The pair voiced their acknowledgment of the order. The man stepped forward. "This way, if you please."
His gaze met Kira's over Brie's head for a brief second before he turned to lead the way. His partner lingered, ensuring that Kira saw her fingers form the sign for "you are not alone" before following.
Kira watched them go, wondering if Selene knew what her kids were up to.
Probably not. She doubted her sister would be okay with the two oldest placing themselves directly in the thick of things.
"Something wrong?" Jace asked, noticing where Kira's attention had wandered.
"Of course not. Just admiring your subordinates' professionalism," Kira said smoothly. "Hopefully that means they won't space all your undergarments this time."
"Weren't you the one who convinced them to do that?"
Kira allowed herself a smug smirk. Of course, she was.
"Those two are new. They were just reassigned to my command ten days ago." Jace glanced at Odin's hooded figure before leveling a meaningful look on Kira. "But that's not what you're here to talk about."
Kira was silent, looking between him and Raider in question.
"He knows,” Raider warned.
"What does he know?"
"Everything you're currently worried about."
Kira gave him a disbelieving stare. "You are absolute shit at keeping secrets."
"It was either come clean or let you face an invasion alone. He planned to court martial me and throw me in the brig if I didn't."
Kira waved her hands at Graydon and Wren's oshota. "That's why they're here. They would have gotten you out of it."
Raider and Jace sent Kira identical repressive looks.
"Alright, alright, I know," she said, giving in. "That's going a little far."
Jace was their friend. Having the Tuann break Raider out of the brig wasn't really fair. And would have permanently blown up Raider's career. Not to mention put a black spot on Jace’s at a time where he couldn’t afford to look weak.
"I think I've earned a little trust from you," Jace said softly.
There was a faint note in his voice that said her actions had hurt him. Kira tried not to feel too bad. What she'd done had been necessary. She'd always believe that.
"You know the value of operational security. Some things—they only work if as few people as possible know about them," Kira pointed out.
Anger touched his face. "You don't get to lecture me on the meaning of Top Secret. Even if I wasn't fully aware of how important this is, Raider and Blue are under my command. You had my own people deceive me. Do you not understand how bad that is? Be grateful for our history, Phoenix. It's the only reason I'm giving you a chance right now."
Jace stalked off, leaving them looking after him in silence.
"That could have gone better,” Raider noted.
Kira glared at him, still a little angry that he’d spilled her secrets.
He shrugged at her. "I made a judgment call. The best one I could make at the time."
Kira couldn’t really blame him for that.
Raider cast a glance at Odin. "I’ll wait for you in Jace's ready room. Don't keep him waiting too long."
Graydon joined her as Raider walked away. "I don't remember your admiral being quite that fiery the last time we met."
"Then you weren't paying attention."
Jace's call sign may have been White Knight, but he'd always been quick to anger. Unlike Raider, he tended to hold onto it longer too. The man held a grudge like no one else.
"What was with your interest in his subordinates?" At Kira's questioning look, Graydon smirked. "I know it was something, coli."
She stared, not letting anything show on her face.
"Ah," he said softly. "I doubt they're the forty three. That leaves me with only one other guess."
"What makes you say that?"
He leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You weren't angry at their presence, but worried." He straightened and smiled at her.
Sometimes she hated how observant he was.
"They looked more human than I expected," Graydon noted.
"They are human."
At least partially.
Kira ignored Graydon to glance at her seon’yer. "What about our friend?"
"Safely secured and under guard. Talon is standing watch with Devon and Joule."
Finally, something that had gone right.
"Your admiral was most perturbed when he learned what we had in custody," Wren continued.
Yes, she supposed he would be.
Kira fixed her gaze on Odin. "You're up. Don't disappoint me."
"When have I ever done that?"
"Do you want a list?" To Wren, "Keep an eye on them."
Wren's nod was as formal as always. "That was my intention."
As Wren led Odin away with his oshota, Graydon glanced at Kira. "I need to catch up with my people and send Harlow and the emperor a report. We're overdue. Will you be fine without me?"
"Somehow I think I'll manage." Kira looked at the place where Jace and Raider had gone. "It's probably best this way anyway."
They could use the privacy. Some things were harder to say with an audience, and this was likely to be one of those times.
"Alright. But watch yourself. I'm with Pallas on this. I still don't trust most humans."
"Most? Not all?" Kira slapped his shoulder playfully. "Why Graydon—you softy. I knew I was growing on you."
Graydon rolled his eyes, stalking toward his oshota as Kira snickered to herself. She did so love teasing that man whenever she got the chance.
"Jin, let's go," Kira ordered, starting toward the base's entrance.
"Whatever you say, Nixxy poo."
Kira paused to glare at the drone. Of all things Odin could have taught it. They had to teach it that.
She was going to kill them. Just as soon as this was all over.
Mark her words. Odin was a dead Sye walking.
Kira, the J1N and Finn following close behind, stepped onto the base to find a woman waiting impatiently for them.
Everything about the woman—from the way she was dressed in a militaristic jacket with a high collar, strong shoulders over a high-necked blouse with a keyhole located under the hollow of her throat, to her dark brown hair being swept into a soft looking side tail—was carefully curated to amplify her femininity while also projecting strength.
The thought and care she'd put into her appearance was obvious at a glance. As was the faint antagonism lingering in her expression as Kira and Finn walked over to her.
"Grace, isn't it?" Kira said by way of greeting. "It's been a while."
The last—and only—time Kira had seen the human had been on O'Riley station before she and Jace had set off to Ta Da'an to meet her cousin.
Grace acted like Kira hadn't spoken, focusing on Finn's presence. "He's to remain here."
"Sorry. He goes where I go," Kira responded, managing not to sound the least bit apologetic.
"We're heading to a restricted area. And he's not human."
Kira's expression went cold. Until that moment, she'd found the other's attempt at making her feel inferior adorable. A touch sad—but ultimately inconsequential.