9. SEVEN

seven

Kira’s head pulsed as she groaned. Why did she hurt so much?

The pain was everywhere. Every bone. Every muscle. She was pretty sure even her hair was in agony.

A hand touched her shoulder as Kira tried to sit up and failed. “Easy.”

Kira forced her eyes open to find Torvald crouched over her. His touch calming as his hands moved over her armor.

“Your shoulder is dislocated,” Torvald informed her.

“My ribs are broken too.”

In multiple places from the feel of it.

Kira tried very hard not to glance in Finn’s direction, his severe expression almost frightening in its intensity.

Kira focused on Joule as the lesser of two evils. “Was the ki shield you?”

Joule’s gaze flitted over the damaged sections of her armor, not seeming to know where to look.

To be fair, her armor was pretty impressive at the moment. It looked like she’d tangled with a meat grinder and lost. The armor dented and banged up, scrapes running along one side like she’d been shoved into her ship and then dragged the length of it.

Regret filled Joule’s expression. “I’m sorry it wasn’t enough.”

“Don’t be,” she gasped out, trying to breathe around the compressed feeling in her chest. “I would have been dead otherwise.”

A coiled sense of danger rolled off Finn as his expression tightened further. “What happened to ‘not a scratch?’”

“I improvised.”

Fire lanced through her, stealing the rest of what she wanted to say. Kira’s mouth dropped open on a silent scream as her back bowed.

“Breathe through it,” Torvald instructed in a soothing voice. “You’re in really bad shape. My ki can help your body repair most of the damage. It will be painful though.”

The last was said almost as an afterthought.

Tears leaked out of the corner of Kira’s eyes. She kicked the wall, wanting free from this agony as a whine fought its way past her lips.

Concern replaced the anger on Finn’s face as he made an aborted movement toward her.

“Better?” Torvald asked a second later as Kira blinked up at the ceiling in surprise.

Actually, yeah.

Torvald took her arm to help her up.

“Jin, how are things looking outside?” When no answer came, Kira looked up. “Jin?”

Static crackled over the comms.

Kira pushed Torvald’s hands away and forced herself to her feet. “Someone answer me.”

Raider’s response was slow in coming. “You should return to the bridge.”

Kira didn’t like the sound of that.

Finn caught her arm when she would have staggered to the door. “Is that necessary? She’s injured.”

“Do you really think you can keep her out of the action?” Raider asked.

That was a good question. Kira arched an eyebrow at her oshota.

Resignation settled on Finn’s face as his grip changed to one of support.

“I knew you’d see it my way,” Kira said.

“Every day I question what I did in my youth to deserve a sword like you.” Finn’s response was dour as he helped her hobble into the hallway, Torvald and Joule shadowing them.

By the time they reached the bridge, Kira was feeling a lot steadier. She pushed away from Finn as she made a beeline to where she sensed Jin’s presence.

She found him still and motionless, resting in the copilot’s chair to Raider’s left.

It felt odd seeing Jin so inanimate. Her friend was a force. Sometimes for good. Others for chaos.

But he was always there. A comforting presence. Her support and her champion.

With a hesitant hand, Kira reached out to touch the cool metal of his casing. Most of the time she could forget Jin’s limitations.

Although his exterior was that of a machine, his personality shone through to such an extent that it was easy to forget he wasn’t flesh and bone.

It was only in times like these where he was abnormally quiet that she remembered again.

Relief filled her as she sensed the deep current she associated with Jin, running through the metal.

He was dreaming, she realized with a soft smile.

“He dropped as soon as you were in,” Raider explained, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

That made sense. He’d hung on long enough for her to get to safety.

The second the connection narrowed he would have suffered the same rebound she did.

It was just taking him longer to recover, Kira assured herself.

“I have to say it would have been nice to have a little warning before he went dark.” Raider hit several buttons on the ship as the view outside tilted, the planet with the hazy boundary that marked its atmosphere dominating. “I almost didn’t gain control in time.”

Kira picked Jin up off the seat to cradle him in her arms. “He couldn’t.”

As a drone, he wasn’t used to the physical sensation of pain. It probably took everything he had to endure as long as needed for Kira to get to safety.

Raider’s voice turned soft. “Yeah. I figured that was the case.”

