8. Eight

Eight

Kira – The Wanderer somewhere in space

Kira hooked a towel around her neck, using the ends to pat her face and hair dry as she stepped out of the communal bathroom located on the lower aft deck beneath the ship’s pitiful excuse for crew quarters.

She felt good. Finally like herself again. The grime and sweat that had accumulated from her three day ’nap’ washed away under the shower’s enzyme spray.

Kira could kill Graydon. What had the man been thinking letting her sleep for that long?

Three days? That wasn’t a nap. It was a coma.

She was tempted to suspect he or Wren had done something to ensure she got the rest they felt she needed, except she was pretty sure the party responsible was the oasis Harlow had built in the middle of her ship. Something about that place had lulled her to sleep and kept her that way until her mind and body were partially healed.

The only silver lining about her lost days was that she did feel better. Clearer. Less like she might lose control at any moment.

The barrier keeping her primus locked inside her skin was stronger. A few, tissue thin layers reinforcing it. As microscopic in width as they were, they were better than nothing. Nowhere near as strong as the chains she usually used to keep the primus from rising, but at least her alter self was no longer in danger of breaking loose the moment she sneezed wrong.

The wound Jin’s absence had left in her psyche was still the same. Its raw, jagged edges a constant reminder. Like a sore tooth she couldn’t help prodding. At least, her soul’s essence was no longer actively leaking out of it.

Those three days of recovery meant death was no longer quite so imminent. It was the small wins that kept her afloat.

Kira reached the upper deck and headed to the bridge to check in. Finn had given her an overview when she first stepped out of the garden, but she wanted to hear the situation from Raider.

Not knowing what was happening on her own ship was disturbing. Now that she was awake, she’d have to see about correcting that oversight.

Spotting Blue sitting on the deck outside the bridge, Kira lifted her chin in greeting. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be in there?"

Or at least in her quarters. Not sitting on the floor with all this...stuff.

"What is all this anyway?" Kira asked, trying to make sense of the clutter.

"Raider is busy. I’m giving him space." Blue didn’t look up from the computer boards she was bent over. The smell of something burning came as Blue soldered wires together. "And this is Jin."

Kira’s gaze flew to the items scattered across the floor, taking a closer look and noticing what she’d missed before. For instance, the volley ball sized sphere laying on its side. The camera lens Jin used as his ’eye’ pointing at them.

The bottom had been opened and his hardware pulled out. The J1N’s wires were exposed, trailing out of the main body like guts that had been left to rot in the sun.

The calm Kira had achieved popped like a balloon. Hysteria and anger jeopardized her control over the primus as it rolled in her mind. Its presence expanded, pushing against the thin barriers she’d just re-established.

"Blue, I said get him mobile. Not take him apart," Kira barked.

Rationally, Kira knew this wasn’t Jin. This wasn’t her nightmare and he hadn’t been broken and disassembled. That though this was his body, the real Jin was somewhere else. Somewhere safe. Or at least safe-ish.

Blue jerked up. Her work goggles still covered her face, the lenses magnifying her eyes to the point they seemed bug-like.

Catching Kira’s expression, Blue yanked the goggles off her face, leaving her hair disheveled. "Wait, no. I can see how this looks bad, but I promise I’m not doing anything unnecessary or gratuitous."

She twisted back to the J1N, scrambling to reassemble a few parts before plugging a cord into her tablet.

"See—this is what I’m talking about." Blue pointed at a particular stream of code. "Jin made it so you can’t remotely hack his body. I have to be hardwired in if I want to access the J1N’s original programing."

Kira calmed a little. "Why do you want the original?"

"I figured it’d be easier to get the drone up and running that way. While the J1N is considered obsolete nowadays, it was pretty advanced in its time. Replicating Jin is impossible with the limited time and resources I have. But the J1N is a different story. It already has a series of commands built into its source code. I just need to get them working."

"You realize the J1N was originally tasked as our jailer. Its purpose was to oversee and punish."

