone, she needed the familiar more than ever.
"Blue, a minute?"
Blue looked at Kira in startlement. "Now?"
"Now."
"But—" Blue gestured at the ship's controls in wordless explanation.
"Devon can handle it," Kira instructed.
Devon's face showed surprise for a brief second before he nodded with the most enthusiasm he'd shown since Jin's disappearance.
Kira moved away before Blue could complain. A vexed sigh came from inside the room before Kira heard Blue give Devon a rundown of the most essential things that needed to be done in the next few moments.
Kira waited patiently for Blue to join her. It didn't take long.
"You do realize Consortium made ships aren't like Tuann ships," Blue said conversationally as she stomped over to Kira. "Just because you know how to fly one doesn't mean you're an expert in the other."