Kira seated herself in the chair, taking a moment to make sure they were both secured with straps.

As illogical as it was, Jin had a paranoia of being untethered during a re-entry. If he was awake, he’d want to be secure.

“How are we doing?” Kira asked.

“Our engines are fucked and we’re already in Ta Sa’Riel’s gravity well. We’re going down one way or another.”

“Lovely.”

A controlled crash landing. Her favorite.

“I really didn’t miss this part of being your friend,” Raider told her.

Kira accessed the ship’s comms. “Elena, please show our guests to the overflow seats and prepare for a bumpy landing.”

“Are we crashing?”

Elena’s cheerful voice made Kira take a second glance at their comms. Why did her niece sound so excited about that prospect?

“No.”

“It’s okay if we are,” Elena assured her.

Kira shook her head as she looked over her shoulder at Joule. She tilted her head at the hatch.

He gave her a quick grin and raced out the door.

“Finn—“ Kira started only to find the oshota already seating himself in the emergency reserve chair along the back wall.

He strapped himself in before giving her a look that practically dared her to try to order him off the bridge.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Kira said stiffly, casting a quick glance at Torvald.

She didn’t need to say a word to know the emperor had no intention of leaving the bridge.

She shook her head dismissing him from her mind. If he wanted to risk a broken neck in a crash, that was on him.

She had more important things to attend to—like making sure the ship made it long enough for such matters to be a concern.

She accessed the computer, bringing up the exterior cameras that were on the planet side of the ship.

An image of Ta Sa’Riel expanded on her monitors.

Like the planet of humanity’s origin, Ta Sa’Riel had several large continents that were surrounded by the oceans that took up the majority of the planet’s surface. Unlike Earth’s pure blues, the colors of Ta Sa’Riel were a little more muted. Its turbulent oceans a deep blue edging on gray. The continents were little more than rocky outcroppings interspersed with pockets of green.

Kira scanned the display, finding several concerning energy signatures amassing on the planet below.

Sparks of yellow and orange began congregating at several points, growing in intensity as the Wanderer was drawn closer to the planet.

“This is not good,” Kira said, recognizing those energy signatures.

“What are you talking about?” Raider asked as Kira glanced at Torvald.

“The planet’s defenses are preparing to fire.”

Raider blanched. “I thought we made it through the defenses.”

“The system defenses, yes. The planetary ones?” Kira shook her head.

They weren’t that lucky.

She’d barely survived her last encounter with these particular weapons, and that was with a fully functional engine.

Torvald turned away from the view to regard Kira steadily.

“Will they really fire on this ship?” Kira asked him.

“That depends.”

Kira frowned. Why did she have a feeling she wasn’t going to like whatever came out of his mouth next?

“On what?” she asked, playing his game.

“On whether the daughter of a powerful House owns this ship or a nameless wanderer,” Torvald said softly.

Raider snarled. “Fucking great. They’re playing politics.”

For once, Kira and Raider were in perfect agreement.

“Did my uncle put you up to this?” Kira asked.

“You underestimate your worth. The Overlord of Roake isn’t the only one who will benefit from your return to the fold.”

No, he wasn’t.

Kira had been a fool to forget that.

House Roake wasn’t the most numerous or the wealthiest of the other Houses but it was the strongest in terms of military combat power.

The best way to ensure their future was to appoint an heir.

And since Kira was the only child of the former Overlord, she fit the role perfectly.

“I can see why Graydon is your Face. The two of you are very alike,” Kira said.

They both played games with other people’s futures.

“I taught him everything I know.”

Kira could see that. Too bad Graydon hadn’t impressed on the emperor just how much she disliked being manipulated in this fashion.

“I don’t like being put in a corner.”

Torvald inclined his head in a respectful nod. “I understand.”

Raider snorted. “I doubt that, but you will.”

Yes, he most certainly would.

Later. When they weren’t about to die.

Kira hit the button that would allow the ship to broadcast her message.

“This is Kira Forrest, daughter of House Roake. I suggest you reconsider firing on this ship. You will not like the consequences otherwise.”

That should do it. She hoped.

The only thing left to do was wait and hope that her House’s enemies didn’t take advantage of the situation.

Her death would be a blow to House Roake. Not just from the position of losing an heir either.