Resurrecting its previous incarnation was maybe not the best idea.

Blue’s excitement faded, awkwardness showing as she glanced at the J1N. "Oh."

Yeah. Oh.

"I could overwrite that part." Blue’s enthusiasm grew as she latched onto that idea. "At the very least I can section off those commands so it’s not a problem."

Kira’s confidence didn’t match Blue’s. Her doubt showed.

There wasn’t a lot of room for error here. As Blue had already mentioned, this wasn’t exactly her field of expertise. The J1N from Kira’s memories was dangerous. A demon of her childhood. The thought that Blue planned to resurrect any part of that monster was disturbing.

"I can do this, Nixxy. I promise. The J1N won’t be a danger to us, and when Jin comes back, he’ll be as good as new."

Kira thawed, her body loosening a little. "Are you sure you can do this?"

As much as she wanted the J1N up and running, she didn’t want to compromise Jin’s body either.

Blue’s nod was fervent. "I know I said I couldn’t before, but I can. I want to."

Shouting from the bridge interrupted their conversation.

"You said Raider was busy?" Kira asked with a glance in that direction.

"Centcom called."

"You mean Jace?"

Kira was already heading to the bridge before Blue had time to reply. The tension that greeted her arrival was like a fist to the face. Thick enough that she could have cut it with a knife. Raider’s expression was set in a scowl as he glared at a hologram of Rear Admiral Jace Skarsdale. Raider’s jaw ticked. His arms were folded across his chest and his feet spread in a closed off posture that announced his intransigence.

Whatever the two were discussing, it hadn’t gone over well with Raider.

"Phoenix. As I live and breathe," Jace drawled. "So good of you to join us."

"If it isn’t my old friend. I didn’t know you’d called."

Kira hadn’t realized her ship could receive communications from such a vast distance. Last she was aware, her ship’s communication range was limited to those in the same solar system as her. Without a relay satellite, she shouldn’t have been able to receive anything. The closest one of those was light years away. Well outside of Tuann space.

Another upgrade of Harlow’s, she assumed. From Raider’s expression, she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

Jace didn’t look bad for a man who’d inherited the mantle of their mentor. Along with his many responsibilities. The grief and exhaustion evident the last time she’d seen him had faded; replaced by a few fine lines Kira wasn’t sure had been there before.

"Where’s Jin? I wanted to say my hellos," Jace said, looking beyond her to the empty air over her shoulder.

"We’re having a few issues with our engine. I’ll let him know you called though." Kira’s smile remained easy, not giving anything away as she changed the subject. "To what do we owe this honor? I didn’t expect to hear from you."

Jace had his hands full. War was coming now that the Consortium had broken their alliance with the Haldeel and Tuann.

Whether the Consortium believed it or not. It was only a matter of time.

Having assumed Himoto’s old command, Jace and his fleet were the ones who’d be on the front line when the inevitable happened and the Tsavitee finally attacked. He’d know that. He should be using this time to prepare.

"I’m recalling Raider and Blue," Jace announced.

"Is that so?" Kira asked, her stomach sinking.

"I’m afraid so."

Kira squeezed the ends of the towel still around her neck. "That’s regrettable. I thought you’d want to maintain at least some semblance of contact with the Tuann given everything that’s happened."

Jace’s sigh was heavy. "That’s exactly why I need them. The Tsavitee just attacked a major mining camp. We lost hundreds along with access to a primary source of material we need for our engines. There were also incursions near Epsilon and Rosetta. People are terrified and want something done."

"Guess they shouldn’t have ended the alliance then."

Kira had little sympathy for idiots. Their Consortium was the one who landed them in this situation.

"It might not have mattered. I’m getting reports that Osiris was hit too. The Haldeel’s royals are mustering forces as we speak."

Kira stilled. "The Tsavitee have never gone after Haldeel territory before."

It was one of the reasons a treaty with them had been so attractive to the Consortium. Being under their umbrella had meant protection. Understandable given that the Haldeel were technologically superior to every race Kira knew. The Tuann and Tsavitee included.

