"Jin, tell me you recorded Liara’s promise," Kira shouted over the chaos.
"Of course, I did. What do you think I am? An idiot?"
Kira smiled, relieved beyond words to hear her friend—even if his voice was full of sarcasm. "Then get working on that cage and protect the Overlord and her people at all costs."
He grumbled about being given obvious orders as he made a beeline for the hostages, the song blaring. It was a little on the nose, but Kira couldn't complain given its distraction had saved her ass.
Raider burst out of the dust next to her, lifting his face shield.
"You're late," she told him.
"You're lucky we came at all. That Tuann who protects you was near frothing at the mouth when he found us. You're lucky Blue put a tracker on your ass. The other one tried to stuff us in a closet once the Tsavitee started running rampant," Raider griped.
Noor appeared beside him, removing the head of two Tsavitee in a single swing of his sword. "You are not a truthful human."
Raider rolled his eyes as he fired at several of the enemy. "Yeah, yeah. Tell it to someone who cares."
“Jace and Maverick are working on calling our ship,” Raider told her after he’d taken care of another batch of enemies.
"Jin is working on the cage. We need to protect them until he finishes," Kira said.
"You never ask for much," Raider said before turning to call out orders to his troops.
Finn appeared beside her like a ghost, his eyes glittering and blood coating the front of his armor. "We are going to have a talk when this is over."
Kira didn't bother acknowledging that statement.
"Protect the children," Kira told him. "They're the most vulnerable right now."
He exhaled through his nose, his eyes approaching slits before he stalked off, the other Tuann trailing behind Raider.
Kira killed anything that came near her. She searched the melee but both generals were long gone, having disappeared as soon as the ceiling came down.
Kira spotted Blue fending off three Tsavitee. Kira sprinted toward her, landing in the middle as she ducked one swing, delivering three carefully placed strikes in seconds.
"Help Jin," she ordered as soon as the other woman focused on her.
Blue's chin jerked in a nod and she hurried off.
The firefight intensified, the Tsavitee rallying enough to recover from their earlier surprise.
The Curs had shifted the tide, but the battle wasn't yet won.
She checked on the others, her gaze snagging on a Tsavitee as he crept along the wall, his blaster aimed at Raider's back.
"Raider," Kira screamed a warning. She'd never reach him in time.
He began to turn, dropping to one knee, the Tsavitee already firing.
Kira reached for the tangled, thorny vines at her center, the source of power that had once obeyed her without question. It surged forward, easier than it had in years, the power bright and hot in her mind as she threw it out from her, wrapping Raider in a protective layer.
The blast hit it and faded. The shield disappeared in the next second.
Raider fired, hitting the Tsavitee in the chest and killing him.
Kira smiled in relief as he turned to face her with a thanks on his lips. His expression shifted, horror dawning.
His rejection stung.