Kira’s existence represented hope to those who’d lost children in the Sorrowing. Losing her would take them back to that time, crushing morale as well.

Her ship chimed, announcing an incoming transmission.

Kira didn’t have time to accept before the hazy figure House Roake’s Overlord appeared next to her.

Raider jerked in surprise at the unexpected arrival as her uncle swept a dismissive gaze over the bridge before focusing on Kira.

Even slightly see through, Harlow’s resemblance to Kira was unmistakable.

As her father’s twin, he was what her father would have looked like had he survived.

Hair the same color as Kira’s, a deep, rich burgundy that was half pulled back from his face. Features that held the same shape as hers.

The biggest difference was in their eye color. Whereas Kira’s were a violet that could change shade based on her mood. Harlow’s were the piercing gold of a hawk’s.

Harlow’s body had been honed into a weapon, carrying a strength and power that hadn’t been built in a day. Scars marked his features. The most prominent of which bisected his eyebrow, just missing taking his eye, before carving a long groove in his cheek.

Another followed the line of his jaw, visible even through the shadow of his trim beard.

“House Roake will consider firing on the heir’s ship as a declaration of war,” Harlow rumbled.

Kira mentally winced. She’d hoped to avoid having the title of heir attached to her name since it would make it more difficult later if she ever decided to walk away from House Roake.

It was much easier for a rank-and-file member of a House to leave versus someone who was considered integral to the House’s future.

Harlow’s words made that a futile hope now.

As if sensing her reservations, Harlow turned to regard her with a steady gaze. “You look like you’re in one piece. That’s good.”

A shiver raced down Kira’s spine at that statement. As if he was saying she needed to be in good shape to face the consequences soon to befall her.

“I look forward to seeing you face-to-face once you land.”

This time Kira could hear the faint threat in his voice as his figure faded from view.

“You’re in big trouble,” Raider observed.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Kira groaned, pressing her head against the back of her seat as the ship’s rocking worsened.

By now, they had entered the atmosphere. Flames licked along the belly of the ship and up the sides as Raider struggled to control their descent.

Harlow’s threat had worked, Kira noted as her sensors read a decrease in energy output below. The swarm of yellow and orange lights dispersed as the weapons powered down.

Around them, the ship groaned as the metal of the hull flexed under the strain of re-entry.

Kira held onto Jin, pressing him securely against her stomach as the ship hurtled through the upper atmosphere of Ta Sa’Riel.

Streamers of white obscured the view as there was an ominous creak from the ship. A piece of gray metal collided with the windows before ricocheting off the ship.

Kira and Raider shared a grim glance.

It was never a good sign when your ship started disintegrating around you.

They burst through the clouds to find the planet spread out before them. The turbulent gray of the ocean, white caps dotting the waves. In the far distance, the rocky cliffs of the shore beckoned.

Millions of tiny flecks of light, each no bigger than a pin prick, gathered around Kira.

She lifted a hand, fascinated as the orbs landed on her finger, only to soak into her skin a second later.

Several of the flecks drifted toward Jin, melting into his casing.

Kira looked around to find her ship inundated with the light motes. A large river of them headed for Torvald while a smaller branch flowed into Finn.

Even Raider had his own tiny gathering of light.

Given how no one else was reacting to the unusual phenomenon, Kira had to think she was the only one who could see it.

For a split second, her eyesight wavered, the view of the bridge replaced by the image of a tightly coiled translucent creature. Wings wrapped around it like a cocoon.

“How unexpected and rare,” Torvald murmured. “You’re quite sensitive. It’s been a long time since a beloved of the Mea’Ave partook in the adva ka. I think I’ll see some interesting things this cycle.”

Kira took that to mean he could see the light show too. So good to know she wasn’t going crazy.

Any response she might have made was forestalled as the ship’s comms chimed. Raider opened the channel.

A woman’s voice came over the line, her tone crisp and impartial. “You are in violation of our air space. Redirect to the coordinates that are being transmitted to your ship.”

Raider laughed. “You can send all the coordinates you like but that’s not happening.”

“You will face the consequences if you do not redirect,” the woman started.

“I suggest you take a look at your sensors. This ship is basically in free fall. We land where we land. Got a problem, take it up with Roake.” Raider flicked off the comms. “Think that pissed her off?”

“You always did have a winning personality.”