If that had changed and the Tsavitee no longer feared their retaliation, Kira didn’t know what that meant for the rest of the galaxy.

"You see now why people are so scared. I need my best at my back for when we deploy."

"I understand where you’re coming from, but ultimately, two people won’t make much of a difference to your success or failure," Kira tried.

Jace’s lips quirked. "You did your job a little too well during the last war. The Curs have a reputation now. When people hear they’re entering the battlefield, it gives them hope. Boosts morale. We could use all of that we can get."

No wonder Raider looked like someone had pissed in his bed. This was the death of everything he’d worked for. The career he’d built over a decade. All going up in flames before his eyes.

Raider couldn’t ignore this order. Not and get away with it. If he failed to comply, he’d be court martialed when Centcom got their hands on him. Desertion during a time of war sometimes carried a death penalty. Minimum, he’d spend time in a brig.

He was between a rock and a hard place.

"This is awkward," Kira drawled.

"How’s that?"

"I’m on a mission for House Roake. It’s not convenient for us to re-route at this point. We’re weeks away from human territory, and I’m on a time crunch. Your needs will have to wait."

Jace’s eyes narrowed, suspicion forming as he squinted at Kira. "That’s interesting. I didn’t realize your status in House Roake had advanced to the point you were being given missions."

“A lot has changed in the last few weeks. You understand, don’t you?”

Jace’s expression had gone blank as he tapped his desk in thought. “If I remember right, you never submitted your exit packet either. Technically, you’re still under Centcom’s command.”

“That trick won’t work on me this time.”

She was now a fully-fledged member of House Roake. Protected by the full might of her House. Humans couldn’t touch her. Jace knew it too.

"Don’t worry," Kira said with a smirk as she reached forward to end the transmission. "Next time I’m near a Consortium planet, I’ll make sure to put these two on a transport. Until then, you’ll have to make do with the Curs you still have."

The transmission shut down before he could respond.

Raider kicked the back of a seat. "This is bullshit."

"You can come in, Blue," Kira called.

Blue poked her head around the door frame. "Is it over?"

"You’re safe,” Kira said with a glance at Raider.

At least for now.

Blue joined them on the bridge. “I don’t understand why we’re not telling Jace about Elena and Jin. Not to be negative or anything but going up against a Tsavitee horde with just the few of us is a suicide mission. Jace’s fleet at our back would be awful nice to have on hand."

"No," Raider snapped.

"What Raider means to say is that anyone who learns about Elena’s heritage becomes an avenue through which information could leak,” Kira interjected, trying to smooth things over.

"The admiral wouldn’t do that," Blue protested.

Kira nodded. "He wouldn’t. But what about those around him?"

Blue’s forehead wrinkled in thought. She’d probably never considered it from that perspective.

"Then there’s that transmission. How many hands does it pass through before it reaches Jace?"

Any transmission would have to route through several stations and satellites to reach Jace’s ship. It took just one compromised relay point for the Tsavitee to know everything they’d discussed. There was no way to guarantee the information’s security.

If Odin had taught her anything, it was that no encryption was unbreakable.

Even with Harlow’s upgrades to Kira’s comm system, there were points that could be exploited.

Kira would rather be paranoid than risk Elena’s information getting into the wrong hands.

Kira met Blue’s gaze firmly. "Jace was a major player in the last war. They’ll be watching him. We have to do this quickly and quietly without anyone knowing what we’re up to."

It was the only way they would succeed.

Kira and Raider shared a glance. This was why they’d kept Elena’s identity as his daughter from the other woman as long as they had. And why Kira hadn’t immediately revealed what was going on with Jin.

What they were asking put Blue in a compromising situation. She was being pulled between two loyalties. The one she felt towards them. And the oath she’d sworn to Centcom and the fleet.

Raider’s gaze dropped to the J1N Blue was absentmindedly cradling. "Did you finish? Does it work?"

