Spitzy snapped to attention. "Sir, what are you doing here?"
The man's gaze had been locked on Kira's bent head, but at that, his focus shifted to Spitzy. There was fire in his eyes as he said in a tight voice, "Commander Spatz, I assume you received the memo passed to every person on this station dictating any incidents involving the Tuann were to be forwarded to my team."
Spitzy didn't move, his expression chilling. "I did."
"Then, is there a reason several of their delegation are sitting in a detention room? Furthermore, why have they been separated from the two children under their care?" The man's voice was excruciatingly polite as he verbally dressed down Spitzy.
Kira couldn't help the smallest bit of amusement.
"Sir, I have a duty to protect those on this station. I felt it best to investigate the incident to ascertain there was no further threat," Spitzy said stiffly.
"And did you bother to review the feeds of what happened?" the man asked, sounding annoyingly reasonable despite the bite in his tone.
Spitzy held quiet, not knowing which answer would damn him more.
"If you had, you would have already cleared everyone of any charges," the man said through clenched teeth.
"Sir," Spitzy started.
"Dismissed."
Spitzy didn't move.
"Was I not clear?" the man said, a snap in his voice. "Dismissed."
"This is my case," Spitzy started.
"Out," the man roared.
Spitzy held in what he had been about to say, giving Kira a fulminating glare before exiting the room.
The door slid shut behind him.
Kira remained still for a moment, studying the newcomer as he did the same to her. She sighed. She'd hoped to avoid this, but it seemed wishes and hopes were not to be. She slowly sat back, pushing her hood away from her face before bracing one elbow on the chair as she made herself comfortable, her body relaxed and pliant as she sprawled in the chair.
"It's true," the man said, his gaze roving over her face.
"It's been a long time, Jace," she said with a smile that was closer to a grimace.
Jace was quiet, his expression blank, his thoughts hidden.
"I see you've been promoted," she said, noting the rear admiral bars on his shoulder and chest. He'd been a captain the last time they'd seen each other
He didn't respond for so long that Kira shifted uncomfortably. He touched his hand to the force field. It turned opaque, shielding them from the Tuann’s prying gazes.
Kira tapped it. No response.
She assumed the change would block auditory as well as visual. Stupid of Spitzy not to have activated it as soon as he entered.
"That's all you have to say to me after all this time?" he asked in a carefully controlled voice.
Kira held silent, not knowing what response would be best.
“Twelve years and six months since you disappeared on me," he continued. “Not one word to let me know you were alive and not one of the countless casualties from the Falling.”
Kira swallowed the lump in her throat, struggling to keep her eyes on his, guilt and regret making her want to slink away.
The Jace she remembered hadn't been capable of such restraint. He would have raged and thrown things, his temper a seething tempest before it inevitably blew itself out.