It was why one of the other Curs usually took the point when dealing with those outside their unit.

Raider laughed as the Wanderer continued its breakneck descent. “It might not matter after the next few minutes as we’ll probably all be dead.”

There was that.

“Happy thoughts,” Kira said.

The ocean sped underneath them as they arrowed past the rocky cliffs that served as the boundary for land. Smoke billowed out of the ship’s engines as there was another crack and then part of one wing ripped free.

Kira hung onto Jin for dear life, wishing there was a god she believed in to pray to.

Crash landings weren’t something you got used to. No matter how many times it happened, there was still a level of fear.

A moment where you threw your fate to the wind and hoped it wasn’t your time to go.

Beneath them, they broke free of the trees and onto a wide plain. Mountains rose in the far distance, light glimmering off what Kira suspected was a lake.

There was a bone jarring jolt as the Wanderer collided with land, skipping across it like a flat pebble along the water’s surface. Metal screeched as the Wanderer’s hull tore apart.

They went airborne twice more before skidding to a halt.

The seat belt of her chair bit into Kira’s shoulders and waist as they stopped her forward momentum.

For a moment, no one spoke as they processed the fact they were still breathing.

“I’ll be damned,” Raider breathed. “We’re alive.”

Kira was a little surprised herself as she hit the button to release her seat belt.

She moved gingerly, her ribs protesting. Even with Torvald’s earlier healing, the crash hadn’t done her any favors. The just-healed breaks reopening in places.

Kira breathed through the pain as she looked at Torvald who had somehow maintained his balance throughout it all. As if the crash had been no more challenging than a sedate stroll in the park.

“Elena, Maksym? How are you down there?” Kira asked through the comms.

“Auntie, that was fun. We should do that again.”

Raider shook his head. “You’ve turned my daughter into an adrenaline junkie.”

“You can’t blame me for this. Not even I’m crazy enough to find a crash fun.”

Maksym’s voice interrupted. “We’re a little banged up but otherwise fine.”

That was good to hear.

The overflow seats were located in the safest part of the ship. A place that had more protection than the rest but there was always a chance of something happening during a crash.

Raider bent over the radar screen. “Looks like someone sent out a welcoming party. They’re five minutes out.”

On screen, dozens of dots converged on their position.

What did she want to bet those weren’t Roake’s ships coming to provide assistance?

Kira looked up at Torvald. “I think it’s time for you to go.”

Long past time to be honest.

If only she could go back to the moment where Graydon asked this favor of her and ignore everything he said.

Who cared if he’d done her a service or two? This was well beyond anything she owed him.

Torvald glided toward Kira. “You realize the presence of the bog’s hag could have resulted in the death of everyone on this ship.”

“That fact is not lost on me.”

And when Kira found the party responsible, she’d show them the depths of her appreciation.

“Your continued survival is not in the best interest of those responsible.”

Kira had already considered what Torvald was suggesting. There was every possibility that those outside intended to deal with Kira and the rest before help arrived. Given how battered the Wanderer was, they could claim Kira and the others didn’t survive the crash.

“We don’t know if the bog’s hag was meant for me—or you,” Kira told Torvald.

If it was the second, all the more reason to get Torvald off the ship.

The emperor was a scatter bomb just waiting to go off. If he was harmed or killed while in Kira’s vicinity, the consequences would be far reaching and devastating.

It was possible they would use Raider’s presence as an excuse to go after the Consortium while also casting House Roake’s loyalty into doubt.

Kira had to play this situation right.

“Very well. I’ll leave this matter in your hands,” Torvald murmured after a tension fraught moment.

Kira hooked an arm over her seat. “You never did answer my question about what you wanted and why you’re on this ship.”

“Several reasons,” Torvald murmured with an amused glint in his eye.

Kira tilted her head. “I’m listening.”

“I hoped to confirm something with my own two eyes.”

Kira straightened in her seat. “And did you.”

Torvald finally looked at Jin. “I’m still unsure, but the answer is getting closer.”

“What’s your other reason?” she asked, trying not to read more into that than she had to.

His words could mean a lot of things. It didn’t necessarily have to do with Jin being his son or a soul bound.

“I had planned to ask you to look out for Devon during the adva ka.“ Torvald’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Something tells me I don’t have to.”