Blue lifted the J1N up for them to see. "Congratulations are in order. I accomplished the impossible."

Her grin nearly split her face as the J1N came alive. It lifted out of Blue’s palms, twisting back and forth as the ’eye’ that was an inside joke between Kira and Jin moved in and out of focus.

"What do you think?" Blue asked excitedly.

That was a good question. What did Kira think?

The J1N was the culmination of decades of upgrades to a machine that had passed its end of life years ago. While others of its kind were considered obsolete, this version was outfitted with the most advanced weaponry known to man or Tuann. Or Haldeel for that matter.

Kira would wager its surveillance capabilities outstripped anything on the market. The hundreds of cameras they’d installed provided its user a comprehensive, panoramic view.

At Kira’s continued silence, Blue’s face showed a trace of uncertainty.

"It feels soulless," Kira finally managed.

Wrong at its basest level. Jin’s personality filled a room, even when he didn’t say a thing. He wasn’t this…machine.

If she could, she wouldn’t have this thing anywhere near her. Not on her bridge. Not in her ship. Not even in the same galaxy.

Everything about it made her skin crawl. The desire to be anywhere but here almost too strong to ignore.

Seeing Blue’s excitement fade, Kira tried for a smile. "You did a good job. Exactly what I asked for."

Raider nodded. "At the very least, it’ll make people stop asking about him."

Blue glanced between them, reading their resistance to the J1N on their faces. "This won’t do. For this to work, you have to treat him like the real Jin. Try calling him by name. Say Jin."

Kira’s lip curled in immediate rejection. This machine wasn’t Jin.

"Jiiiinnnnn," Blue repeated, drawing his name out into several syllables.

"Do you want to die today?" Kira asked.

Blue looked affronted. "This was your plan, remember? How do you expect to fool anyone if you can’t even call him by name?"

"The kid has a point, " Raider pointed out.

"See!" Blue exclaimed.

"Fine."

If they were going to make that big a deal about this, she’d give them what they wanted.

"Jin. Happy now?" Kira asked.

"Ecstatic."

Raider sent Kira a sympathetic look as Blue flounced off the bridge, leaving the J1N behind. "It’s a good plan."

"I know."

That didn’t make its implementation any easier though.

"Jin is not going to be happy about what I’ve done to his body when we finally get him back," Kira said.

"He’ll understand you did what you had to."

"I hope so."

"Besides, he’s the one who left his body unattended. He can’t complain if someone else put it to good use."

Kira smirked at her friend. "I’m going to let you be the one who explains that to him."

A knock came from the open hatch. Kira looked over to find Joule standing on the threshold.

"What’s up?" she asked.

"Since you’re awake, Devon and I were wondering if you’d like to oversee today’s training session."

That wasn’t a bad idea. After the last few days of inactivity, Kira could use a little training herself.

"When is it?" she asked.

"Now?"

"Go," Raider said at Kira’s hesitation. Even going so far as to make shooing motions at her. "I’ve got the bridge. There’s nothing I need you for up here."

Says the man who almost informed his commanding officer of his intention to go AWOL.

Seeing her look, Raider rolled his eyes. "I’ll be sure to call you if I think I’m going to do something impetuous in your absence."

"Good enough for me," Kira said, sauntering toward Joule, the J1N following after a long second.

Joule’s face brightened at the sight of the drone. "Hey, Jin. I haven’t seen you on board. How are you holding up?"

The J1N was unresponsive. Its ’eye’ not even facing in the right direction, instead pointing at the wall.

Joule’s smile faded. "Is something wrong?"

"What was that about this being a good plan?" Kira asked Raider.

He shrugged. "So, we don’t let anyone talk to him."

"Yeah, that’s really going to work," Kira scoffed, taking Joule’s shoulder and marching him out of the room. "Let’s go, Jin."

To Kira’s relief, the drone followed. Though it looked like it was flying backwards as its "eye" continued to point in the wrong direction.