With that he prowled toward the hatch as Raider raised his eyebrows at Kira in question.

Kira froze in the act of shaking her head at Raider as Torvald turned back one final time. “I suggest you be careful. I do not want to see my Storm upset further.”

What was that supposed to mean?

Finn stirred. “You handled him well.”

Why didn’t it feel like that then?

Dismissing the emperor and his schemes from her mind, Kira jerked her chin at the hatch in a signal to get moving. “Let’s go. We have our own welcome party to prepare.”

Kira took in the tilted wreckage of the Wanderer. The ship lay half on its side, the skyward wing shorn clean off. Jagged pieces of metal were all that remained. Tears and holes littered the body of the ship. Smoke wafted from the engines.

Kira set her hand against the hull. “Thank you for protecting us. I’m sorry I couldn’t do the same.”

Sorrow moved through her as she gave the ship one last regretful pat.

It hurt to see the Wanderer like this. Battered and broken.

To her, it was more than just a ship. It was her home. A place that had provided shelter and solace in her dark times.

Raider dropped to the ground from the open airlock.

The crash had compromised the landing ramp, necessitating them finding alternate ways off the ship.

Not that it was hard given the many holes in her hull.

Raider adjusted the gloves of his armor as he joined her and Finn. “You can always repair the ship.”

“Once something is broken, it will never be the same,” Kira said without looking at him.

It didn’t matter how hard you tried. The pieces could never be glued together in exactly the same way. There was always a trace of the original break.

“Perhaps it won’t be exactly the same and will carry the proof of its survival, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s a certain poetic beauty in that,” Raider answered.

Kira stepped away from the Wanderer as the sound of engines announced that their guests were close.

“Are we still talking about my ship?” Kira asked, looking up at the three Tuann vessels coming into view over the treetops.

The ships flew past before turning and making their way back toward them. They landed, wind buffeting Kira and the rest, blowing her hair into her face. She shoved it out of the way as Raider and Finn flanked her.

“I don’t know, are we?” Raider asked, his attention on the grounded ships as their doors opened.

Oshota clad in a style of synth armor Kira wasn’t familiar with flooded out to surround the man stepping off the ship in the center. Their protective stance along with the haughty look on his face proclaimed him as the leader of this little expedition.

His expression was one Kira was all too familiar with from her time in the space force. Usually seen on people in authority. Those were the leaders she went out of her way to avoid. Their arrogance and aloofness always tempted a younger Kira to see how far she could push before she provoked them.

The current Kira was a little wiser, knowing nothing good would come of testing this person’s boundaries.

At least not as long as she was at a disadvantage.

“This should be good,” Raider muttered. “He looks like he has a stick up his ass. Your perfect mark.”

Kira chose to ignore Raider’s statement as Finn’s disquiet registered. “Do you recognize him?”

Finn’s stance shifted as unease entered his expression. It was the most uncertain Kira had ever seen her normally confident oshota.

“His name is Jarek. He’s an inquisitor under the emperor’s Face of Justice.”

“That’s good for us then?” Raider asked, his tone suggesting he knew that wasn’t true.

“The fact he is under the emperor’s banner is misleading. An inquisitor has full authority and can pry into any situation that justifies their involvement.” Finn lowered his voice as he glanced down at where Kira still cradled Jin in her arms. “Jarek’s order views the soul bound as abominations and has vowed to eradicate any they come across.”

Kira resisted the urge to hide Jin behind her, knowing such an action would only draw more attention to him.

“That’s lovely,” Kira said. “I thought not accepting that promotion to Centcom all those years ago meant I’d never have to deal with zealous idiots. I guess I was wrong.”

Raider arched his eyebrows at her. “What idiot wanted to promote you to Centcom?”

“Himoto along with two other admirals.”

Raider shook his head. “Thank any god that might exist you didn’t accept. Centcom would have been nothing but chaos with the Phoenix in its ranks.”

Kira rolled her eyes as she faced forward again. “Sometimes I really hate you.”

“Ah, Nixxy. I’m flattered.”

“Delay until the Overlord arrives,” Finn advised softly as Jarek and his escorts neared.

The inquisitor was dressed differently than the rest. He wore a high collared, knee length jacket that reminded Kira of starlight. It was a silvery white that made him stand out among the darker armor of his oshota.