"What’s going on?" Joule asked.

"Nothing to worry about," Kira answered. "Jin’s just working through a few minor bugs in his programing. Practice for when we reach the Tsavitee’s home planet. You had something to show me?"

The question did the trick.

Joule forgot about the J1N’s unusual behavior. "Devon and I, actually."

"Have you been practicing the exercises Selene showed you?"

As someone who shared the same affinity as Selene, Joule would greatly benefit from her expertise. But only if he put in the same amount of work.

"Every day that we’ve been on ship. Devon has actually helped. She suggested I find someone to break my shields over and over again. Doing so would help me build their strength. Wren and Talon have been supervising to make sure our activities don’t threaten the safety of the Wanderer."

Kira nodded in approval. "That’s actually a good tactic. Selene did something similar when we were kids."

Of course, back then, Selene had been desperate to strengthen her natural abilities since her shields were the only thing standing between her and the beating their overseers would give her should they fail.

Kira and the rest of the forty three had been tasked with breaching her defenses over and over until Selene could stand against pretty much anything. As a result, Selene saw unparalleled growth, finding new and unexpected ways to use an affinity most deemed useless.

"Devon’s getting stronger too. His attacks are much more powerful than they were at first. Even his seon’yer agrees," Joule continued.

Kira nodded. "That’s not surprising."

She and the rest of the forty three had seen similar benefits. It was why their overseers had favored that method of training.

Joule led Kira to the cargo bay and the impromptu training facility that had been set up there for their use.

The familiar sound of something striking against something else greeted Kira as she stepped into the room. Wren looked over from where he was practicing a katta, a series of set movements each Tuann were taught when they began training. The movements varied based on which fighting discipline a warrior learned.

As a warrior grew, they developed a personal katta, one that was unique to them but showed influences from those who trained them.

The most knowledgeable of warriors could look at an individual’s katta and tell not only their style of fighting but the name of their mentors as well.

Compared to Wren, Kira’s own katta was a mishmash of styles. Many of which were heavily influenced by humanity’s martial arts. She’d started to weave in Tuann elements—Wren’s in particular—but it was still rough. Nowhere near as graceful or elegant as her seon’yer’s.

Finn and Talon sparred in the corner. Their weapons were the source of the thumping sound Kira had heard earlier.

At her arrival, Finn looked over, acknowledging her with a nod. Just barely blocking the fist Talon aimed at his face a second later.

"Better pay attention, old friend. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your sword," Talon teased.

Finn flung Talon’s fist away from him. "The day has yet to arrive when you can get the drop on me."

The oshota sparred, dancing across the floor in a beautiful display Kira felt lucky to witness. Every move was the height of perfection. Nothing wasted. Just pure brutal efficiency as they went for each other’s weak points.

Seeing them like this, Kira was reminded of why the Tuann, their oshota especially, had such a dangerous reputation in the rest of the galaxy. They were the epitome of what it meant to be a warrior.

Few would be able to match their skill.

Kira could count on one hand the number of humans who could get close. Most of whom had died on Rothchild.

"This way," Joule said, heading to the opposite corner where Devon and Graydon stood.

She shook her head as she started after Joule. Maybe once she got done checking out his training, she could ask Talon or Finn for a spar. Either man would be a worthy opponent.

Maybe it would help work out some of the restlessness plaguing her.

Tuann weren’t meant for inactivity. They needed violence or sex to maintain their equilibrium.

Kira’s nap had mended her mind and spirit. Now, it was time to give her body what it wanted.

A fight.

Then maybe afterward her and Graydon could do some exercise of a different nature. At that thought, Kira turned to look at him. Instead of the wolfish smile she’d expected, there was horror on his face as he stared at her.

No, behind her.

Too late, Kira caught the subtle shift that said danger was close.

Finn and Talon’s sparring ground to a halt as her oshota turned toward her with a cry. Wren came out of his katta, already flowing into an attack.

"There you are, little sister. I’ve been looking for you everywhere," a man whispered in her ear.