The jacket was fastened at his waist and held shut by a bronze broach that was in the shape of a flower. Horns jutted out over the top of the flower in a way that felt jarring—and a little bit familiar.

“Are the children safe?” Kira asked in a low voice as silvery eyes the same shade as his jacket met hers.

Finn bent toward her. “Maksym is standing guard.”

Kira hoped that would be enough. She was a lot more confident in this plan before Jarek and his oshota showed up. There was an undercurrent of power in this man’s presence. An air of watchfulness that suggested he was biding his time.

Kira would much prefer this confrontation to take place when she was at her best. Not with her ribs still cracked, her ship broken, and her best friend out of commission.

Jin’s groggy voice came from her arms. “Are my eyes deceiving me or is that man wearing a circlet on his head?”

Despite the grim circumstances, the question made Kira smile. Same old Jin. If that was what he was concerned about, he would be fine.

“No, that’s exactly what you’re seeing,” Kira said softly.

The piece of jewelry was delicate looking and formed from two interwoven strands of bronze and silver that met in the center of his forehead to cradle a jewel no bigger than the nail on Kira’s pinky finger.

“He should be quiet or he’ll get us all killed,” Raider sang in a soft voice.

Much as Kira hated to admit it, Raider had a point.

“Comms only, Jin,” Kira instructed softly as Jarek and his oshota reached them.

To Kira’s surprise, the oshota didn’t stop with Jarek. Several split off to head to the ship.

Raider moved to block their path. “What are you doing? You can’t go in there.”

The oshota pressed forward, treating Raider’s words like air.

“A human has no say on Ta Sa’Riel. Remove yourself from their path or suffer the consequences.” Jarek’s voice was every bit as cold and disdainful as his appearance suggested.

Kira stepped forward. “Maybe he doesn’t, but I do. This is my ship, and I am a daughter of Roake.”

The oshota paused, sending questioning looks in Jarek’s direction.

A part of Kira wanted to sneer at their actions. They disregarded Raider because of what they thought he was and treated Kira a little more respectfully for fear of what her House might do if they trespassed too far.

When really Raider was the greatest threat in this situation.

With Elena on that ship and the secrets her existence created, there wasn’t much Raider wouldn’t do to safeguard her—making an enemy of the inquisitor included.

“No introduction?” Kira mocked.

She needed to keep them distracted and the situation from deteriorating until reinforcements could arrive.

“Even humans aren’t so rude,” Kira said, knowing these Tuann would view the statement as the ultimate insult.

Raider took advantage of the oshota’s hesitation to maneuver himself between them and the ship again.

“Your ship set off the defense network. That coupled with the fact you’ve landed on sacred land makes you and this ship suspicious.” Jarek flicked his hand at the two waiting oshota.

Raider shifted as he lowered his center of gravity, preparing for a fight.

“If you were paying attention, you would know your defense network broke off their attack once we identified the source and eliminated it,” Kira said, attempting to keep the situation from descending into violence. “As for this being sacred land—does it look like my ship had a choice in where it crashed?”

Kira could see the consideration on several of the oshota’s faces as they took in the wreck. Anyone with half a brain would know the Wanderer had no control over its landing.

“Remove your human or see him hurt,” Jarek ordered again as if he hadn’t heard—or cared—about Kira’s logic.

Raider braced as the oshota started forward.

“Why is it you always encounter assholes on a power trip?” Jin griped from Kira’s arms, his words bringing the action to a halt. “You’d think we’d eventually run into a normal person who doesn’t feel the need to throw around threats in front of someone as crazy as you.”

Silence descended as Kira looked up at the sky.

Why? Was it something she did in a past life? Was that the reason she was saddled with a best friend who was no better at taking orders than herself?

Raider’s stance relaxed. “As always, great timing, Tin Can.”

Jarek’s gaze landed on Jin’s sphere. “What’s this?”

Kira’s jaw locked at the abhorrence in his tone made

Before she could speak, Jarek held up a hand, palm facing Kira.

An invisible force tore Jin out of her arms. He sailed toward Jarek as if pulled against his will. The inquisitor caught Jin, studying him with a detached gaze.

“An abomination,” Jarek pronounced before tossing Jin at the oshota next to him. “Destroy it.”