A hand caught the back of her collar and yanked. Someone kicked the back of her knee, sending her off balance.

Kira tipped backward, catching a glimpse of her assailant. A man, his head shaved on both sides, his hair left long on top. A chunk was missing from the tip of one ear. The other docked in the same manner as Kira’s.

Pallas winked at her. "There are a few people who want a chat."

The last thing she saw was the J1N following. The void snapped closed, extinguishing the light.

Graydon

The rift vanished, Graydon missing it by milliseconds.

He roared, his rage filling the room with an almost physical presence as his ki roiled.

No. No. NO.

He wasn’t going to let this happen. Not again.

Raider raced into the room a second later, a sword already in hand. He slowed to a stop when he found no enemies waiting for him, looking around in confusion. "Where’s Kira?"

Finn folded forward, collapsing to his knees. "She’s gone."

"What do you mean she’s gone?"

Finn’s face showed devastation, his pupils wide, eclipsing his irises. He looked like a man whose world had just been destroyed. "I didn’t stop it."

Talon set a hand on his shoulder. "There was nothing you could have done."

Finn covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking as he lost control of his emotions.

"Would someone like to tell me what the fuck is going on?" Raider shouted.

Graydon ignored the question as he knelt in the place where Kira had disappeared, touching the ground where she’d last stood as he threw wide his senses. The ship faded around him as the universe flooded Graydon’s mind.

A younger, less trained Tuann would have been overwhelmed at the amount of input. Their mind would have broken under the strain.

Graydon let the pain pass through him. Where are you, coli?

There. A trace.

Graydon opened his eyes. "I have her."

Wren knelt beside him. "Are you sure?"

Graydon struggled with the impatience that question caused. Of course, he was sure. He wasn’t a man that made mistakes.

Graydon spared no attention for those around him, focusing on the increasingly tenuous connection. A single lapse in concentration and he’d lose her.

He closed his eyes again, concentrating on the ki he’d scattered into the air like a net the instant before the rift had snapped closed around Kira. His soul’s breath condensed. He used it to rip open the remnants of the fissure in time and space the other man had caused.

Graydon strained, the tendons in his neck standing out as he forced it open a millimeter at a time.

"Holy shit," Raider exclaimed as the air screamed.

A breeze stirred, quickly becoming a gale as Graydon’s ki manifested as black sparks in the cargo bay.

Finn lifted his head, hope replacing his devastation.

Talon quirked an eyebrow, looking impressed as Joule and Devon drew closer.

With one last cry, Graydon ripped the rift the rest of the way open. He staggered to his feet, fighting a spell of dizziness.

"I’m coming with you," Finn declared.

"Wait," Raider started. "Don’t tell me. That crazy guy with the ability to rip holes in the fabric of reality took her."

"And Jin," Joule added quietly.

"Graydon, I’m her oshota. I need to go," Finn said, focusing on Graydon.

"You can’t. It won’t support both of us," Graydon informed him.

And if anyone was going, it was going to be him.

Graydon squared up with Finn, ready to flatten him if he tried to force the issue.

"You’re not thinking of following her through that?" Raider waved a hand at the rift in disbelief. "Are you crazy?"

"Kira is on the other side," Graydon ground out.

Finn’s stance eased at the human’s interruption, the moment passing as the oshota ceded his duties to Graydon just this once.

"You’re just as crazy as she is," Raider muttered.

"Would you rather I abandon her?" Graydon asked, sending him a hard look.

Raider sighed and shook his head. "Of course not. Curs don’t abandon each other. No matter what fucked up rift they wind up on the other side of."

"Glad we have that settled," Graydon spat, turning his attention to the rift.

"Make sure you bring her back," Wren said.

"There was never any doubt of that."

As if Graydon would let anything stand between him and his coli.

"We’ll meet you on Rothchild," Graydon told the others, stepping through.

Wren’s voice followed him into the darkness. "Good luck. May the Mea’Ave protect you."